Need pump/controller recommendations

RobertK

RobertK

Premium Member
Hi Roger,

I have two 6045s running continuously on my 70 gallon mixed reef tank (48L x 15W x 21H w/ 4" sandbed). I want to upgrade to controllable pumps to improve flow and control, and also would like to eliminate some dead spots on the sand without blowing the sand away. Do you think that two 6055s would be the best way to go on this tank? What controller would you recommend for them?

Thanks,
Robert
 
What type of corals do you keep? In general I think the 6055's would be the best choice the flow has an additional ft of reach over the 6045. The 7096 is probably the best bang for the buck, the most modes and lowest price.
 
Mostly LPS - acans, favias, frogspawn, duncan, wellso, blasto, etc. but also some SPS - stylo, birdsnest, cyphastrea, chalices, a couple acros. Want to add a few more acros but need more random flow I think.

Doesn't the 7096 need to hook up to a computer to program? Don't know if I want to go there...

Thanks!
 
I think 2 6055 would work, if you get more heavily into SPS your 6045's could supplement it.

Yes, 7096 is programmed by USB connection to a computer,once uploaded to the controller the connection is not needed. If you use a Mac, it is incredibly easy, if you use Windows, there is a possibility of having to configure port settings, but this isn't that complicated.

Other options are 7092, but this is limited to synchronous or inverse pulse (both pumps do the same or opposite pulse) or wavemode.

The 7095 can do most everything the 7096 can do but costs more, it requires no computer, it is adjusted with buttons and knobs on the controller.
 
Yes I do have a Mac laptop. I thought I saw on the Tunze website it was Windows only, I must have misread it. Is there a sample view of the Mac control panel online? Is the 7096 Mac interface more intuitive/user friendly than the buttons and knobs on the 7095? I read that there is an update to the 7096 coming soon - will that be a hardware change or a software download that I could easliy apply if I bought the 7096 now?
 
You can download and install the program and check it out, it will say no unit found and you cannot really get into it without the controller, but it is just one simple screen. The update will be just a software update, downloaded the same way, and I expect it soon. I will do as much as I can to get it online before I had back from Germany on the 9th of August.

http://www.tunze.com/software-download.html?&L=1&C=US
 
Looks pretty slick. When controlling the flow on the 6055s, do the pumps switch on and off or do they speed up and slow down? One of my only complaints about the 6045s is that sometimes they are a little finicky when I switch them on.
 
You can do either.

If the 6045 spins backwards occasionally there is something wrong that can be fixed. How old are they?

The 6055 uses a different system, 6045 is mechanical, 6055 is electronic, the computer won't let it go backwards.
 
Sometimes they click and twitch a little before they turn on. Occasionally they spin backwards on startup but usually not if I keep them clean. Lately they've behaving themselves pretty well. They are about 2 years old; they work better than the earlier 6045s they replaced.

If the 6055s avoid these types of glitches then I am OK with the higher price for them!

Thanks
 
My only other complaint about the 6045 is that the two halves don't always stay together well. Sometimes if I rotate the pump in the holder the two halves will come apart and I have to take the whole thing out to put them back together. Has this been improved on the 6055?
 
Yes, early on we worried people wouldn't know the pump could be opened, the prototype took a fair amount of force to open, we relaxed the grip too much, this has since been increased and they don't open so easily. In general on the older ones if you squeeze the front cover downwards the grip will be increased as it flexes out the tabs that lock in.

The 6045 isn't really designed for off and on, it can take it if kept clean and the cycles are limited to at least 15 minutes apart but the anti reverse rotation is a mechanical system, the prop hits the front cover in a backwards spin and falls back spinning the right way. The 6055 has sensors and electronics that eliminate that, they always spin the right way.
 
Hi Roger,

Just got the 7096 and two 6055s today and preparing to install them. I read the 7096 manual and downloaded the Mac software but am still a little unclear on setup. With two 6055s in a 70 gallon tank should I just use the pulse only mode? How would you suggest I set power 1 and power 2, and how many seconds of pulse flow to best simulate random flow in the tank?

Also, I read in another post in this forum (http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1985984) where you said a few months ago that the 6055s should be broken in by running for two weeks at 18V with no pulsing. Is that still your recommendation? If so I will wait for the new version of the 7096 software to take advantage of the speed ramp function.

Also, on page 56 of the 7096 instruction manual is a figure (the figure is actually labeled 7095) that appears to suggest there should be at least 1 meter of separation between the controller and the pump driver. Is that correct? The corresponding text in the instruction manual does not say anything to that effect. I was going to place the 7096 and the 6055 power supplies and connectors alongside the power outlet in a dry cabinet next to the aquarium.

Thanks,
Robert
 
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I think Roger is in Germany.

I think Roger is in Germany.

If I remember correctly he will be able to respond after Aug. 1.
 
The starting voltage is a personal preference, if you can live with a bit more noise use the 24V, the reason to start at 18V is it gives the pump a break in time without the extra noise of tighter fitting new parts.

Distance from the controller to pump connector only matters because the cables are only 1.2m long. If you can connect the cables, you are fine, so long as they reach.

If you use windows a new update is available for the 7096 and I would use the new Interval layout with the idle speed and a 6 hour interval with the pumps still pulsing. The mac version will follow soon, normally it would be a simultaneous release but the mac version still needs to be compiled.
 
Roger,

OK, I now have them set at 24V - wow that is a lot more flow than the 6045s! :) To clarify, do you still recommend a two week break-in period running the 6055s continuously before I connect the 7096?

Glad to hear I can put the controller, the pump connectors and the pump drivers all right next to each other and the power outlets. I will have a lot of coiled-up cable in the cabinet.

Will wait for the mac update. Do you have an ETA on that?

Thanks,
Robert
 
You can try it immediately, no harm will come to either component but the pump may stick or sputter at slow speeds and the break in time for parts to fully seat is a bit longer.

I asked Mr. Tunze last week, we guess 3 weeks. This programming is done by the board designer and he has a full plate with other projects, he does all our circuit boards as well. It is not a huge task as the PC version is basically translated by a program but then has to be manually cleaned up and tested.
 
Roger,

I downloaded the new Windows software and am running it using Boot Camp on my Mac. What settings do you suggest I use for the pulsing (power 1, power 2, pulse flow, ramp)? Should I click "random flow" in the power control section and/or "min. flow for switched off pumps" in the interval section?

Thanks,
Robert
 
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Roger,

Sorry but I have more questions since my last post above. I am having a bit of trouble understanding the 7096 settings. I have read the new manual. It only gives examples for 4 pumps connected but not for two. For now I have the two 6055s connected to sockets 1 and 2. I have power 1 set to 30 and power 2 set to 100 on both of them, with a 5 second pulse and a 1 second ramp. Does that sound OK?

I can't tell from reading the manual the effect of using interval mode with only two pumps connected. With two pumps would only one pump be pulsing at a time for 6 hours, then they switch?

Also, with two pumps connected does it matter whether they are attached to sockets 1+2 or 1+3 for pulse only or interval mode?

Also, I think I read elsewhere (but can't find it in the manual) that the random flow box should only be checked if there are at least 3 pumps connected. Please confirm.

Thanks again for all your help! This is a really cool little system - looking forward to getting it dialed in! :)
 
Pulse mode requires you set 2 speeds(power 1 and 2) and a pulse time (seconds between speeds).

Your assessment of Interval is correct, you can set an interval in seconds, minutes or hours, 6 hours is roughly the frequency of tides and since tides are the major flow source on the reef, it is an ideal setting.

Random does only work with 3+ pumps.
 
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