Is there a strong, self priming transfer pump out there? (wanting a power siphon)

[Harry Marsh]

Just bought a mag pump 24
Sucks. Won't prime at all. Needs to be below the water level. I knew this, but bought it used @ a good deal
Even if I prime it with a few feet of hose, it will lose prime the second that it hits air.
(and doesn't seem very strong even after it has water coming into it)


I'm wanting something I can put a foot above the aquariums and use as a power siphon.

I've seen the Wayne pc4. Does that self prime? Is it strong enough to use as a good siphon?

I'm tired of carrying buckets or running the hose out the window


Anyone out there have a good experience?


(much thanks)

[yim11]

Wayne 1/2HP

;)

[aalbina]

Utilitech - I've read negative reviews but It works great for me. I use it as a power siphon with 50 feet of garden hose going out to my garage utility sink. Clear hose on the other side that goes into the tank. I set it on the floor and kick it on. Self priming and drains my 55 3/4 down in about 10 or so minutes.

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewitem?itemId=330779603948

Adam

[DLock3d]

Wayne 1/2HP

;)

+1

[rcomeau]

I'm also looking for a strong, self-priming transfer pump to drain before water changes. I bought an Iwaki MD-20RT 420 GPH and want it to drain water from the fish tank to the sink drain. The pump can not and should not be run dry without water in the pipes. It will work if I get syphoning going to prime the pump. The problem is that the water continues to syphon after I turn off the pump to the extent that most of the water drains out of the pipes. Then the pump can not start on its own again. Do I need to close a valve at the same time that I turn off the pump to try to trap water in the pipes? That seems too complicated. How do I get the mag pump to work?

The pump that aalbina suggested is apparently a positive pressure displacement pump that has a better chance of priming than a magnetic centrifical pump. Are the displacement pumps too loud to run in the house during frequent discus water changes?

I have not been looking at submersible pumps because I do not want to look at the pump in the tank.

[aalbina]

The pump that aalbina suggested is apparently a positive pressure displacement pump that has a better chance of priming better than a magnetic centrifical pump. Are the displacement pumps too loud to run in the house during frequent discus water changes?


It is pretty loud - but does self prime. You have to open it up every so often and smear Vaseline around the rubber propeller inside. I do that about every two weeks.

Adam

[boscobear]

+ 2 I own, and really like the wayne transfer pump, just a little work horse. I would buy it again

[rcomeau]

Ordered a Wayne PC4 to refill the tank. It will be in the basement where the sound should be tolerable. Thanks for the advise.

I'm still hoping to drain the tank into the sink drain by putting my mag pump under the sink. I'm sure that it will get the job done quiet enough but I'm still concerned about keeping it primed so that it can restart on its own. Will it work if I trap the water in the pipes and pump with a valve just before the drain? Is there an easier way to do it? How do folks prime mag pumps when using them to drain during water changes? Do you manually start a syphon first?

[Harry Marsh]

I use the valve on the end of the hose. Open and close
Very easy, always primed

And you don't have to worry about water draining out the end of the hose when you move it around
You can get simple connectors at Home Depot or Lowes that will make it easily adapt to a water hose

[rcomeau]

Just got the Wayne PC4 for refilling the tank. It screams like a hair dryer. I'll have to build a box for it to insulate the noice because I'm hoping to do automatic water changes at 6 AM. It seems like it will fill the tank back up real quick even though I'll have 30 feet of pipes to push the water through.

I bought a sprinkler valve to automatically stop the water from flowing out of the drain pipes when the map pump gets turned off.