Today, that typically means with a smart phone app or internet interface. Ideally, control of these flow capabilities will be by a graphical interface. The adjustable flow capabilities of a вЂWavemakerвЂ™ are very desirable вЂ“ it allows you to tailor the flow patterns and intensity to your tank and inhabitants. A wavemaker is different from a powerhead in that it has capabilities to vary the speed of the pump to produce different flow patterns that you donвЂ™t get from a constant speed device. I consider a powerhead as a constant speed recirculating pump that is placed in the display section of your tank. вЂњPowerheadвЂќ and вЂњwavemakerвЂќ are interchangeable terms for similar devices. In function, you can think of it as an underwater desk fan. These typically attach to the aquarium glass or walls with a suction cup. вЂњPowerheadsвЂќ as IвЂ™m describing here take on the form factor of a motor and impeller housed in a cage, all submersed. Additional powerhead(s) can be added to circulate water and produce additional flow.

Certain corals and other saltwater critters may need additional flow other than what is provided from the return pump(s). Overview of Saltwater Power heads / Wavemakers:ДЇlow is an important part of any aquarium, but it can be especially important in a Saltwater tank when trying to make a habitat for various kinds of corals. In this review, I will discuss itвЂ™s features, setup, and pros/cons of this programmable wavemaker. IвЂ™ve had it in use for about a year ItвЂ™s been a huge asset to our tank with only a few small negatives. In shopping around, I discovered the Aqamai KPS Wavemaker, and it has been an almost perfect addition to our nano. It has some great features and offers all the capabilities I could ever want, but at a price of $300 USD, this unit would have blown the project budget. The gold standard in programmable wave makers is the EcoTech Vortex MP10. In order to provide flexibility in flow (both in rate and variable patterns), I wanted to get a wavemaker of some sort. When setting up our EVO 13.5, I kept a mindful eye on a budget, but still wanted to go ahead and get all components in place to raise future coral additions.

Wavemaker aquarium