Tunze Stream now in the tank

[shellshocked]

I finally put my Tunze stream in my 54 gallon corner tank. I have the 6000 which includes the controller and wave maker.

Here are my observations:
The GOOD
1. It moves a lot of water and is clearly superior to a normal powerhead for water movement in the aquarium
2. My corals both soft and SPS are opening much better and they were doing well before the tunze - I was surprised that it would make a difference.
3. One does the job of many normal powerheads and is plenty for my tank
4. It was noisy for the first couple of days but now is silent - I mean silent


The NOT SO GOOD
1. It is big - I tried to hid it with some rocks but you will need to be creative to incorporate it into your tank without it looking like a big thing hanging from the side.
2. The standard mounting kit is not designed for a normal tank - I have no idea what Tunze is thinking but simply adding another 25 cents of parts would make installation simple - lesson learned - order the optional mounting kit
3. You have to mount a speed control and a wave control - plus the thing comes with a cable long enough to reach Florida (and I live in Georgia) - I would rather have more cable than not enough but damn... there is just a lot of stuff to mount and tie up.
4. It was on back order for about a month and I received the wave controller after eight weeks
5. It is expensive

Overall - I am please with it. The water movement it creates would be almost impossible to reproduce with normal powerheads. If you have the money give it a try - but note as with everything in life there are some trade-offs. With this it is size and cost.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the info!

 

[Fastmarc]

The good sounds 'good' and the bad sounds like it could be lived with. As for the size, at least it sounds like you might eliminate a few, though not as big, just as ugly powerheads.
Thanks also for the review. I think I'll try to get one. Care to share where you ordered yours from?

 

[Mouse]

Their not ugly by any means, but they are big.

i actually think its a more compact design than most PH's, but i suppose in any reef worth it's salt it'll be purple in no time, could allways try and grow some Zooanthids on it.

 

[Ben1]

They also sell a rock built to hide it, I suppose you could also make your own rock to hide it with some argonite and cement.

 

[dougc]

The rocks are rather large. I ended up ditching them and just mounting the pumps in the upper front corners of the tank. I would rather have the real estate for corals than have the pumps hidden.

 

[fishinsouthga]

can you send us a pic so we can see it in your tank?

 

[hillbilly]

Wow, a Stream in a 54gal.! Roger from Tunze will recommend most of the time the Turbelle Electronics for that small a tank, sort of a smaller stream if you will. He says a stream has a 2ft. wide pattern that you can't take advantage of in a smaller tank. Should have good flow though.

 

[shellshocked]

I got the tunze stream from Marine Depot - they were good to deal with as always - they did call and let me know the unit was on back order and called when the unit came in to confirm that I wanted it. Good customer service.

 

[shellshocked]

Regarding the stream in the 54 gallon tank - I was a little afraid it might be to powerful based on reading some of the other posts but it appears to be perfect. I do have the wave maker and have it turned to the lowest setting on the low cycle and about halfway on the other end. If I put it to 100% it might be to much for some soft corals and I don't have it blowing directly on any corals.

 

[Anonymous]

I wonder how the stream compares to a ph with an eductor...

 

[hillbilly]

That would be an interesting test. I've been thinking what if I put eductors on my returns from the sump, then used the Streams? Might work in the 8' tank.

 

[Fastmarc]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is an 'eductors'?

 

[dougc]

You can see the streams in the upper corners. They are not really noticable unless you stand back to take in a view of the whole tank. When closer, your eyes are focused past them.

 

[keethrax]

I wonder how the stream compares to a ph with an eductor...

How much pressure do you need to get effective use out of an eductor? I was under the impression that it was decently high, and that for that reason, a higher pressure pump (not necessarily higher volume) pump was needed rather than a lower pressure powerhead.

 

[D.W.L.]

I wonder how the stream compares to a ph with an eductor...

We ran educators on my friends 180. Two of them on a Mag 9 and on a Mak 4. Both generated good current, more from the Mak of course.

However the current is nothing like is generated from the two 6080 streams in my 225. Good velocity from the educators but not the same overall current streams give. We put one of my streams on the end of his tank that had the closed loop Mak 4 educators and generated as much or more current for 18 watts.

I prefer streams myself and dont mind the look. Kinda teckie :lol: The educators, on a closed loop are a good alternative though, esp. if one does not like the look of streams in the tank.

 

[Anonymous]

I'd love to upgrade my big current-generating powerheads to a stream or two, but tunze stuff is so damn spendy. :?

 

[Ben1]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is an 'eductors'?

Basically a nozzle that pulls in more water as the pump pushs water through them. There was a recent post about them I think by Righty, you can check them out at the aquatic eco-systems web site.

 

[DK]

I bet, given enough time, they will get encrusted by corraline (if corraline is growing in your tank). Also other things can eventually grow on the pump as well. I have a few small powerheads I wont take out after putting in a stream because I have pocillipora growing on them and of course some xenia.