Why I don't use RIO pumps

[ReeferRob]

Found this on another forum and wanted to share in hopes of saving another reef. Years ago I ran strictly Rio pumps, I ignored all the warnings until one day doing my monthly pump cleaning I came across one of my pumps that had some warping going on, which was the beginning of it melting just like the story. Luckly I caught it in time!


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Yesterday, 11:07 AM

ciaccmo
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Colorado
Posts: 14
Tank Size (US GAL): 55
Experience: 2 Years
Name: Carl
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HELP! Pump blew-up Bleaching Corals!
So, two nights ago, i walked into my apartment after coming home from the gym only to smell a familiar smell. Electrical fire. I quickly took a lap around the apartment looking for the fire. Nothing, so i went to the one thing that has the most electrical outlets... my fish tank. The odor was quite strong, and coming from the sump... could it be!? a stuck pump!? It was.

A Rio pump I had been using as my circ pump (I know... don't use Rio pumps), somehow got stuck, started overheating, and melted out the back of the sealed motor area. How this didn't pop the GFCI it was plugged into (or have any overheat shutdown for that matter) is beyond me. I turned it off, pulled it out of my sump, and disconnected my refugium / skimmer pump (the skimmer feeds the refugium) to use as my main circ pump. Everything seemed to look fine still at this point, so i started to make some RO/DI water to make some new mix to start water changes. I usually keep at least 5 gallons around for my 55gal. tank... but my supply had been depleted from a water change last weekend.

I came home from work last night, and noticed all of my sps bleaching out (to my horror!), but my softies seem to be doing alright, less a stressed out toadstool. I made a water change, and I will make a water change once a night this week. I always run carbon in my media reactor, but I added some more / fresh carbon to the reactor last night. I decided that only running 1/2 of my lighting today would help reduce stress, and i will most likely spot feed all the sps to help keep fatty tissue stores up while there is a lack of zooxanthellae to help feed.

Is there anything else i should / could be doing to help save everything? This is one of those times when you feel helpless to your tank.

thanks in advance.

[Fishgeek88]

I thought it was certain model number rios?

[Cash]

I am still using the original Rio 3100 I bought about 5 years ago when I first got my 90g setup. It has about 4 years on it now

[Fishgeek88]

Yea ive used bigger rios in the past without any issues...I use to seem to have more issues with mags then rios.

[locoyo386]

IS the model of the Rio pump mentioned at all? I think it's the case of generalizing things. Just because one or two pumps burn out, does it imply that all of them will? I heard that Koralia powerheads break down after one year, does that mean they all will break down after one year? I heard things like that alot, but is there really a way to have a good idea of how many really break down or burn? Is there somewhere that post the statistical numbers for the Rio pumps. If the number of Rio pumps that melt in that manner exceeds 25% than I would be concerned.

[Fishgeek88]

I would say 5 to 10 percent is a lot. Lets say at 25 percent a LFS sold on average a dozen a week, that would be 3 coming back each week because they failed, way too many. Even one a week would be considered high. Maybe Rob can remember if it was a certain model or something