Cheap and quiet power head recommednations.

[Slipstream06]

I'm looking for recommendations on cheap power heads, I have a 144 gallon semicircle tank and want to keeps lps and sps once it's setup.

[A1t2o]

Look into the Tunze and Jabeo power heads. Jebao can have a bad name but I have found them to be pretty good. I am using a wavemaker PH, can't remember the model, and it is really nice. I run it on random mode and it doesn't make standing waves.

[vypre]

Jebao are good for the money. 2 wp25s or 2 rw15s should be enough. I have a pair of wp25s and a pair of rw4s and they're great no issues so far.

[Dkuhlmann]

These are cheap and amazing here is a thread I started on it yesterday. They have much more powerful than the 800's I got and I'm sure they will have them powerful enough for your tank and you absolutely can't beat the prices. And the quality is there which surprised me very much. I'm glad I took the chance on buying them. Oh and these are not over rated, I'd say they are exactly what they say as far as GPH at least on the 800's they are.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2541270

[Dkuhlmann]

These are from the same seller and manufacturer from 800-3200 gph

http://www.ebay.com/itm/800-1300-1600-3200-GPH-Circulation-Pump-Wave-Maker-Aquarium-Reef-Powerhead/281092421766?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131003132420%26meid%3D7dbbad79dde84cf8853 90aaaf4496a31%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D251070391913

http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/NxcAAOSwl8NVXTL8/s-l1600.jpg

[JamesHolt]

These are from the same seller and manufacturer from 800-3200 gph

http://www.ebay.com/itm/800-1300-1600-3200-GPH-Circulation-Pump-Wave-Maker-Aquarium-Reef-Powerhead/281092421766?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131003132420%26meid%3D7dbbad79dde84cf8853 90aaaf4496a31%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D251070391913

http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/NxcAAOSwl8NVXTL8/s-l1600.jpg

I have the 800 and the 1300, the 800 lasted a week before it started running backwards (using a wavemaker), it now resides in my Oscar tank... No wavemaker just on always, have to plug/unplug to get it started correctly after WC's.. Will be switching it out with a RW payday

The 1300 is in my mixing Brute Trashcan, it starts correctly 75% of the time...

Save your money,, get a Jebao or Hydor at a minimum..

[Slipstream06]

Thanks for the input. Think I'm going to look into the jebao power heads.

[reef_aholic]

I have a Jebao Rw 15 and a WP 25, no issues on either of them. Good luck.

[Slipstream06]

Wow the jebao actually look impressive for the price point. Wireless sync feed modes. These look pretty impress compared to my previous seio powerheads.

[JamesHolt]

If you are planning on running two together, look at getting the jbwave controller (amazon)..
It has alot more features.. I havent been able to get mine to stay synced for more than a hour, with the jebao controllers...

[seamonster124]

Jebao is the best beware thought they pack a punch

[CStrickland]

I have the 800 and the 1300, the 800 lasted a week before it started running backwards (using a wavemaker), it now resides in my Oscar tank... No wavemaker just on always, have to plug/unplug to get it started correctly after WC's.. Will be switching it out with a RW payday..

The running backwards thing is a design bug in some powerheads. It's something about the motor not dictating which way the impeller spins, so there is stop built in to keep it from happening. Basically the fan starts spinning the wrong way and bumps into a stopper so it switches back.
I had an issue on one of my sunsun 524's and when I took it apart one of my long hairs had got spun around the impeller and gunked up with crud. I guess it was keeping the fan from sliding forward far enough to engage the stopper. There was a bad batch of jebaos (I think) around for a while where a piece was slipping and causing the same prob. With wavemakers it's especially frustrating cause they on/off so frequently. I didn't have any trouble with mine after I cleaned it

[tennesseebob]

I also agree with jebao, quality can be hit or miss, but of my 5 that I've owned only one died.

[Slipstream06]

Anybody have exp with wave maker boxes? Not sure how those thing work.

[kmbyrnes]

Never heard of these before.
Have they been around long?
What kind of track record do they have?
I'd like to hear your opinions 6 months down the road.
Are going to call them awesome compared to the 'overpriced Jebaos'? :lol:

[ScienceRulez]

I bought two of the 1600 GPH from CLI pet supplies on ebay and for the last month they have been running without any problems. I got them to take over for the Tunzes that kept reversing at work. The Tunzes are waiting for new impellers and will be put back into service once they arrive. The only major complaint I have with the cheaper offerings is that the suction cup lever breaks very easily, I don't know about the magnet holders because the glass on the tank is too thick for them.

I'm very happy with the CLI offerings though and they are great people to deal with.

[Dkuhlmann]

Kmbyrnes well I must say that the Jebaos are 5-7x the price of the SunSun's so... Yeah compared to the overpriced Jeabo's they're awesome! I can tell you that they work well and I decided to only run one 800 in my 40b along with my return, as running two of the 800's was too much for my tank. I've got mostly Euphyllia, Duncans and softies with only one SPS currently but will be getting a few more SPS and Euphyllia today. :dance:

I mean come on $7 and change with free shipping they were worth a shot and they scored in my book

[CStrickland]

Anybody have exp with wave maker boxes? Not sure how those thing work.

They are a very cool idea!
In practice it's usually cheaper and easier to put some powerheads on a controller that can vary between blast-mode and chill-mode.

Never heard of these before.
Have they been around long?
What kind of track record do they have?

Yeah. I talked to a couple old timers who've been running them for years and years before I set my tank up with them. I think you just don't hear about them as much cause it's less exciting than a shiny spendy new tunze. Well, I think cheap ph's are exciting but that's just me :)

[kmbyrnes]

dkuhlmann, I agree with you. At that price, if they work and last 6 months - replace 'em.
I have been a fan of Jebao stuff since my first RW-8's in January.
Now I still have my original RW-8's, an RW-15, 2 RW-20's and 3 DCT12000's.
All have worked perfectly since day one.
But ... if the Jebaos are now overpriced, what are Tunze's and EcoSmarts?

Cstrickland, that's good info to know. May pick up a few to fill in the some dead spots once I see how the 350 settles in.
Hope they aren't cheap, just inexpensive.

[MaccaPopEye]

I started my tank with 2 cheap sunsun power heads. If you look at them for what they are and no more then they are not too bad. They are old outdated tech (AC) made from cheap plastic that goes very brittle in salt water (for me and quite a few others the arms holding them to the suction cups or magnets snap within 6 months but can be fixed with some epoxy). They also have AC pumps, which I beleive is why they can start backwards, DC pumps dont have the issue of starting backwards (as far as I know).

Having said that while they arent bad I wouldnt rely on them in my DT for long. They were great while I got everything set up and now I have them cleaned and ready to go in as backups but I wouldnt have wanted them longer than 6 months.

I couldnt be happier with my Jebao RW-8s. They move a massive amount of water, they are tiny, havent had any issues with the controllers not connecting, they feel very solid and quite well made. Certainly not the quality of ecotech and tunze but I would never be able to justify the price of them when Jebao have made such good power heads.