Iwaki pump for return pump?

SirCharles77 · #1 12/07/2007, 10:52 PM

How would an IWAKI WMD 40 RLXT AQUARIUM WATER PUMP work as a return pump? Or are they really only good for circulation?

Avi · #2 12/07/2007, 11:01 PM

I use an Iwaki 20RT for the return on my 110-gallon FOWLR and it's more than ample for that. How big a tank are you talking about?

SirCharles77 · #3 12/08/2007, 12:52 AM

Its for a 120g tank with a 40g sump. I think the pump has more than enough power, the only reason I ask is because it says on this site http://www.aquariumsupplystore.com/P...arium_pump.htm
that the RLXT pumps are for circulation and the RT's are for pressure applications. So I wanna know if anyone has used an RLXT as a return and if they had any issues.

MalHavoc · #4 12/08/2007, 05:59 AM

Iwaki pumps are excellent. The "pressure application" versions of them are mainly for people who need a pump to push water against a ton of head pressure, like if your sump was in the basement and your tank was upstairs. Consider that most pumps on the market aren't pressure rated.

Timinator · #5 12/08/2007, 12:40 PM

I have a 40RLXT running on my sump. It's run to two inlets in the main tank,120 gal. . This is my opinion but in my case I wished I would have went bigger. The flow is OK but really not enough. I had to make a loop with another pump to increase the needed flow.

MalHavoc · #6 12/08/2007, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Timinator
I have a 40RLXT running on my sump. It's run to two inlets in the main tank,120 gal. . This is my opinion but in my case I wished I would have went bigger. The flow is OK but really not enough. I had to make a loop with another pump to increase the needed flow.

Here's the thing, though. You probably don't want more flow through your sump. What you want is more flow in your tank. That's different, and that problem can be solved with powerheads, or with an extra loop, as you have done.

Iwaki makes some pretty big pumps. The 100RLT is most impressive.

SirCharles77 · #7 12/08/2007, 01:55 PM

Yeah I am transfering my 55g tank into this 120g I am setting up and I already have a Rio 1700 pump in there. Its 692gph which isnt quite big enough to do what I need as a return. So I am going to get this Iwaki which will do around 1000gph after the head height and then put the Rio in as extra water movement. Along with a few other little powerheads to keep the water flowing really well. The return is also split into 2 heads so I should have really good movement in the tank with that combination.