Eheim 1260 vs. Oceanrunner 3500.... same gph?

[Reeferon]

Eheim 1260 Universal Pump:
Pump Output: 635 gph
Power Consumption: 65 W


Ocean Runner 3500
Pump Output: 900 gph
Power Consumption: 65 W

Ive heard that the gph rating on Eheim pumps isn't accurate.
Is it possible that these two pumps will push just about the same amount of water? They have the same wattage usage!

Or is the Eheim 1260 more comparable to the Ocean Runner 2500 which pushes 650 gph at 38 W?

 

[AZDesertRat]

No, the 1260 is equal to a 2500 and the 1262 is equal to the 3500.
I tested a 1260 some time back and this is what I came up with:
Here are my results using a Kill A Watt meter, 10 psi pressure gauge, ball valve, 1 inch water meter and 1" plumbing on the discharge.
Open discharge - 782 GPH at 63 watts
1 psi (2.3') - 492 GPH @ 60 watts
2 psi (4.6') - 433 GPH @ 54 watts
3 psi (7') - 356 GPH @ 50 watts
3.5 psi ( 8') - 300 GPH @ 46 watts
4 psi (9.5') - 253 GPH @ 43 watts

 

[phc567]

go with the Eheim. the ocean runner is junk. its a china knock off of the eheim.

 

[Reeferon]

DesertRat:

What do you think about the Oceanrunners?

 

[AZDesertRat]

I have 4 of them, some as old as 6 years and never missed a beat. They are great pumps and backed by Aqua-Medic one of the oldest names in the aquarium industry. Best of all they are about half the price of an Eheim on top of being more efficient.
www.customaquatic.com sells them and offers a discount to RC members if you go through their sponsors section here.

 

[Reeferon]

any problems with setting them up externally?

 

[AZDesertRat]

No, my OR 3500 closed loop pump was external for years. It sits in my sump right now just because I ran out of room on the shelf behind the tank when I added another light ballast.

 

[Reeferon]

I thought that they might produce microbubbles because of a design flaw.

(One of my hypothesis for my friend's microbubble problem)

 

[AZDesertRat]

Micro bubbles are probably caused by restricting the pump intake. All pumps should have an open unrestricted suction regardless of brand. When plumbing externally you should drill the side of the sum and set the pump so it has a straight unobstructed intake at least equal to the size of the threads (3/4",1" etc) if not one size larger. A ball or gate vale and union or tur union type ball valve should be plumbed in for maintenance purposes but should always be wide open when the pump is running. Elbows to the side and especially up and over and down the side type suctions are discouraged. Water levels should always be above the centerline of the pump volute and deeper is better as it gives what is called positive suction head making the pump work more efficiently.
If bubbles are present try restricting the discharge side of the pump, raising the water level in the sump, baffles between the return section and any devices like a skimmer,etc. Bubbles may altready be in the sump and the pump is just moving them along which is common when you have too much velocity through the sump from either too large a pump or too small a sump or both. You can spot bubbles easily by shining a flashlight through the sump front to back or side to side, the bubbles will stand out in the light.

 

[grundig5]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13298346#post13298346 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by phc567
go with the Eheim. the ocean runner is junk. its a china knock off of the eheim.

Aquamedic = German, not Chinese. It is not a "knock off."
I dont know why people use Eheims as return pumps when OR's push more water with less wattage...

 

[sjm817]

I'm not so sure the OR push more water for less wattage. I've seen posts where people have used a 3500 and a 1262 and said the 1262 had a lot more actual flow. I'd love to do an actual comparison of flow and wattage between the 2500/1260, 3500/1262.

People also use Ehiems because they seem to last forever.

 

[chris4869]

^^ Exactly. Many reputable calcium reactors and skimmers use Eheims.

 

[AZDesertRat]

I wish I could get my hands on a 1262. I have three OR 3500s of my own and all the stuff to do the test.

 

[BeanAnimal]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13298430#post13298430 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AZDesertRat
I have 4 of them, some as old as 6 years and never missed a beat. They are great pumps and backed by Aqua-Medic one of the oldest names in the aquarium industry. Best of all they are about half the price of an Eheim on top of being more efficient.
www.customaquatic.com sells them and offers a discount to RC members if you go through their sponsors section here.

I gotta take the opposite stance. My OR3500 fails to start 1/3 of the time. It is a NW skimemr pump, but the eheims do not have that problem. It also make a lot more noise than the eheim NW pumps i have seen.

As for normal flow use... I dunno.

 

[stevensun]

Right now I have a Eheim 1262 and a OR 3500 running on different tanks. The Eheim pump is connected to my skimmer and the OR to my frag tank as a return pump. Although I can not precisely compare the actual flow they put out, I have to say the OR is MUCH cooler and quieter than the Eheim pump. I don't have a chiller for the frag tank but the temp is kept at 77 with just a fan at daytime and 78 at night w/o the fan. However, when I turn off the skimmer fed by the eheim 1262, the chiller for the display tank is turned on 50% less. Regarding the noise, I can barely hear the OR running.

The original OR shipped to me did have some start up problem but Drf&s replaced it w/ free shipping. The second one works like a charm. I'd say the eheim pump is cooler and quieter than the mag-drive I had and their quality is consistent. The OR will beat the eheim if the one you receive is a good one. So getting an OR from a reputable source with good return policy is your best bet.

 

[Jayreefer]

AJ, I have a 1262 you can us for the test. I could just put my old rio back on as a return for a couple of days. PM if you want to do it.

 

[Eight]

I have an OR2500 and love it. Great pump. Very cool and quiet.

 

[Nanook]

I would take an Oceanrunner over an Eheim any day of the week.