The BLDC3 pump is a new water mover coming soon from Deepwater Aquatics which will feature a wild spherical rotor design. This is not the first aquarium pump ever to feature a spherical rotor and bearing, but this is the first time we’ve seen it in a new controllable DC pump, resulting in an impressively compact water pump.
The most notable difference between the Deepwater BLDC3 and most other DC pumps is the unusual spherical rotor. Instead of having just a cylindrical magnet with one small bearing surface around the end of the shaft, the entire surface of the rotor is coated in a ceramic bearing material, spreading out the force of the magnet.
If we remember correctly, the old Velocity T3 & T4 pumps which also at one point sported both the Custom Sealife and Coralife label, also had some kind of spherical rotor and impeller assembly resulting in an exceptionally quiet pump. However the BLDC3 is a quantum leap in performance being both DC controllable, submersible, and taking full advantage of the unique design to create a substantially shorter pump body.
Even if you don’t care about the unique technology at the heart of the BLDC3 pump from Deepwater, you will appreciate that this pump is shorter than it is wide. That is, the length of the pump from the intake to the opposite end of the pump body is shorter than the total diameter of the volute; 84mm (3.3 inches) long compared to 95mm (3.74 inches) wide.
Other attractive upgrades to the BLDC3 pump are to be found in the LCD controller which will monitor and report the pump’s vital stats. These include current, power consumption, running speed, accumulated time worked and 0-10v input for external control, so this is one pump that will encourage you to really geek out and understand the engine powering your reef tank or aquarium.
Another thing we find particularly appealing about the Deepwater BLDC3 is its price and performance. The BLDC3 pump pumps up to 3000 liters (792 gallons per hour) at a head pressure of to 3 meters (15 feet), with a maximum power draw of 25 watts. By any measure this is the perfect pump size and specs to run a wide variety of medium to medium-large reef tanks up to 100 gallons, where having a 1500 to 2000 gallons per hour pump would be total overkill.
On paper the Deepwater BLDC3 pump really has a lot going for it, and we can’t wait to test it out when it is released later this summer for a very palatable $149.