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View Full Version : Need to know what is the quietest & highest GPH return pump


The Grizz
12-31-2011, 03:04 AM
So the wife and I are sitting hear in the living room watching a movie and the noise coming from the return pump on the 165 gal IS DRIVING ME NUT'S.

The pump is a Reeflo Hammerhead Gold, 5600 gph. The reason I think it is making so much noise is that it is restricted to much but I cant do anything about it on this tank, it will how ever work like a charm on the 300.

So I am looking for a replacement pump that is completely silent with a high GPH.

Give me your suggestions please.

reefgirl189
12-31-2011, 03:31 AM
Actually not to drive you off topic but this could be a good opportunity to discuss the most silent hardware for all aspects of the reef. I know I'd be very interested to hear what people have to say about it.

The Codfather
12-31-2011, 03:38 AM
Greg,
I have a pair of sicce 4200's that I am going to put on the 300, the are supposed to be quiet and pushes 4200 gph. I'll let you know when I have it set up, I should have it piped in the week I hope.
Bob

The Grizz
12-31-2011, 03:50 AM
Hey Bob,

These are internal pumps only, right?

I need an external, already have way to many internial pumps in my sump already.

The Codfather
12-31-2011, 03:52 AM
Either, internal or external.

RyanJ
12-31-2011, 03:52 AM
Why dont you just install a pressure bypass?? Instead of just choking tge pressure.. Just return what you not useing to the sump.. Have you ever tried that??

e46er
12-31-2011, 03:58 AM
It would probably be cheeper to insulate your stand to kill sound
I redid my stand with stacking slate rock and plywood on inside and outside of 2x4 supports
I have 2 snapper pumps running in my tank and my couch is about 1/2" away from the stand and I can't hear anything since I redid the stand
A couple cans Of spray foam would work wonders I bet
Sorry tho I don't have any experience with external pumps apart from my snappers and some pump I was given but label was scratched off

The Grizz
12-31-2011, 03:58 AM
Why dont you just install a pressure bypass?? Instead of just choking tge pressure.. Just return what you not useing to the sump.. Have you ever tried that??

Not sure if that will work in my case. Everything is very tight under the tank & not much room for more pipes. If I could get at the returns behind the tank & had the room I would change it out to bigger pipe but there's no way.


Either, internal or external.

Good to know but man are they pricey, wish I would have keep my dart pump instead of trading it for a Wahoo pump that I can't use either ATM.

The Grizz
12-31-2011, 04:02 AM
It would probably be cheeper to insulate your stand to kill sound
I redid my stand with stacking slate rock and plywood on inside and outside of 2x4 supports
I have 2 snapper pumps running in my tank and my couch is about 1/2" away from the stand and I can't hear anything since I redid the stand
A couple cans Of spray foam would work wonders I bet
Sorry tho I don't have any experience with external pumps apart from my snappers and some pump I was given but label was scratched off

Can't close off the stand completely because of my new skimmer
http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx291/GRIZZtheWELDER/165%20gal%20tank%20build/aba0bcb7.jpg

And the other end has my chiller.

Another reason to build a new tank & stand so everything is in closed.

The Codfather
12-31-2011, 04:02 AM
I don't know, compared to other pumps that do the same, I think they were reasonable. I will have to have a look when I get home, I'm in cowtown right now. The problem was finding the rep for Canada. Sicce only has 1 rep in Canada and he's in Vancouver, he was however very nice and cut me a great deal. If you need the info afterwards, let me know, I'll look it up.

The Grizz
12-31-2011, 04:05 AM
That would be great Bob, I found some on EBay & Aquacave right around the $400 mark.

jagermaier
12-31-2011, 04:06 AM
Iwaki are very quiet pumps. I'm not sure if they make one big enough for your flow rate though.

RyanJ
12-31-2011, 04:07 AM
Ohh no no need for new PVC just drill a 1/2 or 3/4" hole In your main supply line, tap the hole, and thread in a barb fitting.. With some PVC glue thread image PVC barb in and put yourself a valve on it and put it in your sump.. Open the valve till the pump quiets down.. It may be ghetto.. But.. It will release the back pressure..

The Codfather
12-31-2011, 04:12 AM
If you look at the new Tunze master series 1073.110, they look identical to the sicce syncra 12. As for price of the Tunze I have no idea.
I guess the 4200 series is really the syncra 16. It has the anti lime bypass and the whole shooting match, I actually can't wait to try it.

fishytime
12-31-2011, 04:13 AM
Look into the gold line of reeflo pumps Greg.... Whisper quiet and won't break the bank......... Or if you wanna break the bank get a red dragon:biggrin:

The Codfather
12-31-2011, 04:15 AM
Ohh no no need for new PVC just drill a 1/2 or 3/4" hole In your main supply line, tap the hole, and thread in a barb fitting.. With some PVC glue thread image PVC barb in and put yourself a valve on it and put it in your sump.. Open the valve till the pump quiets down.. It may be ghetto.. But.. It will release the back pressure..

Reeflo pumps actually recommend that you throttle the pumps, it drops the amp ratings and prolongs the life of the pumps.

jagermaier
12-31-2011, 04:16 AM
Look into the gold line of reeflo pumps Greg.... Whisper quiet and won't break the bank......... Or if you wanna break the bank get a red dragon:biggrin:

I'm pretty sure that is what he said he is running right now. ReeffFlo Hammerhead Gold

The Grizz
12-31-2011, 04:18 AM
Look into the gold line of reeflo pumps Greg.... Whisper quiet and won't break the bank......... Or if you wanna break the bank get a red dragon:biggrin:

That is what I think I have is the hammerhead Gold. Got it from Brett for 3 bills.

fishytime
12-31-2011, 04:28 AM
Ooops :redface:....You find it loud????..... Have you got it sitting on any foam or something????.... Hard plumbed????

The Grizz
12-31-2011, 04:35 AM
Ooops :redface:....You find it loud????..... Have you got it sitting on any foam or something????.... Hard plumbed????

Put it this way, I can hear it on the second floor of my house. The pump has 1 1/2" ins & outs but I had to reduce them down to 1" & the only way to change it is to empty the tank & that won't happen for a month or 2 yet.

I started with a 1200 GPH pump then switched to a Dart (2400) but wanted more flow hence HAMMERhead :lol:

I have some sound dampening pads so I think I will see if I can get one under it & cut a thick piece of foam or sound proof padding to go under the plywood but can't do that until ATO tank is empty.

reefwars
12-31-2011, 04:49 AM
i find this works well

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQnry2YlnHWqjCNrsAcUFLyX0N2O6qt7 Xe5_5eH_l--fF9SZ5bO

lastlight
12-31-2011, 04:52 AM
There's no way any of the larger reeflo pumps are livingroom quiet. I'm not up to speed on the newer pumps but the largest red dragon is 900 plus dollars and likely won't flow quite as much. There are the even more expensive abyzz pumps. I don't think the tunze have near the flow you're after either...

Quiet and normal flow is pricey. Quiet and hammerhead equivalent flow is crazy pricey!

Your pump is not the gold version btw. also, to my knowledge the gold versions flow a bit more and aren't any quieter. The best you can do with reeflo pumps for noise is get the better baldor versions which yours is.

hillegom
12-31-2011, 04:56 AM
As fishytime alludes to:
Put your pump on some foam and place a piece of rubber hose between your pump and plumbing, intake and out. If your pump is isolated, vibration will not easily rattle everything in the house.

mark
12-31-2011, 05:00 AM
2 Darts in parallel?

The Grizz
12-31-2011, 05:01 AM
I couldn't remember if it was the gold version but it has kick arse flow & have no doubt that it will be much quieter in the new tank, not reducing the inlet & going with 2 - 1" outlets on each of the 4 outlets from my OM 4way, which has a 1 1/2" inlet.

Just looking for something a little quieter for a short spell as this tank will be getting broke down into a 90 gal & 120 gal while I do a granite floor for under the tank & build the new one.

lastlight
12-31-2011, 05:04 AM
Missed the part about you reducing the inlet. I'm no expert I only know that's really bad for any pump and there's no way it's pushing what it's rated for. I'll bet it's pulling all the watts though. So to find an equal pump to the flow you're probably pulling thru one inch pipe... You might not have to aim so high.

The restriction Might be making it noisier as well.

The Grizz
12-31-2011, 05:04 AM
As fishytime alludes to:
Put your pump on some foam and place a piece of rubber hose between your pump and plumbing, intake and out. If your pump is isolated, vibration will not easily rattle everything in the house.

Going to try to get some sound dampening pads under the pump if there's room & I already have a piece of flex pipe after the pump. When I restrict the pump more by turnning the valve a bit it gets loader.

The Grizz
12-31-2011, 05:05 AM
Missed the part about you reducing the inlet. I'm no expert I only know that's really bad for any pump. Might be making it noisier as well.

Kind of what I was thinking too.

lastlight
12-31-2011, 05:10 AM
Editted my prev post. Look for a pump rated for less than a hammerhead. No way you've been getting near the flow it's rated for. Make sure the new one has 1" inlet which will already limit you to pumps rated for far less.

The Grizz
12-31-2011, 05:10 AM
I might try to increase the inlet from the sump, it acrylic so it will be easy to do.

Bblinks
12-31-2011, 10:49 AM
I might try to increase the inlet from the sump, it acrylic so it will be easy to do.

Honestly I would try that first, I know reefflo pumps are meant to push a lot of flow but not to pull any water in. You are lucky that you have an acrylic sump, I had to pull the sump out just to punch a 2 inch hole to accomedate my reefflo dart. Keep me updated. Have a good new years.

The Grizz
01-08-2012, 03:45 AM
Well I re-plumbed the intake to my pump today & also added some sound dampening pads under the pump as well. I think it is a little bit quieter then it was before but will not really know until I go up to bed, if I can't hear it then I will be a little bit happier. Update in the morning.

Mrfish55
01-08-2012, 04:34 AM
I had the same problem as you, was getting nasty resonance and driving me crazy, I installed rubber couplings on the intake and returns right where they enter/exit the pump and installed damping pads ( from Sears, intended to go under washing machines) and it made a huge difference to the sound I was having. Changing out your intake to a larger line should make a big difference for you as well, restricting the intake can cause cavitation and vibrations.

The Grizz
01-08-2012, 05:28 AM
Changed the inlet today to an 1.5" but still have a little reverberations coming from the pump. Next step is to change the outlet side to an 1.5" tee into 2 - 1" lines with rubber hose but maybe not until next weekend.

Big Tang
01-08-2012, 05:54 AM
Just use a six inch piece of spa flex on either side of your pump (intake/outtake )and that should look after any resonance from your pump that's what I do for every reeflo I install.

The Grizz
01-08-2012, 05:56 AM
Already have spa flex on the outlet side and have no room for it on the inlet side.

RuGlu6
01-08-2012, 07:03 AM
Have you considered water blaster pumps?
Silent and push a lot of water.
2600gph both internal/external
3 year warranty from Coralvue.

http://www.goreef.com/Water-Blaster-Pumps
However i have never had one so no first hand experience.