Powerhead Frenzy!

[Chetrod]

So many choices, so many different types. In a 125G 72" long 18" W 24" D


you can get an MP40 for $565.00 plus the Reef Link then add 1 more MP40 for $465.00. = $1030.00 or just two MP40's for $930.00


From what I've read. They are awesome, Pricey, noisy, a few issues with the wet side of the pump. Can be controlled by apex I think.


Tunze you can get the Wave Controller 7092 for $80.00 and two Turbelle 6065 at $141.00 each = $362.00


No real reviews found. Except for the controllability issue not as simple as Vortech's


Hydor Koralia Smartwave Kit w/ Hydor Koralia Evolution Powerheads - 1500 GPH for $191.00


Didn't really research these.


JEBAO WP-40 13000L WAVE MAKER each with a seperate control running about $80 - $120 plus a dual controller for about $80.00 - $110.00.


I know it's all about affordability, noise tolerance, preference.


Is Vortech taking over because of control-ability? It sure isn't price!


Has Tunze fell off the market? With the controller can't you achieve the same as vortech's


Does Jeboa and Koralia even compete with the top brands?


In the past I avoided high price items made a lot of DIY stuff. Some good some bad. I'm just looking for honest user opinions about the products in question. I was thinking of the Tunze option for my 125G. What do you guys think? Planning for future growth in the reef aspect of it all.

 

[Eric B]

I have used them all and for the most bang for the buck I currently use the Jebao. They do what they are designed to do and that is move water and I have had no problems with any I have had and I have had 3 WP-40's and 4 WP-25's at different times on the tank. I used 2 WP-40's in with a closed loop on a Marineland 300DD tank and the 40's blew sand all over so I sold them and now I run 4 WP-25's across the back on random wave mode with the closed loop and another WP-25 in the frag tank turned down. I have had 0 problems but just like all the pumps you listed they need to be cleaned from time to time (I do it about 4 times a year or when algae build up is getting bad). I clean them in a bucket with about a 10% muriatic acid solution or you can use vinegar it just takes longer.

Tunze also makes some very nice power heads and you can get plenty of years of use out of them and I have a box of old Tunze's that I no longer use but are still in great shape if I need them.

 

[Mgoc]

I have used them all and for the most bang for the buck I currently use the Jebao. They do what they are designed to do and that is move water

I couldn't agree more, I currently run 1 WP-40 in my 180 and even at it's lowest speed, it creates a very nice wave-like motion. If I set it up at the highest setting, it feels like water will spill over the sides of the tank since the wave it creates is around 3 inches high.

 

[AJsTank]

I use 3 MP40's, 2 MP60's and 2 WP60's. No one can argue with the price and what you get out of the Jebaos, but I did not like them and just recently sold them 2 weeks ago. The Jebaos increased the water temperature about 2 degrees in my system. For me, every degree counts, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing for everyone. The foot print on the WP60 is enormous and the cord in the water is just plain ugly. The WP60's constantly came off the glass and I would find it swirling around in my tank shooting water everywhere. The flow out of the WP60 is very strong, but it's more like a firehose. The MP60's are a less stronger flow, but they are a lot wider. The one thing I have noticed is that you get lots of under tow and over tow with the Ecotech pumps. When you feed the tank, you can watch the food on the sand bed and surface being pulled to the pump. I would get this pool of detritus above my WP60's and it would drive me nuts. If you've got Reeflink or Fusion with the WXM, it's nice to be able to switch between modes though out the day and anti sync and sync between different pumps as well. There are some things that I do not like about the Ecotech products. The first one is price. They are way over priced and it's really hard to shell out the cash for them. The other thing I don't like is the noise. They are incredibly loud, so I only have them running about 70%. I turned up the flow on my return pumps so that I would hear the noise of the water moving over my pumps. The maintenance on the MP's are way easier than the WP's. The Jebao's are not a bad pump for what you pay for, they just did not work out for me in my system.

 

[prsnlty]

I have 1 wp40 on my 125g peninsula. I have used all modes and it is perfect. The ONLY complaints I have in my case, is the cord from power head to controller could be 3 feet longer. If you have a peninsula and the pump is at the far end, the cord length is too short to reach the wall so it has to lay on top of the canopy :/ . 2nd) I have yet (in 11 months) to be able to get the cover off to pull amd clean the impeller. So soaking for an hour or so in vinegar is the only way to clean it for me. But that all being said, this pump really moves water! I love the flow and excellent undertow. You just have to work each setting for about an hour and choose which works best for your tank. Best bang for the buck imo.

 

[Chetrod]

[FONT=verdana, geneva, lucida, lucida grande, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Ok after much research and a coupon from RAP I ordered these. It was a 50 dollar difference from Jeboa's set up. [/FONT]Tunze Wave Controller 7092 two Turbelle 6065. I'll keep you guys updated once they arrive.

 

[Chetrod]

Ok after much research and a coupon from RAP I ordered these. It was a 50 dollar difference from Jeboa's set up. Tunze Wave Controller 7092 two Turbelle 6065. I'll keep you guys updated once they arrive.

So I goofed. I was not aware the Turbelle 6065's were not controllable so I had to return them. and order one 6105 for the time being.