good powerheads to use with wave master

[astroboy]

For the last three years I've used four Hydor Koralia Evo powerheads in my 90 gallon. They're hooked up to a Red Sea Wavemaster  to randomize the circulation. The problem is that eventually the front housing (chamber) of the powerheads lost parts of the front grid. Also, there's a small plastic peg of sorts on the inside of the front grid that the pump blades impact on which causes them to rotate in the correct direction. As near as I can figure out is that when powerhead starts up the blades/axle are as likely to turn in the correct direction (outward flow) as in the incorrect direction (sucking water into the powerhead and ejecting it from the sides). As I understand it, the peg forces it into the correct direction. Unfortunately, the pegs break off in about 18 months. Having the front chamber losing parts of the grid also encourages reverse flow. I'd  been able to kludge together a fix using bits of cork instead of the peg, etc., which worked to an extent  but now I think the impeller magnet has been demagnetized in such a way that it's stuck in reverse flow for two of the four powerheads and I expect the others will follow. 

 

I think the powerheads would be fine if they just were turned on once and ran continuously but they just aren't designed for an off/on random flow generator. 

 

Does anyone have any advice on powerheads that work well with a Wavemaster? Would the 3rd generation Koralias be an improvement? (I was thinking about putting some airline tubing around the peg, that would absorb some of the shock when the blades start turning, and perhaps that would prevent damage to the peg and chamber grid). Should I get rid of the Wavemaster and use a different system?

 

Thanks,

 

Mark 

[jason the filter freak]

Time to ditch the wave master and go somewhere between Jebao to Vortechs

[Saltcreeper]

I got a hydros im probably going to unload if you want to up your flow game, can run 4 powerheads or gyres or any combo thereof. If not I'd consider 2 gyres for replacing the powerheads