Equipment reliability

AI Nero 5
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Most reliable -
Hygger/Jebao return pump - hard to beat it. I've had this pump running for 5+ years on 2 tanks and it's never hiccupped despite my cleaning schedule being....basically nonexistent
Sicce Syncra silent pumps. Never had one fail and I use them for a few different things that are tough on pumps (saltwater mixing, protein skimmer feeding, algae scrubber feeding)

Least reliable -
Current USA wavemakers (got rid of them all now, always failed within a year)
Cobalt Aquatics heater - love the form factor, hate the reliability 2 failed off within a year.
CadLights PLS II skimmer - The actual performance of the skimmer/pump is great, this skimmer pulled skimmate like a champ. However, the tuning of it is very janky and unreliable and causes the skimmer to lose its adjustments quickly (for me).
 
jkcoral said:
Years ago I used to run all of the Ecotech kit. Lights, MP40s, mp60s, and all that. The lights were always okay, but still overpriced in my opinion. The MP40s and MP60s were always underwhelming, especially when taking the sizable costs of them.

The two best pieces of equipment in terms of “value” for the money have been the Inkbird temp controller and some WiFi power strips. Inkbird has been a solid performer and provides a little piece of mind for around $20. What I really love are the two Kasa WiFi power strips I got about 4 months ago. They have a ton of functionality and give you a lot of control without spending considerably more on other commonly known aquarium controllers.
Click to expand...
These right?

 
Most reliable IME—ATI lighting, eheim heaters, and sicce pumps. Least reliable—radions (constant burned out LEDS), and Neptune ATK (sensors die after a short while).
 
These have been good for me:

Quiet one pump from 1990s
Life Reef skimmer
Life Reef overflow
Ebo Jager heaters
Tunze osmolator
Oceanic tank
 
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Personal experience here so take it as a grain of salt:

Most reliable:
Eheim Classic Canister Filter 2217, 2262 sold but had run each for atleast 12 years no problems.
Eheim 2262 Return Pump still running as a backup pump made in West Germany soooo yeah
Eheim Powerline XL Internal Filter as a backup polisher whenever needed. Also made in West Germany
Tunze 6105 Wavemakers
Reef Octopus Skimmers
Hagen Aquaclear HOB's Still have some from when they were called Aquclear 500s and run beautifully

Least reliable:
Fluval Canister Filters
Marineland HOB Filters
Koralia Wavemakers
Vortech Wavemakers

I'm sure I'm missing a few products here and there, but I typically find what is reliable for me and stick with it, regardless of the pricing.
 
vetteguy53081 said:
Im on the verge of adding Neptune EB832 as my second one has blown and I just found out the outlets are not true oulets but resistors. $289 for 9 resistors? A timed power strip with ten outlets is $49 !!
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Hey there! This comment shocks me! Can you elaborate or link source so I can get more information?
 
OrlandoAIOReef said:
These right?

Click to expand...

Yep, that’s the one. I have 2 of them and they’ve been great so far. The app is pretty nice and easy to use. And you can set all kinds of individual schedules for each socket, monitor power usage for each device, etc.

IMG_2366.jpeg
 
Chewy.com
Controllers:
Worst: Apex
Best: Hydros
I have not tried any other brand. I originally started with Apex because it has the largest community. Had issues with the unit from the start. Got my hydros and never looked back. I have 5 separate system now and they all run Hydros.

Flow:
Worst: Jebao
Best: MPs
I tried over 10 different jebao equipment for flow and they don't last very long for me. Possibly I abuse them too much but most die before 1 year old and more than half after 2 year mark. I have yet to kill an MP. Lets just say I have dropped them many many times and they are still chugging along.

Lights:
Worst: Noops/Current USA
Best: Radions
I have played with many different brands (black boxes, kessils, radions, hydras, etc.). Noops was a pain in the butt to get working. I gave up after a couple of hours. Current USA was the light i started with. The numbers that they post on their site is NOT what you actually get when you measure. Very low power for the price. I had better luck with black boxes. Radions have been very reliable for me and 90% of my lighting are radions. However, I am giving the Reefi Uno 2.0 a try soon mostly because I was very dissapointed by the Gen 6.

Auto Testing:
Worst: Focustronic
Best: KH Guardian
I have to say that this is not base on quality for the most part but customer service. I really did like the alkatronic but the mastronic was trash. Focustronic customer service is abysmal and have turned me off to all their products.

Heater:
Worst: cheap off brand
Best: Finnex
Finnex has been super reliable for me. I tried random brands from amazon and have been some of the biggest waste of money. They break easily and don't tend to last.
 
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lynn.reef.nerd said:
Controllers:
Worst: Apex
Best: Hydros
I have not tried any other brand. I originally started with Apex because it has the largest community. Had issues with the unit from the start. Got my hydros and never looked back. I have 5 separate system now and they all run Hydros.

Flow:
Worst: Jebao
Best: MPs
I tried over 10 different jebao equipment for flow and they don't last very long for me. Possibly I abuse them too much but most die before 1 year old and more than half after 2 year mark. I have yet to kill an MP. Lets just say I have dropped them many many times and they are still chugging along.

Lights:
Worst: Noops
Best: Radions
I have played with many different brands (black boxes, kessils, radions, hydras, etc.). Noops was a pain in the butt to get working. I gave up after a couple of hours. Radions have been very reliable for me and 90% of my lighting are radions. However, I am giving the Reefi Uno 2.0 a try soon mostly because I was very dissapointed by the Gen 6.

Auto Testing:
Worst: Focustronic
Best: KH Guardian
I have to say that this is not base on quality for the most part but customer service. I really did like the alkatronic but the mastronic was trash. Focustronic customer service is abysmal and have turned me off to all their products.

Heater:
Worst: cheap off brand
Best: Finnex
Finnex has been super reliable for me. I tried random brands from amazon and have been some of the biggest waste of money. They break easily and don't tend to last.
Click to expand...
I agree on the lights, heaters and flow pumps- Same experience
 
I had an Apex controller that died in 6 months. Running fine after initial setup, then very first time powering it off, it never was able to boot correctly after that. 1 week of very high stress while it had to be RMA'd.
 
Tidal Gardens
lynn.reef.nerd said:
Controllers:
Worst: Apex
Best: Hydros
I have not tried any other brand. I originally started with Apex because it has the largest community. Had issues with the unit from the start. Got my hydros and never looked back. I have 5 separate system now and they all run Hydros.

Flow:
Worst: Jebao
Best: MPs
I tried over 10 different jebao equipment for flow and they don't last very long for me. Possibly I abuse them too much but most die before 1 year old and more than half after 2 year mark. I have yet to kill an MP. Lets just say I have dropped them many many times and they are still chugging along.

Lights:
Worst: Noops/Current USA
Best: Radions
I have played with many different brands (black boxes, kessils, radions, hydras, etc.). Noops was a pain in the butt to get working. I gave up after a couple of hours. Current USA was the light i started with. The numbers that they post on their site is NOT what you actually get when you measure. Very low power for the price. I had better luck with black boxes. Radions have been very reliable for me and 90% of my lighting are radions. However, I am giving the Reefi Uno 2.0 a try soon mostly because I was very dissapointed by the Gen 6.

Auto Testing:
Worst: Focustronic
Best: KH Guardian
I have to say that this is not base on quality for the most part but customer service. I really did like the alkatronic but the mastronic was trash. Focustronic customer service is abysmal and have turned me off to all their products.

Heater:
Worst: cheap off brand
Best: Finnex
Finnex has been super reliable for me. I tried random brands from amazon and have been some of the biggest waste of money. They break easily and don't tend to last.
Click to expand...
Hey can you send a link for the finnex please, I see on BRS there’s 2-3 models
 
Canister: Rena Filstar XP4 (original version)....over 15 years use. Only replaced O-Rings once. Still good to this day.
Worst Canister: Hydor.....leaked after 1 year.....
 
Top Shelf Aquatics
OrlandoAIOReef said:
This takes me to their heater page, was seeing which finnex model is best, I see they have like 2 different models for their controller & heating element
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I thought it was included. Finnex titanium and depending on your tank size, determine wattage. I use one with controller. Im at a festival and doing best off my phone
 
Sleepingtiger said:
Worst - jebao wavemakers and dc pumps. Power supply just crappy. Constant failure

Tunze ATO pumps. Two failed within a yr. Just plain RODI water and they fail

Best - Ecotech mp40 - haven’t had one failed and I had well over 8 of them

Oceanic aquariums. These things are beast. Never heard of one busting at the seems.
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I've had the opposite experiences with wavemakers. Jebao = awesome, ecotech = overpriced paperweight
 
www.dinkinsaquaticgardens.com
PhishMonger84 said:
I've had the opposite experiences with wavemakers. Jebao = awesome, ecotech = overpriced paperweight
Click to expand...
I hear you. Maybe my luck but I had 3 jebao wavemaker and had 3 bad power supply and 1 bad pump.

I do think the ecotech is overpriced but the build quality is much much better

Example: the light sensor to go into might mode for jebao was useless. If it was too dark it would go at 100%. Forced me to get a reef Angel controller. It worked good, but can’t go down below 30% power or it shuts off.

On my mp40, I can go down to 1% with no issues. I have mobius which is great (better than apex). So there is an element of you get what you pay for.
 
Sleepingtiger said:
I hear you. Maybe my luck but I had 3 jebao wavemaker and had 3 bad power supply and 1 bad pump.

I do think the ecotech is overpriced but the build quality is much much better

Example: the light sensor to go into might mode for jebao was useless. If it was too dark it would go at 100%. Forced me to get a reef Angel controller. It worked good, but can’t go down below 30% power or it shuts off.

On my mp40, I can go down to 1% with no issues. I have mobius which is great (better than apex). So there is an element of you get what you pay for.
Click to expand...
I've had to replace the wet side 2x. I got a new power supply and will try it and my smaller one mp10(?) on my 90 build that i'm working on this weekend.
 
AI Nero 5

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%

  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%

  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%

  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%
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