Lifegard AquaticsARP440110 Quiet One Aquarium PRO Series 2200 Pump, 594 GPH

I have used Lifegard pumps for quite a while now. I operate 21 aquariums as a breeder, and have been using a 1200 size pump for almost a year now during water changes. I use it to suck detritus off of tank bottoms, and to pull water out of lower tanks that gravity cannot do for me.I purchased this size 2200 pump hoping to halve the time it takes for me to do water changes, as the flow rate is almost exactly double the rating of the 1200. Today was water change day, and it was an ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE.To start things off, some substrate got siphoned off of the bottom of one of my tanks, as it always does during water changes, and the flow *instantly* went to a trickle. After troubleshooting, and disassembling to check the impeller, I come to notice that roughly a dozen pieces of Fluval Stratum are lodged in the intake plate/impeller cradle (see photo of part). I removed the blockage (which never occurred using the 1200), and resumed work. After 2 or 3 tanks, I noticed that the flow rate was still abysmal, and disassembled again, only to find no obstruction and impeller functioning as expected. Still AWFUL flow rate.I finished my water changes and went outside to test the pump using a stopwatch, a 5 gallon bucket, and one of my above-ground ponds. The bucket filled in almost exactly 58 seconds; that is 5 gallons per 58 seconds. Doing some math brings the flow rate to 310.32gpm, which is WELL below the advertised 594gpm. I am forced to assume that the incredibly restrictive space that water is forced to travel through is cutting this pump off at the knees. Not only does very small debris get caught in it, but it takes the 5/8" intake and necks it down to what... maybe 1/4" total area? Turbulent, restricted flow is NEVER good pump design. I am operating the pump using supplied 5/8" diameter nipple, a 3/4" output, and have a *maximum* head pressure of 1.5 feet, so nothing I have done is negatively impacting designed operation.The following are my configurations for the final outdoor bucket test:- Intake hose: unobstructed, 5/8" vinyl tubing attached directly to the supplied nipple using a hose clamp-output: 1" pvc 90, directly connected to a 'wide open' 3/4" ball valve with unobstructed opening-bucket at ground level, pump level with rim of bucket-pond 24" above ground, pump intake hose placed ABOVE top of bucket, (pump was technically gravity assisted, negative head pressure)-pump bled free of air before beginning testREALLY hoping that someone reaches out to me to rectify this issue, otherwise I am returning the pump and will switch to another brand in the future.

This pump lives up to its name, quiet!!! It's working great in my sump tank and provides great flow to my saltwater tank and all the live corals and fish!

I launched a war on noise coming from my 100 overflow tank. I half expected this pump to NOT live up to the name 'quiet'. Happily I was very wrong. Out of the box it's very loud but, once in the sump, I wondered for a moment if it was working at all. It's remarkably quiet and at a price that is very agreeable.

See my photo for what's in the box

i have 2 of these now and i must say haven't had a single complaint quiet and dependable at an affordable price what else could you ask for

Despite what a lot of the reviews say on here, this thing is SUPER quiet. I honestly can't even hear it in my sump tank. It's powering my protein skimmer, and it works like a dream. Maybe I got lucky and got a good one, but definitely no complaints here.

I've used Rainbow Lifegard filters for 20 years, this is the first time that I have been unhappy with a product of theirs. This pump was surprisingly noisy, and is not well designed to work with Lifegard cartridges.

great return pump, I use it in my sump. It did make a little noise, but I solved it by sitting it on silicone mat to dampen the vibration.