Need advice-Iwaki Main Pump
- Thread starter Airborne
- Start date
If you mean the Iwaki MD or WMD 100 RLT or RLXT, either one of these are MUCH too powerful for you aquarium. With all Iwaki aquarium pumps, the RLT series have more pressure, needed for pushing against resistance, as with running downdraft skimmers, lifting the return water column very high, as from a basement, etc. The rlxt has a higher water flow but less pressure, and are best for basic circulation, as you seem to have. You probably would do well with a 30 rlxt or, at most, a 40 rlxt, and use much less power, have more than adequate circulation, and not overwhelm your returns and have to 'throttle back', wasting power, creating heat, noise, etc.
Beware of what the LFS "has on hand". The difference between Iwakis starting with "MD" like MD 30 rlxt and "WMD", like WMD 30 rlxt is only that the MDs have a Japanese pump, while the WMDs have an American made Walchem pump. The performance of each is identical. The Walchems are about 40% cheaper and are just as good. The Japanese motors are a little better, and use less juice to accomplish the same thing (see AMP ratings). You can get these on line for excellent prices, with full specs given. If you have two 1 inch returns, you will have to use less than 1000GPH, assuming the system is handling water very efficiently.
Iwakis are also better than the 'Blue something or other' clones with "ex Iwaki-engineers", though many will stridently maintain they are just as good.
This is not so. Whatever you do, do not get one of those 100 series monsters that will overwhelm your system, and then have to buy various valves, etc, to reduce the flow. An MD or WMD rlxt pushing between 900 and 1200 gph is all you need for circulation, unless the returns greatly restrict water flow, and I'd lean toward the 30 rather than the 40.
Beware of what the LFS "has on hand". The difference between Iwakis starting with "MD" like MD 30 rlxt and "WMD", like WMD 30 rlxt is only that the MDs have a Japanese pump, while the WMDs have an American made Walchem pump. The performance of each is identical. The Walchems are about 40% cheaper and are just as good. The Japanese motors are a little better, and use less juice to accomplish the same thing (see AMP ratings). You can get these on line for excellent prices, with full specs given. If you have two 1 inch returns, you will have to use less than 1000GPH, assuming the system is handling water very efficiently.
Iwakis are also better than the 'Blue something or other' clones with "ex Iwaki-engineers", though many will stridently maintain they are just as good.
This is not so. Whatever you do, do not get one of those 100 series monsters that will overwhelm your system, and then have to buy various valves, etc, to reduce the flow. An MD or WMD rlxt pushing between 900 and 1200 gph is all you need for circulation, unless the returns greatly restrict water flow, and I'd lean toward the 30 rather than the 40.
Shane Hoffman
New member
The above info is spot on, I wont rehash that. I would highly recommend that regardless of what pump you choose, order it online. Very rarely (with a pump never) have I seen a LFS able to match or beat prices you will find online.......
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