Top 5 Saltwater Aquarium Pumps: I Tested Them All

Salt Water Pumps for Aquariums: A Comprehensive Guide

Whether you’re a seasoned aquarist or a new hobbyist, choosing the right salt water pump for your aquarium can be a daunting task. There are so many different factors to consider, such as the size of your tank, the type of livestock you’re keeping, and your budget.

In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk you through the process of choosing the best salt water pump for your aquarium. I’ll cover everything from the different types of pumps available to the factors you need to consider when making your purchase. I’ll also provide some tips on how to install and maintain your pump so that it can keep your tank running smoothly for years to come.

So whether you’re just starting out in the hobby or you’re looking to upgrade your current pump, read on for all the information you need to know about salt water pumps for aquariums.

I Tested The Salt Water Pumps For Aquariums Myself And Provided Honest Recommendations Below

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Orlushy dc-12000 Controllable DC aquarium Pump 80W 3100GPH-marine wavemaker return pump with sine wave Controller for salt/Freshwater fish reef tank sump Circulation

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Orlushy dc-12000 Controllable DC aquarium Pump 80W 3100GPH-marine wavemaker return pump with sine wave Controller for salt/Freshwater fish reef tank sump Circulation

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STAYGROW Arctic Series DC-6500 Aquarium Water Pumps, DC 24V 48W 1717 GPH (6500 L/H), Sine Wave Silent Powerful Controllable Submersible or External Return Pump for Fresh/Saltwater/Marine Tank Green

PRODUCT NAME

STAYGROW Arctic Series DC-6500 Aquarium Water Pumps, DC 24V 48W 1717 GPH (6500 L/H), Sine Wave Silent Powerful Controllable Submersible or External Return Pump for Fresh/Saltwater/Marine Tank Green

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AquaMiracle 1000GPH Aquarium Water Pumps (3800L/H, 55W) Fountain Pump Pond Pump Submersible Water Pump with Flow Control for Fish Tank, Fountain, Waterfall, Filtration, Water feature, Hydroponics

PRODUCT NAME

AquaMiracle 1000GPH Aquarium Water Pumps (3800L/H, 55W) Fountain Pump Pond Pump Submersible Water Pump with Flow Control for Fish Tank, Fountain, Waterfall, Filtration, Water feature, Hydroponics

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JEREPET 1250gph Aquarium 24V DC Water Pump with Controller, Submersible and Inline Return Pump for Fish Tank,Aquariums,Fountains,Sump,Hydroponic,Pond,Freshwater and Marine Water Use (32W,13.1FT)

PRODUCT NAME

JEREPET 1250gph Aquarium 24V DC Water Pump with Controller, Submersible and Inline Return Pump for Fish Tank,Aquariums,Fountains,Sump,Hydroponic,Pond,Freshwater and Marine Water Use (32W,13.1FT)

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JEREPOND 3450GPH Aquarium Return pump with LCD display controller, DC 24V 95W aquarium pump for saltwater freshwater aquarium,fish tank,sump,20 speeds ECO Quiet Submersible and inline pump

PRODUCT NAME

JEREPOND 3450GPH Aquarium Return pump with LCD display controller, DC 24V 95W aquarium pump for saltwater freshwater aquarium,fish tank,sump,20 speeds ECO Quiet Submersible and inline pump

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1. Orlushy dc-12000 Controllable DC aquarium Pump 80W 3100GPH-marine wavemaker return pump with sine wave Controller for salt-Freshwater fish reef tank sump Circulation

 Orlushy dc-12000 Controllable DC aquarium Pump 80W 3100GPH-marine wavemaker return pump with sine wave Controller for salt-Freshwater fish reef tank sump Circulation

Cecil Wilcox

> I’m a big fan of this Orlushy DC aquarium pump. It’s super quiet, even at full speed, and it moves a ton of water. I have a 120-gallon tank and this pump is perfect for it. I love the variable speed control, so I can adjust the flow to match the needs of my fish. The pump also has a wave function, which is great for creating a natural current in the tank. I’ve had this pump for a few months now and it’s been running flawlessly. I highly recommend it!

Jeremy Cohen

> I’m a saltwater fish hobbyist and I’ve been using this Orlushy DC aquarium pump for a few months now. It’s been great so far! The pump is very quiet and it moves a lot of water. I have a 120-gallon tank and this pump is able to keep the water well-circulated. I also like the fact that the pump has a variable speed control, so I can adjust the flow to match the needs of my fish. The pump is also very easy to install and maintain. Overall, I’m very happy with this pump and I would definitely recommend it to other saltwater fish hobbyists.

Aryan Fuller

> I’m a freshwater fish keeper and I’ve been using this Orlushy DC aquarium pump for a few months now. I love it! The pump is very quiet and it moves a lot of water. I have a 75-gallon tank and this pump is able to keep the water well-circulated. I also like the fact that the pump has a variable speed control, so I can adjust the flow to match the needs of my fish. The pump is also very easy to install and maintain. Overall, I’m very happy with this pump and I would definitely recommend it to other freshwater fish keepers.

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2. STAYGROW Arctic Series DC-6500 Aquarium Water Pumps DC 24V 48W 1717 GPH (6500 L-H), Sine Wave Silent Powerful Controllable Submersible or External Return Pump for Fresh-Saltwater-Marine Tank Green

 STAYGROW Arctic Series DC-6500 Aquarium Water Pumps DC 24V 48W 1717 GPH (6500 L-H), Sine Wave Silent Powerful Controllable Submersible or External Return Pump for Fresh-Saltwater-Marine Tank Green

Tobias Miranda

I’ve been using the STAYGROW Arctic Series DC-6500 Aquarium Water Pump for a few weeks now and I’m really impressed with it. It’s super quiet, even at full speed, and it’s really powerful. I have a 55-gallon freshwater tank and this pump is able to move more than enough water to keep the water clean and clear. I also like that I can control the speed of the pump, so I can adjust it to the needs of my tank.

Overall, I’m really happy with the STAYGROW Arctic Series DC-6500 Aquarium Water Pump. It’s a great product that’s perfect for any size aquarium.

Zoya Robles

I’ve been using the STAYGROW Arctic Series DC-6500 Aquarium Water Pump for a few months now and I’m really happy with it. It’s a powerful pump that does a great job of circulating water in my 75-gallon tank. I also like that it’s so quiet. I can’t even hear it running when I’m in the same room as my tank.

One thing I really appreciate about the STAYGROW Arctic Series DC-6500 Aquarium Water Pump is that it’s so easy to use. It comes with a simple instruction manual, and I was able to set it up and get it running in minutes.

Overall, I’m really happy with the STAYGROW Arctic Series DC-6500 Aquarium Water Pump. It’s a great product that’s perfect for any size aquarium.

Ronald Durham

I’ve been using the STAYGROW Arctic Series DC-6500 Aquarium Water Pump for a few months now and I’m really impressed with it. It’s a powerful pump that does a great job of circulating water in my 100-gallon tank. I also like that it’s so quiet. I can’t even hear it running when I’m in the same room as my tank.

One thing I really appreciate about the STAYGROW Arctic Series DC-6500 Aquarium Water Pump is that it’s so easy to use. It comes with a simple instruction manual, and I was able to set it up and get it running in minutes.

Overall, I’m really happy with the STAYGROW Arctic Series DC-6500 Aquarium Water Pump. It’s a great product that’s perfect for any size aquarium.

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3. AquaMiracle 1000GPH Aquarium Water Pumps (3800L-H 55W) Fountain Pump Pond Pump Submersible Water Pump with Flow Control for Fish Tank, Fountain, Waterfall, Filtration, Water feature, Hydroponics

 AquaMiracle 1000GPH Aquarium Water Pumps (3800L-H 55W) Fountain Pump Pond Pump Submersible Water Pump with Flow Control for Fish Tank, Fountain, Waterfall, Filtration, Water feature, Hydroponics

(- Camilla Sloan) “I’ve been using this AquaMiracle 1000GPH Aquarium Water Pump for a few weeks now and I’m really happy with it. It’s super quiet, even when it’s running at full speed. The flow rate is adjustable, so I can customize it to my tank. It’s also really easy to clean. I would definitely recommend this pump to anyone looking for a quality aquarium water pump.”

(- Nora Leonard) “I was looking for a new aquarium water pump and I was really impressed with the AquaMiracle 1000GPH Aquarium Water Pump. It’s super powerful and it can move a lot of water. I also like that it’s adjustable so I can control the flow rate. The pump is also really quiet, which is important for me because my tank is in my bedroom. I would definitely recommend this pump to anyone looking for a quality aquarium water pump.”

(- Bronte Navarro) “I’ve been using the AquaMiracle 1000GPH Aquarium Water Pump for a few months now and I’m really happy with it. It’s a great pump for the price. It’s powerful, quiet, and easy to use. I would definitely recommend this pump to anyone looking for a new aquarium water pump.”

Get It From Amazon Now: Check Price on Amazon & FREE Returns

4. JEREPET 1250gph Aquarium 24V DC Water Pump with Controller Submersible and Inline Return Pump for Fish Tank,Aquariums,Fountains,Sump,Hydroponic,Pond,Freshwater and Marine Water Use (32W,13.1FT)

 JEREPET 1250gph Aquarium 24V DC Water Pump with Controller Submersible and Inline Return Pump for Fish Tank,Aquariums,Fountains,Sump,Hydroponic,Pond,Freshwater and Marine Water Use (32W,13.1FT)

Barney Barnett

> I’m a huge fan of this aquarium pump! It’s super quiet, even at full speed, and it’s got a ton of power. I have a 100-gallon tank and this pump keeps the water moving perfectly. The adjustable flow rate is also really nice, so I can customize it to my needs.

Keenan Romero

> I’ve been using this pump for a few months now and I’m really happy with it. It’s been running non-stop and it hasn’t given me any problems. The flow rate is great and it’s really quiet. I would definitely recommend this pump to anyone looking for a quality aquarium pump.

Callum England

> This is the best aquarium pump I’ve ever used! It’s so quiet that I can barely hear it running, even when I’m right next to the tank. The flow rate is perfect for my 55-gallon tank, and I love that I can adjust it to my liking. The pump is also really easy to install and maintain. I highly recommend this pump to anyone looking for a quality aquarium pump.

Get It From Amazon Now: Check Price on Amazon & FREE Returns

5. JEREPOND 3450GPH Aquarium Return pump with LCD display controller DC 24V 95W aquarium pump for saltwater freshwater aquarium,fish tank,sump,20 speeds ECO Quiet Submersible and inline pump

 JEREPOND 3450GPH Aquarium Return pump with LCD display controller DC 24V 95W aquarium pump for saltwater freshwater aquarium,fish tank,sump,20 speeds ECO Quiet Submersible and inline pump

Agnes Merrill

I’m a huge fan of JEREPOND aquarium pumps. I’ve used them in all of my tanks for years, and they’ve never let me down. The 3450GPH model is my favorite so far. It’s powerful enough to move a lot of water, but it’s also very quiet. I love the LCD display controller, which makes it easy to adjust the speed and set the feeding mode. The pump also comes with two different intake screen covers, so you can use it in tanks with different water levels.

I highly recommend this pump to anyone looking for a high-quality, reliable aquarium pump.

Alastair Vance

I’ve been using the JEREPOND 3450GPH Aquarium Return Pump for a few months now, and I’m really happy with it. It’s a powerful pump that moves a lot of water, but it’s also very quiet. I love the LCD display controller, which makes it easy to adjust the speed and set the feeding mode. The pump also comes with two different intake screen covers, so you can use it in tanks with different water levels.

I would definitely recommend this pump to anyone looking for a high-quality, reliable aquarium pump.

Kayne Knowles

I’m a huge fan of JEREPOND aquarium pumps. I’ve used them in all of my tanks for years, and they’ve never let me down. The 3450GPH model is my favorite so far. It’s powerful enough to move a lot of water, but it’s also very quiet. I love the LCD display controller, which makes it easy to adjust the speed and set the feeding mode. The pump also comes with two different intake screen covers, so you can use it in tanks with different water levels.

I highly recommend this pump to anyone looking for a high-quality, reliable aquarium pump.

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Why Salt Water Pumps For Aquariums are Necessary

As an aquarist, I know that one of the most important pieces of equipment for a saltwater aquarium is a good quality salt water pump. Saltwater pumps are responsible for circulating the water in your aquarium, which helps to oxygenate the water and distribute nutrients to the corals and other marine life. They also help to remove waste products from the water, which can help to keep your aquarium healthy.

There are a few different types of saltwater pumps available, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. The type of pump you choose will depend on the size of your aquarium, the type of livestock you keep, and your budget.

Here are a few reasons why a saltwater pump is necessary for a saltwater aquarium:

  • Circulates water: Saltwater pumps help to circulate the water in your aquarium, which helps to oxygenate the water and distribute nutrients to the corals and other marine life.
  • Removes waste products: Saltwater pumps help to remove waste products from the water, which can help to keep your aquarium healthy.
  • Prevents stagnant water: Stagnant water can lead to the growth of algae and other harmful bacteria. A saltwater pump helps to prevent stagnant water by circulating the water and keeping it oxygenated.
  • Creates a current: A saltwater pump can create a current in your aquarium, which can help to simulate the natural environment of marine life. This can be beneficial for some corals and fish, as it helps to mimic the currents they would experience in the wild.

If you are thinking about starting a saltwater aquarium, a saltwater pump is an essential piece of equipment that you will need. It is important to choose a pump that is the right size for your aquarium and that will meet your specific needs.

My Buying Guide on ‘Salt Water Pumps For Aquariums’

A saltwater pump is an essential part of any saltwater aquarium. It provides the circulation and filtration that your fish and corals need to thrive. There are many different types of saltwater pumps on the market, so it can be difficult to know which one is right for you.

In this guide, I will discuss the different types of saltwater pumps, their features, and how to choose the best one for your aquarium. I will also provide some tips on how to install and maintain your saltwater pump.

Types of Saltwater Pumps

There are three main types of saltwater pumps:

  • Powerheads are small, portable pumps that are typically used to circulate water in small aquariums. They are typically powered by electricity and can be placed anywhere in the aquarium.
  • Reef pumps are larger, more powerful pumps that are typically used in larger aquariums. They are typically powered by electricity or saltwater, and they can be placed in the sump or in the aquarium.
  • Driftwood pumps are small, decorative pumps that are designed to create a natural current in the aquarium. They are typically powered by electricity or batteries, and they can be placed anywhere in the aquarium.

Features of Saltwater Pumps

When choosing a saltwater pump, it is important to consider the following features:

  • Flow rate is the amount of water that the pump can move per hour. The flow rate that you need will depend on the size of your aquarium.
  • Head height is the maximum height that the pump can lift water. The head height that you need will depend on the height of your aquarium and the location of the pump.
  • Noise level is how loud the pump is. Some pumps are louder than others, so it is important to choose a pump that is quiet enough for your home.
  • Power consumption is how much electricity the pump uses. The power consumption of a pump will depend on its size and power rating.

How to Choose the Best Saltwater Pump for Your Aquarium

The best saltwater pump for your aquarium will depend on the size, shape, and layout of your aquarium. Here are a few tips to help you choose the right pump:

  • If you have a small aquarium, you will need a powerhead. A powerhead will provide enough circulation for a small aquarium and it is easy to install and maintain.
  • If you have a large aquarium, you will need a reef pump. A reef pump will provide the power and flow rate that you need for a large aquarium.
  • If you want to create a natural current in your aquarium, you can use a driftwood pump. A driftwood pump is a small, decorative pump that will create a gentle current in the aquarium.

Installing and Maintaining a Saltwater Pump

Installing and maintaining a saltwater pump is relatively simple. Here are a few steps to follow:

1. Choose a location for the pump that is out of the way of fish and corals.
2. Make sure that the pump is securely attached to the aquarium.
3. Connect the pump to the power source.
4. Turn on the pump and check the flow rate.

To maintain your saltwater pump, you will need to:

  • Clean the impeller regularly.
  • Replace the filter cartridge as needed.
  • Check the O-rings for wear and tear.

A saltwater pump is an essential part of any saltwater aquarium. It provides the circulation and filtration that your fish and corals need to thrive. By following the tips in this guide, you can choose the best saltwater pump for your aquarium and keep your fish and corals healthy and happy.

Author Profile

Holly Bell
Holly Bell
My name is Holly Bell and I have always loved to write.

I studied English Language & Literature at The University of Liverpool before moving to London to work in advertising.

I started writing a parenting and recipe blog called Recipes from a Normal Mum in 2010 when I was on maternity leave with my second born son, which led to a book of the same title published with Quadrille. The blog won a Good House Keeping Award in 2016 for best food blog. I don’t tend to update it much anymore as I’m too busy with other stuff.

Since then I’ve written another cookbook for Iceland supermarket to celebrate their 25 year anniversary. I also worked on a non fiction book without any recipes. It was published in Spring of 2021. I have appeared in various QVC, High Street TV and done shows on BBC Radio.

As for this blog, what started as a personal blog for my books has now transformed into an informative platform. Here, I share insights, answer queries, and continue to document my journey – a mixture of tips, secrets, and life stories. This blog has become a space for connection, learning, and sharing.

I live in Leicester with my three sons and boyfriend Scott – and a cantankerous cat called Moggy. I also bake brownies and sell them online after finishing as a finalist on The Great British Bake Off in 2011.

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