Energy Efficient Pumps

[marsh]

I was wondering what are the most energy efficient pumps with the least heat transfer to the aquarium as a function GPH. Any opinions?

I can't find the reference but my gestalt is that the Red Dragon pumps from Royal-Exclusiv probable beat almost any of the other pumps on the market in this regard.

 

[gabe3d]

It's gonna be really close with the Reeflo pumps when you start adding head pressure. It's hard to tell since there are no wattage consumption curve for the Red Dragon M3 series, but the Red Dragon will probably slightly be more effecient. If you start factoring the initial purchase cost then it's a no brainer as to which will be more economical.

Gabe

 

[marsh]

Below are some of the Red Dragon specs. Anyone have Reeflo specs to compare similar GPH pumps? Also, I guess, to compare better would need "average" tank setups for head-flow comparisons.

4.5 m3 Specs
Dimentions: 9" x 5"
Max Head Pressure: 7.5'
Power Consumption: 48 Watt
GPH: 1189
watt/gph .040

6.5 m3 Specs
Dimentions: 9" x 5"
Max Head Pressure: 13'
Power Consumption: 65 Watt
GPH: 1717
watt/gph .037

8.2 m3 Specs
Dimentions: 9" x 5"
Max Head Pressure: 13'
Power Consumption: 75 Watt
GPH: 2166
watt/gph .0346

10 m3 Specs
Dimentions: 9" x 5"
Max Head Pressure: 13'
Power Consumption: 98 Watt
GPH: 2642
watt/gph .037


12 m3 Specs
Dimentions: 9" x 5"
Max Head Pressure: 12.5'
Power Consumption: 115 Watt
GPH: 3117
watt/gph .037

14 m3 Specs
Dimentions: 9" x 5"
Max Head Pressure: 13.5'
Power Consumption: 135 Watt
GPH: 3698
watt/gph .0365

 

[gabe3d]

Just comparing stats like this is somewhat misleading especially if you plan to have it as a return. All pumps behave differently underpressure and consume energy diffferently but here are the stats to roughly compare the two.

Snapper
Max GPH: 2500
Avg Watts: 98
Max Head Pressure: 11'

Dart
Max Flow Rate: 3600 GPH
Max Head Pressure: 12' (5.2 PSI)
Avg. Amps. @ 115V: 1.2/135W

Barracuda
Max Flow Rate: 4300 GPH
Max Head Pressure: 17' (7.4 PSI)
Avg. Amps. @ 115V: 2.5/285W

Hammerhead
Max Flow Rate: 5800 GPH
Max Head Pressure: 23' (10.0 PSI)
Avg. Amps. @ 115V: 2.9/335w

I use both a Dart and a Hammerhead in my system. The Dart practically doesn't add any heat, the hammerhead does however if you have a fan blowing on it then the heat transfer is much less.

 

[marsh]

http://english.royal-exclusiv.de/index2.htm

Above is the output curve for several of trhe Red Dragon pumps....but the curves are in liters-meters. Would be better for the American market if they gave curves in gallons-feet (but for those like me divide liters/hr by 4 to get approx. gph...multiple meters by 3 to get approx. head in feet).


Any guesstimate what would be the "average" head for an aquarium? I know this is a semi-stupid question and I expect a semi-stupid answer

 

[reefkeeper2]

the white-line pumps available at that site look interesting. Wish I could read german

 

[gabe3d]

Yeah they look interesting and expensive, seems to be pumps for higher pressure requirements. You can use this website to translate most of it.

http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/tr

It doesn't do a great job translating bu it'll give you a jist of what they are talking about.