Anyone tried the Tunze Turbelle stream pumps in a reef?

[dsp]

The Streams can certainly be used as the only source of water movement; they move a lot of water in a very broad flow pattern with less velocity than standard power heads. The 6100 moves more than 3000 gph and I have seen them used in eight and ten foot tanks where the flow bounces off the other end of the tank. Personally I prefer the use of two pumps at either end of the tank and using the multicontroller to create the pulsing water movement. It seems far more natural than one pump blasting in one direction at the same speed. The pulsing that the controller creates reminds me of the water movement that I have felt while snorkeling or diving.

 

[richard rendos]

skilos1 - not sure what you mean by cavitate. Like does it suck in air bubbles from the surface? NO. I have mine about 6-7 inches under the water surface.

 

[richard rendos]

this pump would pull in air from the surface if it were closer, but there is no start up noise like with some powerheads.

 

[dsp]

I agree that these pumps don’t cavitate and they do not suck in air unless too close to the surface, but I just want to point out to anyone considering these pumps; Roger Vitko from Tunze insists that using these pumps on any other wavemaker other than the Tunze Multi and Single controllers will eventually ruin the pump and void the warranty.

 

[richard rendos]

I would think they say that to make you buy their wave controller. Red Sea wavemakers all have a soft start feature. This would hopefully get rid of any pump problems. I wold need to hear an explanation of why you can only use their controllers.

 

[dsp]

This is A quick explamation that roger posted on is Tunze forum;
Nope- the electronic pump has a true soft start as we have full control of the motor and the rotational speed. In general soft start is BS as a coil is either energized sufficiently to drive the motor or it is not. But in the case of the electronic pumps we have a unique coil configuraton and we have control of the hz pattern and are not dependent on the 60hz of line voltage so it is possible to energize the coils and still have a slow rotation. On a standard powerhead whether ours or another brand, once the electromagnetic field is strong enough- boom 3600rpms so soft start is a myth in all other applications.
________________
Roger Vitko
Tunze USA
He also says that turning them on and off once an hour or so is not destructive;
As long as it isn't a quick cycling like on a wavemaker their really is no problem. The frequent start stop operation of a wavemaker destroys the brake shoes and the tight tolerances and shaft less side braced design make start stop particularly destructive to these pumps and voids the warranty. Soft start is only possible with Electronic pumps despite what any wavemaker manufacturer says. This is why the Electronic pumps can be switched every few minutes and the standard synchronous pumps cannot
Roger Vitko
Tunze USA
I am not sure how Red Sea's soft start works, but it makes sense to me that a standard power head's motor needs a certain amount power for the electro-magnet to spin. The electronic streams (6100 and 6000) use a special transformer that allows them to spin at various rates, but they are designed to do so from signals put out buy the Tunze controllers.
Dave

 

[richard rendos]

Would these not be the same signals sent out by the "soft start" on another companies wave controller?
P.S. I am not trying to argue here...just trying to find out if I am going to have to buy a Tunze wave controller so I don't burn out my $100 power head.

 

[dsp]

I honestly don't know how the Red Sea wavemaker achieves soft start and I understand very little about the actual workings of the Tunze multicontroller, it is rather complicated. I do know that the Tunze controller is nothing like any other wavemaker I have seen, It sends the signals over 5 pole cables and gets it's power from the pump, you do not plug it in. I felt the same as you; I wanted to use the wavemaker I already had and thought Tunze was just pushing their product. I completly trust Roger, he offers some of the best customer service I have ever seen and gives great advice. My feeling was that if I am going to spend that much money on a pair of power heads, I might as well do it right and get the multicontroller.
I know your not arguing, we're learning here!
P.S.
I think I read that you have the 6060, which does not work with the controllers, it just turns on and off like a regular power head. Roger claims that you are safe doing so in one hour intervals, I would bet you could do it a little more often than that.

 

[richard rendos]

You are right...mine doesn't even work with their controllers. I bought this one just to check it out and see what all the fuss was about. Great product. The first thing I have owned from Tunze.

 

[dsp]

I agree, great product. Go ahead and get one zanemoseley!

 

[zanemoseley]

ya they sound great, I talked with a competing e-store that suggested upgrading to one of the models that has the adjustable output and waveaction, I think I'm gonna start my 75 out with 4 or 5 Maxi 900's and when I get the money upgrade to a controlable tunze stream