Greenstreet.1
5000 Club Member
What's size tanks do you guys have these on thinking of putting one on my 75 and 55 ?
Aquatic life Macro wavemaker review!
- Thread starter hybridazn
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TylerS
Active Member
Thanks for the review! I'm really interested in these and at $20 I really can just try it out.
I swear I saw a flow rating on those somewhere but I can't find it now. I looked it up and using the mag 9.5 as a return at 5' you are pushing about 685 GPH (ignoring your reactors that are also running off the pump and major and minor head losses, unless your 5' includes them). I saw that the pump outlet is 3/4 inch? If so, the 3/4 inch wave maker might have been a better sizing. at 685 GPH through the 1/2" opening the flow velocity is about 5.6 meters per second (18.6 ft/s). If you switched to the 3/4 macro your flow velocity would be 2.5 meters per second (8.3 ft/s).
Also as a rule of thumb I would recommend not downsizing pipe from the pumps outlet. It tends to really increase resistance to flow which can waste energy (for the same flow rate you need a larger pump).
I swear I saw a flow rating on those somewhere but I can't find it now. I looked it up and using the mag 9.5 as a return at 5' you are pushing about 685 GPH (ignoring your reactors that are also running off the pump and major and minor head losses, unless your 5' includes them). I saw that the pump outlet is 3/4 inch? If so, the 3/4 inch wave maker might have been a better sizing. at 685 GPH through the 1/2" opening the flow velocity is about 5.6 meters per second (18.6 ft/s). If you switched to the 3/4 macro your flow velocity would be 2.5 meters per second (8.3 ft/s).
Also as a rule of thumb I would recommend not downsizing pipe from the pumps outlet. It tends to really increase resistance to flow which can waste energy (for the same flow rate you need a larger pump).
Greenstreet.1
5000 Club Member
Good info
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hybridazn
Acro killer.....
Mine is on a 40b
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hybridazn
Acro killer.....
Yes I agree with trying not to downsize plumbing on returns, but sometimes it's all you can do to make things work. I'm not sure that making my return all 3/4" and using a 3/4" Macro would have made a difference in my case. I have great flow coming out of the return and the Macro does as advertised, the only thing I noted was the diverter shakes a bit under flow. Last night I was doing maintenance and with the Macro turned off I noticed the diverter moves a bit around with my fingers. So I am assuming the shaking will most likely happen with all of these. I might just order another one for my 180 to just try and see. I'll be getting the 3/4" for that one
Would be cool if it were powered by the return flow instead of electricity [emoji2]
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hybridazn
Acro killer.....
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Curious, do you have a siphon break or check valve? My returns are positioned just below the water line to break siphon, seems like this would allow a lot of water to drain as deep as it looks in the pics..
I'd like to try one but I'd have to figure out the siphon break...
I'd like to try one but I'd have to figure out the siphon break...
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hybridazn
Acro killer.....
I installed a spears check valve to prevent back siphon.
The pump is still working as advertised. I will post a video shortly
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hybridazn
Acro killer.....
Okay so a month later...Still working? Where is that video you promised?
Whoops, totally spaced on the video. I'll get one this weekend after my waterchange, but so far it's still working well as advertised. So far I'd say it's still worth the $20 haha
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Just to update on this flow distributor. I bought it, worked for a few weeks, then it intermittently stopped and worked again. After a month, it never rotated anymore.
I finally took it off the frag tank and took it apart just to see what's the deal.
It basically came down to the old metal versus plastic connection... And metal wins every time. They made the thing so cheaply that they didn't even use a metal connector on the other side of the motor. So the metal rod will spin the plastic side of the swivel but the minute it hits any obstruction that is too resistent, the metal will shred the plastic and then you've lost your connection and the motor will spin freely at that point. As usual, if the price seems too good to be true...
I finally took it off the frag tank and took it apart just to see what's the deal.
It basically came down to the old metal versus plastic connection... And metal wins every time. They made the thing so cheaply that they didn't even use a metal connector on the other side of the motor. So the metal rod will spin the plastic side of the swivel but the minute it hits any obstruction that is too resistent, the metal will shred the plastic and then you've lost your connection and the motor will spin freely at that point. As usual, if the price seems too good to be true...
