Powerhead shortage ??

[biecacka]

I run ecotech pumps. I will say a few things, they are pricey- especially when you have to buy new wetsides or dry sides. It happens more than you think it does. Not saying it’s a lot or anything. But i have replaced 3 of mine 3 times over 9 years. The other I have replaced 5 times. sometimes it’s the wet side, or dry side, or whole thing. I am not knocking ecotech, in fact I say all this to say this…..aside from tunze/Roger I don’t know if their is a company who is more responsive. They have good customer service (that doesn’t mean it’s always free to fix) but they work wih you to make it a win win for everyone. I dont know if the Jeabo can match that.


Corey

 

[Tamberav]

My question is, are the Ecotech's really worth the price tag? I feel the OP's pain, I'm on a nano 20 gal build right now, the added cost of high end products doesn't bother me as much as are they worth it. Nero 3's, Jebao MLW10s, all of these are close to what they do.

No. I have a few MP10s and not happy with the dry side quality. The ceramic shaft has problems.

You also can’t put a MP10 on the back wall of a AIO type tank so they look pretty ugly when the tank has earmuffs on the side.

 

[mdb_talon]

@Jaybeastin site says 7 available as i type this.

Shop | Innovative Marine Products

Shop Now | Innovative Marine's Official Store | Free Shipping on all orders* | NUVO aquariums and saltwater reef supplies.

www.innovative-marine.com

 

[HB AL]

It is just a water mover, but is there actually anything else almost exactly like it on the market today?..........

Sarcasm I like, and there's plenty of options for "water movers" but they probably have cords.

 

[ApoIsland]

I recently watched an hour and a half long video of brs doing the deep dig into the chinese black box lights. They put them through all the same tests as they do the expensive brands that they sell. Then they opened up the shells to show what is inside and I must say it’s pretty scary. Only 2 of the 4 boxes were assembled with CE rated electrical components. The viparspectra out performed the other 3 brands but had to be mounted 18-24 inches above the tank to achieve the same spread as say an ai prime at 8 inches! Then they opened up an ai prime to show the quality parts that are used and the care taken to route and seal it all up. If these lights are any indication as to the quality of the knock off powerheads I will stick to the quality name brand stuff. Don’t need to electrocute my tank or burn my house down because some one half done a caulking job!

I have no idea where BRS comes up with this crap. I had 3 AI Prime 16 HD at the same time and you put them all together and they put out a fraction of the light/coverage that 2 x of the viparspectras do. You would need 4 AI prime at a minimum to light a 55g tank well for wall to wall corals and it would still have more shading than 2 x of the black box. Never mounted those black boxes more than 8'' - 10'' above the water either.

Still waiting for that one person who owned both to tell me they grew corals better under an AI prime than they did under a black box given the same water parameters and feeding routine. For me, the colors of the corals were not as nice under the black boxes but they grew so much faster than with the Primes. AI does have my favorite spectrum, I will give them that. But that's the extent of it.

None of my 3 AI's made it to 2 years either. I have never had a failure with any of the black boxes over the years and I started with some of the very first ones 10 years ago. Upgrade every 4 or 5 years so just purchased my 3rd generation of black boxes...

This notion of more $ = better results is nonsense for any piece of equipment. Success has infinitely more to do with the reef keeper than it does the cost of equipment.

Wish everyone had a build thread for their tank linked so we could see actual results.

 

[ApoIsland]

Lol i am happy to compare results with my cheap wavemakers(and lights and return pumps) anyday.

Same here!! I love my black boxes . Color might not be the same quality, but the growth is as good as any.

I have two 90g tanks plumbed together. One is lit by Reefbreeders Photon V2,which I spent about $800 on, the other is lit by 2 x black boxes that I spent $300 on. Corals grow faster under the black boxes. A couple even look better too. Most corals do have better coloration under the Photon though.

 

[HB AL]

I have no idea where BRS comes up with this crap. I had 3 AI Prime 16 HD at the same time and you put them all together and they put out a fraction of the light/coverage that 2 x of the viparspectras do. You would need 4 AI prime at a minimum to light a 55g tank well for wall to wall corals and it would still have more shading than 2 x of the black box. Never mounted those black boxes more than 8'' - 10'' above the water either.

Still waiting for that one person who owned both to tell me they grew corals better under an AI prime than they did under a black box given the same water parameters and feeding routine. For me, the colors of the corals were not as nice under the black boxes but they grew so much faster than with the Primes. AI does have my favorite spectrum, I will give them that. But that's the extent of it.

None of my 3 AI's made it to 2 years either. I have never had a failure with any of the black boxes over the years and I started with some of the very first ones 10 years ago. Upgrade every 4 or 5 years so just purchased my 3rd generation of black boxes...

This notion of more $ = better results is nonsense for any piece of equipment. Success has infinitely more to do with the reef keeper than it does the cost of equipment.

Wish everyone had a build thread for their tank linked so we could see actual results.

The only thing I've found that it pays off in the long run is fishing reels, I buy the best models either from Shimano or Daiwa because they work forever and give no problems and that's really important when fishing in tournaments where equipment failure could cost you $$$$$$thousands. As far as what this thread is about your comment "This notion of more $ = better results is nonsense for any piece of equipment. Success has infinitely more to do with the reef keeper than it does the cost of equipment" hit the nail on the head

 

[I.AM.MR.MIKE]

I already have Jeabo , I’m just waiting for that Nero 5 lol

My LFS has Nero 3 and 5 in stock today.

 

[Shooter6]

I run ecotech pumps. I will say a few things, they are pricey- especially when you have to buy new wetsides or dry sides. It happens more than you think it does. Not saying it’s a lot or anything. But i have replaced 3 of mine 3 times over 9 years. The other I have replaced 5 times. sometimes it’s the wet side, or dry side, or whole thing. I am not knocking ecotech, in fact I say all this to say this…..aside from tunze/Roger I don’t know if their is a company who is more responsive. They have good customer service (that doesn’t mean it’s always free to fix) but they work wih you to make it a win win for everyone. I dont know if the Jeabo can match that.


Corey

Jebao does not match that, true, but if you add up that cost of initial investment and replacements and then add up the same amount of replacements along with initial expenses of a comparable output jeabo I think the numbers speak for themselves. Say 10 complete jebao powerheads vs 2 mp40s + the replacement wet and dry sides at whatever discounted price they may be.
I'm being generous with 10 jeabo as really 2 initial and 2 replacements would likely be enough for 9 years but still I think the price gap is big! Also jeabo can be ordered off Amazon for next day delivery where the mp40 replacements can take weeks.

 

[HB AL]

My LFS has Nero 3 and 5 in stock today.

Saw them at one of my lfs's too.

 

[moz71]

I recently watched an hour and a half long video of brs doing the deep dig into the chinese black box lights. They put them through all the same tests as they do the expensive brands that they sell. Then they opened up the shells to show what is inside and I must say it’s pretty scary. Only 2 of the 4 boxes were assembled with CE rated electrical components. The viparspectra out performed the other 3 brands but had to be mounted 18-24 inches above the tank to achieve the same spread as say an ai prime at 8 inches! Then they opened up an ai prime to show the quality parts that are used and the care taken to route and seal it all up. If these lights are any indication as to the quality of the knock off powerheads I will stick to the quality name brand stuff. Don’t need to electrocute my tank or burn my house down because some one half done a caulking job!

I find it hilarious that people take BRS as “gospel” and they are the “all knowing”. Yes.everyone should Buy every over priced thing they push. So to keep my cheap light and pumps competively priced and available. Lol

 

[Derrick0580]

That patent is supposedly almost expired so the outside wire tech will be used by others soon as well

God I hope so!

 

[Derrick0580]

I find it hilarious that people take BRS as “gospel” and they are the “all knowing”. Yes.everyone should Buy every over priced thing they push. So to keep my cheap light and pumps competively priced and available. Lol

I’m not taking what they say as gospel, but I have reefing friends who use high end products and low end products. The sad part is that more often then not the friends with the cheap products are the ones complaining about the health of their tank or equipment breaking. Like I have said before, if you are happy with your purchase then it is money well spent! I personally have had bad luck with jebao and don’t care to spend money the pray it lasts because the said product has no customer support! I may be willing to try one of the jebao nero knock offs in my frag tank.

 

[MoshJosh]

This may not be related, as I know very little about powerheads/the companies that make them, but my local fish store was telling me and another customer that the company that makes the Nero pumps just increased the prices on like all there stuff by $50???

 

[Titleist1964]

I know a place that has 3 nero 3’s and 1 Nero 5...frog prince water gardens...grants pass...maybe they are willing to ship? And they will match online prices.

Buy me a Nero 3 and ship it, lol.

 

[Shooter6]

This may not be related, as I know very little about powerheads/the companies that make them, but my local fish store was telling me and another customer that the company that makes the Nero pumps just increased the prices on like all there stuff by $50???

Because they are owned by ecotech which in turn are both now owned by brs or at least brs conglomerate.