Review of the Maxspect Advanced Gyre Controller

[shred5]

I recently had to downgrade my reef because of a move. I was running two Gyre XF-150 on Ice Cap Gyre interfaces with the Apex controller and Icecap battery backup on a 125 gallon aquarium.. This setup worked really well but would be too much for my new reef aquarium. I wanted something pretty close to what I had and wanted battery backup. After a few emails with Carlos at Coralvue, we decided the best option for my new Reefer 250 was a Gyre advanced controller and two XF230 pumps.

A few days later they show up. I open both pumps and they came in nice tin cases. They took minutes to install on the tank. I opened up the controller box and no tin case? Anyway, they came well packaged and would easily withstand shipping and that is what is important. The head unit is beautiful and to good looking to hide inside a cabinet. It comes with a dc power supply and cord. It also comes with a Y adapter to add battery backup, this makes it super simple to add a battery. Back to the cord and dc power supply, it comes with one and only requires one power supply for both pumps. This is huge to me because of the amount of dc power supplies I already have crammed into my cabinet. One for my RO return pump, one for my RLSS skimmer and two for my led lights so one less is greatly appreciated. This is for the XF230/XF250 units XF280 requires 2 DC power supplies.

Installing the controller takes seconds. You hook it up to pump one with a connector on the controller and if you have two pumps you hook it up to the second connector. You then plug in the dc power supply. You can add the supplied Y adapter in if you want to add battery backup. Hook one end of the Y adapter to the controller, one end to the power supply and one to the battery. It has a separate mounting plate to mount the controller and the controller clips into the back plate which is my preferred method. I hate trying to find some stupid holes in the back of a piece of equipment or not having any way to mount other than double sides tape.

Once plugged in there is a beautiful Oled display that is easily read. The main advantage of the advanced controller over the original is you can see what you are doing in the Oled display instead of blindly hitting buttons. This makes it much easier to program and I mean much easier to program. The second main advantage of this controller is it allows you to program two pumps with one controller. The controller has a lot of features and I may miss a few because it has many and I have not used them all and probably never will. I am not going to get into programing it either because Carlos does a very nice job going over it here: http://blog.coralvue.com/maxspect-gyre-200-series-advanced…/
Also thank you Carlos for the great video, because one of the shortcomings of the controller is the manual. It is not the greatest like most other manuals today but I guess we are luck it even came with one.

It has two buttons and a wheel for control and is the only thing that even resembles the original controller. It has a power button that is also used for set up mode, a switch mode button and a dial for control. This controller is trying to do allot with a few buttons making it a little more complicated than it should be. If you follow Carlos video it isn’t too bad. A few more buttons might have made it easier to use like a separate save button.

The controller has 5 types of water movement: constant speed, pulsing, gradual pulsing, random and alternating gyre modes. It has six variables for these types of water movements that can be set maximum/minimum flow, ramp up/ramp down time and maximum/minimum flow time and each can be set separate.

There are two modes manual and automatic. Manual is one program that keeps repeating itself. Automatic is where it gets really interesting and were you can link multiple flow patterns together. If you wanted your pumps to run slower at night and faster during the day, automatic is where you would set that up.

It has several link modes for dual pumps: synchronized, anti-synchronized, time delay and reverse time delay. The controller also has feed mode and two separate pre-programed modes for those who do not want to program. Both pre-programmed modes work pretty well, the first is lunar tidal cycle which mimics ocean tidal currents and Oceanic Gyre Cycle which is an alternating gyre cycle. I wish there were more pre-programmed modes like one with a night mode, but let’s face it; you do not buy an advanced controller to run it in some pre-programmed mode anyway.

I wish there was WIFI and App capability for Android and IOS to make it even easier to program but it is still in the works. It could also have a few more pre-programed modes and a few more buttons to make programming a little easier but overall you are getting allot of bang for the buck. It is a major improvement over the original and it looks high tech too. I recommend this for those with a single Gyre but multiple is where it really shines.

 

[tvu]

Can you share your gyre maintenance schedule? Many have said frequent cleanings of the pump are necessary.
My own experience with the 3k version is that mine stopped suddenly altogether almost around the 2 month mark.

 

[HiddenUser]

I replaced two MP60s with two XF280's. I only run them around 30-40% max otherwise it's WAY to much. They really do move a TON of water.

I agree that it would be nice if there was some sort of software interface so that you can do a custom programing on a laptop, tablet, or phone. I've actually been running the OGC preset and I think it does a great job. It does seem to reduce the flow intensity at night as well. One thing I would recommend is to make sure your firmware is up-to-date on the controller. Mine was a little old and the newer firmware has a number of bug fixes.

I've been keeping the cage clean on my pumps for the most part, and I haven't had to disassemble for cleaning yet, but they do tell you to do that about every 6 months.

 

[shred5]

Can you share your gyre maintenance schedule? Many have said frequent cleanings of the pump are necessary.
My own experience with the 3k version is that mine stopped suddenly altogether almost around the 2 month mark.

They will slow down after a while if not cleaned.
Problem is allot of people do not know how to clean them. There is a video taking them completely apart..
They need to be completely taken apart to clean including the center sections not just the rotters and cages.

Sometimes I just turn up the speed some as they drop but I clean them every couple of months.

 

[shred5]

I replaced two MP60s with two XF280's. I only run them around 30-40% max otherwise it's WAY to much. They really do move a TON of water.

I agree that it would be nice if there was some sort of software interface so that you can do a custom programing on a laptop, tablet, or phone. I've actually been running the OGC preset and I think it does a great job. It does seem to reduce the flow intensity at night as well. One thing I would recommend is to make sure your firmware is up-to-date on the controller. Mine was a little old and the newer firmware has a number of bug fixes.

I've been keeping the cage clean on my pumps for the most part, and I haven't had to disassemble for cleaning yet, but they do tell you to do that about every 6 months.

A software/WiFi is coming.

Thanks for the heads up on the firmware. I did not check it but ran into no issues so maybe mine is final.

 

[HiddenUser]

The bug I found was I would set it to run at 30% and it would run at 50%...fixed by most recent firmware release though.

 

[reeftank220master]

They will slow down after a while if not cleaned.
Problem is allot of people do not know how to clean them. There is a video taking them completely apart..
They need to be completely taken apart to clean including the center sections not just the rotters and cages.

Sometimes I just turn up the speed some as they drop but I clean them every couple of months.

I have had to take them apart every 3 months because the rotors are all worn down and making a racket! I'm done wasting my time fiddling with these gyre's and then having to beg maxspect to send replacement parts

 

[HiddenUser]

I have had to take them apart every 3 months because the rotors are all worn down and making a racket! I'm done wasting my time fiddling with these gyre's and then having to beg maxspect to send replacement parts

1st or 2nd generation Gyres? There was mention of improving the durability of a few things between the first and second generations.

 

[reeftank220master]

1st generation,but most of it has been replaced with second generation parts and now it's out of warranty and MAXSPECT will not do anything!!!

 

[Jose Moreno]

Just threw my maxspect gyre away. Thing broke in every way. Rotors broke, motor broke, plastic connecting the rotors through the motor broke. And then maxspect wanted me to buy new rotors and a new motor.

Glad they stand by their products. Atleast I got to keep the magnets.:/

Bought a Jebao and the thing is still pushing strong. Ill never buy anything from maxspect again.

 

[reeftank220master]

I here ya! They act like they are doing me a favor replacing the parts that they did already and now the pump (XF-150) is making a loud racket once again...I paid $300 for mine when I bought it.I politely asked MAXSPECT to please replace the unit with the newest version since I'm tired of having it breakdown literally every 3 months and they refused and told me what they have replaced so far was from there goodwill and made it like they did me a favor and now will not replace anything because they said it is out of warranty...

 

[shred5]

Never had a issue with gyre and used them since launch.. My launch one they sent me new mounts and blades no questions asked.
They launched a little early and have fixed all the issues. I have owned several now since gen 1 with no issues.. Coralvue has some of the best support in the market.

This is not a review of the gyres anyway it is a review of the controller.

 

[jason2459]

I've also ran the gyres since the beginning and just won't ever go back to a traditional powerhead again. I started with two xf150s. Only issue I've ever had with them is one of the motors on the first one I got had the same issue all the first ones to come out had which was the power cable splitting. Coralvue will replace any unit like that.

I've kept up with upgrading them with the latest spare parts and they keep getting better. I've even bought another two xf250 pump only and keep three running in the tank with one spare that gets swapped in periodically to clean another one out.

And the support from Coralvue has always been great to me and their involvement on this forum trying to help people and answer questions has been awesome. But keep in mind they are not maxspect. They only distribute and handle the waranty claims. Maxspect lays down the rules for what is able to be warrantied and how.

Just posted the following recently in another thread so just copy pasting here...

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.

 

[reeftank220master]

I've also ran the gyres since the beginning and just won't ever go back to a traditional powerhead again. I started with two xf150s. Only issue I've ever had with them is one of the motors on the first one I got had the same issue all the first ones to come out had which was the power cable splitting. Coralvue will replace any unit like that.

I've kept up with upgrading them with the latest spare parts and they keep getting better. I've even bought another two xf250 pump only and keep three running in the tank with one spare that gets swapped in periodically to clean another one out.

And the support from Coralvue has always been great to me and their involvement on this forum trying to help people and answer questions has been awesome. But keep in mind they are not maxspect. They only distribute and handle the waranty claims. Maxspect lays down the rules for what is able to be warrantied and how.

Just posted the following recently in another thread so just copy pasting here...

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.

This is all great but see what happens when the warranty is up and you have an issue!

 

[jason2459]

This is all great but see what happens when the warranty is up and you have an issue!

This makes no sense. When your warranty is up with most any product then its up. When something breaks you have to pay for repairs.

I've had products out of warranty by Coralvue and they have helped answer questions on whay parts I needed to get with no problem. They were very helpful. They answer questions all the time about any product they have sold. Just go look at their support site. And one just needs to open a ticket.

In fact the one issue that I stated above, split cord on original gyre motor, they will replace.

Treat anyone in a very negative way and you won't get a very positive response.

 

[shred5]

This makes no sense. When your warranty is up with most any product then its up. When something breaks you have to pay for repairs.

I've had products out of warranty by Coralvue and they have helped answer questions on whay parts I needed to get with no problem. They were very helpful. They answer questions all the time about any product they have sold. Just go look at their support site. And one just needs to open a ticket.

In fact the one issue that I stated above, split cord on original gyre motor, they will replace.

Treat anyone in a very negative way and you won't get a very positive response.

Exactly, Refrigerator is out of warranty it is up to you to get it fixed.
How is it going Jason?
If I remember correctly didn't Coralvue extend the warranty on the original Gyre like 6 months.
I forgot about the split cord thing. They just sent me a replacement even though mine was not split. They sent it with the other parts I asked for. I asked what it was for and they said they were just replacing them on that model.
They even ship with spare parts.

On the Gyre since the subject has changed:


I think they produce the best type of flow out there. I am not talking gallon per hour, I am talking the type of flow and that is what is important and one of the main reasons we buy circulation pumps. They produce a nice wide gentile flow. When I first got in the hobby we used power heads like the Maxi Jets, Rio etc. used on timers. These produced almost a straight type/slightly conical type of flow which could rip the flesh right off a coral if it was to close. Next the propeller pumps were introduced which produce a wider flow but still was a conical type of flow. There is more power at the actual pump and lesser farther away but was a major improvement. The Gyre produces even wider flow and does not seem to dissipate as much as it crosses the aquarium.



We know they launched with issues and launched early, To many people I want it now, instant gratification.. It is our society they can not wait for anything. Look at video games and software now launching with all these bugs but it is ok we will patch it latter. I am not defending the gyre launch, but Coralvue with such a big launch did a pretty good job of trying to fix things. Gyre is now a solid product.

 

[reeftank220master]

What makes no sense is that the same parts keep breaking since it was new so where do you not understand how that is ok once the warranty is up?

 

[jason2459]

What makes no sense is that the same parts keep breaking since it was new so where do you not understand how that is ok once the warranty is up?

I understand you're upset but it's not something that everyone has experienced. I have no idea what your setup is like but I have not had a single part break, outside of the cable, on any of my gyres. The cable splitting was a manufacturer defect. Something like a blade breaking is not a manufacturer defect that requires replacing after warranty is up. Noise issues are usually a bushing, not putting together right, or cleaning issue. Bushing require replacing periodically. Maxspect even supplies extras.

I know there's absolutely nothing that I say that will change your mind as it's set and will most likely cause you to get more upset. There's always more then one side to the story and right now we just have one.

 

[reeftank220master]

I understand you're upset but it's not something that everyone has experienced. I have no idea what your setup is like but I have not had a single part break, outside of the cable, on any of my gyres. The cable splitting was a manufacturer defect. Something like a blade breaking is not a manufacturer defect that requires replacing after warranty is up. Noise issues are usually a bushing, not putting together right, or cleaning issue. Bushing require replacing periodically. Maxspect even supplies extras.

I know there's absolutely nothing that I say that will change your mind as it's set and will most likely cause you to get more upset. There's always more then one side to the story and right now we just have one.

My mind is not "set" it just wants the product to last more than 3 months without breaking as it has done since it was brand new..I'm happy that your unit is perfect but mine is not..Do you work first the company or do you just enjoy adding your 2 cents in how this is not something that "everyone" has experienced! I did not ask you to speak for "everyone" and I am simply sharing what has happened to my unit..

 

[jason2459]

...

Gyre is now a solid product.

This is a big point. Like mentioned above I have kept up with every new part upgrade over the years. If you've done that with the XF150 you pretty much have an XF250. When I got my first xf250 I found though that EVERYTHING fit just right. As I've upgraded over the years with original xf150 I found parts were sometime difficult to fit and once even needed a punch to push the shaft out of the clear holder that goes into the prop cage.

With the XF250 I was just amazed at how well everything fit together. That was the biggest difference I saw, felt, and really appreciated that the XF2xx series was a definite Version 2 and a well finished product.