I was recently given a fully stocked 120g reef tank. I've kept coral/fish for years but haven't kept a tank this large for quite some time. There are two return pumps (mag 9.5's) mounted outside the sump. Does this seem like over kill for return gph or just right? (There are also two large koralia powerheads in the tank.) Both pumps run very warm and I'm concerned they may be adding heat and/or using more electricity than I need. Any thoughts?
Pump(s) for 120g reef
- Thread starter rridle
- Start date
One Mag 9.5 is probably enough. Keep the other for a backup. Personally, I would submerse it and use the extra bit of heat to help your heaters (unless you live in Florida, Texas or Arizona).
You can spend cash on a DC pump if you want. They have yet to prove the long-term reliability of a mag, but they have not been out that long. Mag is 96 watts. You would probably need a 9000lph DC pump to perform the same that might run 70ish watts. This is hard to estimate, but DC pumps are way overrated at head in my actual experience. Saving 25 watts an hour would take almost two days to save ten cents... or about $1.50 a month. This is a long time to pay off a DC pump? This is assuming that your heaters won't have to run more if you don't submerse it.
I might look at some different flow pumps, depending on which one that you have. AquaMedic EcoDrift are a reasonably priced, reliable choice that have US-based company and not Chinese imports.
You can spend cash on a DC pump if you want. They have yet to prove the long-term reliability of a mag, but they have not been out that long. Mag is 96 watts. You would probably need a 9000lph DC pump to perform the same that might run 70ish watts. This is hard to estimate, but DC pumps are way overrated at head in my actual experience. Saving 25 watts an hour would take almost two days to save ten cents... or about $1.50 a month. This is a long time to pay off a DC pump? This is assuming that your heaters won't have to run more if you don't submerse it.
I might look at some different flow pumps, depending on which one that you have. AquaMedic EcoDrift are a reasonably priced, reliable choice that have US-based company and not Chinese imports.
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