Alternative to Mag24?

joelsaxton

joelsaxton

Premium Member
I have a 240g tank with a glass sump and a Mag24 as a return pump. Are there any comparable submersible alternatives that would be better in terms of noise?

Additionally, how difficult would it be to run an external return pump instead? I have a glass sump so I would need to make some kind of u tube to feed an external pump since drilling would be too difficult.

Has anyone done this?
 
I wouldn't use such a huge return pump. For one, to get the flow out of it, you would need 2" plumbing which I doubt you are using. An Eheim 1262 would give you about 3x display flow which is plenty, and would be VERY quiet. How do you have it plumbed? If you have two returns like in a RR tank, another option would be use two pumps. 2 Eheim 1260s would work well.

If you want to go external, there are many good pumps to choose from. You would need to drill it, but its not a big deal to do so.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8072705#post8072705 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sjm817
I wouldn't use such a huge return pump. For one, to get the flow out of it, you would need 2" plumbing which I doubt you are using. An Eheim 1262 would give you about 3x display flow which is plenty, and would be VERY quiet. How do you have it plumbed? If you have two returns like in a RR tank, another option would be use two pumps. 2 Eheim 1260s would work well.

If you want to go external, there are many good pumps to choose from. You would need to drill it, but its not a big deal to do so.
Click to expand...

Drill glass? I don't know about that. I am worried I might shatter it. My sump is basically a 50g aquarium, and I have no idea if 50g tanks are tempered on their sides or not. It is a leemar, I believe. I think they temper their larger tanks, but I don't know if 50g is one of those or not.

The eheim 1262 is only 900gph with 12' head. The mag gets 2400gph and has a head of over 20 feet, I believe. But maybe two eheims teed into my 1" return would work? They are certainly quiet!
 
The thing is that Mag24 is SEVERLY flow restricted with 1" plumbing. You are not getting anywhere near the full flow from it anyway.

I would get 1 1262 and try it out. If you think you need more flow, you could add a 2nd pump. You will definitely be happy with the improvement in noise level and I think you will be surprised about the flow the 1262 has.
 
Any good external pump could be used also, its a bit more complicated to plumb over the sump , but it is doable. The only issue is priming it at first, but once thats done it's pretty much a done deal. The main advantages to external are pump choices eg: sound levels , pressure rated vs volume rated, heat transfer etc. If you absalutly need an in sump pump ehiems are great.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8073098#post8073098 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sjm817
The thing is that Mag24 is SEVERLY flow restricted with 1" plumbing. You are not getting anywhere near the full flow from it anyway.

I would get 1 1262 and try it out. If you think you need more flow, you could add a 2nd pump. You will definitely be happy with the improvement in noise level and I think you will be surprised about the flow the 1262 has.
Click to expand...

I was thinking maybe it would be better with two 1262's working together since they have 3/4" return and they must go into a 1" return. Plus it has to go up about 6 feet. What do you think?

The mag instructions recommend 1" tubing, and it has a 1" outlet anyway. Seems like it would not be so restricted? But I will look at the link.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8073079#post8073079 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by joelsaxton
Drill glass? I don't know about that. I am worried I might shatter it. My sump is basically a 50g aquarium, and I have no idea if 50g tanks are tempered on their sides or not. It is a leemar, I believe. I think they temper their larger tanks, but I don't know if 50g is one of those or not.

The eheim 1262 is only 900gph with 12' head. The mag gets 2400gph and has a head of over 20 feet, I believe. But maybe two eheims teed into my 1" return would work? They are certainly quiet!
Click to expand...


how much head you running?

At 10' of head, with 1" pipe (and no fittings), you're getting 800gph with a mag24.


I'd be looking into something like a smaller blueline.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8081036#post8081036 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RichConley
how much head you running?

At 10' of head, with 1" pipe (and no fittings), you're getting 800gph with a mag24.


I'd be looking into something like a smaller blueline.
Click to expand...

6' of head. I might be sold on the Eheim idea, if they can really push up 6 feet.
 
looks like the 1262 is the way to go. It has a higher gph rating than the 1260 until you get very close to 11 feet of head.

Thanks everyone for the help.

One last question - should I just use an adapter to send the 3/4" output from the Eheim to the 1" return hose?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8081036#post8081036 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RichConley
how much head you running?

At 10' of head, with 1" pipe (and no fittings), you're getting 800gph with a mag24.


I'd be looking into something like a smaller blueline.
Click to expand...

Thats for sure... if he were to go external on this, there is a whole slew of pumps I would suggest then... PanWorld 40PX's, Velocity T3/4's, and ReefFlo's... but thats a whole other issue.
 
Thanks.

I think I will replace the Mag24 with the Eheim 1262, I just need to find a 3/4" to 1" hose barb adapter.
 
The losses due to friction and pressure in a 1" pipe/hose are alot. Use as much of the larger pipe (2") as possible.

To reduce noise, isolate the pump from any hard surfaces. Mine is hanging in air, a few inches off the bottom of the sump. On the (vertical) outake is a vertical section of vinyl tubing before it goes to rigid pipe. This cut the noise of my pump well below half what it was previously.

Also, the pump is mostly in air so there's minimal heat transfer to the water.

A Mag 24 is probably overkill in that system. You can throttle down the outflow with a ball valve on the outflow. A Mag 12 would be fine if you don't have too many attachments on the outflow.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8082079#post8082079 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by WarrenG
The losses due to friction and pressure in a 1" pipe/hose are alot. Use as much of the larger pipe (2") as possible.

To reduce noise, isolate the pump from any hard surfaces. Mine is hanging in air, a few inches off the bottom of the sump. On the (vertical) outake is a vertical section of vinyl tubing before it goes to rigid pipe. This cut the noise of my pump well below half what it was previously.

Also, the pump is mostly in air so there's minimal heat transfer to the water.

A Mag 24 is probably overkill in that system. You can throttle down the outflow with a ball valve on the outflow. A Mag 12 would be fine if you don't have too many attachments on the outflow.
Click to expand...

Yes, I am looking to have an Eheim 1262 strictly as a return pump.
 
I think WarrenG didnt read everything before posting and didnt know that you had already changed your mind about the MAg24... his suggestions for a 2" pipe reflect that.
 
hahnmeister, I see you have a deltec skimmer listed in your sig. What do you think about it? I was looking into one for my 240g.

Joel
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8082359#post8082359 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hahnmeister
I think WarrenG didnt read everything before posting and didnt know that you had already changed your mind about the MAg24... his suggestions for a 2" pipe reflect that.
Click to expand...

I read all the posts, including his first one where he said noise was the issue he was trying to solve. He posted about his change of mind not long before I suggested solutions to his noise issue that would not require the purchase of more equipment, not that there's anything wrong with that.

I have found the flex tubing useful to help reduce the noise from several different pumps, not just a MagX.

The 2" pipe was a possible solution for the issue raised by other people.
 
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