Let's Count the Broken RIOs

[BrianPlankis]

I have 2 rio 600s, 1 rio 1700, 1 rio 2500. The 600s and 1700 are used for mixing saltwater that is it. The 2500 runs my skimmer and will be replaced ASAP. It has quit working several times and each time I've had to detach it and clean it thoroughly before it would start again. All four pumps have had this start/stop problem as well and have seen 3 years of use. I'll never buy rios again.

I also have 1 MJ 400(3 years), 1 Mag7(6 months) and 1 Hagen 301(3 years), never had problems with any of them.

Brian

 

[Toddrtrex]

I have 12 RIO 600s, not a single one has failed. Some of them are over 5 years old. 7 of them are on wavemakers.

 

[Yukon]

I have the original Rio pumps that came with my Bak Paks. Been using them for 7 years or so. Someone said their's stopped after a power failure. Mine do that too once in a while. I just whack them with my hand, and they fire right up. LOL! So far so good. Guess I better keep my fingers crossed though.

 

[loyalty]

my rio 600 that came with my aquafuge crapped out after a power outtage.

i replaced it with a maxi900

 

[Grandis]

So, what you guys think the percentage of good and bad Rios are? 50/50?

Interesting!

Grandis.

 

[grego]

another one here, after 5 months it killed almost every thing, I would never ever use them again even if they say they fixed the problem, never

 

[outprowllin]

i have found from playing around that when a rio stops working, all you have to do is twist off the impeller cover and remove the little plastic impeller grommit in the inside center of the cap. the tip of the shaft goes into this grommit and after awhile it must become distorted. i have run rios for 4-5 years now without the gromit. they always restart after the power goes out. i have also noticed that the only time a rio burns up or melts it was because the impeller siezed and the motor overheated. all of my rios that has had the grommit removed has never siezed up.....maybe just a coincidence, but i dont think so.. also there are no ill effects for running the rios like this. after several years the hole in the impeller cover may might become oblonged from the shaft vibrating but like i said after 4-5 years thier still going strong. these are rio 2500's ,2100's, 600's and 200's. well, just a little advice from the peanut gallery. try it , if it works write back and let me know

 

[wrassie86]

Ive only had 1 rio pump die on me and it was a 8 year old 1700. ive got other rios that are just as old and still work fine.if no one has noticed the regular pumps seem to be phasing out and the new hyper flow pumps are taking there places. i think the hyper flow pumps are a great pump and work very well,and are not oil filled.i have 3 that flow well over 1000gph and have never failed in the last year.

 

[Frick-n-Frags]

So, what you guys think the percentage of good and bad Rios are? 50/50?

Interesting!

Grandis.

100% good for me. Sometimes I can't help wonder if it is the loose nut behind the wheel. ie like running 500+ppm Ca or tugging them by the cords, using them for pump up high head applications, running them on wavemakers, running them dry or who knows what other conditions are inflicted upon them.

I had my one 2500 which needed an impeller replacement because most of the 2-part fins broke off. After impeller replacement it is going gangbusters. I have about 10-12 RIO's all between 3 and 10 years old.

Actually, no PH's die on me because I only use them for moving water and I never turn them off and I run Ca at about 380-400ppm. I have some old I think Hagens that are at least 20 years old. They are now on salt mix duty.
When I don't use them I throw them all into a bucket of fresh water until next waterchange.

FWIW, I have yet to see any other PH the size of a RIO 600 move so much water. Unreal.

 

[TheyCallMeFishy]

Rio 600 and Rio 1700- Neither have failed once in six months.

Rio= 0/2
MicroPump=1/1
Beware- AquaGlobe MicroPumps may look cool and small, but they cannot be used as pumps and are cheap and flimsy (they fail weekly, at best)

 

[looser]

So, what you guys think the percentage of good and bad Rios are? 50/50?

Interesting!

Grandis.

Probably not a bad estimate. But lets say of the 50%, only 10% are catastrophic failure. So thatââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s only a 5% chance you are taking of destroying everything in your tank. Would you buy salt, or fish food, or sand that had this written on the box:

WARNING: THIS PRODUCT HAS A 5% CHANCE OF KILLING EVERYTHING IN YOUR TANK.

I don't think so. If you have a rio either throw it in the trash or at a minimum use it for something "safe" like mixing water. If you are looking for a powerhead donââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t buy a rio. Pretty simple.

 

[Ehydo]

I have 3 Rio 2 powersweeps and 2 maxijets and one mag 5.

The RIOs work great unless you pull them out of saltwater and let them dry. You need to rinse them if you are going to use them for rinsing or water changes only.

I have 2 2500s which both work great. Are you guy talking about the UL listed ones going bad or the older models?

Power sweeps are good for the freshwater tanks but suck in salt.

Mag 5-No problems. I do not use it.

maxijets-work great.


My Big question to all those that have had a rio burn up is how often do you do maintenance?????

Lets make a comparison now.

 

[looser]

I guess my question is . . .who cares? There are lots of other better alternatives available. Why take any chance at all? As far as I'm concerned I would need to see lots of threads raving about how great RIOs have become before I would ever consider buying one. Its called risk management. On the probability and impact scale I would say this is a low to moderate probability, high impact decision. The risk mitigation cost is minimal to non existent. Just buy something else. Its a no brainer.

 

[philipm]

I had a rio return pump back in the day in my wet/dry filter. It died in less than a year.

 

[Heart of Dixie]

Ran a 17 HF for 1 1/2 years on my skimmer before replacing bearings on the shaft. The new shaft has different (non metallic) ones. Other than that, no problem.

 

[brreef]

I have a tf1000 i use the wave runner 2700 no problems 3mj1200 no problems 1 rio 600 on the inlet of the tf one rio 1300 on a uv filter no prob so far only 6 mounth thou after speaking to everone will no buy anymore

 

[JAANDGC]

I had 2 2100 burn up on me but at least they lasted about a year and cost next to nothing. I have 2 mag 24 that died after only 6 months they cost alot more that the rios.(The hole were the lower ceramic bearing goes,(the hex one) distorted to the point the impellar would not turn at all) and I don't run a calcium level.
Jerry

 

[ohioreef]

Absolutely no problems with my Rio 12HF. Have had it for better than a year. Gets turned off/on for feeding every other day and it has never failed to restart.

 

[derekman]

3 bad rios, 1 bad maxi jet, 2 bad aqua clear

did I mention I got electrocuted while cleaning out a rio...
( I was turning it on to see if the flow was strong again, then BZZZZZTTT!) ow...

 

[cyberpanther]

2 RIOS

0 Other Brands

and 1 of the RIOS electricuted my tank, and almost caused a major fire, but luckily I was standing right there when it shorted out. Personally I would be scared to stick my hand in the tank if I still had any RIOs.