High Tide Aquatics

Another Rio story

tuberider

tuberider

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I got the dreaded call today at ~5:00, "Jeremy, sorry to bug you but all of our fish are dead and the circuit keeps tripping, can you stop by and see what's up", of course I can I said. The tank is a weird in wall flat back hex somewhere in the 80 gallon range, a very difficult tank to stock, because you can't put tangs, and other large fish in it, but all the smaller fish look.... well... small...

As I was doing my least favorite, and thankfully least common job scooping out dead fish, I smelled that all too familiar smell, a dead Rio. Shizzle >:(, I thought (not exactly that word), this was one of the newer UL listed hyperflow models, the unit was only used for circulation as I filched a Mag 7 from an old fountain at the business, otherwise it would have remained the return pump. I did not do the installation as I do not use Rio crap, however sometimes it's difficult to convince people that they need to spend money to save money.

I am not happy right now >:(, losses include

Coral Beauty
a pair of barred gobies
a pair of percula clowns
six line wrasse
figi blue devil
and the saddest of all, the most beautiful X-Mas wrasse I've ever seen, it was 3 years old and ate out of my hand :'(


Bottom line, get rid of your crap equipment, I've only had this problem with Rio's and one mini jet in 18 years of doing service.
 
Yikes, that's gotta suck, however do you know what it is about the Rio pumps that go faulty? I've used my fair share and while I have had issues (shock, impeller explosion, etc) nothing that was a catastrophic experience.

You can smell the Rio issues too? Man you've been doing that for way too long! :D
 
The epoxy cracks and eventually water seeps into the electromagnet and you know the rest. I think they are too cheap to use a more heat resistant epoxy. I can't wash that stupid smell off my hands, I'm about ready to hit the fast orange, but that means I'll smell like orange and be afraid to put my hands in the tank...

Rio's die quick, and leave a nasty skin of black death on the surface of the water, this tank has an overflow so I didn't see the black death during the initial inspection, I just saw the timer hadn't been on since 3AM.
 
Funny you should mention that Phong, I've been using the same generic "sonic" pumps to mix my salt for 4 years, they're rocks. Rio's are worse than knock off crap IME, really sad considering I could get an Ocean Runner for a competitive price.
 
I used one as a return pump for a while and moved it out after hearing the bad press and it when south while I was using it to pump out a hot tub and I got shocked. I have another that mixes salt. I'm kind of scared of putting my hand in the trash can while its in there. I turn it off.
 
I use a Rio 1700 to mix salt - I unplug the pump before I put my hand in there ;D

When it finally dies it will be a mag 7 that will be replacing it as my salt mixer.
 
[quote author=jrock link=topic=3389.msg39000#msg39000 date=1206682196]
Can't argue with Kuan.
[/quote]Yes I can, but I wont.

The way and timing that Rio's go is almost like clockwork, and it happens in an identical fashion. The is a problem in the manufacturing of the product that most likely could be fixed on the line.


Up late trolling boys?
 
ah that's sad to hear =(

I've never owned a rio, but are they the same company that makes SEIO's? Or am I mistaken?

I use a Eheim 1260 to mix my saltwater =X
 
[quote author=kinetic link=topic=3389.msg39018#msg39018 date=1206724988]
ah that's sad to hear =(

I've never owned a rio, but are they the same company that makes SEIO's? Or am I mistaken?

I use a Eheim 1260 to mix my saltwater =X
[/quote]Yup same company as Seio, I've not heard of Seio having the same problem though.
 
[quote author=tuberider link=topic=3389.msg39024#msg39024 date=1206729325]
[quote author=kinetic link=topic=3389.msg39018#msg39018 date=1206724988]
ah that's sad to hear =(

I've never owned a rio, but are they the same company that makes SEIO's? Or am I mistaken?

I use a Eheim 1260 to mix my saltwater =X
[/quote]Yup same company as Seio, I've not heard of Seio having the same problem though.
[/quote]

crap! time to get new powerheads for my frag tank =X it's almost 2 years.
 
[quote author=Ibn link=topic=3389.msg39025#msg39025 date=1206729834]
I use a MJ 400 + sureflow 1600 impeller to mix my saltwater. :p

Art is such a baller...
[/quote]
lol! It's actually because it's the only spare pump I have. I have it just in case my current 1260 fails on me, then I have a backup (it's the return pump). But instead of going out to buy a cheapo pump to mix salt, I just use the one I have already haha =)
 
Not to be a pain but I personaly like the Rio 50, but that's the only one. Only real reason is it's small. All other Rio products are crap, they explode, rot, stop working, etc. My Rio 50 ran for 4 yrs in a nauo until I tore it down.
 
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