Circulation pumps?

[apinkmanatee]

Hi...I'm new to this so forgive my ignorance...but what is the difference between a wavemaker, a circulation pump, and a water pump? And how do you know which kind to get?? And how many you need? Thanks

Oh also...just curious...what kind of fish is this? (The purple and orange striped one in one of the slideshow pictures) Fish Supplies: Fish Tank & Fish Care | DrsFosterSmith.com

 

[Mpfaff77]

Any submersible pump you get will be a water pump. Wave makers can get expensive since they involve multiple pumps and a controller that is timed to control the said pumps in a pattern to mimic wave action. I have a wave maker power strip that was pretty cheap and has 3 timed outlets that you can plug any water pump into and set them to alternate anywhere from 20 sec to 3 min I think.

Circulation pumps I'm not sure if there is such a thing. It may be just describing what pumps in main tank are doing. Not sure about that. But you do want good circulating water to avoid dead spots in any aquarium and especially a reef tank.

 

[Mpfaff77]

This is the label on my wave maker power strip

 

[apinkmanatee]

Thanks for the help mpfaff77!

 

[Rutrag]

A circulation pump is kind of like a fan for the water. (The impeller looks like the propeller for a boat instead of being kind of flat.) They typically have a pretty open structure with openings on the side and the end. This is as opposed to a powerhead which has a defined intake and separate output. Typical brands of circulation pumps include Tunze, Korallia, Aqueon, Vortech and Maxi Jet Pro. I use Maxi Jet Pros because of their relatively low cost compared to the other brands. They are also covertable from powerheads to circulation pumps. (The same pump is rated at 160 gph as a powerhead but jumps to 750 gph as a circulation pump. It's a differnt impeller and cover, but same motor.) Korallia, Tunze, and Vortech brand can be turned into wavemaker pumps with the use of a controller that times the pumps with each other for different effects. Most other pumps knock at startup shortening their lifespan because of repeated started and stopping which they're not really designed for. I think the Vortechs (and probably some other brands as well) can be run at various speeds for different effects as well.

 

[Rutrag]

As far as the purple and ornage striped fish in the slideshow, if it's the one on the can of cichlid fish flakes, it's a male African peacock cichlid of some sort (freshwater). I used to be into African cichlids, but there are folks on this board who are far better versed than I.

 

[Mpfaff77]

Most other pumps knock at startup shortening their lifespan because of repeated started and stopping which they're not really designed for.

I have korailias and they do knock each time they start. I put little piece of tubing in shaft and it lessened the sound a little. I have the pumps plugged into a wave maker power strip with timed outlets. Can I prevent the knocking? New impeller?

 

[apinkmanatee]

Wow rutrag thank you for the clarification...very helpful!