Pumps are the heart of reef tanks. Most pumps function by moving water from one place to another. In the reef sump, pumps are typically connected to the return line and push water from the sump back into the display. Pumps can also serve other functions including feeding media reactors, filling fresh water through an automatic top-off system, mixing salt, and creating microbubbles in protein skimmers.
For me, reliability is king with pumps. Return pumps run 24-7 unless they are manually shut off for maintenance or feeding. A malfunctioning or dead pump can have catastrophic results in a relatively short period of time. I expect pumps to work consistently and be relatively easy to maintain. Another thing I look for is the sound level of the pump, the quieter the better. Here are some of the pumps that have worked well for me and that I recommend.
Rio Plus 50 Aqua Pump for ATO
Situation: I bought the Rio Plus 50 Aqua Pump specifically for replenishing freshwater into the sump for automatic top-off purposes.
Background: This is a very small magnetic-driven basic pump. The pump dimensions are 2.2” x 1.4” x 1.8” and have an outlet for ½” I.D. hose. The pump is capable of pushing 69 gallons per hour and can be used for a number of applications where water is needed to be moved. The pump comes with various attachments for flexibility in how the pump is used.
Assessment: I use these pumps on both my 75-gallon reef tank and on my 210-gallon reef tank. The pumps sit in a freshwater container and automatic top-off systems turn on the pump via float switch notification to pump water into the sump. The containers are within a few feet of the sump. The pumps fill to the water level at just the right speed for my size tanks using vinyl tubing.
Recommendation: These are great little pumps that are reliable and do what they are supposed to do. I’ve run them as ATO pumps without fail for over 2 years. I’m not sure how they would perform in a constant running on situation, but for an ATO that triggers just a few times a day, they work perfectly. In addition to reliability, these pumps are priced at a great price point.
Rio Plus 50 Aqua Pump
The new and improved rio plus aqua pumps and power heads provide versatile water pump system designed with high efficiency and reliability at lower cost. Designed with next generation magnetic-rotor technology.
