Let's Count the Broken RIOs

maxijet - 0/6

rio - 0/0

one maxi-jet is 15+ years old

wh'dda ya think i am crazy gettin' a rio after hearing all the horror stories?
 
Rio 2500 crapped out

Rio 2500 crapped out

rio 2500 crapped out after only 3 months. Cleaned up once a month. Burned up and polluted tank. Unfortunatley didn't have another tank to put livestock in. Will never use rios again!!!
 
5 rios went out, there really do suck, the never want to restart and they just die,

I have 4 MJ's and not problems here.

I have to agree Rio's suck as**
 
Mine didn't totally die, but I took it out because it started making noise and I use it only to mix water now. I use a maxijet 1200 instead.
 
sometimes now i unplug/plug my pumps in...just to
marval at all the time i use to spend beating RIO's
against the sump wall...LOL...Greg
 
Add another one to the list. My 2500 didn't trash the tank but it came close enough hissing and such. Glad i caught it in time.
 
1/2 RIO 3100
0/2 RIO 2500
0/1 RIO 1700
0/1 RIO 800
0/5 Maxijet
3/3 Powersweep

Rio pumps are okay, not impressive. Sucks to have your main pump die, but at least it got me to buy a better pump, one that I am waaaaay happier with and that I believe will work a long time.

Powersweeps are utter crap. I will never buy another.
 
One Rio 3100 burned up mixing saltwater, the whole bucket turned black.
Two Rio 400's just plain wore out and barely pumped water within a year
One broken maxijet out of 4
One perfectly running Magdrive 850, 3 years strong.
One Dolphin 650 running good for about a month

Nick
 
had one running as a return. tore down that reef in order to move house. after setting up the tank again the rio won't restart.
 
WOW, I cant believe all these RIO stories. I have had mine for almost 10 years! I have a RIO 2500 and nothing has gone one it. I orginially had it as a sump on my 60, stayed there for 4 years then was used on a fresh water thank for 2 years. Sat for a year outside in the garage then put it in a pond for 2 more years, man it took a beating in the pond. Now its back in a salt running like a top. Maybe the old RIO's were nice. I wouldnt trade mine for anything.
 
What? I can't beleive this, why do rios suck so badly and yet people go out and buy them all the time, even if they fail?

I am only running 2 penguin 550 powerheads, no problems with them, but am thinking of getting a rio 1500 for a sump, but having second thoughts.
 
Haha I saw this thread a while ago and was thankful I didn't have any Rio horror stories to post...

Well so much for that. Power went out on Monday and my Rio is toast. Nothing happens when I plug it in, but I have heard this is not unusual with them. I had to call in sick to work just to spend the day hunting for a new pump :D

It did serve me well for about 6 months, but I guess you get what you pay for in the end.
 
4 rios running fine (1 for my BakPak, 1 for my Fuge, 1 for My sump, and one in my work tank)
2 Maxijets no problem (on a wave maker)
1 Pump that turns (can't rember the name)
 
I had two rio return pumps that came with my tank, I bought it used. I ordered mag drives to replace them and a day before they arrived the main return died. I was so happy that I had the foresight to order replacements.

Although the mag 900 I had replaced that same rio with began shocking me about a year later. I now use a Sen 700 but I still have a Mag 700 on my skimmer and it's been up two years now.
I have to believe that the mag 900 was just a fluke as so many people have good service from them.

Maxi-jet powerheads for me only.
 
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