JustinX
Roger from Tunze has a message board on -- that you
should check out if you want to learn more about the Stream pumps, there are many threads there regarding them. They started with two models back in November; The Tunze 6080 (2250 gph) and the Tunze 6100 (3175 gph) but found that they were way to strong for tanks under 8 feet long and had a tendency to blow sand around in shorter tanks. Two new Streams; The Tunze 6000 (1850 gph) and the Tunze 6060 (1600 gph) are coming to America slowly, about twenty per week, and are better suited for four or six foot tanks.
The Stream’s wide outlet actually creates a powerful flow that is not as direct as a standard power head, it is more cone shaped, and therefore moves the water in the whole tank rather than in one narrow stream. It is actually similar to waving your hand around in the tank. Although they are very powerful, the broad flow is actually gentler than the more direct flow of a standard power head. I tried pointing one of my maxi-jet 1200’s directly at one of my across once and it actually caused the tissue on the coral to come off because of the shearing effect that the narrow flow produces. I now have my Stream 6000 pointed at the same coral and the tissue is growing back. Another great feature that the streams have is their multicontroller (you can’t use other wave makers with these pumps). Using either the 6000 or the 6100 with a multicontroller enables the power heads to pulse between specified flow rates, alternate to create tidal motion, slow down at night, etc. The pulsing is very realistic, it reminds me of the flow that I’ve felt while diving and snorkeling on various reefs. I’ve been very happy with these pumps and my corals are even happier. My only complaints are that they are very big (although they are coming out with a fake live rock that the pumps can hide in) and very expensive.
