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Powerheads

Salted

NJRC Member
I've been wanting to upgrade from my cheap starter powerhead to a good one. Really I just want something with a controller so I can easily turn it off to feed. Anyway, being on somewhat of a budget I'm looking at jebao. Seems to me from this forum and a couple others I'm on it's either jebao or mp-10/40. Not much is mentioned in between. I'm really not in the $400 powerhead money club, but I want something better than jebao. Consensus on jebao seems to be that they work great but can have a short life span. I think I'm sold on a Reef Octopus, https://www.amazon.com/Reef-Octopus...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=05NSGRX3BBCVFZZMQMFB . My son and I have had good results with their hob skimmers. Anyone have experience with them?
 

amado

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I have 3 jeboa gyre 150 on the 220 that’s the only wave makers I have in the tank. Each gyre moves about 6-7k each and they only cost $125. They have been running for over a year now.

I have 3 slw20 that run the frag tanks also solid power heads.

They have a feed mode and move a ton of water
They also have a automatic night mode that slows the pumps down at night.

For me to get the same flow on my tank using eco tech products it would cost me $699 x3 MP60QD so that’s 2100 on power heads instead of $125 x 3 gyre 150= $375
 

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One of the things that a lot of people like about the Ecotechs (MP10/MP40) is that no wires go into the tank. The only thing in the tank is the wetside which can be replaced. Having said that, they are definitely expensive. You can try finding one used with the MP40s getting down into the $225 range and the MP10s getting down into the $175-200 range.

I don't have any experience about the Reef Octopus pumps, but they're skimmers are really nice and run on their own pumps. So you imagine their quality should be pretty good.

Another possibility is to consider the AI Nero 3 or 5. Definitely cheaper than the MP10/MP40, but the wires do go into the tank.
 
D

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I have two Nero 5s and four Nero 3s. I am impressed with their flow and controllability.

I run two of each in my display and the frag tank has two Nero 3s.
 

DEL

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you can definitely find MP10s cheaper used. lots of people are selling older models because they want new ones with mobius.
 

Salted

NJRC Member
you can definitely find MP10s cheaper used. lots of people are selling older models because they want new ones with mobius.
Unless it’s form someone I trust here I’d prefer to buy pumps/power heads/ heaters /lights new and have a warranty.

Aside from that, the new jebao slw-20 nero5 clone has arrived and is in the tank. Need to spend some time messing with placement and mode.
 

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Mark_C

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sea swirl is on sale
I have 2 of those practically brand new I can sell, I had them in my 120 for 4 months and LOVED 'em. When I broke down the tank I liked them so much I didn't sell them but I know now that I'm not going back to anything over 30g AIOs, so willing to part.

And, the Jeabo and Jecods are fantastic. Having run Maxspect Gyres as well as MP10s and 40s, I'm just as happy, if not more so, with the J's. I opted for 2 of the SLW series in my 30g IM instead of 2 MP10s and am more than satisfied. I still have 2 or 3 Js that have been going for better than 4 years.
 
Unless it’s form someone I trust here I’d prefer to buy pumps/power heads/ heaters /lights new and have a warranty.

Aside from that, the new jebao slw-20 nero5 clone has arrived and is in the tank. Need to spend some time messing with placement and mode.
im thinking about throwing mine in my 29. how do you like it? i feel like too many pumps is overheating my tank and switching out 2 for this one might be the solution. or do you think it'd be too powerful for a 29? go with the 10 instead?

originally bought it for the frag tank but its not up yet
 

Salted

NJRC Member
im thinking about throwing mine in my 29. how do you like it? i feel like too many pumps is overheating my tank and switching out 2 for this one might be the solution. or do you think it'd be too powerful for a 29? go with the 10 instead?

originally bought it for the frag tank but its not up yet
No I don't think it would be too powerful. I guess I like it just fine. As I said between mode, speed and placement I think I have a lot of fiddling ahead of me before it's set up and finalized.
 

Salted

NJRC Member
Update; After less than 1 month the jebao is not working properly. It keeps turning itself off in the mode I have it in. Luckily I'm still in my amazon return window so it's going back. Not trying again. After a bunch of reading on the Reef Octopus octo pulse 2 and the Nero 5 I'm going with the Reef Octopus. To many bad reviews on the AI Nero 5, and personally I prefer the RO control panel over the AI single button/phone app control.
 

amado

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Update; After less than 1 month the jebao is not working properly. It keeps turning itself off in the mode I have it in. Luckily I'm still in my amazon return window so it's going back. Not trying again. After a bunch of reading on the Reef Octopus octo pulse 2 and the Nero 5 I'm going with the Reef Octopus. To many bad reviews on the AI Nero 5, and personally I prefer the RO control panel over the AI single button/phone app control.

You know the jebao has a night mode. It turns it self to 10% when the lights are off. The pumps have a light sensor.
Maybe you had this setting running?
 
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Salted

NJRC Member
You know the jebao has a night mode. It turns it self to 10% when the lights are off. The pumps have a light sensor.
Maybe you had this setting running?
No, definitely not in night mode. On the long top row of green lights the first 3 were blinking, a few off, and the last one was blinking. I unplugged, waited a few minutes and plugged it back in and it was working. And hour later it was back off and had the same sequence of lights. I checked my owners manual, jebaos website, and googled jebao error codes and no luck. With money being tight for my I’m rethinking the RO purchase and will probably exchange and try one more time.
 

MadReefer

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I had a similar problem and searching it seems that the bluetooth was the issue. It seems ok now except one pump did not like being master, so made it the slave.
 

Salted

NJRC Member
I had a similar problem and searching it seems that the bluetooth was the issue. It seems ok now except one pump did not like being master, so made it the slave.
I’m not using the Bluetooth. Only one pump being used. With the horrid instructions pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to use two and set up a master/slave.
 
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