Adding Hydros Wave Engine

[DoodleFish]

Recently purchased a Hydros Wave Engine LE and Icecap Gyre 2k combo for my BioCube32.

I was kind of surprised that it ships without the adapter cable, or the bus command cable, or the bus terminators. It's not like those parts are expensive - until you realize that you need them AFTER you receive the bundle, and now I'm scouring websites looking for those components, and having to pay some pretty high shipping costs for them be delivered from multiple sites.

Again, not expensive components - $12 for the adapter, $10 for the command bus cable, $5 each for 2 terminators - those cheap prices include profit for both CoralVue and the online stores - so the COST of those components must be fairly inexpensive ... so why not include them in the bundle? Why do I have to pay $32 for components, but $50 in shipping to get them? At least have them always available on Amazon, so I can get them quickly and not pay a bunch for shipping!

AND - why not make it clear somewhere - on the Hydros site, or the online sellers sites - EVERYTHING you need to make it work, so you can order it all from the same place at the same time, and not get stung with extra shipping charges? Or being delayed in installing / setting up while you wait for a $10 cable to be delivered.

Sorry, not so much a question as a rant here - but glad I got it out of my system!

I am sure after I get EVERYTHING I need delivered, I'll have questions about setting it up and programming, but ultimately I'll love it as much as I love all of the other Hydros components in my system!

 

[Peair]

Just enjoy it now, it works great.

 

[Arkayology]

I got the Icecap adaptor cable included when I purchased the Wave Engine LE + Icecap 2000 bundle on SaltwaterAquarium.com.

 

[DoodleFish]

I got the Icecap adaptor cable included when I purchased the Wave Engine LE + Icecap 2000 bundle on SaltwaterAquarium.com.

Hmmm ... it was NOT in my package. Wondering if they stopped shipping with them, or if someone forgot to put one in there?!?

 

[Dburr1014]

Recently purchased a Hydros Wave Engine LE and Icecap Gyre 2k combo for my BioCube32.

I was kind of surprised that it ships without the adapter cable, or the bus command cable, or the bus terminators. It's not like those parts are expensive - until you realize that you need them AFTER you receive the bundle, and now I'm scouring websites looking for those components, and having to pay some pretty high shipping costs for them be delivered from multiple sites.

Again, not expensive components - $12 for the adapter, $10 for the command bus cable, $5 each for 2 terminators - those cheap prices include profit for both CoralVue and the online stores - so the COST of those components must be fairly inexpensive ... so why not include them in the bundle? Why do I have to pay $32 for components, but $50 in shipping to get them? At least have them always available on Amazon, so I can get them quickly and not pay a bunch for shipping!

AND - why not make it clear somewhere - on the Hydros site, or the online sellers sites - EVERYTHING you need to make it work, so you can order it all from the same place at the same time, and not get stung with extra shipping charges? Or being delayed in installing / setting up while you wait for a $10 cable to be delivered.

Sorry, not so much a question as a rant here - but glad I got it out of my system!

I am sure after I get EVERYTHING I need delivered, I'll have questions about setting it up and programming, but ultimately I'll love it as much as I love all of the other Hydros components in my system!

That is a very valid point.
I mean, you bought the pumps and controller why not just throw it in a bundle?

 

[DJF]

Love my WE especially its flexibility which means different cords for different pumps. I would expect a bundle to come with the adapter but at least now you’re not married to a pump.

 

[Arkayology]

I got the Icecap adaptor cable included when I purchased the Wave Engine LE + Icecap 2000 bundle on SaltwaterAquarium.com.

Which retailer did you get it from? While it doesn't say that it includes the adapter on the website descriptions the reviews of the combo pack showed that it was included. I would reach out to Coralvue for an explanation maybe?

 

[SpyC]

Love my WE especially its flexibility which means different cords for different pumps. I would expect a bundle to come with the adapter but at least now you’re not married to a pump.

How easy was it to program a schedule for the different pumps/powerheads? I am thinking about getting a WE for my return, skimmer, and an octopulse

 

[DJF]

How easy was it to program a schedule for the different pumps/powerheads? I am thinking about getting a WE for my return, skimmer, and an octopulse

I think you miss the benefit using the WE for anything other than flow inside the tank. Its strength is with powerheads. Mixing/matching pumps. There was a little learning curve with the initial setup but not bad. I’m a fan of the octopulse & run 4s on a WE and a gyre set on another.

 

[Peair]

How easy was it to program a schedule for the different pumps/powerheads? I am thinking about getting a WE for my return, skimmer, and an octopulse

It's real easy,

How easy was it to program a schedule for the different pumps/powerheads? I am thinking about getting a WE for my return, skimmer, and an octopulse

Real easy, not only do you have your pump outputs ports 4 for Reg or 2 for Light controller, but there is an 0-10V port that uses the Hydros WaveEngine 0-10V Quad Cable which you can hook up four more devices, the cable cost an additional 12.99, It uses a standard 3.5mm jack, I have my Nautilus return pump hooked up to one of the cables, mush better than using their little controller, and I really like the scheduled for the flow pumps, It’s real easy, you don’t have to set up a separate schedule in your schedules section, a nice schedule is built into your easy Output section, and you have Lots of options like setting start time, end time, Random or Constant, many different patterns like Ocean Swell, Square or Triangle Wave, Lps or SPS Reef, Sine Wave, lots more options, for you can spend all day in you app having fun, it’s the best.

 

[DJF]

, but there is an 0-10V port that uses the Hydros WaveEngine 0-10V Quad Cable which you can hook up four more devices,

great call!

 

[DoodleFish]

Still waiting on the command bus cable and command bus terminators to be delivered. Nothing worse than sitting at my desk looking a $300 controller and pump bundle that I can't use, while I wait for $20 with components to be delivered! Hopefully it will be delivered tomorrow, and I can get it setup this weekend.

I did think it was odd that the bundle showed up in a CoralVue box that was not taped shut. Now it makes me wonder if someone grabbed it out of the box prior to shipping. I did get the adapter cable today though.

 

[SpyC]

Still waiting on the command bus cable and command bus terminators to be delivered. Nothing worse than sitting at my desk looking a $300 controller and pump bundle that I can't use, while I wait for $20 with components to be delivered! Hopefully it will be delivered tomorrow, and I can get it setup this weekend.

I did think it was odd that the bundle showed up in a CoralVue box that was not taped shut. Now it makes me wonder if someone grabbed it out of the box prior to shipping. I did get the adapter cable today though.

Have you contacted the seller yet? They may be able to help you out

 

[DoodleFish]

Have you contacted the seller yet? They may be able to help you out

Sent an email early this morning before leaving the house - haven't heard back yet.

Was out of Office all day in Meetings - couldn't give them a call.

 

[DoodleFish]

So I finally got everything I needed delivered to get this setup - and now I'm having nothing but issues. I have already called CoralVue - waiting on a Support call back now (hopefully before they close at 6PM EST today). Maybe someone here can help me ...

The collective and adding the WE-LE was easy.

When adding the IceCap Gyre 2k

Family - Variable Pumps
Type - online instructions say to select DIRECT PUMP - I don't have that option. I only have DEMO PUMP and SICCE PUMP
If I select SICCE PUMP - the OUTPUT DEVICE pops up - but there is nothing there to select.

I setup a bunch of schedules to alter flow patterns throughout the day - no problems there.

Here come the problems - besides those with the Pump Type listed above -

1) I CANNOT turn off the pump! I dial it down to 0, or select OFF - it still runs. I set FEED mode - it still runs (and yes I unchecked FEED in Active Modes for every schedule). The only way to turn off this pump is to disconnect the power.

2) it is noisy! There is a noticeable hum in my Office from this pump. So much so, I doubt I'll be able to work with this noise in the background. Is the pump just breaking in? Will that go away? Or is there a weird harmonic happening with the placement on the back wall of my BioCube32?

3) The pump is creating a LOT of micro bubbles in my tank. It is currently running a SINE WAVE with a Min speed of 1% and a Max speed of 30% (I capped the max speed at 40% in the setup page for the pump, set the max for this schedule at 75% of that 40% max - so 30%). I have it near the top of the back wall - about an 1" - 1.5" below the water level.

What is the second set of propellers for? Is there anything different between the orange and black propellers?

 

[DoodleFish]

 

[DoodleFish]

Just got done with CoralVue support - I missed adding the WaveEngine LE to the Collective. Once that was added in - I got all the options I needed in the Gyre Pump setup screens. Added in the schedules again, and fired it up. Immediately noticed -

1) I can now turn off the pump, and turn down the pump, and it will automatically turn off in FEED mode. (I've got a questions about triggering modes below ...)
2) MUCH quieter - like almost silent! Much happier about that!!
3) No micro bubbles in the tank now!

I think without adding the WE-LE, that the Gyre was just running at high speed, causing the noise and micro bubbles.

So when triggering modes - it appears that I have to trigger FEED/CORAL FEED/WATER CHANGE in BOTH the Collective AND WaveEngine? Am I missing something? I can see that being a little annoying - but at the same time, I can see something good about that - namely I can set WE Feed/Coral/Change modes to NOT turn on for an extra 5 minutes. So the return will fire up, then 5 minutes later the Gyre will fire up.

 

[DoodleFish]

So after trying to dial this in all weekend, I finally gave up and removed it from my tank for the following reasons -

1. It had to be dialed down so far to keep from blowing sand & corals around, and not pinning the Clownfish to the back wall, that it wasn't really doing much.
2. The noise came back - just a constant low frequency hum that would be seriously distracting while trying to work. Even when turned down, there is still a hum. And when at max speed (which was capped at 40%) during Random, Sine Wave, Square Wave - that noise was much louder.
3. I wanted a "calm current" over night - but the IceCap 2k can only be turned down to 25% of max as it's minimum operating speed, so set as "Constant Min" was still very energetic.
4. While it is relatively small (for a Gyre) - it still consumes a LOT of space in a Biocube32.

I've contacted the online seller asking for a return authorization.

I put my Nero 3 back in the tank, in a different location - closer to the center of the back wall, up higher than where it used to be (just under the return grill on the right side of back wall). Relocating the Nero 3, has effectively illuminated the dead spots I had, and giving me better surface agitation.

Just my opinion - but the Nero 3 seems to be the better option for a nano tank. Not as many options for flow patterns, but at least you can choose between Constant, Random, Pulse and Feeding, and set a schedule throughout the day for changes in flow and speeds. And with it plugged into one of the Hydros Launch WiFi Outlets I can turn it off for Feed/Coral/Change modes.