Looking for a good system pump for my 150-gallon

OceanGirl

OceanGirl

Member
Hi there everyone,

I'm in the process of getting all my gear together for my 150 gallon and I need some advice on a system pump. The tank has a large 3-sided overflow in the center back wall which is rated at 1200 gph. There is one drain 1.5", and one return at 1". There is a distance of about 5 feet that water has to go to reach the top of the tank. I don't have a remote location for all my gear, so everything has to go under the tank in the cabinet. The tank is in the living room, so I need a quiet pump that doesn't sound like an outboard motor--LOL!:bugout: I'm going to be using two Tunze 6101's for flow in the tank. What would you guys recommend? Any advice will be much appreciated.
 
tbittner

tbittner

Well-Known Member
If you would prefer an external pump to the sump, I highly recommend the Sequence Snapper pump. I have two of these and I literally have to touch them to make sure they are still running they are so quiet. At 5' of head pressure, it's rated at around 1700gph but Sequence also brags about their pumps not being affected by installing simulated head pressure with ball valves, which I have also done and they are still as quiet as a mouse.
 
mps9506

mps9506

Well-Known Member
framerguy said:
Danner Mag-Drive Supreme 18 1800 GPH Pump (Saltwater Aquarium Supplies > Water Pumps > Submersible > Over 1000 GPH )
This is what I would use for your set up. At 5' of head the Mag 18 puts out 1200gph. They are very quiet pumps. They are for submersion only and need the water to keep them cool so they do add heat to the water. If that is an issue for you take it into account.
Click to expand...

I have to respectfully disagree on the Mag Drives being a quiet pump :) Of course one person's idea of quiet and someone else's idea of quiet can be two different things.
If you can go with external pumps I agree with the above post on the Sequence pumps. Extremely quiet and cost efficient pump to run. If you are aiming at 1500 gph turnover through your sump, than I would really recomend going with an external pump. Keep in mind you don't have to have that much turnover going through your sump though.
 
OceanGirl

OceanGirl

Member
:snshne: Thanks again, everyone, for the replies! Turns out I'm going to need to use an in-sump pump because I'm having a custom sump/refugium made and there isn't enough room inside my stand for an external one. Since I have two Tunze 6101's I'm going to use for flow, Jeff from Lifereef recommended I reduce the drain line down to 1," and use maybe a Mag 9 so I'll get a flow rate of around 900gph.
 
DrHank

DrHank

Well-Known Member
Mag pumps are very dependable but the Mag 9 will only deliver about 550-590 gph at 5' of head (which is close to what you will have). I've used that pump successfully on a 110gal XT tank. You shouldn't have any problems but I did want to let you know that you won't get 900gph.
 
DrHank

DrHank

Well-Known Member
Mag drive pumps are my choice if you must use a submersible pump. I'd step up to at least a Mag 12 and maybe the Mag 18. I've got a Mag 18 on my 210 gal (choked back slightly with a ball valve) which drains through three seperate 1" drains in the back wall of the tank.

My 155 Bowfront has 2 corner overflows with 1" drains and I'm using a GenX PCX40 external. I actually prefer it to the Mag 18 but your sump would have to be drilled for a 1 1/2" bulkhead to feed the pump.

Having had both the submersible and external pumps. I prefer the external if possible.
 
tbittner

tbittner

Well-Known Member
I couldn't agree more. If you have a little extra room, external pumps have a lot of pluses. No heat (or very little) added to the water. Quieter. More bang for the buck (imho). Better reliability? Possibly...

The heat might end up being an issue for you. Mag drives DO add quite a bit of heat to the water. Depending on the temperature that you keep your house, you may end up needing a chiller to keep the temperature from getting out of hand during the day when your lights are on. And assuming that the chiller is kept in the same room as everything else, it adds quite a bit of heat to the room, which makes the chiller run harder...

Vicious cycle. I ended up moving my sump and chiller to my basement and now the chiller rarely runs because the temperature in the basement is cooler then upstairs so it acts like a built in chiller. Best thing I've ever done for my system. :)

Not to mention maintenance is such a breeze now that everything is so easy to get to.

Sorry, I digress, I'm not trying to talk you into a sump in the basement. :lol:
 
OceanGirl

OceanGirl

Member
:wave: Thanks, guys. Maybe I'll see if there is a way to use an external pump instead of a submersible, but if not, I guess I'll go with the Mag12. Space is tight within my stand, and I've got no basement, so everything's got to fit in the stand. I've been thinking of heat issues, and my tank is going to be open-topped with the light fixture suspended over it, for one, and the tank is downstairs in the living room, which stays pretty cool. Fortunately even in the summer it never goes over 70 degrees, and the living room stays cool because the house's foundation is right under the carpeting. Plus we have lots of trees in the back which shades the house. Hopefully all these factors will help out.:wave:
 
DrHank

DrHank

Well-Known Member
I'm in complete agreement with Terry. My 155 Bowfront has a pair of GenX pumps. One is for the return and the other for my Beckett skimmer. My 210 has a pair of MAG 18s. Again one for the skimmer and one for the return. The 210 constantly runs about 3 degrees warmer than the 155 and the last time I checked the 210 was quite a bit bigger than the 155. If the tanks were both 155s ad guess that the temp difference would be at least 5 degrees warmer (if not more). Big Mag pumps do generate heat.

I'm hoping to get my sump drilled on the 210 and switch to external pumps in the coming year. If I don't, my 1/3 hp chiller will be cranking this summer. Florida is a tad bit warmer than NJ. I can say that because I've lived in both states.
 
OceanGirl

OceanGirl

Member
:bugout: Wow! I didn't realize the submersible pumps transfer that much heat! Thanks, Doc, for the info! Once Jeff from Lifereef sends me over a quote for my sump/refugium I'm going to see if there's some way to use an external system pump; I'm sure there must be some way.:wave:
 
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