by Marc Levenson | Nov 10, 2014 | Corals, Fish, Invertebrates, Science, Tanks
I wanted to talk about LEDs for a few minutes. I've had the Radion Gen 2 over my anemone cube (60-gallon aquarium 24" x 24" x 24") for the past 12 months. As a light, it functions perfectly. Is it the best fixture ever? My feelings are a tad mixed, and I'll discuss why. The light itself provides sufficient lighting for anemones, SPS, LPS, gorgonians, zoanthids and even a T. by AquaNerd | Nov 7, 2014 | Science, Tanks
It has been a while since we have seen a product with this much excitement around it, and we’re happy to say that it is officially available for all to enjoy. Maxspect has been showing off this revolutionary water pump for what seems like forever (it debuted back in May) and even though it was sent out to a limited number of testers months ago, the product will now be able to be put thorough the rigorous testing of the ever demanding aquarist. The Maxspect Gyre will initially launch in the XF150 model priced at $299. This model has a maximum flow rate of 5000gph at 50watts, and is suitable for a wide range of aquariums that span 50-800+ gallons. The Gyre mounts via magnets to either glass or acrylic, with the mounts capable of holding on tanks up to 3/4″ thick. While the XF150 is currently the only model available to purchase, it is by no means the only model that will be made available by AquaNerd | Sep 12, 2014 | Equipment
Neptune Systems has been feverishly adding new accessories to their Apex controller over the last couple of years, and they’ve finally debuted their very own water pump. Called the WAV, this new system offers extreme water flow and it comes with a mountain of features and interesting selling points that could give some of the long established pumps a good run for their money. The pump is smaller than numerous other powerheads on the market, yet it cranks out over 3200 gallons per hour, all of which is under full Apex control. But we will hit more on that below. Like most pumps, the WAV attaches the wall of the aquarium via strong magnets, though these are are capable of handling tanks with glass or acrylic up to 3/4″ thick. The magnet mount also allows the WAV to vertically pivot +/- 20 degrees and rotate a full 360, letting the flow hit specific areas within the tank.In terms of controllability, the pump is built and designed to be used seamlessly with the Apex controller, and Neptune Systems even gave the WAV its own module, called the 1LINK. There are numerous flow settings through the controller, and the flow rates can be monitored through the Apex Fusion dashboard just like you would water temperature or pH. All in all, there are 8 pre-built flow programs (Constant, Mavericks, Lagoon, Pulse, Huntington, Rincon, Trestles, and Doheny), and users can program the pump to operate under any one of these modes at any time of the day. Neptune Systems WAV ModesIn addition to controlling the pumps, users will also be able to monitor each and every one that is plugged into the system. by AquaNerd | Aug 14, 2014 | Equipment, Industry, Tanks, Technology
Did you know that EcoTech Marine has a light designed specifically for freshwater applications? Neither did we. Amidst all of the fanfare of the XR15w Pro launch, EcoTech quietly slipped their XR15FW light into the mix, kicking off what might be a very lucrative venture into the freshwater side of the aquarium hobby. Since we don’t dabble in freshwater tanks, we can only speculate, but seeing as how revolution the EcoTech Marine produce line has been for salty tanks, we’re positive that the freshwater community will accept them with wide open arms. Getting back to the fixture itself, the Radion XR15FW uses the same form factor as the pro model, but comes with fewer LEDs and a much different array of LED colors. Where the pro model uses 21 diodes that emphasize blues and cool whites, the freshwater version only uses 15 LEDs and relies heavily on warmer colors. Here is a breakdown of each of the color channels: • Neutral White: 5 • Deep Blue: 2 • Blue: 2 • Green: 2 • Hyper Red: 2 • Indigo: 1 • UV: 1 The XR15FW will feature the same wireless technology and TIR lenses found on the pro model, meaning it will work flawlessly with the EcoSmart Live platform and the ReefLink wireless hub. As for the fixture’s price, the XR15FW will retail for $299, or about $150 less than the pro version. The light is currently available for preorder, but hasn’t quite hit the market as of yet by AquaNerd | Aug 12, 2014 | Science, Tanks
Jebao is making its first foray into the protein skimmer department with the release of their DC pump powered D700 Curve Skimmer. Based on the same controllable pump line we’ve seen over and over again from RLSS, Jebao isn’t doing anything groundbreaking with the new D700 and subsequent models, but they are bringing in a DC controllable skimmer at a sub-$300 price point. The D700 Curve is priced at $275, and is fitted with an under mount DC3000 pump and all of the usual bells and whistles we’ve come to expect on cone shaped skimmers. The pump is adjustable to six different speed settings, which can be controlled via the included controller or a properly equipped aquarium controller. Additionally, the DC3000 has a soft start function and a feeding timers that shuts it down when triggered. Reef Breeders, who are marketing the skimmer, state that the D700 is suitable for medium to well stocked tanks up to 200 gallons in total water volume. The skimmer has a base diameter of 8 3/4″ and a height of 21″ with the cup. While the D700 is immediately available, future models will also fill out the line
