Grrrrrrrrrr! I hate pumps that won't restart!

[Lance]

Why can't they come up with a submersible pump that dependably starts up again like some of the external pumps. My Reeflo Barracuda and Iwaki 70RLT only get cleaned once a year (maybe) and start back up each and every time. I've had both of them over two years and never have a problem. (The Iwaki in fact I bought used from a fellow reefer).
Submersible pumps on the other hand are a PITA! If you don't clean then regularly, half the time they won't start back up. Take it apart again and fiddle with it until it finally works. Next time I turn it off, same bloody thing.
In powerheads I find the Korallia Evo's the worst, with Tunze better and the Vortechs being better yet. Surprisingly the cheap MJ's are pretty good.
Skimmer pumps I find are especially frustrating. Atman, Aquabee, Tunze and even Eheim have all given me grief, although the Eheim is easily the better of them. The Atman in my Bubble Magus skimmer is especially bad. I just about threw it off the sundeck today. (I had to take it apart 4 times before it finally ran properly). Until they come up with a better pump I will not buy another skimmer with a submersible pump; I'll stick with Beckett's and external pumps. They might be old school and noisy but man they work well.
Submersible return pumps IMO are somewhat better than the skimmer pumps, but still not close to being as good as external. Eheim being the best of the bunch.
Ok, got it off my chest and feel a little better. Sorry for the rantings.

[BlueTang<3]

I never have any issues with my red dragons :twised:

[marie]

Dang Blue tang you beat me to it :lol:

I have cleaned my red dragon pump once in the 2 and a half years I've owned it......it starts every time :mrgreen:

[Reef Pilot]

I have a couple mag pumps, and one of them, too, wouldn't start up sometimes after powering off. I totally took apart the impeller unit, shaft, etc, cleaned every bit of Ca deposit, and it still wouldn't start consistently.

I had another mag pump that was similar, and was able to switch impeller shafts, and that solved it. In fact, both now start up every time.

It seems that the shafts and/or bores may get a wear pattern over time that causes this. By switching impeller unit parts, the wear pattern is changed around, eliminating some slack. At least that is my theory.

[ALang]

I feel your pain!

[Delphinus]

Think it's the magnet swelling maybe??

What's worrying me these days, pump related that is, is my Dart return pump is making weird noises that I swear it didn't make before. Is this normal or should I be taking it apart? It's subtle sorts of things but it's on the list of things I worry about..

[Lance]

Short of buying a Bubble King where can you buy a Red Dragon pump? They are pretty hard to find.

[Lance]

Think it's the magnet swelling maybe??

What's worrying me these days, pump related that is, is my Dart return pump is making weird noises that I swear it didn't make before. Is this normal or should I be taking it apart? It's subtle sorts of things but it's on the list of things I worry about..

Maybe pull it apart and have a look Tony. Might be just a piece of crap inside.

[Skimmerking]

Why can't they come up with a submersible pump that dependably starts up again like some of the external pumps. My Reeflo Barracuda and Iwaki 70RLT only get cleaned once a year (maybe) and start back up each and every time. I've had both of them over two years and never have a problem. (The Iwaki in fact I bought used from a fellow reefer).
Submersible pumps on the other hand are a PITA! If you don't clean then regularly, half the time they won't start back up. Take it apart again and fiddle with it until it finally works. Next time I turn it off, same bloody thing.
In powerheads I find the Korallia Evo's the worst, with Tunze better and the Vortechs being better yet. Surprisingly the cheap MJ's are pretty good.
Skimmer pumps I find are especially frustrating. Atman, Aquabee, Tunze and even Eheim have all given me grief, although the Eheim is easily the better of them. The Atman in my Bubble Magus skimmer is especially bad. I just about threw it off the sundeck today. (I had to take it apart 4 times before it finally ran properly). Until they come up with a better pump I will not buy another skimmer with a submersible pump; I'll stick with Beckett's and external pumps. They might be old school and noisy but man they work well.
Submersible return pumps IMO are somewhat better than the skimmer pumps, but still not close to being as good as external. Eheim being the best of the bunch.
Ok, got it off my chest and feel a little better. Sorry for the rantings.

Lance that is why i have a Mag drive I have nothing bad to say about them.

[Skimmerking]

I never have any issues with my red dragons :twised:
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm red dragon

[Lance]

Lance that is why i have a Mag drive I have nothing bad to say about them.


The Danners are pretty good Mike, I own three of them myself. Buuuuut, I don't like how warm they run and you have to remove all those screws to clean the bloody thing. Personally, I'd rather pay the extra money and get an Eheim.

[Skimmerking]

ahhhhhhhhhh ya but Lance is the screws really all that hard to take out and they don't rust either. the extra heat is great for heating the tank

[Aquattro]

I've used MAG12s and 18s for years as return pumps, they always restart and I don't really ever clean them, maybe every few years or so. My pumps on my skimmer also restart every time. Only issue I ever had was running a mesh modded impeller, that would stick sometimes.

[PoonTang]

Think it's the magnet swelling maybe??

What's worrying me these days, pump related that is, is my Dart return pump is making weird noises that I swear it didn't make before. Is this normal or should I be taking it apart? It's subtle sorts of things but it's on the list of things I worry about..

What kind of a noise is it? they are known for the little plastic slinger washer on the shaft between the pump and motor walking down the shaft and rubbing.
Lance, i have my evos on a wave program and dont have any troubles with them at all. Perhaps you could call hydor and see if there is an upgrade.

[Ken]

Hey Lance, my reef originally have a IwAKI 100RLT, recently the tank had a microbubble issue, a major microbubble issue, the tank was set up back in 2000, 11 years later and the Iwaki is still running and never taken apart for maintenance, ever. So because of the microbubble issue, I thought after 11 years I should take the pump apart and clean it. After removing and cleaning it, it didn't look too bad so back it went back in.It didn't fix the micro bubble issue, turns out it was the ball valve on the suction side. I read somewhere from a manufacture that these Iwaki should only last for 3-4 years in a reef. Iwaki are great pumps, in my experience I never had one that shut down. Regards Ken

[Lance]

Hey Lance, my reef originally have a IwAKI 100RLT, recently the tank had a microbubble issue, a major microbubble issue, the tank was set up back in 2000, 11 years later and the Iwaki is still running and never taken apart for maintenance, ever. So because of the microbubble issue, I thought after 11 years I should take the pump apart and clean it. After removing and cleaning it, it didn't look too bad so back it went back in.It didn't fix the micro bubble issue, turns out it was the ball valve on the suction side. I read somewhere from a manufacture that these Iwaki should only last for 3-4 years in a reef. Iwaki are great pumps, in my experience I never had one that shut down. Regards Ken

I agree with you Ken. I love my Iwaki. There's a reason they're pricier than some of the others.

[Ian]

My experience WORST EVER are quiet ones...never restart for me will never own another one...my ehiems are good as long as I give them a quick clean every 3-4 months.

[Lance]

My experience WORST EVER are quiet ones...never restart for me will never own another one...my ehiems are goos as long as I give them a quick clean every 3-4 months.


I don't like "Quiet Ones" either. And who named them: Noisiest pump on the market.

[H2o2]

I think that Paul at oceanic corals sells swc askoll skimmer pumps that are the same body of the red dragon and a way better price.

[es355lucille]

My sediment exactly.....I thought it was going to be a dream....could not stand the sound.....I use it for mixing salt/water in a drum, it doesn't bother me there.

I don't like "Quiet Ones" either. And who named them: Noisiest pump on the market.

[Tracey2]

I have the sicce 2500's on an ATB cone and an ATI bubblemaster, love the skimmers, hate the pumps, can anyone suggest a replacement?