Octo pulse 2 or 4? To much flow?

[luvinreefer]

Alright guys. It looks like I’m going to be getting a used Waterbox 220.6. I’m trying to figure out flow and am leaning towards RO pulse pumps. After reading about them it seems mixed and that they can create to much flow. To narrow? I really don’t want to put pumps on the sides of the tanks. I’m thinking 4 pulse 2’s on the back but I think the glass is to thick. It sounds like 2 or 4 pulse 4’s would be too much? Looking for input from you pulse owners out there. FYI I will be controlling them with my Apex so I will have more control then factory controller. Thanks for your feedback!

 

[luvinreefer]

Any one? Would definitely like some feel back. Can any of you RO pulse owners chime in?

 

[reefiniteasy]

I have one Octopulse 2 in my Nuvo 40. I love it. I use it max 35%. They do make an extra magnet for thicker glass. Also if you are going to run 4 of them, you can run them off a Wave Engine and get rid of all the power supplies. I think you can even then connect it to your Apex. The flow programming of the WE is amazing.

 

[luvinreefer]

Anyone have experience with the Nero 5’s? I have the 3’s on my 300xl and I like them except for controllability but the 5’s have more in that regard. They say glass thickness is only 1/2 inch though. The water box 220 is 3/4.

 

[luvinreefer]

I have one Octopulse 2 in my Nuvo 40. I love it. I use it max 35%. They do make an extra magnet for thicker glass. Also if you are going to run 4 of them, you can run them off a Wave Engine and get rid of all the power supplies. I think you can even then connect it to your Apex. The flow programming of the WE is amazing.

Awesome! Thanks for the feedback! Thicker magnets and 4 pulse 2’s is the direction I’d like to take I think. Of course no one has them I stock!? What do you guys think? Will 4 pulse 2’s on the back of a waterbox 220 give me enough flow? 72x25x24..

 

[Kodski]

Alright, I know there isn't much info to be helpful for you so I'll share my experience with the RO Pulse 4.

I feel that these pumps are SEVERLY underrated by hobbiests and in their flow ratting.
I have a 48"x24"x16" tank set up as a peninsula. Much like you, I wanted no pumps on the front glass. So I tried a single Pulse 4 just to see because I wasn't sure if it would be too strong but I had felt that the Pulse 2 would be under powered. At the lowest setting on the Pulse 4 all the sand on the opposite end of the tank was cleared 6 inches back from the front pane. It it moved WAY too much water for my tank even at 30%, which blows my mind. I think two at their lowest setting or two Pulse 2's turned up a bit would have fit the bill. Considering flow dynamics of my tank though, flow for my tank is a little more difficult than even a standard peninsula tank due to the very shallow height. Corals will always be much closer to the strong currents and the currents have very little room to dissipate any amount. For your tank, with the added height, I think that you won't have some of the same issues as me. Ultimately I gave up on the idea of just having pumps on the back because any pump that I would put on the back wall of the tank would just cause a constant current and no random flow because there was no pump opposing it to cause resistance to the flow from the pump and change current directions. With a taller tank and having pumps on the back wall top and bottom, this shouldn't be as much as an issue for you as it was for me. Also being able to control them via Apex will seriously help this issue as well. I ended up with a gyre at either of my tank, and I'm finally happy with the flow in the tank. I get a nice back and forth motion. I just don't know how one would create a back and forth motion without having pumps on either end honestly.

My recommendation for you would be 2 pulse 2's and 2 pulse 4's. The 2's placed close to the sand at the bottom to keep water flowing. Then the 4's set a lagoon pattern to cause the current to switch directions. I guess if you program it through apex 4 Pulse 4's or 2's alternating top and bottom pumps on/off would also work.

 

[reefiniteasy]

Awesome! Thanks for the feedback! Thicker magnets and 4 pulse 2’s is the direction I’d like to take I think. Of course no one has them I stock!? What do you guys think? Will 4 pulse 2’s on the back of a waterbox 220 give me enough flow? 72x25x24..

it’s funny you posted this thread today. Just picked up another Octopulse 2 on clearance at Top Shelf Aquatics here in Orlando. $150.

 

[luvinreefer]

it’s funny you posted this thread today. Just picked up another Octopulse 2 on clearance at Top Shelf Aquatics here in Orlando. $150.

Id live to hear your thoughts. Do they have anymore? Lol

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

I use a pulse 4. Recently got a mp40 to compare. Getting a stream 3 when I upgrade the display.
D

 

[luvinreefer]

Alright, I know there isn't much info to be helpful for you so I'll share my experience with the RO Pulse 4.

I feel that these pumps are SEVERLY underrated by hobbiests and in their flow ratting.
I have a 48"x24"x16" tank set up as a peninsula. Much like you, I wanted no pumps on the front glass. So I tried a single Pulse 4 just to see because I wasn't sure if it would be too strong but I had felt that the Pulse 2 would be under powered. At the lowest setting on the Pulse 4 all the sand on the opposite end of the tank was cleared 6 inches back from the front pane. It it moved WAY too much water for my tank even at 30%, which blows my mind. I think two at their lowest setting or two Pulse 2's turned up a bit would have fit the bill. Considering flow dynamics of my tank though, flow for my tank is a little more difficult than even a standard peninsula tank due to the very shallow height. Corals will always be much closer to the strong currents and the currents have very little room to dissipate any amount. For your tank, with the added height, I think that you won't have some of the same issues as me. Ultimately I gave up on the idea of just having pumps on the back because any pump that I would put on the back wall of the tank would just cause a constant current and no random flow because there was no pump opposing it to cause resistance to the flow from the pump and change current directions. With a taller tank and having pumps on the back wall top and bottom, this shouldn't be as much as an issue for you as it was for me. Also being able to control them via Apex will seriously help this issue as well. I ended up with a gyre at either of my tank, and I'm finally happy with the flow in the tank. I get a nice back and forth motion. I just don't know how one would create a back and forth motion without having pumps on either end honestly.

My recommendation for you would be 2 pulse 2's and 2 pulse 4's. The 2's placed close to the sand at the bottom to keep water flowing. Then the 4's set a lagoon pattern to cause the current to switch directions. I guess if you program it through apex 4 Pulse 4's or 2's alternating top and bottom pumps on/off would also work.

Thank you for this. Yea I’m concerned about getting a good back and forth with placing the pumps on the back. I’m hoping one in each back corner on the high side with it pointed to the front center will accomplish this. The main reason I’m going with the pulses is so I can point them in the direction I want unlike vortechs. So in your opinion the 4’s won’t be to much?

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

I agree you should do 1 pulse 4 and 2 or 3 pulse 2s
D

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Id like an mp60.
My upgrade is 3/4" acrylic
D

 

[Kodski]

Thank you for this. Yea I’m concerned about getting a good back and forth with placing the pumps on the back. I’m hoping one in each back corner on the high side with it pointed to the front center will accomplish this. The main reason I’m going with the pulses is so I can point them in the direction I want unlike vortechs. So in your opinion the 4’s won’t be to much?

Well, sometimes more pumps can actually create a better flow. For example. I started with one gyre on the back of my tank. I accidentally oversized the pump and even on its lowest setting it was blasting the tank with flow. I added one opposite it and suddenly the flow is much more gentle and random. This is because the single stream of water had no other flow to work against, so it could just simply go straight. Creating a very linear and heavy flow. Once I introduced an opposing flow, that single stream of water could no longer easily go straight. Instead it’s taking colliding with the other stream and dispersing itself in random directions.

so even though a single pump was way too strong, doubling the pumps and theoretically doubling the flow, ends up making a more useable flow pattern.