Here's the pump that's currently in my 5ft tank trickle filter. It's a HQB-3500. (It's not usually out of the water.) It's very noisey.
Because of the noise, I'm seeking to replace it with something similar but hopefully quieter! (Then the HQB-3500 will go in my pond.)

Now I have a dumb question, as I've been looking around - why can't I/shouldn't I use a powerhead? They seem to be the same to me, except the powerheads are cheaper... :?:

I'm sure you'll set me straight. :laugh:


Oh, and 'max head' - is that the highest it can pump to? :shy:

This is what I was told.

http://tropicalfishchat.net/index.php?show...ndpost&p=942635

Hope this helps.

Thanks dtroup! :)
I thought that may be the case (what cich1 said) - but I was confused because they were still giving me 'max head' figures, which implied to me they were able to push water up and not just 'around'.



My other question is: Any brands that individuals can vouch for quietness?

if it's rated for head pressure then just make sure you get one with a high enough max head and go for it. also take into account how much the head pressure drops as the head increases.a powerhead may lose pressure faster than a submersible pump as the head pressure increases.

the pump i use is actually considered to be a powerhead/submersible and works fine.

it's a rio 3100, alot of people badmouth this brand for being noisy and unreliable but i have never had a problem with either. there are tons of brands out there that i am sure are better but this little pump does me just fine.

I've found some great deals on eBay! :D

Thanks, cich! :)

any updates leema. did you purchase one?

I'm going to be getting a Eheim 1000 from here (aquaticlifeaquariums.com.au). I thought I'd go with a brand name and hopefully get something quiet! Fingers crossed.

Thanks for your interest. :)

hey just a quick question, is that pump going to be big enough for your tank? i know you probably already know this but usually you want a pump that can turn over the volume of your tank at least 3 times an hours and this is after you have figured in the head height which can drastically reduce your pumps output. i couldn't find a flow chart for that particular pump. the flow chart shows you how much the pressure drops at certain head heights. for instance, i have a rio 3100 that is rated at 900 gph at 0 head, but at 4 feet of head it drops to 690 gph.so i figure that with my total gallons(display tank plus sump) my head height and the restriction of my plumbing(elbow fittings and spraybar) that i am somewhere in the neighborhood of 3 times an hour.

sorry if you already knew all this not trying to say you didn't, just wanted to make sure you had all the info you need. eheim is for sure known for it's quality and i'm sure that's a very quiet pump.