Good Wavemaker?

[jackinfobo]

Hey, Im looking for a good wavemaker, and I came across the Red Sea Wavemaster Pro Wave Maker. Just wanted to know if anyone has used this wavemaker or if anyone knows the quality of it. All input is helpful!
~thanks

 

[t4zalews]

i believe this model just times and shut on and off your powerheads...not a real "wavemaker" so to speak. I had a similar cheaper product that would turn on and off my maxijets. If you're looking for a tunze type of wave...im afraid only tunze's provide that. Vortechs have a wave setting, but I've tried to use it before, not only noisy, but not that powerful.

 

[lananthony]

There is a big hype about Ecotechs MP40 wave maker. I have seen them in action and they work awesome. As soon as I have enough to buy one, I will be ordering it.

 

[glazer]

jackinfobo.... hope you don't mind me jumping in here. I too had a question about the Red Sea unit, or any similiar to it for that matter.
I was wondering if it used a "soft start" circuitry when turning the pumps off and on. Just a little explanation in case anyone is not sure of what I am talking about.... most large power tools, like a router use this. When you switch on the power instead of getting full line voltage, which could make a 3hp motor jump right out of your hands if you don't have a firm grip on it, it ramps up the current gradually. Make sense?

I had one of those cheap power strip "wave makers" years back but it just shut the outlets off and on. Couple of MaxiJets slamming off and on is a little annoying not to mention hard on the pumps.

 

[welsher7]

I think it is just on and off, no soft starts. But Seio makes powerhead controller that will work with most powerheads and gives you much better control. Its a little more expensive but still cheaper than tunze or vortechs. google it you will find it.

 

[jackinfobo]

Thanks for all your help, someone who had this Red Sea wavemaker did confirm that it is NOT a soft start. I don't think that the no soft start damages powerheads as much as you would think tho because my LFS has some Koralia powerheads on one of those cheap power strip "wave makers" for several years now and they all still function well.

 

[welsher7]

It won't damage them much but when they are going on and off the power heads make a lot of noise.

 

[RonD]

I was just playing with one of these red sea units a friend lent me and checked it with a volt meter.. it seems to hold about 1.8 volts going to the any of the power heads when its off or not pushing water and then ramps it up quickly when it is and vise versa when shutting the power head down.

One side question I have is on the unit I am trying (used unit) is p4 doesnt power up.. it stays at the 1.8 volts even when the led for it shows that it should be pushing water.. I tried it on the MP setting and the normal one and get the same results.. idea's .. and I tested the p4 power head, it works fine.

 

[T Diddy]

My wide center brace wouldn't allow it, but I found a super cool mechanical wavemaker . Google ocean mocean wavemaker.

 

[bbnz]

Buddy who has one just told me that it does say in the instructions that it has "soft start". Works great with his koralia's.

 

[logan 12]

Just a bit from my experience, the maxijets do not hold up to any on off wavemaker. It destroys the impeller weather or not if it has safe start. Now the Koralia powerheads seems to hold up against the on off wavemakers, I have yet to have one break on me. I have a total of 10 of them on separate reef keeper lites. Although they get bashed on (reef keeper lites) I don’t have the money to spend on a nice control system. I am just a poor college student. The Koralia’s along with the reef keeper lite work just fine for me, they are going on 1 year with out any issues what so ever. I do however wish I had any tunze or a MP(10, 20 , 40). Too much cash for me so I will stick with the low-end stuff. Hey all that I can say is my three tanks jam with great coral growth, I keep everything from easy softies to difficult sps and I propagate like a mad man because of the growth.

 

[celano]

How do you guys with straight on/off timers stop your Koralias from making that annoying clicking noise on start up?

I think it is just on and off, no soft starts. But Seio makes powerhead controller that will work with most powerheads and gives you much better control. Its a little more expensive but still cheaper than tunze or vortechs. google it you will find it.

Premium Aquatics has the Seio wavemaker on clearance right now for $50+shipping. I bought one to use on my 3 Koralia in my 75 and it works great.