Which Water Pump?

[jjboods]

I am thinking of adding a pump that I can plumb with one return and a sort of spray bar, maybe 4 or 5 outlets, along the bottom of the tank, behind the rocks. Thinking that I want about 500-600 gph to push about 100 per outlet. Just enough to keep flow along the top of the sandbed, but not so much to stir it up. The tank is a 48"x18" 75 gallon. The total height to the top of the tank is about 4-5 feet.
I am probably going to have it external. What pump would be best? Brand and model?
In order of importance:
1. Low-Power consumption
2. Price(Less than $100, prefer around $50)
3. Noise

 

[squidd]

You are not going to find much of anything in an external pump for under $100...
For a little more than that you can get some noisy unreliable unit....
For a little more you can get a Velocity (Blue Line) T-3 that's quiet and effecient...

 

[jjboods]

What about Eheims or Quiet Ones?

 

[squidd]

At the sizes your looking at they are both "submersible" design...
They "say" you can run them external, but I won't recommend them for that purpose due to heat, noise and leakage issues...
I do like the Quiet Ones in a submersible application...

 

[jjboods]

What type of wattage does the velocity run at?

 

[squidd]

A T-2 runs @ 0.9 amp and will push 660 gph @ 4' head

 

[jjboods]

Do you the wattage rating?

 

[squidd]

Originally posted by jjboods
Do you the wattage rating?
:notsure:
"Did" I do it...? No, That's off mfg specs...

 

[jjboods]

Oops. Do you KNOW the wattage rating?

 

[squidd]

Amps X Volts = Watts
.9 X 120 = 108

 

[jjboods]

110 or 220? even at .9x110. that's pretty high compared to others.

 

[squidd]

Thing is, you gotta "read between the lines"..
Look at different "flow charts" to find compareable flow numbers at the head you will be running (you can't compare "Rated Flow" numbers you need to see where they "drop off")
You will find it takes about the same amount of wattage to flow "X" amount of water, no matter whose pump you use...That's basic physics...
There may be "minor" differences in effeciency between brands but it still takes "X" amount of power to move "X" amount of water...
The other thing you want to look out for is some pumps give wattage ratings at "MAX FLOW" and it may be a low number...
But max flow is at 0' head...What do you think will happen when that pump is under pressure (at the head you will be using)...?

 

[golfish]

Originally posted by Squidd
You will find it takes about the same amount of wattage to flow "X" amount of water, no matter whose pump you use...That's basic physics...
There may be "minor" differences in effeciency between brands but it still takes "X" amount of power to move "X" amount of water...

Squidd, there are a few huge exceptions don't you think..If you look at some of the low head pressure pumps like Dolphins Amp Master and some of the Sequence pumps they can move up to 5x more then the T-2 using the same amount of wattage......

 

[jjboods]

The pump would be in the stand pumping up and over the side of the tank. About 4", maybe 5'.
Golfish, what would you recommend?

 

[squidd]

Originally posted by golfish
Squidd, there are a few huge exceptions don't you think...
they can move up to 5x more then the T-2 using the same amount of wattage......
Exceptions...5X more...
But now we're in a different "orchard" and not comparing apples to apples...
Is there a Sequence or Amp Master in size jjboods is looking for...?
(edit:OK there IS... )
And what's the wattage on say a DP800..?
I'm betting 90 watts...:thinking:

 

[jjboods]

Actually, the DP 560 or 650 would be fine for what I want. The 560 is 35 watts but would drop to about 300gph at 5 feet. The 650 is 50 watts and would be about 480 gph at 5 feet. And I found them both for between $45 and $50. Are these good pumps for my application? Price is good and power consumption seems good. Are they quiet?

 

[squidd]

Found it...
DP800 will do 660 gph @4' at 70 watts...(same as T-2...apples)
That is probably the "best" max-power (rather than max-flow) number I've seen...and a "fair" portion lower than the T-2
Good call Golfish...
And I stand corrected... (sort of)

 

[jjboods]

660 is more than I need. 400-500 would be fine. But it sounds like this is a quality pump?

 

[squidd]

Looking at the Amp Master some more...
I'm kinda liking look of the flow on the 2000 for my next project...Velocity doesn't make one that goes that high and the prices are good.
But are they quiet...?
My T-3 and T-4 are "dead" quiet...

 

[jjboods]

I'm less concerned with noise. More with cost.