- Hey, it's Thomas here.
And today we're going to be checking out
Octos Vario's DC pumps.
Whether you're looking for a small DC
utility pump with controllable flow for a reactor
or a return pump for your larger reef tank
these Octo pumps should be high on your list.
They are really affordable and pack in
a lot of fantastic features.
One of which I haven't seen
on any other utility pump.
DC return or utility pumps are becoming
increasingly more popular than their AC counterparts.
Not only are they much quieter
and have a lower power consumption
but one of the biggest advantages
of DC pumps is the ability to control the flow speed.
Making it much easier to tune the pump perfectly
to your overflow system, or dial in the flow just right
to get the best performance out of your macroalgae reactor
via pellet reactor, calcium reactor,
you get the idea.
Octos Vario's line of DC pumps have been
around for a while now but remain one of
the most popular DC pump options.
Thanks to their reliability, features and phenomenal price.
The Vario's pumps give you more than just flow control.
They also run incredibly quiet,
have rubber feet to dampen any vibrations,
come with standard PVC unions and barb fittings,
have both 15 and 60 minute feed modes,
and also have a controller that offers a zero to
10 volt port to connect your pump
to an external aquarium controller,
plus optional water level detection
with that included float switch that I was talking
about earlier.
But before we get into all that
let's get it out of the box.
In the box you'll find the Vario's pump, the controller,
a pair of unions, the barbed adapter, o rings,
an intake screen,
the float switch with its bracket and the power supply.
The Octo Vario's comes in four models, the two, four, six
and eight pushing roughly 800,
a thousand, 1,700, 2,700 gallons per hour, respectively.
Which is pretty impressive given their compact size.
The two comes in right around a five
by three by four inches with a one inch inlet and outlet.
While the largest model is only 5.7 by three
and three quarters by five and a half inches
with a one and a quarter inch inlet and outlet
making them a great option for anyone looking to run a pair
of return pumps for redundancy, or to provide flow
to a reactor while being tight on space.
Like most DC pumps, the maximum head height
for the Vario's lineup is exactly what you would expect
and ranges from 13 feet to just
under 19 feet of head height, depending on the model
which might not be enough juice for filtration rooms
a floor below the tank, but more
than enough to provide plenty of flow
on your average reef setup, even with a lot of plumbing
fittings or longer horizontal runs of tubing.
There are also skimmer versions
of the Vario's pumps available
for those looking to replace or upgrade their skimmer pumps.
They boast the same features as the circulation pumps
but come standard with the Venturi
and fittings to hookup directly
to their corresponding Octo protein skimmer.
These Vario's pumps can also be run either internally
or externally and include a standard PVC unions
for hard plumbing, which is great and saves you
from having to buy a set separately
as well as barbed fittings
for soft tubing and an intake screen to protect the pump
from large debris when being used in sump.
Not only are these pumps very compact
and easy to fit in most return sections in your sump
but they're small enough that you can often fit a pair
of these pumps in a standard sump
which is becoming increasingly more common
for the added redundancy.
They also have a rotating volume which can come
in handy and help with clearance
in certain installations like a closed loop.
Now the Vario's controller has a lot going for it.
Beyond five speeds of flow control
15 minute and 60 minute feed
and maintenance modes and a solid mounting bracket.
The controller is also zero to 10 volt, ready
for controlling the pump through an Aquarian controller
like an apex prophylaxis or hydros
as well as an optional float switch safety
to shut off the pump
If the water level gets too low.
This particular feature is really impressive
especially at the price points of these pumps.
For example, if your ATO fails or you forget to top it off
the float switch will drop
as the water evaporates in the sump
and it'll shut off the pump to protect it from running dry.
There is also a button to turn that feature on or off
which is going to come in handy when you want to
give the float switch a quick cleaning
but don't want the pump to shut off.
Or if you just don't intend to use the float switch.
The Vario's also has other safety features built
in including an auto shutoff to protect the pump
from electrical circuit abnormalities, as well
as onboard memory to save your flow settings.
So even after a power outage, your pump will resume
its previous settings
when power is restored.
When it comes time for maintenance
the Vario's pumps are quite easy to work with.
The unions I mentioned earlier,
make it really easy to remove the pump
even if it's been hard plumbed into the system
making a quick citric acid bath, easy to perform.
They can also be disassembled without any tools so
that you can access and clean the impeller itself, along
with the impeller well, and the pump housing
which is something I've always appreciated.
I don't know anybody who likes having a set
of rusty screwdrivers or hex wrenches lying around
just for their reef tank.
When you add it all together, it's not too surprising
that these are one of the most popular DC options out there
and why it's received so much love from the staff at BRS
as well as other reefers like you and was crowned the most
reliable and tied for most popular pump in our best
of the year series.
If these Octo Vario's DC pumps match your reefing mantra
like they match ours.
You can go ahead and pick one up for yourself
by clicking right here.
(upbeat music)