We have a tank down!!!! I repeat a tank down!!!

[Irisservice]

Ok came home and noticed that the water flow was slow, so I shutdown the main pump and nothing happened. After a minute of fooling around the pump it did not move. So I added a Venturi to the powerhead for oxygen placed a small powerhead in refugium and remove main pump. Well it was full look like white cement banged it around and nothing the pump would not start. Maybe too much calcium. So now I’m shopping for a new pump. Here is my list.

Little Giant Quarium Pump 3-MDQX-SC
Little Giant Magnetic Drive Pump 3-MD-SC
Iwaki Pump WMD30RLXT

DOES ANYONE HAVE THESE?
Comments Please

I currently have the Lifegard Quiet One (Horizontal Discharge) Which I have been happy with since this.

[Zack]

OMG, so sad well try looking on ebay too! and all over the internet, post something in the buy\sell forum may get some moreattentionn! Sorry don't have any but I bet some members do!

[steve1s]

Ok came home and noticed that the water flow was slow. Maybe too much calcium.

Soak the pump in vinegar. It will disolve the calcium and won't hurt any of the parts. Just rinse well before you use it again.

Cheers
Steve

[phistio]

i agree with the vinegar...(steve beat me to the suggestion :wink: ) also, a touch of lemon juice...

[Irisservice]

Tried the vinegar last night!! No Luck
So now I'm setting up my mag 5 from skimmer for now till I find the best main pump.
This time if I find one I like I will get another one. That way I have a backup pump and a swap pump. This next pump I plan on cleaning every three months to prevent build up. I had no idea it gets that bad. This time I plan on keeping calcium in the low 400 not the high 400. This should help.

[Zack]

hmmmmm, what are you using to test your calicum?

[Irisservice]

I went to look at the Little Giant Quarium Pump 3-MDQX-SC in local fish store the says it to much flow for a 72Gallon. I also saw the Little Giant Quarium Pump 4-MDQ-SC which is 810 at 3' but was ruuning nice and cool on a 150 gallon. So here are my choices.

[Irisservice]

Zack
salifert of course and before you you ask yes I plan on getting a second to confirm the test are acurate.

[Zack]

Zack
salifert of course and before you you ask yes I plan on getting a second to confirm the test are acurate.

LOL good!!! Glad to hear!

[fishfreek]

I went to look at the Little Giant Quarium Pump 3-MDQX-SC in local fish store the says it to much flow for a 72Gallon. I also saw the Little Giant Quarium Pump 4-MDQ-SC which is 810 at 3' but was ruuning nice and cool on a 150 gallon. So here are my choices.


Who said the 3-MDQX-SC was to much flow? I have never heard the words 'to much flow' and 'reef' used in the same phrase. Unless of course you had like a mag 5 on a 20 gal or something.

I got the bigger brother to that the 4-MDQX-SC on a 80 gal tank and it runs great. I dont need any extra powerheads in the tank at all. I like the Quantium series pumps and find they run quite. They are external pumps vs the Mag that could be used as an external and internal.

The vineger should have done the trick. Maybe you need to let it sit for a few days. Can you move the impellers at all by hand?

[Irisservice]

Yep they had a 4-MDQX-SC on there 150 i said i was thinking of that on my 72 he said i was crazy.

How loud is the 4-MDQX-SC?
How hot does it run?
What size pipe is your return?
How many returns do you have?

Thanks

[Irisservice]

Mag 5 in!!!!

Some flow is better than no flow

[Irisservice]

What the foot print of a 4-MDQX-SC?
Does any one have photos of there setup?

[Zack]

what is your Calcium ?

[Irisservice]

Before the tank went down 470 now at 370, But the reactor is back up and will check again tonite.

[fishfreek]

What the foot print of a 4-MDQX-SC?
Does any one have photos of there setup?

SOrry for the delay

That pump is an extenal pump. It has 1" inlet and 1" outlets. The pump itself is about 11" long and 4-5" wide and 4-5" tall.

The pump when running makes a low hum noise and that is all.

How hot does it run? After weeks of non stop running you can still put your hand on the pump housing and its just warm.

I have 2 returns on my 80 with that pump.

IMHO you need at least 10X flow and that pump on a 150 even at 0' head is not enough. It wont be to much flow for your tank unless you have the outlet directed directly at a coral or something.

http://www.vafishfreek.com/albums/80_Gal_Reef/aau.sized.jpg
The image aboe shows the pump in relation to a 30 gal and a 10 gal tank. I will take some pics of my pump/sump setup tonite.

In the mean time this is how I have my sump/pump setup.

I have a lifereef dual overflow in the tank with two 1" drain lines going down to the sump (30 gal tank). The tank has about 25 gal of water in the sump for extra water capactiy. I also have 2 250W heaters and a few lbs of coral skeliton for extra bactera population. The tank is drilled with a 1" bulkhead going into the pump. The outlet then goes up thru a 1 way flap valve. I have a little bit of flex hose after the valve to reduce/limit any vibration that might occur (the pump does not vibrate at this time). I then go into a "T" fiting to split into two returns. Each return goes to the a back corner of the tank. I use a series of 90 degree elbows to get up and over the lip of the tank and then a final 90 elbow to direct the water flow.

I direct my water flow from the back corners to the front middle of the tank.

[Irisservice]

Thanks for the info!!
I'm down to these two pumps the 4-mdq-sc and 4-mdqx-sc.
I like these pumps because they are fan cooled versus air cool on the 3 series. but I only have 3/4" return lines so the 4-mdq-sc would be fine but the 4-mdqx-sc would need to be reduced. Do you reduce the flow at all or run it at full power?Is sump bellow the tank?

[fishfreek]

No i do not reduce my flow. I have 1" PVC all the way to the tank.

I built that plywood stand initally to hold the pump and the sump. But what I did not factor in was a few items like the size of my overflow. The top of the sump and the botom of the overflow ended up beign about the same height so I had issues with plumbing into the sump so I ended up puting the sump on the floor. The main display tank you can not see because its on the other side of that wall. I would say I have a 4' head on the pump up to the tank.

I am not sure what reducing the outlet from 1" to 3/4" would do for your flow.

ALso the box recommends every 6 months to use a few drops of oil on the pump for lubercation. There are two small plugs you remove on the top and then put a few drops of oil into them to keep the shaft and bearings lubbed up.

[Irisservice]

Thanks for all you info it is very helpful.
I contacted Little Giant, but they are closed today for the holiday.
So down to two great pumps not bad.
Looking at the two pumps they have the same motor just different size returns. I have a feeling that if i get the 4-mdqx-sc and put a 3/4" fitting on it about a 12" away I will have results between the the 1/2" and the 1". I will confirm with the manufacter.
Thanks
Again
PS If you have an updated photo I would love to see it!!

[Zayetsfoot]

How often do you recommend maintaining your pump? pump maintenance never even crossed my mind.

Am I going to have to take all my plumbing apart to clean my pump?

[/quote]

[Irisservice]

After cutting out all the pipes this weekend new pipes with lots of unions will go in to make easy maintenace.

[fishfreek]

ITS SNOWING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


OK, BAck to the subject at hand.

Here are some pics I just took of my sump and plumbing setup.

http://www.vafishfreek.com/gallery/Sump_Photos

Its a real simple sump with no special compartments for media or sand or anything.

I am attaching a photo of the pump also to this post the two yellow plugs on either end of the pump motor housing is where you add the oil.

[Irisservice]

Nice Photo !!!
Now thats a pump!!!
Thanks for all the replies.
Well it down to the two 4 seires pump!!!!

[Irisservice]

fishfreek
Are you sure about those measurements
"The pump itself is about 11" long and 4-5" wide and 4-5" tall."
Seams very long
Might not fit

[Irisservice]

Looks like it won't fit so I'm either going to get another Lifegard Quiet One (Horizontal Discharge) Pump or here are my choices so far

Mag Drive Pump 950
Mag Drive Pump 1200
Custom Sealife Velocity T3
Eheim Hobby Pump 1262
Eheim Hobby Pump 1264

[fishfreek]

fishfreek
Are you sure about those measurements
"The pump itself is about 11" long and 4-5" wide and 4-5" tall."
Seams very long
Might not fit

I just found a measuring tape and wanted to give you full 'correct' measurements. I was not off by much.

Looks like the pump I have is between 10 and 11" long. 6" wide and 4" or so high. THe bulk of this is the pump motor and cooling fan.