Aqua Medic Nano Wave 9 - who has one?

[DrBegalke]

I've been interested in the nanowave to replace my aga 7g since spring... any reviews/info?

 

[Thalast]

I bought one of these at the start of December, and to be honest I was initially very unpleased with it. After taking out the ceramic rings, and the compartment that they go in, I had room to put a heater in the back. The skimmer was insanely loud (you could hear it across the room over the TV) but after replacing the end of the air intake with an airstone it is much quieter. I upgraded the pump to an old Rio I had (I know that brand sucks but it is what I had lying around) and now there is enough water flow to actually put some corals in. The lighting was a pain to replace it comes with one 6400K bulb and a blue bulb. I ended up finding a 10k bulb from my LFS, but I never was able to find someone online that sold them. The other thing that really bugs me about this is the refugium compartment. It is almost totally useless. the sides are completely open. If you put a sand bed in the fuge it is literally less than one inch from the return pump. At the moment I have a bunch of LR rubble in it. I managed to buy a canister filter off Ebay for 33.00 that I will eventually try and make into a closed loop sump thing and replace some of the inside compartments with live rock and a ball of Cheto or something. If I cant get that to work I will just make a separate fuge out of an old 5g hex I have in the garage.

All in all I do like the tank, although I think the design was very poorly thought out.

Currently mine has just finished the cycle and I just put in the CUC.

Thal

 

[DrBegalke]

interesting, thanks for the info.

 

[twiddle]

I just set up my new nanawave today. I agree with Thalast in the previous message. The flow absolutely sucks...and the skimmer is loud as well. I am going to try his mod to quiet it down. I have some sand, rock rubble and some chaeto on the ref.
I set it up using sand, rock and water from my 72 gallon reef. Instant reef tank!
It looks nice and the price was great at $139 for what you get. I had planed on keeping it stock but I will have to upgrade the return pump and get the skimmer to quiet down.
I am somewhat happy with it at the moment. This is my first nano.
I will be posting pics later tonite I hope.

 

[Thalast]

I used Smatter's idea of putting an airstone on the end of the air intake of the skimmer. Works just like a muffler. ATM the return pump is louder than the skimmer.

 

[twiddle]

Can you post a picture of the airstone on the skimmer?
How is your heater working out? I have a finnex 50 watt in the return pump compartment and works really well.
I removed the bioballs so the returm compartment is good size and I have the foam compartment next to the skimmer compartment but I am not sure if that is a good idea or not. Could that be slowing up my flow?

 

[DrBegalke]

ya, the foam could slow the flow.

 

[JohnDeStef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8821514#post8821514 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Thalast
I bought one of these at the start of December, and to be honest I was initially very unpleased with it. After taking out the ceramic rings, and the compartment that they go in, I had room to put a heater in the back. The skimmer was insanely loud (you could hear it across the room over the TV) but after replacing the end of the air intake with an airstone it is much quieter. I upgraded the pump to an old Rio I had (I know that brand sucks but it is what I had lying around) and now there is enough water flow to actually put some corals in. The lighting was a pain to replace it comes with one 6400K bulb and a blue bulb. I ended up finding a 10k bulb from my LFS, but I never was able to find someone online that sold them.
Thal

How's it going with the tank and the new 10k bulb? Temps high? Plus you've added a higher wattage pump, what's the gph of the Rio?

Stock, my NW9 is making 84+ degree water temps.... yikes...

Who's the manufacturer of the 10k? Have you found that bulb online yet?

Lotsa questions, but it's alittle tough getting info on these new units.

Thanks, and Happy New Year!

 

[twiddle]

My temps have been hovering around 79 and 82. 79 at night and 81 - 82 during the day with lights on. High temps have not been a problem. I have the stock lights and pump.