nanostreams controllable?

[beanoil]

Are the 6025 or 6045 able to be run on a controller? I'm trying for random flow on a 58 Oceanic with the giant overflow in the middle rear of the tank. I'm considering a CL with OM squirt, Wavysea, Vortec, and I came across the 6025. I was thinking one on each end of the tank on the back facing front, but it would be nice to have some controllability. It's a soft coral only tank, BTW.

Thanks,
Grant

 

[rvitko]

The 6055 will be the controllable version of the nano Stream, 6025 and 6045 cannot be controlled.

 

[beanoil]

That's what I thought, although the online retailers were unsure. Can a 6025 be used on a wave timer or X-10 device or something?

Thanks again.

 

[rvitko]

As long as there is at least 15 minutes between off and on cycles and you can live with it chattering for a few seconds on start up.

 

[gman19]

Curious...

Why the 15 minutes??

I installed a Tunze NanoStream 6025 yesterday and am controlling it with an AC3 and a DC8 module. When the AC3 turns the pump on...it stays on, even after the AC3 says the power to the outlet is off....to which it is obviously not. If I unplug the Tunze from the outlet when the AC3 says it is off, and immediately plug it back in...it stays off.

How's the Tunze fooling the DC8 into keeping power onto the outlet...

I can adjust the program for the 15 minute deal, but I'd really like to know why this is...

I do have an open post in the Neptune Systems Forum too regarding this.

Thanks for any advice or input!!

Greg

 

[rvitko]

I really have no experience with the Neptune Controller. I cannot help you there. We arrived at ten minutes because we torture test them and see how many off and on cycles it can take and in lab conditions, the pump will last through 5 years of being turned off and on every fifteen minutes, halve that every time you reduce the time by half. Also figure that a reef tank is not fresh water in a lab tank so the wear will be even more. If you run them continuously they will last much longer.

 

[gman19]

I really like the 6025, it's my first Tunze product ever in the hobby, it don't even rattle on startup...totally silent.

I'm not up to snuff on solid state electronics, but it seems that somehow the Tunze keeps 120VAC onto the outlet of the DC8 even when the controller tells it to turn off...and if I manually unplug the unit, the 120VAC goes away immediately, and I can plug up the unit and it is truly off after the unplug/replug cycle.

I replaced a Hagen Aquaclear 402 with the Tunze on the exact same outlet on the DC8, and the Aquaclear never caused the AC3/DC8 to act crazy like this.

I might have to switch the Tunze with a relay if I cannot resolve this issue directly...

If anything comes up on the Neptune forum, I'll try and update this thread too..

Thanks,
Greg

 

[rvitko]

I don't really see how the pump could cause this my hypothesis would be that the switch unit may not be loaded enough to detect the pump, a 402 draws about 4* more power. The pump only contains a thermostatic switch and a small electromagnetic coil.

 

[gman19]

That was it...too marginal of a load, but read on...

I had to move the tunze to the outlet #4 on the end of the DC8's first row to accommodate the plug that would allow me to plug in a small 7W lamp...just out of curiosity, I tried the Tunze in this outlet before adding the lamp and it functions properly!

Now I put the small Hagen 301 which draws 8W onto the third outlet that wouldn't switch the Tunze @ 7W...it won't switch the Hagen 301 either! Unless...I add a small indicator lamp (a small pilot lamp from an old piece of equipment we scrapped at work). Not sure of the wattage on the lamp, but it can't be much, but it was enough to allow outlet 3 to properly switch the Hagen 301. I ended up putting an old maxijet 250 (not sure of the wattage on it either) on the third outlet as it will switch it fine. The pump that was on the third outlet before all this came about was a Hagen Aquaclear 70, which draws 20W.

From all this, I'm going to treat these outlets as if they need a minimum of 10W to switch properly...whew, that was fun...

I guess the next Tunze's I get might have to be sized up a bit so I can drive them with the AC3, huh?

 

[rvitko]

The 6060 uses 11W, that is pretty cool to know though and I appreciate the post.

 

[gman19]

Thanks for that info too Roger...you just answered my next post!

Best regards,
Greg