- This is an AC return pump.
This is a DC return pump.
The DC return pump's better. I know you might be thinking
that was a pretty bold statement.
So why do I think DC pumps are better?
First up, DC pumps use way less electricity
than their AC counterparts. So you'll save a lot of money.
Reason number two, DC pumps have a variable speed,
which means you can adjust the rate of flow.
Number three, DC pumps come with a controller of some kind,
which means you can turn them on and off for maintenance.
And they have a 10 to 60 second feed mode
which can be activated by just pressing a button.
Number four, DC pumps run silently.
I can hear the vibrations from my AC pumps
all the way into my bedroom,
but I can't hear a peep out of the DC pumps.
And lastly, some DC pumps even come with wifi built in,
which means you can control them via an app on your phone.
DC pumps are incredibly versatile
and can be used in all sorts of different situations.
The first and most obvious use is as a return pump.
You can use a DC pump to swap out your noisy AC pump
and easily adjust the weir water height
to make Herbie and Bean Animal style
overflow systems silent.
Another great use for DC pumps is in a protein skimmer.
The most difficult thing about protein skimmers
is tuning them so you get the perfect water height,
but with a DC pump, you can adjust the flow rate
to get that perfect water height.
Number three, a DC pump is a perfect solution
for powering a reactor.
You can adjust the flow rate
depending on the type of media or macroalgae.
The fourth is in a seawater mixing station.
You can easily turn the pump on and off with a controller.
Number five is you can plumb a DC pump externally
and it's great for powering a manifold
and also keeping excess heat out of the water column.
And the sixth and final use that I could think of
is to power a UV sterilizer.
UV sterilizers are super picky
and you have to have the exact right flow
in order to kill the free floating
bacteria and organisms you want.
Choosing the right DC pump
for your situation comes down to a few key factors.
Number one is what is a purpose and function
that you are gonna use your DC pump for?
If I had to guess, I would say the 95% of us
are going to purchase a DC pump to replace
a noisy AC return pump that we currently have.
The second consideration is how many gallons
per hour are we looking for?
Our goal as reefers is to turn over
the entire water column three times per hour.
This will end up heating and filtering
the entire water column every 20 minutes.
This means for a 100 gallon tank, as an example,
you will need a DC pump that can pump out 300 gallons
per hour to a water height of five feet.
Looking at the performance curve
supplied by the manufacturer for this Vectra S2,
we can see that it's a 1400 gallon per hour pump.
That still produces around 850 gallons per hour at 5 feet.
So while this would be more power than you need
for a 100 gallon system, it's a DC pump with a controller.
So you can just turn it down
to achieve the perfect flow rate.
The third consideration is the size of the fittings.
You just need to make sure that the DC fittings
are compatible with the plumbing
you already have installed in your system.
Taking the Vectra S2 as an example,
the input coupling is one inch
and the output coupling is three quarter inches.
Two of the most common sizes we find in this hobby.
But even if you have different size plumbing on your tank,
you can still make it work.
You'll just need some bushings and some reducers
and a little bit of plumbing know-how.
The fourth consideration when purchasing a DC pump
is whether or not you have hard plumbing or soft plumbing.
Most of our tanks use sort of flexible tubing
to connect our return pump to the display tank.
And that just means you will need a barbed fitting.
this Ecotech Vectra doesn't come with a barbed fitting
in the box, but you can buy the barb and screen kit at BRS.
But other DC pumps, such as the Reef Octopus VarioS
and the Sicce Syncra SDC do come with a barbed fitting.
And the fifth consideration is safety.
And you'll want to answer these three questions.
The first question is what is gonna happen
when your pump runs dry?
If you're new to this hobby,
you're just gonna have to trust me on this one.
But at some point, you are going to either
forget to fill up your ATO reservoir,
or turn off your pump during a water change,
both of which will make the pump run dry.
There are pumps, like the Vectra here,
that have an internal sensor that will automatically sense
when the pump is running dry and shut it off.
While other pumps, like the Reef Octopus VarioS
require the installation of the included float valve.
The second safety consideration you'll wanna consider
is how will you know if the pump is malfunctioning or off?
The return pump is the heart of your system.
And without it, all of your fish,
and all of your corals could be dead
in as little as 12 hours.
Wifi enabled pumps, such as the Neptune Cor,
and the Sicce SDC have integrated wifi apps
that will send you a push notification immediately
if it detects a problem.
The third safety question is how do you plan
to keep your reef alive during a power outage?
The number one reason that fish, corals,
and all of your livestock die
during a power outage is suffocation.
Oxygen enters your tank only through the surface.
So all that turbidity and surface agitation
that is caused by your return pump and your wave maker
is actually supplying all of the oxygen
to your tank inhabitants.
So unless you're planning on buying
a generator for a power outage,
there's only one DC pump that I'm aware of
that comes with an integrated battery backup system
and that's the Ecotech Marine Vectra.
Matthew, that is all well and good
but what would you choose for a DC pump?
If you have a Neptune Apex, then you might as well
go with their branded DC pump, the Cor.
If budgeting is your primary concern,
then the Current USA eFlux will get the job done.
But my personal favorite is actually a three way tie
which I know, is probably a super unsatisfying answer.
I currently run two of the Reef Octopus VarioS pumps.
They have five speed settings,
a 15 or 60 minute built-in feed timer
and an included float valve for safety.
My second overall choice is the Sicce Syncra SDC.
Sicce is an Italian pump manufacturer that just makes some
of the highest quality pumps on the market.
The SDC is wifi enabled and can be controlled
via the app or included controller.
It has an internal thermometer
and it can send you push notifications
immediately if there's a problem.
And my third overall recommendation
and the one we're gonna showcase
for the rest of this video is the Ecotech Marine Vectra.
It includes a controller
but can also be programmed via the Mobius app.
It has built-in feed modes and various settings
that can simulate the flow patterns of the actual reef.
It comes in three pump sizes,
ranging from a maximum output of 1400 gallons per hour
all the way up to 3,100 gallons per hour.
Setting up your DC control pump is actually pretty easy.
To attach hard plumbing to the Vectra,
unscrew the union collar from the output
and remove the coupling.
Be sure to leave the orange O ring in place on the pump.
Place your three quarter inch PVC through the union collar.
Apply clear PVC primer and glue
to the inside of the coupling and the outside of the PVC.
While giving a one quarter twist,
push and hold the PVC into the coupling for 30 seconds.
Let the PVC cement dry, then tightly screw
the collar back onto the pump,
making sure the orange O ring is in place.
If you're using a barbed fitting with flexible tubing,
the installations even easier.
Just unscrew the union collar and remove the coupling.
Push the barbed fitting through the collar,
then you can mount the Vectra controller,
either with the included brackets
or a couple pieces of Velcro work as well.
Plug it in, connect the pump,
then use either the controller or the Mobius app
to adjust the flow to suit your needs.
You're ready.
You're ready to pull the plug
and purchase your first DC pump.
But did you know that DC return pumps
don't actually create flow in your tank?
And I bet you don't know this one trick
that will turn your nearly silent DC pump
into a completely silent DC pump.
Watch this video right over here to learn the secret.
And as always everyone, thanks for watching.
Happy reefing, be well.
We'll see you next time.