controller performance as a wavemaker

[psyrob]

Help!! How satisfied are you with wave-maker functions on your controllers?

I am obsessing on getting a controller, either Apex Lite or RKL...I am mainly interested in wave-making with my Koralia Evo's 1050s, but I will enjoy ph, temp monitoring and tracking graphs on-line...

The more I read about controllers, the more disappointing it seems they are with wave-making...

The RFL has all these issues with "poor power flow" and futzing with adding surge protectors or switching outlets...and the Apex's shortest interval time seems to be 1 minute (I want 15 or 30 sec bursts)...

I'm thinking now of just getting a RKlite level 1 or the new Apex Jr and buying the new hydor wavemaker coming out June 1 for $59.00...

How good are your controllers at controlling pumps for wave-making??:wildone:

 

[gchaney]

I love my reef keeper elite but more for the automation not so wild about the wavemaker functiom. Yes I had to put a power strip between the outlet and the power head to get it to shut of and. It does go down to one second but not tenths that is needed to generate a standing wave. I do have all my power heads on the wavw maker function but they are on a and c so that instead of just alternating it set up so sometimes both power head are on sometimes just one or the other and sometimes they are both off.

 

[psyrob]

Thanks gchaney...I'm afraid that I would be real disappointed with what you have had to do and have big buyers regret, even if the automation part was good. Maybe it's asking too much for a controller to be a good wavemaker too? I'm not looking to make standing waves like a tunze wavebox, more interested in alternating current to make for chaotic flow...

 

[slief]

I love my Apex for everything it does from automation and monitoring to making waves. That said, those Koralia's are probably not a great choice for wave making. You will likely need very short on and off intervals to get a good wave effect and those Koralia Evos probably wont last long being turned on and off in rapid succession. For waves I am using Tunze 6205's and they are pulsed in 10th of second intervals and they work great with the Apex. I would suggest you think long and hard about using the Evos for that purpose, regardless of how you control them.

 

[psyrob]

Yes, I'm probably thinking too hard and long about this...I wouldn't look to use the evo's at 10th of second intervals, I was thinking more like 20 second bursts each, 20 seconds one pump on, then off, 20 seconds a 2nd pump in the opposing direction on and off...

 

[psyrob]

anyone else?

 

[Shard]

I have two Tunze 6055s in my main display controlled by an Apex. I am really happy with the results as well. I also own an RKL and an RKE, but the Apex has more features and is an all around better product.

Before putting the Tunze pumps in, I had a few Maxijet 1200s on the wavemaker function and they worked fine. I also had a RedSea wavemaker, which is actually a good option if you are just looking for a wavemaker alone.

 

[aquaenthusiast]

I have two Tunze 6055s in my main display controlled by an Apex. I am really happy with the results as well. I also own an RKL and an RKE, but the Apex has more features and is an all around better product.

Before putting the Tunze pumps in, I had a few Maxijet 1200s on the wavemaker function and they worked fine. I also had a RedSea wavemaker, which is actually a good option if you are just looking for a wavemaker alone.

How did the maxijets work out, did they cut on and off just fine? Or make noise? Or should I just save up for some tunze?

 

[pmrossetti]

How did the maxijets work out, did they cut on and off just fine? Or make noise? Or should I just save up for some tunze?

Save for the Tunzes if you can , otherwise the maxi mods work pretty well, sometimes a little chattering on the 2100 mod, but great flow for cheap.

 

[beckbrass]

I had a few koralia evos on a simplemwave maker. They worked well for a few weeks then started running backwards about 50% of the time. The front cover would break and cause this. the koralia people were good about replacing them but that got old fast and a purchased 2 mp40s. Could not be more happy and a much smaller food print in tank then the evos.