"Gyre" type power heads..

[Tony Feathers]

Just looking for some opinions on the gyre style power heads such as Maxspect, IceCap, Jebao. Have you used any of them? What was your experience good and bad? How well did it work compared to MP40 type power head?

 

[roberto.manon3]

Just what i was about to ask... following...

 

[chefjpaul]

I run both.
I like the variety if flow

 

[Tony Feathers]

What about noise level?

 

[chefjpaul]

The vortecs are quiet.
The gyre gets a slight humm, but I have to vertical on back wall now full blast.

 

[chefjpaul]

Gyre is a pain to clean though

 

[BigHildy53]

I have two MaxSpec Gyres and are happy with them. I don't find cleaning them any more difficult than other equipment.

 

[acro-ed]

I really wanted to like the Gyre but mine only lasted about 3 months (xf150 model). No obstructions and the thing looks brand new; just quit working. I'm hoping their customer service will take care of this.

My initial impression was that the quality must be very high, based on the packaging, but the reality is that it is still a chincy Chinese made unit. I'm not knocking it for that reason... I have used Jeboa's at various times and they suit their purpose of cost/quality compromise quite well. It's not really reasonable to compare the "quality" of a Vortech to a Gyre, though. I'm not a fan of the Gyre wheels/bushing/insert arrangement; it's a pain to take apart.

I wanted to like it for the linear flow, but I don't see any actual advantage to the Gyre over using a vortech in the same "manner" (pushing water near the surface longways across the tank where it also forms a gyre).

At any rate, I ended up getting an MP60 to replace the Gyre. If they want to give me another one I will try again, but I'm certainly not impressed.

-Ed

 

[Clayalaleona]

We have some gyre 280s on the tanks and they're great. Ice caps work amazing too.
Really the only benefit of the jebaos was that it was cheaper than a gyre but they've been really bad lately and ice caps are the same price but you actually get a warranty

 

[Heliarc19]

I just got an eflux 2100 and am loving it so far, very quite, small footprint, and powerful, not sure about lifespan but it seems well built

 

[hart24601]

I like the broad flow, have 2 xf150s that I upgraded with the ruggerized blades. One thing that is super nice about them for my current setup vs vortech is that I am running a 60 cube with full length internal overflow and the gyre magnets are sealed, so I can put them inside the overflow and have the gyres on the plastic overflow and not the glass, makes it seem much less intrusive on this application.

 

[chefjpaul]

Each pump has it's own unique purpose, positive and negative.

Aquarium dimensions, rock structure / layout, coral types etc... all play a part in choosing the style. I happen to like a combination.

 

[jason2459]

The new 200 series of the maxspect gyre is a finished product and improved over the original 100 series which has many parts and pieces upgraded over the years to what is now the 200.

I really like mine and have 3 running now I like them so much.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/f...-gyre-great-debate.299796/page-4#post-3674067

I loved my Tunze powerheads. Very quite, easily controllable, battery backed up, and very powerful. Along with great support. Had all the latest upgrades on them with wide and narrow flow options etc.

Only one problem, me. I suck really really bad at powerhead placement and then hated adding a coral and having to adjust powerheads again which made it even worse as I'm down right terrible at this. I have no clue at all at getting it done.

Ok, I think I got the point across that no matter what powerhead you give me I will kill a coral.

Except for I finally found an answer to my powerhead inadequacies. I got a maxspect gyre and fell in love. My tank has never been happier. I got the icecap modules which allow both the xf150 and 250 to be programmed by the Apex and have one working in sync with the lunar cylce from the Seasonal table. Its awesome.

I ended up getting another gyre and another.

I do not have to worry about trying to figure out angles and direct or direct vs indirect flow or everything else I was terrible at with power head placement.

The flow is now amazing everywhere in the tank.

One horizontal on my right pane running at 100% 100% of the time.

One on the back left corner of the tank mounted vertical. It alternates forward and backward ramping up to 100% the majority of the time. The Apex seasonal chart is used for programming the direction and when to ramp up and down. In time with the lunar chart and basically alternates a strong undertow from going across the back of the tank to the front of the tank.

Recently I also added a 3rd gyre on the upper left back side of the tank horizontal continuously pulsing up to 60% towards the front glass. I was curious and I have a billion spare parts I tried it out and like it. Adds just a touch of turbulence over there.

On the otherside with the right horizontal mount I have my return coming in working with that gyre. About 600gph from it now.

I would say I have a decent amount of flow and not once did I have to fiddle around with where the heck to point the flow and haven't ripped the flesh off a coral.

My fish seem to love the flow and how it alternates 4 times a day. I can see them changing around the currents. Which just them swimming around creates a good amount of turbulence. No sweeping or syncing or anything else to try and create turbulence.

But these are perfect for me because of me and my lack of power head placement skills. They are battery backed up and Coralvue has been great to me anytime I've ever needed support.

Here's a video before I added the third gyre.


And as you can't hear in the video they are very quite for me. You can hear laundry up on another floor but not the pumps at 100% right next to me.

 

[BigHildy53]

I really wanted to like the Gyre but mine only lasted about 3 months (xf150 model). No obstructions and the thing looks brand new; just quit working. I'm hoping their customer service will take care of this.

Their customer service is very good. They sent me a new motor when mine broke; one unit. Customer service was very responsive.

 

[Maacc]

I am a big fan of the gyre. I have 2 in my jbj 45.I am going to pick up 2 of the 150s for my 180 build.

 

[erk]

I use a xf150 on my 40B. It's turned down pretty low, but it is the only powerhead I have on the tank. It moves the entire water column and there is very little if any detritus buildup. I tend to see some buildup under the inlet of the pump, but it's mostly small grain sand. I have two negatives for the pump. Maneuvering the outlet covers to direct flow is difficult as they are hard to grip and turn. Second, the stock controller is overly simple and I wish it had better customization.

 

[Mark Gray]

I have the Gyre so far so good it is very quit and love the flow

 

[justingraham]

The new 200 series of the maxspect gyre is a finished product and improved over the original 100 series which has many parts and pieces upgraded over the years to what is now the 200.

I really like mine and have 3 running now I like them so much.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/f...-gyre-great-debate.299796/page-4#post-3674067

Hey that's my thread awesome

 

[Cory]

Ive owned the xf150 and xf130.

The 150 produced owesome flow, infact overpowering if you have sand. I felt the controller to be cheaply made. I dont like the bearings and the new blades broke into pieces.

The 130 produced awesome flow too. Same cheap controller. Both propellers broke to pieces from a snail or sand. Bought the "ruggedized" propellers, which are much harder to break and didnt have a problem. Then the motors cable got a split in it exsposing my tank to electricity.

Would i buy them again? Nope.

The new 200 series supposedly has none of these issues. But after the stress i went through with both new pumps im not sure ill buy another coralview product. But if someone else makes a gyre, ill buy one.

Canadian warranty sucks. They wabted me to ship it to them to fix it!

So i wasted something like 550$ on these two...

 

[jason2459]

Ive owned the xf150 and xf130.

The 150 produced owesome flow, infact overpowering if you have sand. I felt the controller to be cheaply made. I dont like the bearings and the new blades broke into pieces.

The 130 produced awesome flow too. Same cheap controller. Both propellers broke to pieces from a snail or sand. Bought the "ruggedized" propellers, which are much harder to break and didnt have a problem. Then the motors cable got a split in it exsposing my tank to electricity.

Would i buy them again? Nope.

The new 200 series supposedly has none of these issues. But after the stress i went through with both new pumps im not sure ill buy another coralview product. But if someone else makes a gyre, ill buy one.

Canadian warranty sucks. They wabted me to ship it to them to fix it!

So i wasted something like 550$ on these two...

Fyi, all of those issues where part of the original release that were fixed well before the xf200 series came out.

I have not heard of any good support for Canadians though. Coralvue provides good support for the US.

But maxspect will replace the splitting cord motor.