gyre or powerheads?

[mokeyz]

Anyone using one with a Red Sea Reefer 450? I am about to purchase the reefer and want to add a gyre but not sure if it can be balanced well enough with the reefer's system.

[JohnnyHildo]

Originally Posted by gone fishin

You have cars up there? I thought everyone used dogsleds.

we get the cars from 'merica and our dog sled teams pull us around in them.

[mikeatjac]

I have used both and I prefer the flow of the MP series. The MP has a broader flow pattern and creates a better undertow. The Gyre flow was too concentrated and the corals close to it suffered. If I turned it down then crude built up under the Gyre.

[jayball]

Originally Posted by SoloGarth

So what you are saying is that the gyre produces flow across the top and that is all? I think you are not understanding what is going on. The gyre, by design, gets the whole water column rotating. Hence the "gyre" name. The goal being flow across the tank with no dead spots. Just take a look at the bottom of the tank.

I tried that, the only way to get a strong gyre going was to turn off my other powerhead (at the time a Korilla). That flow pattern left weak flow spots in my aquarium where there previously was heavy turbulence that my acro loved.

I can totally see how it would work for some aquariums. It did not work for mine.

My other complaint is that my mp40qd is silent. My gyre makes an annoying whine that is very apparent when pulsing, all while moving much less water.

[SoloGarth]

Originally Posted by jayball

I tried that, the only way to get a strong gyre going was to turn off my other powerhead (at the time a Korilla). That flow pattern left weak flow spots in my aquarium where there previously was heavy turbulence that my acro loved.

I can totally see how it would work for some aquariums. It did not work for mine.

My other complaint is that my mp40qd is silent. My gyre makes an annoying whine that is very apparent when pulsing, all while moving much less water.

Yeah I use two gyres. These are in constant mode and alternate. I don't think pulse mode is a good idea for any pump in any situation. But your right everyone's tank is different. This works for me but my system is BB SPS.

It is interesting that your gyre is louder than the MP40. I don't have a QD just the regular mp40. The MP40s noise is my biggest complaint.

[jayball]

Originally Posted by SoloGarth

Yeah I use two gyres. These are in constant mode and alternate. I don't think pulse mode is a good idea for any pump in any situation. But your right everyone's tank is different. This works for me but my system is BB SPS.

It is interesting that your gyre is louder than the MP40. I don't have a QD just the regular mp40. The MP40s noise is my biggest complaint.

I did not have the old mp40 and did not primarily due to the noise complaints and the old price. I can not hear my new mp40qd, and just a light hum if I put my ear on it.

[SoloGarth]

Originally Posted by jayball

I did not have the old mp40 and did not primarily due to the noise complaints and the old price. I can not hear my new mp40qd, and just a light hum if I put my ear on it.

I've heard that they are much quieter. The gyres on my tank are nearly silent. To hear anything my ear needs to be within inches of the mount.

I am one of those people who is driven mad by noise and as such my tank is extremely quiet.

[meisel1]

On page one of this thread I stated that when my Gyre 150 dies I will go back to my mp's....little did I know that would be only seven days later....unit was only six months old and I spent hours to try to get it go and got nothing but frustrated... going to take back where I bought it and my lfs guy says he'll try to find out whats up with it....in the mean time I'm back to my mp's which I find give better flow anyway....

[Sounds Fishy]

I just picked up my Gyre 150. ,an hour ago,and haven't even opened the box,yet.It's going in my 220 XH. I hope I am going to be one of the happy people on this thread

[JohnnyHildo]

Originally Posted by Sounds Fishy

I just picked up my Gyre 150. ,an hour ago,and haven't even opened the box,yet.It's going in my 220 XH. I hope I am going to be one of the happy people on this thread

i ended up buying mine today as well and have it running now. thoughts so far...
-it is very quiet up to about 70% and even from there to max it still isn't louder than my return pump.
-it moves a ton of water. it blasted through my pukani and created a dust storm through the tank when i first fired it up.
-the controls are fairly simple to set.
as of right now i'm just running it at about 50% using the forward-reverse mode.

[Sounds Fishy]

I am going to put mine in Friday.I have about 11 power heads I have to remove first.I am happy your finding it to be what you were hoping for.

[Maritimer]

Building my 65, I chose the Gyre. (Got the big one ... _way_ overpowered for the tank, but I can ramp it up for a storm-cleaning of detritus on the rock if I want to - half hour or so, then back to normal.) I normally run it in alternating mode, which sets a pretty good "gyre" current going in a counter-clockwise direction when the pump's in "flow-tide", but noticed that when it's running like that, the fish (currently in QT during fallow) would just hold station in the current - waiting for plankton, I suppose ... kinda boring. When the pump is running in reverse ("ebb-tide"), the return, which opposes it, helps the current in the tank swirl about, without really creating a strong stream in any particular direction. At those times, the fish would move about the tank more.

If I were to have a bigger tank and second Gyre, I think I'd try it in "pulse" mode on the opposite wall, emulating waves coming onto the reef while the first one mimics the tides.

Only running since late November, but I'm pretty happy with the pump.

~Bruce