Tunze WAze Box or Red Dragon??

[PalmTree]

Okay I've decided that I want to change my setup around a bit but not quite sure exactly where to go with it. Before I get into it I'll rattle off a description of my tank. 180 RR Mixed reef of Softies and some small colonies of SPS. I have a 70 gallon sump in the stand with a PanWorld 100 (Blue Line) return pump 2000gph, MRC 2 powered by a PanWorld 50(Blue Line) 550gph. Lighting consist of 3 250watt HQI 10Ks supplemented by 4 t-12 VHOs. I have 2 seaswirls in the front corners with returns water from the chiller.

Now I was thinking one of 2 options. Option 1 is to get a Tunze WaveBox and down grade my return pump to something w/ less GPH. Option 2 upgrade to a Red Dragon return pump with a high gph to run everything.

Thanks for your input!

 

[loismustdie]

I wouldn't do either one. Tunze waveboxes shorten the life of a tank (the tank itself, not the livestock). Red Dragons cost WAY too much. I personally see no reason for these pumps to be so expensive. There is also their reliability issue. I know 5 people with RD's. 2 of them had pump failures. That is a pretty bad ratio if you ask me. When Rio's had a 25% fail rate, there were "RIOMUSTDIE" posts all over the place.
Where are the posts when 40% of RD's failed? No where. People won't post when a $700 pump fails.
There are better options for you. Sell the swirls and go wavyseas. Tunze Streams. Penductors. Multiple Ehiems rather than the panworld. Sequence, baby. Sequence. etc.

 

[delv]

But the Red Dragons have good customer service...so they'll get right on top of mailing that part from Germany...unless it's a broken part from the Hagen Laguna that the Red Dragon is based on...you can go to a pond store for that...hahaha.

I like the multiple Eheims or a Sequence Dart and a backup (you could get three Darts for a lesser Red Dragon)...the Sequence Dar only works well if you can increase your plumbing size.

If it's an old glass tank I'd not get a wavebox...if it's acrylic...no worries, it'll take more than some waves to split the seams. New glass tank you have to think about it...I personally would.

Why not some cheapo Streams or Maxi Mods?

Either way, you'll use less energy that the Pan world Iwaki copy.

d.

 

[Pedro]

If the choice is only between the two, i would get the wavebox. I see no need for a RD as a return.

 

[fritz]

You CANNOT step down your flow if you get a wavebox.

I should say that again,

You CANNOT step down your flow if you get a wavebox.

The wavebox does not make flow it makes movement. To experiment with this get in your bathtub and fill it up. Now move your body from the front to the back so that you get a wave going. Keep that motion going so that your wave gets consistant. Once you have the rhythm going take a piece of lint from your bellybutton and put it in the tub. Watch what it does. It moves slightly to the left, than slightly to the right. Keep it up for as long as you like that lint isn't going to move more than an inch or two in any direction. It will just bob back and forth in the same place.

Moving the same water back and forth in front of your corals is pretty but it is not FLOW. You still need something powerful to mix up that 250 gallons of water.

 

[PalmTree]

Interesting.. What about power consumption on a wave box? Does it create a good amount of heat in the water?

 

[PalmTree]

My tank is about 5 years old so I'm not too worried about that. I did hear that it will shorten the life of glass aquariums and I guess I can see why. Anyone else have experience with either of the two?

 

[fritz]

Allan it sounds to me like you're looking to buy some 24" rims.
Neither one of these is best for what you're looking to accomplish. If you're looking to buy one for the "bling" factor then go for it.

 

[loismustdie]

Allan it sounds to me like you're looking to buy some 24" rims.

:biglaugh:
Exactly what I'm saying. If you're looking for a wow factor, buy a silver sticker. At least that won't cause a catastrophic failure. Neither one of these options are for you. And with a 5 year old tank, I definitely would slip away from the wave box. You'll be replacing that tank in a year.

 

[inline6]

There you go Allan, you have to say to yourself: "I just saved a bundle of $$ by going thru MR."

 

[PalmTree]

LOL Very true!

 

[loismustdie]

So, now the question is.... How do we spend Allan's money?
My vote is 2 0r more Tunze 6100's and a 7095 multicontroller. A personal favorite of mine.
Next would be some wavy seas. Pretty damn sexy.
then, I'd think about a Vortech, only because it has the battery back up.

 

[fritz]

I second the above but I'd put the Vortech first. The battery backup is nice to have with the upcoming Summer and Con Ed's wonderful track record.

 

[Deanos]

rotest: No selling in the General Discussion forum! Send a PM or create a For Sale/For Trade thread.

FS post deleted

 

[jhale]

I really like the wavysea's. if you have enough flow to put through them they give great water movement. and the build quality is excellent. that's something you can't tell from the pics. I was able to handle them out of the water and was surprised by how well made they are.

fred that was the best description ever, belly button lint :lol2:

 

[Wes]

And with a 5 year old tank, I definitely would slip away from the wave box. You'll be replacing that tank in a year.

i agree but where were you guys when i got berated by a certain MR member for saying that a wave box will shorten the life of a tank. I was basically told that i can't comment on it because i don't actually own a wave box.

 

[inline6]

i agree but where were you guys when i got berated by a certain MR member for saying that a wave box will shorten the life of a tank. I was basically told that i can't comment on it because i don't actually own a wave box.

How true, sometimes I wish people had some tolerence of certain opinions rangehat

 

[pecan2phat]

I haven't really read too much about tank failures regarding the wave box.
Interesting though....even though Tunze themselves states that it shortens the lifespan of the tank.
I know of at least 3 people that have waveboxes in somewhat not new glass tanks for a few years now and so far so good.
Has this happened to anyone on this forum?

 

[fritz]

Claus (Edit: Wolfgang) posted on another site that it will greatly shorten the lifespan of a tank do to it constantly pounding on the sides. I figured he's as good a person to quote on it as possible. I don't own a wavebox but the owner and head engineer of the product told me on another forum that it will "beat on the seams and thus shorten the lifespan of the tank" he further added the importance of it being on a flat and level surface.

Many of the other posters in that thread liked them for acrylic but not glass for the above reason. I've also known people to use them for years and not have an issue. I've also known people to get leaks in brand new tanks that didn't have a wavebox. I guess what I'm trying to say is, do you feel lucky, punk?

Edit:
I meant Wolfgang not Claus. I'm getting my German companies confused.

 

[cali_reef]

My tank is over 4 years old and had a wave box on it for almost three years, does it mean my tank is going to fail soon?

People without first hand knowledge of a product should not tell others he "heard" this may happen. Either it did or it didn't. I have not seen a post on RC where someone had a tank failure from using a wavebox. Have your "friend" post some before and after pictures of his tank failure if you are certain the tank did fail from the wave box.

A wave box does provide water motion as described by Fritz, it does not provide much circulation. So far it's the best replication of natural water motion I have seen from a mechanical device, I have tried few other things available on the market, including a surge tank.

Red Dragon pumps are great if you have lots of money to spend, you can get the same flow with other pumps using a little more energy. My friend Moonpod on RC bought a few of them as his return and close loop pumps, he had problems with two out of the first 3 he received. The replacements have been running for over 1.5 years now without any problems. My RD on my BK has been performing just fine since the day I received it.

Wavysea will not do much more than what your SeaSwirls are doing right now. you are better off getting a set of 6100 Tunzes and multi controller with your money to increase the flow in your tank. A wavebox will be nice as your next toy. BTW, Fishtown have a wave box on their 180 gallon reef tank for a while now, that tank looks more then 5 years old, you should go check it out.