Thinking of changing from Nero 5’s...

[blstravler]

So I currently run 4 Nero’s in my RS 425. I have a love hate relationship with them. My biggest problem is you don’t have the ability to drop the speed down - the lowest it really goes is to 30%. @Homebrewer put the below together that really explains my issue with them.

Nero 5 - % Settings and Actual Flow

First, I want to say that I love these pumps. If I were writing a review on a vendor website, it would be "5 stars" and "yes, I would recommend to a friend." These are my first controllable pumps and I find the app to be really easy to use, fun to program, and I think built-in flow meter is...

www.reef2reef.com

However I also don’t know if any wave maker has the ability to drop the flow down very low - i.e. 5% of actual flow. I’ve looked at Gyre’s but again can’t find any mention of their minimum flow?

I know the Vortech’s are nice but in reality - they aren’t too much different then what I have now.

I’ve also thought about moving the Nero’s in my tank around - I currently have two mounted on each end....

The way I have them mounted now makes cleaning the side glass a pain. I don’t mind the wires too much but it does make cleaning that much harder. Though I will say the pumps themselves couldn’t be any easier to clean.

The pumps mounted higher are set at a the lowest setting possible which is about 1,000 gph - and the ones lower down and closer to the front glass are set higher At 2,000 gph - all of them are on pulse mode with parent child set up.

I guess what I’m looking for is a pump that doesn’t take up so much room and has better fine control of output. I was thinking Gyre’s but I’ve read good and bad with them....

 

[Copingwithpods]

Hmm that's odd, at night I run my Nero at 5% so I can't say I've ever had a problem with not being able to turn it down low enough. That was sole reason for buying the Nero over anything else, the ability to turn it down as much as I want as I have a nano tank. As for cleaning the glass, I guess it be the same issue with any pump.

 

[blstravler]

Hmm that's odd, at night I run my Nero at 5% so I can't say I've ever had a problem with not being able to turn it down low enough. That was sole reason for buying the Nero over anything else, the ability to turn it down as much as I want as I have a nano tank. As for cleaning the glass, I guess it be the same issue with any pump.

5% is 33.5% of actual flow - so a little over 1,000 gph. I want to be able to do 5% of actual flow so 150 gph.

 

[Copingwithpods]

5% is 33.5% of actual flow - so a little over 1,000 gph. I want to be able to do 5% of actual flow so 150 gph.

Hmm idk... at 5% power or 5% of 3000 =150gph with my hand in front of it, it feels like 150gph. I have a nano WaveMaker that outputs 120gph and it feels very similar to that. Definitely not 1000gph.

 

[blstravler]

Hmm idk... at 5% power or 5% of 3000 =150gph with my hand in front of it, it feels like 150gph. I have a nano WaveMaker that outputs 120gph and it feels very similar to that. Definitely not 1000gph.

This is all confirmed with AI but here are the actual numbers

Right Top set to 5% = actual flow is 1,042 GPH

 

[Copingwithpods]

Not saying that's not what the app says just saying that's what it feels like. Put your hand in front of it at 5%, sure doesn't feel like 1000gph.

 

[blstravler]

I understand what you are saying but I would think all reefers would expect the app measuring flow on any pump they purchase to be accurate. Put your hand in front of it and turn it to 30%. I have two right next to each other and the flow difference between 5% and 30% is massive.

Now if I could turn them down to actual 5% of flow I’d be much happier.

Still want to know if any wave-maker pump can actually be turned down to a low (5%) setting or if they are all like the Nero’s? Or maybe this could be done using a Hydros WaveEngine?

 

[Copingwithpods]

Like you said the difference between 5% and 30% is massive its just that the app doesn't reflect that as it's not measuring actual flow. Rest assured when you turn it down to 5% it actually is ramping down to 5%.

 

[blstravler]

Like you said the difference between 5% and 30% is massive its just that the app doesn't reflect that as it's not measuring actual flow. Rest assured when you turn it down to 5% it actually is ramping down to 5%.

The app does measure actual flow? Not sure why you would think it doesn’t?

Tap the % it gives you GPH - tap it again and you will see the numbers change in real time.

 

[Copingwithpods]

The app does measure actual flow? Not sure why you would think it doesn’t?

Tap the % it gives you GPH - tap it again and you will see the numbers change in real time.

The app doesn't measure actual flow like a flow meter would, it probably calculates it based off voltage, the problem is it seams to have a sensitivity threshold of about 30%,anything below 1000gph it doesn't register even though the propeller is spinning significantly slower than the gph reading provided.

If the app was accurate you wouldn't feel any difference between 5%-30% yet we know that isn't the case.

 

[blstravler]

The app doesn't measure actual flow like a flow meter would, it probably calculates it based off voltage, the problem is it seams to have a sensitivity threshold of about 30%,anything below 1000gph it doesn't register even though the propeller is spinning significantly slower than the gph reading provided.

If the app was accurate you wouldn't feel any difference between 5%-30% yet we know that isn't the case.

Link below is the actual answer - DC pumps require a minimum amount of current - 30% - this is why when the pump is at its lowest setting of 1% it is very close to 30% of actual max flow (30% of 3,000 GPH) or (set % x 0.7) + 30 = % of max flow. So At the lowest setting (1%) the actual flow would be 30.7% of 3000 GPH - roughly 1000 GPH.

Nero 5 - % Settings and Actual Flow

First, I want to say that I love these pumps. If I were writing a review on a vendor website, it would be "5 stars" and "yes, I would recommend to a friend." These are my first controllable pumps and I find the app to be really easy to use, fun to program, and I think built-in flow meter is...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[blstravler]

Looks like the issue I have with the Nero is more of a factor of how DC motors work - minimum flow for the IcCap 4K gyre is also 30% of max flow (4000 gph)

Gyre 4K Technical Specs

• Rating: Aquariums 25-150+ Gallons
• Maximum Flow: 4,000 Gallons Per Hour
• Minimum Flow: 1,286 Gallons Per Hour
• Power Consumption: 13-45 Watts

 

[Copingwithpods]

Hmm I see what you mean now, I wonder if any of these use pwm to get flow rates even lower than 30%