Anyone use Viaqua pumps?

[Lt Hudson USMC]

I was looking at them on line, but haven't seen any threads on this group about them. Are they OK or crap like the Rios?

[williamrandel]

I have used them in the past. Never had any problems. I would however make sure to check the flow chart for the pump to make sure that it will deliver the flow that you are looking for. for example, the 3600 @ 4' head has the same output as the 3300 , but @ 9 ' head the 3300 out preforms. FWIW

[geo]

I have one in my tank to move water around. Havent had any issues with it.

[cybertomtbcb]

I use a via aqua 1300 for my uv and it returns 4' to the main display. No problems to speak of. I like the quiet one by pentair. I use a 3000 and it's very powerful. Good Luck!!

[Recce]

They are pretty common here in Australia, I have a VA 4900 as my return, a 1300 on my skimmer and 2 x 1300 as in tank circulation. They startup after a power failure no problems, and seem to be pretty quiet to me (I have had them going for a year).

Before I setup a topup system, my 4900 ran semi dry, and sucked started to suck in air at least once a week, and not long ago, I had a sump mishap, that resulted in the 4900 running completely dry for about an hour. It was still running, and when I put water back in, switched it on, it restarted agin without a problem, and is still quiet. For a cheap pump, I think they are great.

[krobb]

I use a via aqua 3600 on the return for my 55 it pushes around 825gph at 3 ft

[ClarkiiClownfish]

I used one for extra flow in my tank.......it only lasted a year and craped. MY opinon, they are jumk.

[RicksReefs]

i have one of the smaller ones for my auto-topoff.
i've ended up running it dry at least once a week,
& it ran dry once for most of a day. still working
fine after more than a year. i use two others for
circulation. two thumbs up in my book.

[Maker]

I have a couple of the ViaAqua 302s in my 29. One is for circulation. The other is hooked up to 1/2" tubing as a return to my above tank refugium. Pretty strong for their size. Work great for me.

I also have a Maxijet 400 in that same tank and it is about 50% bigger and not near as strong.

Ted

[greg s]

I JUST BOUGHT THE HUGE VA 8500...IT DOES LIKE 1700 @
4' I WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW IT GOES TONIGHT!!!

[BigBird]

I've got a VA (I think its a 2600) for my fuge supply pump.

Good pump, and quiet, but doesn't push alot of water for its size. It's about the same size as my Mag9.5 and nowhere near as powerful.

[giantfeatherduster]

I have heard they ARE rios under a different company name, with a slightly different look.

Commodity axis is the same company located in another location to give the impression that it is a completely different company. Which is a good idea since Taam has been hurt by quality issues. It might work for the short term but if they do not improve the quality the public will wisen up.

[sherm71tank]

I use a 3300 for return on my 55 and have no problems with it. I have all kinds of trouble out of the mag drive pumps.

[RicksReefs]

maybe, but without any real proof that i've seen ??,
these pumps outperform Rio's, IMO, hands down.
i'm pretty sure VA pumps are epoxy filled & not oil
like Rio's.
if they are trying a different label & casing,
they've improved it, so abandoning the sinking
Rio name kinda makes sense.

[Yu L LI]

Rio pumps are epoxy filled and no oil.
Via Aqua are made in China, Rio are made in Taiwan.
Many brands of pumps enploy parts or most parts that are made in China or Taiwan they just don't tell you. Like the computor in your home.
RC is great because it made manufacture like Rio and other brands to improve their products.
They may just have to have much less than 1% of their returns.
One day... the best will come out.
By the way. there is a flow chart on the side of the box on the Via Aqua pump to give you some idea what you will get @ the heigh you are pumping to.
Enjoy the hobby.

[Yu L LI]

By the way, both companies are working on some super durable pumps @ a most reasonable price.
We shall see.
May be one day all single moving rotor technology will be the last thing we have to worry about in our reef aquariums.

[greg s]

alright this weekend my rio 2500 took a total crap...took it
apart cleaned everyhing...pump was whacked so many times..i thought i was going to crack my sump....it was running my skimmer for a year and a half....always w/ headaches when
unplugged.....i added to my pump collection the
VIA AQUA 8500!! 2200 gph! MAN WHAT A QUITE PUMP...
i'm using it to to off to a dsb...(slow rate ) about a 100 gph
and the to a SCWD....total length about 4 feet of head
height....from what the box says it should be puching just about
1600 gph...it is a very strong return in the tank...coupled w/ a
CA 4000 pump that does 1000 gph @ 6'...and taht one
runs to the chiller and another SCWD...with the 2 the flow
is in the 2000 gph on my 60 gallon reef...i would recommend
this pump for the power and the price..i paid 120.00$$

[Scleractinian]

Originally posted by giantfeatherduster
I have heard they ARE rios under a different company name, with a slightly different look.

Commodity axis is the same company located in another location to give the impression that it is a completely different company. Which is a good idea since Taam has been hurt by quality issues. It might work for the short term but if they do not improve the quality the public will wisen up.

Just curious if you could point to a source for this info... Where'd you here it? (BTW, before you come back flaming, I'm not defending VA/CA or RIO/TAAM, just trying to base my purchase decisions on more... direct... info)

FYI, FWIW, the pumps are not at all like RIOs in design or construction, much more like (nearly identical to) the SEN/SEDRA/Dolphins.

Is anyone using these externally? If you can use a SEN or a SEDRA w/o submerging it, why not these very similar pumps?

[sherm71tank]

Originally posted by sherm71tank
I use a 3300 for return on my 55 and have no problems with it. I have all kinds of trouble out of the mag drive pumps.

My run of no trouble with the Via Aqua ended for me last night. The impeller assembly went to pieces and I found chunks of it in my aquarium this morning. I called their customer service at Taam and they wanted me to send it back to them for analysis so they can make a decision as to send me a replacement under warranty or not. I have never seen this happen to a impeller before. I contacted Marine Depot where I purchased it and am returning the unit to them for a refund.

[yanksajo]

Greg, where did you get a Via Aqua 8500? I can't find any evidence of the existence of that pump. The largest listed on their website is the 4900.

[Scleractinian]

Originally posted by sherm71tank
I called their customer service at Taam and they wanted me to send it back to them for analysis so they can make a decision as to send me a replacement under warranty or not.

Are you sure that's TAAM, or is it Commodity Axis? Just trying to figure out if the RIO people are really involved... these pumps looked like an economical substitute for SEN/SEDRA.

[sherm71tank]

It was Taam I had to contact. When I finally got thru their automated answering service I was only more frustrated at their lack of service. I had the Via Aqua 3300 for about a month. They didnt seem to care at all.

[tfp]

i've got 3 via aqua 3600's in my 300g tank. they are big, powerful and quiet and i'd recommend them. i'd also suggest securing them with methods in addition to their suction cups because of their size. 2 are running on mixing eductors and really move a lot of water.

[ScubaMedic]

I use the 480's for all kinds of stuff.

I use them as powerheads in the aquarium. In my saltwater mixing trash can, for my auto top off, to do water changes with and to transfer water from here to there.

I have let them run dry many times and I have only had a problem with one that I let run dry for almost 2 days. It still works but it is noisy now.

They are only $7.19 so if you use it a year it's ok if it breaks. I have been using mine for over 2 years though as a powerhead. I have not even pulled it out to clean it in all that time.

[greg s]

I GOT THE VIA AQUA 8500 AT A LOCAL STORE
IN MY AREA..."FISH COLLECTION" IN YORBA LINDA, CA.
I KNOW MINE WAS THE LAST ONE..BUT HE WILL ORDER YOU
ONE!! IT 2250 GPH