Water pump recommendation for flood tables?

I was using Ecoplus 396 pumps for my RDWC and had no problem with them being ran continuously, but I switched to flood tables and they don't last being cycled on and off. I'm going through pumps like crazy now, they last at the most 3 weeks! Just had one only last 2 days and pulled my last backup pump out of the box and it's a dud straight out of the box!! I've had it with Ecoplus and will never buy another pump from them again-straight up junk!

OK, rant over. Anyway, can anyone recommend a good pump? I'm thinking of going with the mag-drive 250 or 350, but they're freakin expensive!! Over $50 a pop! If they're quality pumps that will last for a good 6 months or more they'd be worth it though (can't be as expensive as replacing that ecoplus crap every single week!). I just want a good pump, I'm tired of looking in on half dead plants because of constantly failing pumps, What do you guys recommend? Thanks in advance!

maxijet do very reliable pumps. they come in sizes from 500 ltr pm to 1000

i have mine either run constantly or on intervals with no issues.

Thanks, I'll look into them.

Weird. I also use the Eco Plus 396 in my flood tables. No issues for the last two years with mine.

When you flood, at max level right before it drains, are your pumps still fully submerged in the res? Running dry is the enemy of these kinds of pumps.

Yup, fully submerged. I think quality went downhill lately. Like I said I have a couple that have ran virtually nonstop for close to a year. Retired them and got new pumps and they're dropping fast. The old one's I "retired" are the only ones still working and are currently being used in the tables.

I went ahead and dropped a couple hundred on some mag-drive pumps. Expensive but I could find nothing but good reviews. A pump failure that goes unnoticed for too long would cost me more than that anyway and I switched to tables to NOT have to check on them daily!

tallen said:

Yup, fully submerged. I think quality went downhill lately. Like I said I have a couple that have ran virtually nonstop for close to a year. Retired them and got new pumps and they're dropping fast. The old one's I "retired" are the only ones still working and are currently being used in the tables.

I went ahead and dropped a couple hundred on some mag-drive pumps. Expensive but I could find nothing but good reviews. A pump failure that goes unnoticed for too long would cost me more than that anyway and I switched to tables to NOT have to check on them daily!

Click to expand...

Hey, thanks for that info. Mine aren't new, so I bet you're right... quality has declined. That sucks, they used to be good pumps. My next ones may be the mag drive pumps too. Even at a higher cost, they are worth it. Like you said, way too much riding on this to cheap out on pumps. I also use the CAP pumps, and they are OK, but the construction quality isn't the greatest. Plastic seems brittle and breaks easily but they still run. Under a year though, so who knows.

How big are your tables? I use simer 1/4 hp sump pumps. Overkill maybe but they work great and fill fast. They also have a built in screen on the bottom to prevent any rocks from getting sucked up. I have used one for close to 5 yrs total with no issues. They can handle going dry for a few min. as well. Often by the end of my water change my rez is close to half empty before flood. Leaving it virtually dry at full flood height. No problems.

I find reliable pumps tend to be bigger and louder. =)