Gyre vs powerheads…

[muggle0981]

Gyre or s powerhead-whats your prefersnce and why?

 

[blaxsun]

Gyre. Pushes a wider swath of water. More naturally simulates ocean currents.

 

[blecki]

Definitely the gyre.

I have 4 expensive powerheads on my 230 gallon tank; the cheap jaebo knockoff gyre is more effective then all of them combined. It produces a very efficient... gyre... in the tank.

 

[JoJosReef]

I have difficulty with both. I like the gyre, but I can't get enough flow on the opposite side of the tank without blasting the gyre side. Some people suggest dual gyres, but I was hoping not to need two...

 

[JGT]

Gyre. Pushes a wider swath of water. More naturally simulates ocean currents.

^^^this. You do need to clean them but think that is the same with regular power heads. I clean mine about every 6 months.

 

[Thumbster]

Do gyres murder snails and such more so than regular power heads?

 

[Gtinnel]

I like the flow from gyres but I got tired of having to pick small snails out of the impellers so I’m going with normal power heads. They both have to be cleaned regularly but at least you can schedule cleaning and know when you have time to do it. With snails being stuck you just have to do it whenever the gyre starts making an awful noise.
My population of small cerith snails has decreased so now it’s not too bad, but when I had a lot I probably had to take the gyre apart once a week or so. My WAV pumps were never effected by the snails.

 

[Thumbster]

Are all gyres like that? Didn’t know if they made a “snail proof” guard or anything.

 

[Gtinnel]

Are all gyres like that? Didn’t know if they made a “snail proof” guard or anything.

Mine were just cheap Jebao gyres. I have no idea if there was some solution from the better brands or not. Also I should mention at the peak of my small cerith snail population it wasn’t uncommon for me to have over a hundred of them on the glass at night.
Now that I rarely see any cerith snails it’s been a while since I’ve had to remove a snail. Although the gyre does still have to be cleaned more frequently or it loses flow quicker than power heads in my experience.

 

[blaxsun]

Do gyres murder snails and such more so than regular power heads?

Mine have yet to claim a single victim.

 

[UtahReefer]

I use a combination... IMO nothing moves more water in a wide, non direct flow than a Gyre. In a 100g system I use a Gyre, a Nero 5 and Nero 7. This has eliminated any dead spots and works for me.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

gyres for me. I use the icecap gyres with my hydros system.

 

[exnisstech]

Tried gyres once but no matter how I placed them somehow they would get an air bubble inside and start whining. I got tired of having to burp them every few days so normal powerheads for me. Mine were icecap.

 

[Waters]

I have tried gyres twice and still prefer powerheads. They seem to lose GPH much quicker, need cleanings way more often, and take up a lot more room. I now use Nero 7s as my primary water movers and couldn't be happier. For powerheads, they have a pretty wide flow and can be directed (only like 10% but that is perfect for me).

 

[c4haskett]

Are all gyres like that? Didn’t know if they made a “snail proof” guard or anything.

NemProtect Powerhead Guard for Maxspect Gyre XF330

With the recent influx of 3D printed products hitting the market, there have been a handful of innovative products. The new NemProtect stands out as a really great answer to the needs of small fish and anemone keepers everywhere. Flow is a critical element in reef and anemone tanks, but...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

I'm sure if you google around there are cheaper options and for different gyres.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

I'm a fan of gyres over powerheads, but both can be used effectively. It'll come down to your strategy for moving water in indirect flow patterns to eliminate dead spots. IMO gyres are better for this, but as has been pointed out, they will likely need more maintenance than the powerheads, but IME it hasn't always been much more maintenance...but YMMV.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I run both and added a gyre a few months back and see happier corals with addition of gyre unit. I am working on a deal of a pair of Maxpect 350 with hydro control. I expect even better results

 

[SimplyFishy]

I have difficulty with both. I like the gyre, but I can't get enough flow on the opposite side of the tank without blasting the gyre side. Some people suggest dual gyres, but I was hoping not to need two...

This is an older Oceanic 125g that has a center eurobrace and I have mounted a Red Sea WaveMaker to it.

Makes for a pretty clean install with minimal visual intrusion and easy to clean.

I have one outlet facing to each end of the tank which allows for great flow (no real deads pots) and particles stay suspended and get picked up through overflow.

I redirected returns behind rockwork so again, very little detritus which helps with nutrient export.

A possible solution is to have tempered glass cut which friends have done with there tanks thus removing equipment from viewing areas!

Even if main pump fails the gyre is low enough that it will continue to run and circulate in the display.

 

[iamfor3]

Definitely the gyre.

I have 4 expensive powerheads on my 230 gallon tank; the cheap jaebo knockoff gyre is more effective then all of them combined. It produces a very efficient... gyre... in the tank.

Do you have a link to the one's you are using?

 

[paintman]

I have 2 maxspect 350 gyres in my 8ft. long tank and if I ran them at 100% they would almost blow the end panels off the tank. Way to much flow. I only run them at about 50% max (unless i'm cleaning the tank). My only complaint is...The slightest little thing that gets in the cages will stop the unit from running. Especially dwarf ceriths! I am constantly cleaning the cages. In fact just a little bit of slime build up from the salt water will slow the units down. If I had to do it again I would go with something else.