Skimmer Pump

[Sherri]

Anyone have any experience with any of these guys? Looking to get a Protein Skimmer Pump...for the new 180...

Mag 700
Iwaki 20RLT
Sen 700
Rio 3100


I currently have a Rio 1400 - personally I haven't had any probs, but heard a lot of negative feedback on Rio's.

Thanks!

Sherri

[DeletedAccount]

I hate my Mag7's! I have 1 that keeps breaking, they send me a replacement part and it breaks again with hours. It is really frustrating. My skimmer never works because the pump is always broken.

[GaryP]

IMO, go with the Iwaki

[Sherri]

I've had real good luck with the Iwaki 960gph circulation pump we have on the 100...great customer service also. They overnighted a new pump when there was a problem & credited me totally under the 1 yr warranty.

[Reef69]

I have a mag 7..has been working really good..anything but Rio..Rio sucks..

[don-n-sa]

Sherri,

Since you have the Iwaki on the possiblilty list then I assume you are going to be using a external pump for you skimmer. If you are I recommend the pan/world pumps over the iwaki. IMO pan world pumps are smoother running and quieter. they are made by the ex-cheif engineer of iwaki...oh and there are less expensive too.

[Sherri]

Where can I get info on them Don?

[Sherri]

The Eheim pump I have now is in the sump with an AquaC skimmer....would it be better for the pump to be in the sump?

[GaryP]

An external pump cuts down on heat. The Iwaki has a cooling fan.

[GaryP]

I was going to mention what Don said. The PanWorld is the same as an Iwaki at half the price.

[don-n-sa]

oh...I forgot to give you the link...here ya go


http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=Panworld

[don-n-sa]

The Eheim pump I have now is in the sump with an AquaC skimmer....would it be better for the pump to be in the sump?

You can do it either way with some pumps but not with Iwaki or Pan/world they are external.

As gary said external pumps usually run cooler so if you have the room I would go external since you will be going with Halides and temperature will be a factor.

HTH

Donny :D

[Sherri]

Thanks for the info Don...it's on its way! Went external... :) Great price and was told it is quieter than the Iwaki with the same or better quality. That's good, cause I am very pleased with my 960 gph Iwaki I've got now. Movin' right along....

[Polkster13]

Sherri,

Which pump did you get?

[Sherri]

Got the PanWorld 40PX External Water Pump - 480 gph

[alexwolf]

pan world makes a great pump!!!!! very quiet.

[don-n-sa]

yeah...great chioce Sherri

[Polkster13]

Here is what one purchaser had to say:

"Things I like:
- Quiet... Only pump I've owned that is more quiet is the dolphin ss700 (same thing as the custom sea life t series). Anyone considering those little giant 2md's should save their money and go with this pump. I also have gen-x pcx 30. That is a bigger pump so I would it's really not an "apple to apple" comparison but this pump is definitely more quiet.

Things I don't like:
- Apparently the manufacturers market and sell this pump to different regions and therefore are unable to put a plug that would work for all regions. So, they don't put one on. The assumption is that you can go to the hardware store and get a three pronged plug (for us in the U.S.) and wire it yourself. Here is a hint to you pan world guys... put a plug on it. If someone needs a different plug, they can cut it and splice on the appropraite plug. (Presumably you would not sell a 110 v pump in a 220 v region.)

- I didn't get a manual with my genx pcx-30. I found that disappointing. Not only does this pump not come with a manual, it doesn't even come with a box. For the premium I paid, I expect to get what even the cheapest products in K-mart provide - a box and a manual.

Overal, solid 4 stars for pump performance and low noise."

So I guess you will be putting a plug on the power cord? Let us know if yours actually comes in a box, has a manual and a plug; or if what this guy says is true.

[Sherri]

Put in a call to find out...don't want a 220...

[Sherri]

Just got info needed...says it is a 110V - it DOES come with a powercord plug - but no manual. Whew.

[Polkster13]

Good to hear.

[grapplert]

Sherri,

I bought the Iwaki MD-20RLT for my AquaC180...I would love to get these two pumps side by side for comparison!

The two things I would love to measure are noise and heat transfer.

Anyone ever actually done this?

Tim

[Sherri]

I ordered the AquaC 180 with it also Tim...chose the PanWorld for the reputation of it being more quiet & its' quality. It will be interesting to compare it to my other Iwaki I have...great pump also.

[GaryP]

Sherri,

The story I heard was that an engineer from Iwaki left and started a company making the Pan World. They are supposedly equivalent pumps except for the price. The Iwakis are available with two different motors, one Japanese, one American. The Japanese pump is supposedly superior to the American motorized pump.

[NaCl_H2O]

Sherri, you will like the PanWorld pump. Only problem I have had (I have 7 PW pumps) is a need to ake them appart and clean them up with vinegar now & then. How often will depend on you Ca levels.

I don't have a 40PX, my only concrn is that head presure loss might give you less flow than you are targeting?

[GaryP]

There shouldn't be much head pressure on a skimmer, just a return pump.

[grapplert]

Not to worry NaCl...that pump she ordered has the same specs as the Iwaki that AquaC recommends (and tested themselves) to be the most efficient pump for that model skimmer. They say any more or any less of a pump would make the skimmer less efficient. I wouldn't know...but I am taking their word for it :)

[NaCl_H2O]

Too many pump threads lately, I completely forgot the subject of the post "Skimmer Pump" - duh :blink

You will really like the PanWorld pumps!

[matt]

Sherri,

If you are I recommend the pan/world pumps over the iwaki. IMO pan world pumps are smoother running and quieter. they are made by the ex-cheif engineer of iwaki...oh and there are less expensive too.

The pan world pumps are quieter and higher quality than the american iwakis, but not the japanese ones. Actually, from what I can tell they're virtually identical in performance to the japanese iwakis. Different models of each pump (I mean the "equivilent" iwaki and pan world models) have slightly different specs; you can call iwaki and they have noise ratings in decibles for each model; you'd be surprised how much they vary, and it's not just the bigger, the louder.

Either way you'd be happy, I'm sure, and you'll probably think you got a completely new skimmer if you were running it on an eheim.