WAV powerhead replacement?

[Sleepydoc]

I got a pair of WAV powerheads almost exactly 3 years ago. Last week I noticed one of them wasn’t shutting off so I unplugged it, cleaned it, and plugged it back in to find that it was completely dead. I’m going to check with Neptune but since it’s 2 years out of warranty I dont’ expect they’ll have any suggestions beyond buying a new one.

Now I need to decide whether to replace it with another WAV or with something else. I like being able to control it with my Apex and I want something more controllable than the plain AC powerheads. It looks like my options are:

• WAV ($185)
• AI Nero ($239)
• Vortech MP40 ($322)
• Octopulse ($339)
• Tunze 6105 ($275)
• Red Sea Reef Wave Gyre ($350)

Of these, only the WAV and Reef Octopus Octopulse would be controllable with my apex. (the Reef Octopus has a 0-10V input). All the others would have a separate controller and I’d end up just plugging it into an outlet on my EB832 and doing simple on-off control.

I’m not crazy about spending $200 on another WAV with questionable reliability but it seems like reliability isn’t really a strong trait of powerheads in general and pretty much everything else is going to be at least $100 more with less functionality.

What’s my best option?

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

I am a Vortech fan myself. Plus if any one part breaks you could replace just that part. Also I would expect the vortech and Apex to talk to each other in the near future. Plus they are on sale!

 

[skyeshoppe]

I am a Vortech fan myself. Plus if any one part breaks you could replace just that part. Also I would expect the vortech and Apex to talk to each other in the near future. Plus they are on sale!

The future is now. Well the future is in the near future, possibly before Christmas. Neptune is hinting that they are releasing the MXM module by Christmas. That will allow Ecotech and AI products to communicate with Apex.

 

[ca1ore]

I dumped my WAV years ago. Just too twitchy. Firmly in the non mobius vortech camp (with a new in box WXM spare).

 

[Sleepydoc]

I dumped my WAV years ago. Just too twitchy. Firmly in the non mobius vortech camp (with a new in box WXM spare).

Yeah - I like that the WAV power heads can work off the 1link ports and don’t need another controller box or another app that’s not compatible with anything else, but their reliability isn’t very attractive.

By the time I made it back to my LFS thr vortechs weren’t on sale anymore so ended up getting a Red Sea reef wave gyre. Still not cheap but we’ll see how it does.

 

[MichaelReefer]

I have been running four Nero 5s for like three years now, never had a problem. All still work just fine with regular maintenance.

 

[ca1ore]

Yeah - I like that the WAV power heads can work off the 1link ports and don’t need another controller box or another app that’s not compatible with anything else, but their reliability isn’t very attractive.

By the time I made it back to my LFS thr vortechs weren’t on sale anymore so ended up getting a Red Sea reef wave gyre. Still not cheap but we’ll see how it does.

I’m not entirely sure where I’d go when/if my current MP60s failed …. same for my Gen4 Radions. I hated mobius when I fought with it a couple of years ago …. seemed like a massive step backwards. Or maybe I’m just to old to learn any new tricks. Lot of things about this hobby have turned me off in recent years, so perhaps the next major equipment replacement cycle will end my time in reefing.

 

[Roli's Reef Ranch]

I got a pair of WAV powerheads almost exactly 3 years ago. Last week I noticed one of them wasn’t shutting off so I unplugged it, cleaned it, and plugged it back in to find that it was completely dead. I’m going to check with Neptune but since it’s 2 years out of warranty I dont’ expect they’ll have any suggestions beyond buying a new one.

Now I need to decide whether to replace it with another WAV or with something else. I like being able to control it with my Apex and I want something more controllable than the plain AC powerheads. It looks like my options are:

• WAV ($185)
• AI Nero ($239)
• Vortech MP40 ($322)
• Octopulse ($339)
• Tunze 6105 ($275)
• Red Sea Reef Wave Gyre ($350)

Of these, only the WAV and Reef Octopus Octopulse would be controllable with my apex. (the Reef Octopus has a 0-10V input). All the others would have a separate controller and I’d end up just plugging it into an outlet on my EB832 and doing simple on-off control.

I’m not crazy about spending $200 on another WAV with questionable reliability but it seems like reliability isn’t really a strong trait of powerheads in general and pretty much everything else is going to be at least $100 more with less functionality.

What’s my best option?

They might give you half off another one if you're lucky IME.