Looking for return pump suggestions for AIO nano

[Zer0]

Hello everyone, I'm looking to get some return pump suggestions here. I have a 10G AIO, and the return section is roughly 3.5"x4", so really not too much room to work with, but overall it's not a super tiny space.

 

I'm really looking for something on the quiet side because the stock return pump is pretty unacceptable. It's just a constant loud droning/whirring sound, and since it's in my bedroom, that ultimately won't work out. I wish I could tell you what I need in terms of turnover rate/flow, but honestly I don't really know. It would be ideal for this tank to get all of its necessary flow from the return pump alone so that I don't have to add a powerhead, so that's something to keep in mind as well.

 

But yeah, the main things here are quiet and small footprint.

 

Thank you! 

[Clown79]

Sicce. Their return pumps are great.

[Zer0]

38 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

Sicce. Their return pumps are great.

Guess I’ll go with the Sicce Nano, thank you for the suggestion!

[Clown79]

You're welcome

 

Look at the 

0.5, 1.0, 1.5 these are great return pumps

[Gernader]

I agree with @Clown79! I would go with Sicce or Tunze. I currently have a Tunze return pump in my AIO tank and it’s really silent.

[Micro-Reefs Aquariums]

Stay away from the Eheim return pumps, they are strong in terms of GPH, but they make way too much sound, I am very unhappy with the amount of sound my Eheim 1000 makes, and I have closed lids!

[mcarroll]

Noise on these pumps is usually an installation issue or a broken part.  All of them should be VERY quiet....even the cheapies....it's inherent to the design as the moving parts not touching.  I have Eco+, Rio and others that are very quiet.

 

Nice pumps like the old Eheim Utility pumps, Sicce, QuietOne, and others can be extremely quiet, bordering on total silence.  When I ran a sump, I had three different return pumps...a used Mag 7, a Quiet One 2200 and Quiet One 4000.  I also have an Eheim 1250 that was used as a skimmer pump.

 

All of them were almost totally silent, even the Mag 7 which doesn't particularly have the reputation of being silent....but the Quiet Ones (a Sicce design) were so quiet that I had to literally stick my head into the sump and be right at the water line with my ear to hear them.  Outside of that range, even the sound of my house's HVAC was louder.  The bubbling sounds from the skimmer were louder than the HVAC....just to put perspective to it.  None of those sounds are very loud at all....nothing like a rattling or droning sound.

 

@Zer0 if you've already taken apart the pump to make sure it's 100% clean and without apparent defects, and if you've already remounted it in the tank to make sure the mounting isn't the issue (look up known installation problems), then I'd even consider reporting the pump to the manufacturer to see if they have a tip or want to replace the pump or maybe the impeller.

[Micro-Reefs Aquariums]

28 minutes ago, mcarroll said:

Noise on these pumps is usually an installation issue or a broken part.  All of them should be VERY quiet....even the cheapies....it's inherent to the design as the moving parts not touching.  I have Eco+, Rio and others that are very quiet.

 

Nice pumps like the old Eheim Utility pumps, Sicce, QuietOne, and others can be extremely quiet, bordering on total silence.  When I ran a sump, I had three different return pumps...a used Mag 7, a Quiet One 2200 and Quiet One 4000.  I also have an Eheim 1250 that was used as a skimmer pump.

 

All of them were almost totally silent, even the Mag 7 which doesn't particularly have the reputation of being silent....but the Quiet Ones (a Sicce design) were so quiet that I had to literally stick my head into the sump and be right at the water line with my ear to hear them.  Outside of that range, even the sound of my house's HVAC was louder.  The bubbling sounds from the skimmer were louder than the HVAC....just to put perspective to it.  None of those sounds are very loud at all....nothing like a rattling or droning sound.

 

@Zer0 if you've already taken apart the pump to make sure it's 100% clean and without apparent defects, and if you've already remounted it in the tank to make sure the mounting isn't the issue (look up known installation problems), then I'd even consider reporting the pump to the manufacturer to see if they have a tip or want to replace the pump or maybe the impeller.

I am glad you are referring to the old Eheim utility pumps, because the New Eheim according to reviews and I read a lot, unfortunately delayed read for me, I made the mistake and I bought two Eheim 1000 pumps for my systems both are very loud and unacceptable in my opinion.  But, are they doing the job?  Yes, very powerful pump for 15 watts your get 264gph but the sound they emit is just why I would never get one again!  And I love eheim products!  Maybe this is a bad batch that came through?  But I am very much wanting all on this thread know my experiences with this current pump Eheim 1000 purchased 2021.

 

 

[growsomething]

Have a sicce 1.0 in my nuvo 10, very quiet, very poweful for the tank size. No need for an MP 10 etc for added flow.

If it gets wedged between the rock I stuffed in the return chanber, and any of the side panels, or if the return line gets against a rock which is against a side panel, it makes noise.

[Zer0]

The pump that comes with the JBJ RL-10 has no markings/branding on it, so I have no idea what it is, I just know that it's loud. I received the Sicce Syncra Nano, which was extremely quiet, but even on its highest flow setting(110gph), it barely seemed to push water through the overflow. I bought two other pumps from Sicce, and I'm going to try out all 3 of them again and see which one performs the best and is the most quiet.

[Micro-Reefs Aquariums]

5 hours ago, Zer0 said:

The pump that comes with the JBJ RL-10 has no markings/branding on it, so I have no idea what it is, I just know that it's loud. I received the Sicce Syncra Nano, which was extremely quiet, but even on its highest flow setting(110gph), it barely seemed to push water through the overflow. I bought two other pumps from Sicce, and I'm going to try out all 3 of them again and see which one performs the best and is the most quiet.

I use the Sicce. Syncra nano 110gph for my return line to my Chill solutions chiller which they bundle it with the Rio 180.  They are still out of stock of the Rio.  The Rio has 120gph, 10 more than the Sicce syncra nano but runs 1 watt hotter.  So I went with the sicce syncra for the heat reduction in my nano and it works perfect.

[Reeferadicto13]

I use sicce syncra! Over 5 years old and still goin strong 

[HockeyDrumsFish]

Sicce .5.  No brainer