Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Heres a place to share information about the pumps your using, whether they last or don't last.

Please list the pump brand and model along with any other information about the pump that you may have, power consumption, pumping rate, price etc.. And also the rough date that you put it into operation.. Then if and when it blows up, you can come back and edit your post to add the expiry date.

This will help us all to find the cheapest and most reliable pumps for different applications, and will ultimately help us all save money

Edit 11/14/14 by Ronmaggi: I have added a poll now to give a quick glance at where to start your search for a pump. Keep in mind that different manufacturers will perform differently at different volumes and different head heights. This thread has become lengthy, but there is quite a lot of information in it, and if you are really perceptive, you might find my very first post...

Brand & Model - Aquapro AP1000FP
Capacity - 1000L/h
Electical - 240V, 20W
Max head - 1.95m
Cost - $69 AU
Duty Cycle - Will run for 15m/h, 24hrs a day
Start date - Today April 1st 2007 (April fools day? )
Expiry date - ?

Brand & Model - SIMER 2305-03
Capacity - 4740L/h (1260GPH)
Electical - 120V, 6AMPS
Max head - 6.1m (20FT)
Cost - $59 U.S.
Duty Cycle - Will run continuous
Start date - March 30 2007
Expiry date - ?
General Safety Information number 2....Do not use in water where fish are present.
...................
Its oil filled

Brand & Model - Atman AT-104
Capacity - 2000L/h
Electical - 240V, 38W
Max head - 2m
Cost - $40 AU
Duty Cycle - runs 24/7 (no problems as yet)
Start date - 28 Aug 06
Expiry date - ?

Brand & Model - Pro Aqua HJ-3000
Capacity - 3000L/h
Electical - 240V, 70W
Max head - 3.7m
Cost - $45 AU
Duty Cycle - runs 24/7 (no problems as yet)
Start date - 17 Nov 06
Expiry date - ?

Brand & Model - SIMER 2305-03
Capacity - 4740L/h (1260GPH)
Electical - 120V, 6AMPS
Max head - 6.1m (20FT)
Cost - $59 U.S.
Duty Cycle - Will run continuous
Start date - Sept 13 2006
Expiry date - March 30 2007

Brand & Model - Tetra Dynatec 1500
Capacity - 1500gph (5700lph)
Electical - 120V, 138watts
Max head - 17ft (15.7 meters)
Cost - $120 U.S. (on sale $61)
Duty Cycle - Will run continuous
Start date - March 15, 2007
Expiry date - ?

Brand & Model - Davey XF192
Capacity - 11,400L/h
Electrical - 240V
Max head - 33m
Cost - $0 (on loan from FIL)
Duty Cycle - Will run for approx 1 hour, 10 times per day, 24hrs a day
Start date - 17 November 2006
Expiry date - retired 13th June 2007, not suitable for the job, returned to owner


Brand & Model - Global 2
Capacity - 15,000L/h
Electrical - 240V, 750W
Max head - 9m
Cost - ~$350
Duty Cycle - Will run for approx 1 hour, 10 times per day, 24hrs a day
Start date - 12 February 2007
Expiry date - ??


Brand & Model - Ebara Optima
Capacity - 8500L/h
Electrical - 240V, 250W
Max head - 7.5m
Cost - $250
Duty Cycle - Will run for approx 1 hour, 10 times per day, 24hrs a day
Start Date - 13th June 2007
Expiry date - 30th October 2007 (need to get a sparky to check reason for failure)

Start Date - 6th November 2007
Expiry date - 20 April 2012

swapped impellers on the two pumps last year after one cracked

Brand & Model - Aqua One 103 powerhead
Capacity - 1200L/h
Electrical - 240V, 15W
Max head - 1.2m
Cost - ~$30
Duty Cycle - 24/7
Start Date - November 2006 ish
Expiry date - ?

Brand & Model - Ebara Optima
Capacity - 8500L/h
Electrical - 240V, 250W
Max head - 7.5m
Cost - 290
Duty Cycle - 15 minutes on 45 minutes off, 24hours a day
Start Date - 1st June 2007
Expiry date - ?

Dont know if this is in the right place has anybody heard of a heissner pump picked up one yesterday it has a speed control built in check the photos

Theres more

wow cool pump, bet they are really expensive new

Brand & Model - MeBner (now Messner)
Capacity - 8000L/h
Electrical - 240V, 120W
Max head - 5.6m
Cost - 350
Duty Cycle - continuous
Start Date - over 15 years ago
Expiry date - Blown capacitor (electrical spike?) now repaired. Who knows

Aquapro 1500c

Started Oct 07

Ran 15 mins on 60 mins off 24/7

Deceased Mar 08

Worn out stainless steel shaft = no more pumping

New pump has ceramic shaft

Just when I thought I had worked out what pump I was getting I have had another thought.

I am looking to run a pump continuously and many of the pumps that you folks use seem to be fairly heavy on the juice, relative to volume of flow.

So I'm now considering using a pond pump because they are high flow relative to power usage and this will be important in a system with a pump operating continuously. I know that they have quite a small head but I've always been aiming to design my system to reduce the total head required anyway.

For example compare the Ebara Optima (8400L/hr @2m 250w) with the Laguna 11000 (8100L/hr @2m 125w). The Optima from Joel is $250 where as the Laguna is $312 from creative pumps but it will use less than half the power that the optima will consume.

Am I missing something? Do people go for the higher wattage pumps so that they can be more flexible with there plumbing (as is the case with joels over head plumbing (ie significantly higher head)) or is there another/additional reason?