200-300gph *reliable* powerhead for skimmer?

[Xjinn]

looking for something along the lines of a rio 800rvt, or maxijet for a small diy skimmer for 29g tank

the rio is basicly what i want... but i'm not going near that with a ten foot pole, and i just read some depressing things about my alternate choice maxijet since they have been bought out by a diff company and quality went down the ***tter

so... any other power heads that have venturi provisions on them?

quietness is first, reliability close behind, and size is a consideration

also should i be closer to the 200gph end or 300gph end? this is basicly for a nano tank, really about 22-23g, although hopefully heavily stocked

it will pretty much be a cpr backback/sr4 clone.... which comes with the rio600rvt but i'd like to beef it up quite a bit

[spham]

I would go with Eheim. My second choice would be a MAG.

[Xjinn]

do you mean the eheim compact pump? i'm going to use a 1250 as the main return/circulation pump, i'd love to stick with the eheim brand if the compact pump can suit my needs for a skimmer

mag's i beleive would be to large for my skimmer, this is all in a small nano enclosure

[MarkS]

A Maxi-Jet 1200 is 295 GPH. Very reliable. You could also use a Mag 2.5 (250 GPH) or a Mag 3 (300 GPH).

[Xjinn]

i've heard the maxijets recently manufactured have been skimped, and are no longer reliable or quiet

also... are maxijet venturi's before or after the impeller?

tough to say but sort of looking like rio is my only choice for skimmer

i'd really like it if the eheim compact pumps had venturi capability

[spham]

Originally posted by Xjinn
do you mean the eheim compact pump? i'm going to use a 1250 as the main return/circulation pump, i'd love to stick with the eheim brand if the compact pump can suit my needs for a skimmer

mag's i beleive would be to large for my skimmer, this is all in a small nano enclosure

Sorry, I don't own any Eheim Compact. I do own a few Eheim Hobby pumps and a couple of mags. True the eheim cost 2x more than others, but well worth it for me. It is more quiet than the mag. I have never seen anyone complain about the eheim before. The mag pump aren't loud but do vibrate alot which contribute to the noise.

Why not use the 1250 that you have already for the skimmer and just use some Maxi for circulation?

[spham]

Originally posted by Xjinn
i've heard the maxijets recently manufactured have been skimped, and are no longer reliable or quiet

also... are maxijet venturi's before or after the impeller?

tough to say but sort of looking like rio is my only choice for skimmer

i'd really like it if the eheim compact pumps had venturi capability

I pick the new Maxi over a RIO any day.

[ezgoin]

also... are maxijet venturi's before or after the impeller?

the venturi adapter sits after the impeller(on the discharge side). i took the riser tube adapter(the one for undergravel filters) and cut it down, drilled a small hole in it(slightly smaller than the nipple that comes with it), inserted the small screen.I then attatched the hose to the nipple, to the riser tube adapter, to the maxijet .that put the air intake before the impeller, which seems to me to give finer bubbles. hope that helps( or at least makes sense). :)