Riptide gyre in action

[choff]

I made 2 2 minute videos comparing the riptide to my existing set up

I turned off my return pump for the comparison. My tank is 64" long.

My regular pump set up has 4 front facing power heads that I think are 540 gph each and one has a spinner. Then I have 2 mp 40s set at 70 pct on each end of the tank.

Choffs regular pumps: http://youtu.be/lASN1GoIkJo

The riptide is set to continuous mode at 40 pct power.

Choffs riptide: http://youtu.be/MfBQAlifVDc


My take. Noise is a low hum. Above 40 pct it gets louder and higher pitched, but in comparison to an mp40 its quiet. There are 4 modes. Continuous, pulse (you can set the time between pulses), alternating which reverses the flow at set intervals and finally feed mode.

I thought I was going to like alternating because the low flow spot for me is right under the unitn(look that the yellow plate coral and bubble coral in the bids). Reverse would have cured that as well as given some variation in flow. Problem is in reverse its too strong directly below the unit. It might be great for other set ups, but not mine. I'm going with pulse and I think I'm going to keep 2 of the 4 front facing power heads on. This will solve my one dead spot issue, give me some variable flow and I need some flow in that back chamber to prevent stagnation back there.

They supply you with a spare set of rotors and cages. This leads me to believe that they know the life expectancy of these rotors is relatively low and something that may need to be replaced every 6 months to a year.

Overall very, very satisfied and would certainly suggest buying one if you have a lot of pumps in your tank and want to lean out the look and save some electricity.

Regards,
Mike

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[PSU4ME]

Excellent, thanks for sharing Mike! I think we are going to see a lot of people looking into these pumps. Quite the flow from a "toothbrush holder"!!!

 

[jamesdong009]

Pretty cool. Thanks for sharing your info.

I've been thinking about trying them out and may do so down the road.

 

[reefstarter]

for some reason I can't watch the videos posted here . brings me to a "list" of vids but won't play them any tips ?

 

[thereefkeeper]

Idk Vortech and the technology is hard to beat. The motor is back in the tank with these yes?

I know I don't want the heat or electrical back in my tank. This is very important for me and what made Vortech so popular when they came out. Not to mention all the supporting platforms for the vortechs.

I just can ever see myself buying one of these. I mean their nice just don't understand all the hype honestly and just can't say I'm impressed! Not to mention I've been seeing a lot of people now reporting issues I can now understand a company like proflux saying they will never support them. I know their is a lot of stuff made in China and I'm kinda notice I said kinda ok with it but for me this is a pass I'll support a USA company hands down first since imo they are way ahead of the pack.

BTW nice videos thanks for sharing

 

[nemodan]

I was watching the videos and online info. Thank you for posting them.

There is one point that is stopping me to think in buying one. With an MP or Jebao pump you can have the wave motion. Things moves from left to right with the wave in a tank. With this pump is a laminar flow. In the half top of the tank flow goes in one direction and in the bottom half flow returns to the pump.

I do understand that this pump replace like having 2 pumps on each side, at different heights and pumping in alternate mode. So relaplacing all those extra pumps for one is great !!!.

But what about the wave motion effect on corals? Isn't that better than a constant unidirectional flow ?

 

[choff]

Thanks for the responses. Daniel, I don't know which is better, but I know I don't want constant unidirectional flow. The pulse mode is very effective in giving the flow a break and I am going to keep 2 front facing powerheads with spinners running to give me to variable flow. Im still experimenting and will try a single mp40 with it as well.

One thing I did read was they ate coming out with an advanced controller that will allow you to sync multiple units. Of course that's another $300 unit and who knows how much for the controller.

Reefkeeper, I can understand your view point. I think the hype is centered around the amount of water this small unit can move. Its very effective for those with long tanks. I think businesses see a cost effective way to get good motion in long frag tanks. I think in smaller tanks I don't think it's such a big deal even when they come out with the smaller units.

While the noise may be less, pulse mode sounds like a cell phone vibrating. Kind of annoying because twice I reached for my phone. Hopefully I'll get used to that.

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[Flame Angel]

Interesting. thanks for taking the time to put all of this together.

 

[dz6t]

Thanks for sharing the information.
I will take the Gyre theory as a grant of salt. I search available scientific literature and there is no scientific studies about this Gyre theory in captive environment for coral or fish at all. Gyre is a macro phenomenon of ocean, in the real reef, linear water motion always coupled with wave action.
There is no doubt that Gyre pumps will create a strong water current, but in what extend or if it is better than other controllable pumps is still up in the air.
Another concern is putting direct drive motor inside an aquarium. The seal will ware and can potentially cause leak.

 

[myram]

I would think in longer tanks these would work well, with one on each end and working for a few minutes each on their own so you can still get alternating flow.
With just one in a tank, it's the same flow all the time in the same direction......which is what we've been trying to get away from for years.

 

[Flame Angel]

Some good points.

I am surprised that they cannot get the same results with an external motor to prevent some of the possible underlying issues you mentioned.

Thanks for sharing the information.
I will take the Gyre theory as a grant of salt. I search available scientific literature and there is no scientific studies about this Gyre theory in captive environment for coral or fish at all. Gyre is a macro phenomenon of ocean, in the real reef, linear water motion always coupled with wave action.
There is no doubt that Gyre pumps will create a strong water current, but in what extend or if it is better than other controllable pumps is still up in the air.
Another concern is putting direct drive motor inside an aquarium. The seal will ware and can potentially cause leak.

 

[dz6t]

External motor will significantly limited the placement of the power head. Tunze used to have external direct drive power heads that needs to be mounted on top the tank, which they discontinued long time ago. So far Gyre pump is the only brave powerhead that dare to put a direct drive motor submerged.

In term of longer tank benefit, my experience is that a WP60 can reach all the way to the other end of a 8 feet long tank. A Tunze 6100/6105 can do the same.

 

[dz6t]

For the past decade, the only kind of pumps that never cause issue inside a tank is EcoTech MP, it is because its motor is outside of the tank.
Tunze with such reliability causes issue too, ask Paul.
I had an AquaMedic Ocean runner burned, A Tunze 6100 leak current, several Rio with seal broken, you name it.

 

[twiddledog]

I get my Gyre tomorrow. I have a 6ft tank and am looking forward to removing my Tunze 6105 and Koralia 4. I will keep my MP40 at other end of tank for now and see if using it is worth it or not.
With that said..since I have not seen one in person or tried it in my tank..I will see.

I think that in theory, at $300 each it is possibly a better choice then Tunze 6105 and MP 40 if you can get by with one gyre versus 1 or 2 of the other pumps.

 

[myram]

I don't think having 1 gyre in the tank is a good solution, it's just giving you constant linear flow in the same direction all the time. There is no variation with it, no changing it up. Having one on each end of the tank with them alternating would be good, but then you are back at $600 in pumps.

 

[dz6t]

I am not trying to rain on the parade and I just want to open some discussion about Gyre.
1. Due to Gyre is a macro phenomena, it refers to global ocean movement, it is very difficult to imagine coral will experience this type of water flow locally.
2. If the tank is empty, such pump will indeed create a circular water movement, but when the tank is filled with live rock and coral, I want to see if this kind of movement still possible. To me it looks like a surface agitator.
3. When the single pump goes reverse, it is blowing water to the sand bed (assuming most people have sand bed), I not yet be able to see how this will create a circular motion.
4. The method of creating wave is by sending a pulse that match the resonance frequency of the aquarium instead of actually pushing water up and down. Either Gyre pump or regular DC pump can do that, it doesn't matter what type of pump used.
5. Wave motion is to solve dead spots problem created by linear water movement, not the other way around.

Any input will be appreciated.

 

[choff]

Love all the input.

Dong,
#2 - if you look in my videos I'm seeing great movement everywhere in the tank except for right under the unit. I see movement, but not as much.
#3 reverse is terrible for me. The amount of flow was very high and in my situation directed right at my corals. I had to quickly turn it off as it was blasting my Nem and I didn't want to put her on the move.
#4 I am running in pulse mode and so far like that the best. You can program the length of time you want the pulses. This is working well and prevents this from just being one strong harsh wave like you get in continuous mode.

Tonight I'm going to play around with setting it up vertically.

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[dz6t]

Setting it vertically is a great idea.

 

[nemodan]

Setting it vertically is a great idea.

Why ??

It will make a circular flow from left to right or right to left. Unless is in pulse mode it will be laminar too....correct ??

In pulse mode can produce the same wave effects as the classical wavemaker pumps (MPs or Jebaos) ??

 

[choff]

As it sits right now the flow in the sand bed is to much. Especially the far side of the tank where it first curls down.

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