Breaking News. COR

Sleepydoc · Dec 21, 2017

Just got an e-mail from BRS saying they have the COR pumps available for preorder - maybe they will be released soon!

Reefltx · Dec 21, 2017

roberthu526 said:
Man this hobby is getting crazier everyday. Think about it, $300 for a fish tank Pump is deemed a reasonable price! It’s scary how far we have gone through!

True and it’s not aesthetically pleasing. I think they need to hire a new design team, it’s starting to look like a kids toy.

Sleepydoc · Dec 21, 2017

Newb73 said:
Do you think i can do that with a varios by activating a virtual outlet at say 15%

Reefltx said:
True and it’s not aesthetically pleasing. I think they need to hire a new design team, it’s starting to look like a kids toy.

I agree - many things in this hobby seem to be inexplicably overpriced. Part of that is the fact that reefing is not a large market, and companies need to make sure they can recoup their R&D costs. With pumps, there actually has been an evolution in pump technology in the past several years. You can certainly get cheaper pumps; A basic Danner Magdrive or Fluval SP4 AC pump can be purchased for about $160. The DC pumps are generally quieter, offer more controllability and better integration with aquarium controllers, all things many aquarists are looking for.

I have a Fluval SP4 that I previously used as a return pump. It was strong, reliable and fairly quiet. Comparing that to the COR (by report since I haven’t actually used one):

The COR is slightly more energy efficient. Additionally, some of the heat generated is in the power supply and controller rather than in the pump itself, meaning less heat transfer to the water.
The COR is variable speed; one can set the speed rather than depending on valves to adjust the flow
DC pumps are soft-start and can be ramped up, meaning less splashing and less physical stress on the components. With my SP4 had to close the valve on the return line and gradually open it to minimize the splashing as it started up.
The COR lets you program a minimum speed for feeding that is just enough to keep water from flowing back down to the sump. (You can do this with other pumps if you have a controller, it’s just not built into the pump)
Built in power and temperature information
Most DC pumps have a 0-10V input for integration with a controller. The COR, of course, is made to be integrated with an Apex via the 1link cable.
The one downside of DC pumps is that the power supply/controller adds some electronic complexity that has been a source of failure in the past.

Most of these features are things that are nice, but, like a controller, not essential. Regardless, they do give you more options and ease of use. Whether those are worth the cost for you is a matter of individual choice.

As for the color, Terence said once “orange is the new black.” I don’t quite agree with him. I think black is the new black; I’m not a fan of the new color scheme, and I think if they offered their products in straight grey or black then the orange versions would be collecting dust on the shelf. That said, I’ve grown used the color scheme so that it doesnt bother me. Aside from that, my pump and controller are hidden in the cabinet under my sump and I put more stock in function than form. The good news is if you find it absolutely hideous and would rather be dead than have an orange pump in your sump, there are plenty of other good options available, so you can still have a well running system that doesn’t have any orange.