Need a replacement for Aquabee 2000!

[steevareno]

This is for a Deltec MCE600 i bought used. I cleaned it in muriatic acid and it still creates bubbles. A replacement is $150! The impellar seems a bit scratched or worn and that is $75. It has to be a needlewheel pump that won't break the bank...Any info greatly appreciated

 

[steevareno]

I think there are two 2000 models with different watts

 

[marco67]

If you want to send it here I'll add it to my bucket full of broken down POS Aquabee pumps

I haven't had time toplay with it yet but the Ehiems look like a promising retro fit.

 

[Ray]

I am almost positive Don (reefermedic) replaced a POS aquabee with an Ehiem pump, after replacing the aquabee like 3 or 4 times in a year

 

[ReeferMedic]

Here's the mod I did on my reactor. There are a few pics in this thread. I swapped the pos aquabee out for an eheim(I believe it's a 1260) and haven't looked back. I'm sure you can find a needlewheel to do the trick for you. It just took a bit of trial and error fitting the parts. They charged me $300 for replacement aquabee at one point! As long as Deltec continues using aquabee pumps, I will never purchase another piece of equipment from them. They truly don't care about their customers imo if they haven't fixed this huge problem yet.




http://www.bostonreefers.org/forums/showthread.php?t=40369&highlight=aquabee

 

[delta]

Just get a H&S(aquabee pump) pump the new ones have new bushing to iliminate the premeture wear issue. plus it is half the price of a Deltec pump.

All you need to do is unscrew the H&S part and screw in the deltec parts

 

[steevareno]

Thanks guys. Yeah Don, I remember you saying that they were crap. It's amazing what Deltec charges for their equipment. Is there a needlewheel design with the Eheim's? Or H&S pumps?

 

[JayM]

Go back and read Jeremy's thread about mesh modding a non-needle wheel impeller. It looks like it could save you a lot of $.

http://www.bostonreefers.org/forums/showthread.php?t=51926

 

[stevenp]

I've tried the mesh mod on my Deltec and MikeG tried it on his as well. On both occasions it just made the skimmer overflow rendering it useless.

I've also had problems with non-Deltec impellers in Deltec Aquabees. Not sure what the difference is, but there is a difference and the pumps have a hard time starting.

If it were me I'd stay away from Aquabee altogether (H&S pump is also Aquabee). I believe Sedra pumps are identical to Aquabee's in terms of physical design so it would probably fit your skimmer no problem. Only difference would be the needle wheel but you could take the one out of your current pump and put it in the Sedra. Not sure if it would run exactly the same with the different pump but it would be worth a try.

 

[steevareno]

Sounds like it's worth a try. Thanks alot for the help!