Sedra 3500 or ?

[SkiFletch]

Some of you may know I'm using an old EuroReef CS-2 recirculating skimmer which is of course ancient. It's ER used to be a more expensive skimmer which shared many design characteristics with ASM including the Sedra 3500 NW pump. The skimmer acrylic itself is doing just fine and I really love the locking mechanism on the ER models (BEEFY union which is so easy to grab and unscrew) so I definitely want to keep it. The pump however is on it's last legs. It's almost a decade old (I got it used) and now on it's 3rd impeller. Over time of course (years of use) the magnet wears out, rusts a bit, swells, and eventually siezes inside the pump housing. Usually I can just sand down the casing a bit, and/or buy a new impeller, but the old housing is starting to wear pretty bad now too, and that one I can't easily mount on a lathe to sand and fix. While I got my current iteration of impeller to start this time, it was a struggle and no dobut the next time I need to clean it, or the power goes out, it will be done.

Long story short, it's time for a new pump with an old skimmer body. I see Sedra is still making/selling a 3500 NW, so I could just do that. It's what I know, it would drop right into the plumbing I have since it's all just compression fit, and it's cheaper. Of course reading around here I see a lot of folks talk up the Sicce pumps. These are more expensive, would require a little modificiation, but folks seem to like them. Looking at the pump, it's the same physics principle to the Sedra: needlewheel impeller of similar size and a similar magnet. Is there something the Sicce's do that make them that much better of a pump for skimmers? Do they draw more air due to some unique venturi design? Are they more reliable? Do they do your taxes for you? Any thoughts/experiences on using one over the Sedra would be great. Or of course the opposite too. If performance is equal, I'm going with a Sedra merely for ease of use but I do want to make sure I'm not going to regret my decision.

Thanks for listening and brainstorming with me everyone.

 

[SkiFletch]

Nobody? *Tear*

 

[Conesus_Kid]

Mike, if it's any consolation to you, I'm silently following this. My skimmer pumps are a PITA to start after the power goes out. The impellers seem to spin freely when I have them apart, but as they have aged, they are getting more finicky. I'm sure I'll be looking at replacements in the next couple of years.

 

[RoscoPColtrane]

I would go to the Euroreef website and ask there. A pump that draws more air or water is not always better if it is not well matched to the simmer body. I have heard good things about the owner of the company and the support he provides to his customers.

 

[SkiFletch]

Thanks guys. I'm pretty sure I can imagine what the ER guys would say about their own products, but it never hurts to ask does it?

 

[mc-cro]

not to but in on a local forum, but I replaced my Sedra 5000 on the ASM with a tunze hydrofoamer. It was an expensive pump, but it only pulls like 13w or something silly.

I was able to remove both the sedra 9000, and the sedra 5000, both of which are engery hogs, take up space, and put off a good amount of heat. I replaced them with the single Tunze, and still had to dial it back.

 

[SkiFletch]

Please feel free to but in . thanks for the thought, I hadn't considered the Tunze