Vincerama Posted June 18, 2003 Share Posted June 18, 2003 I bought a RIO 90 and two Maxi-jet 400 PHs. Boy, the RIO justs fits SOOO much better than the maxijet powerheads. I think after the cycle, I'm going to replace the maxis with RIO 180s (same size as RIO 50 and 90) and put the maxi on salt water mixing duty! I just thought I'd mention that if anyone was trying to decide what pumps/phs to get. I DID hear that the maxis are much better for useing with wave makers and stuff, but they just take up way too much space in a cramped 10g! Cheers! V Link to comment
chufa Posted June 18, 2003 Share Posted June 18, 2003 what I don't like about Rios is that the suckers tend to come off and leave the powerhead blowing sand all over if unattended. Unfortunately, they can only be secured with suckers, unless you come up with a DIY solution. Link to comment
skeletor Posted June 18, 2003 Share Posted June 18, 2003 yeah, the suckers on the rio's are crap, but I still have 3 of them in my tank, strategically dangled in place by their cords. take a look at the impellers, the maxi-jets have much bigger magnets, which is probably why the rio's refuse to start some times, and why you can use maxi's on wavemakers. -skeletor- Link to comment
Vincerama Posted June 18, 2003 Author Share Posted June 18, 2003 I agree. In general, I think the Maxi-jets have it all over the rios....BUT, the rios are just sooo compact! If someone could figure out a better way to attach the rios (or if The company would just take heed) then they would be idea. I think in my 10g, I prefer the smaller footprint RIOS, but in anything bigger, the maxji-jets are the way to go! For now, I have the two big maxi's sitting in my tank providing great circulation, but when the tank is cycled, I think they will be replaced with two small rios, just so I get more space in an already crowded 10g. I hate to say it, but having set up the 10, I wish I had started with a 20 (++) just like the LFS guy told me...but I really am maxed for space in my apartment, I have all sorts of tools and stuff for my motorcycle plus some stuff for my red-necky pursuits (shooting and reloading equipment) and my other FW tank...plus my recliners and TV and computer, not to mention all my cooking stuff... (Sigh) It's tough being a bachelor/slob, and my girlfriend is drawing the line with me keeping my rollerblading/bicycling stuff at her place. I really need to cut down on my hobbies! V Link to comment
Zontar Posted June 18, 2003 Share Posted June 18, 2003 I think RIOs are the way to go as well. They may not be super powerful but for a 5.5 they're good enough and they are smaller than anything else you can get. Plus they're really cheap which is always a bonus in this hobby. As for the crappy suction cups, I just reattach mine every night before I go to bed. Link to comment
Masoch Posted June 18, 2003 Share Posted June 18, 2003 Rios have a bad, bad reputation. Check the box to see if they're UL approved -- I don't think they are. If not, that's the first warning sign. Even Hagen Aquaclears are, FWIW. Also, search ReefCentral.com for "rio + disaster". It's not just that Rios can fail to start, but that they've been known to disintegrate while in a tank. Here's a thread . If you want tiny, check out AquaGlobe powerheads. Big Al's sells them. Link to comment
Billdemart Posted June 18, 2003 Share Posted June 18, 2003 I have 5 Rio powerheads and I've never had a problem with any of them. Link to comment
drdrew Posted June 18, 2003 Share Posted June 18, 2003 look at the maxi jet "micro jet" model..it's a tiny square...fits nicely Link to comment
skeletor Posted June 18, 2003 Share Posted June 18, 2003 Originally posted by Masoch Rios have a bad, bad reputation. Check the box to see if they're UL approved -- I don't think they are. If not, that's the first warning sign. Even Hagen Aquaclears are, FWIW. there are two models of Rio powerhead sold, those which are UL approved (with a 3 pin grounded plug) and those not UL approved (with a 2 pin plug). If UL certification means that much then pay the extra and get the UL approved Rio (or not) I would be interested to see just how many of those little buggers are sold every year compared to other brands. Yeah, there are people who have had bad experiences with Rio's but you really need to see the failure rate per units sold to get a true indication of quality. Here in socal it seems 99.5% of LFS's stock Rio's, (IME). -skeletor- Link to comment
Masoch Posted June 18, 2003 Share Posted June 18, 2003 there are two models of Rio powerhead sold, those which are UL approved (with a 3 pin grounded plug) and those not UL approved (with a 2 pin plug). Interesting, I've never seen those around here -- could be a regional thing, though. Mostly, I see Hagen and Aquarium Systems (Maxi / MiniJets). The other thing to keep in mind that AquaC, a competitor of Aquarium Systems, ditched Rios to use MaxiJets. To see a company switch from a non-competitor to a competitor must mean something Link to comment
bamann345 Posted June 18, 2003 Share Posted June 18, 2003 I have had 5 rios and not a single one has gone out on me either! 2 are being used at returnes and the others are used to power protein skimmer, chiller, and powerheads....I have always liked them because they are cheap and work very well for me! Link to comment
Zontar Posted June 18, 2003 Share Posted June 18, 2003 I've never used anything but RIOs and I've never had a problem before, I personally think they're the greatest things around. Link to comment
basa90 Posted June 19, 2003 Share Posted June 19, 2003 mini-jets & micro jets rule!!!! Link to comment
basa90 Posted June 19, 2003 Share Posted June 19, 2003 micros have a wierd side intake Link to comment
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