scdw

I'mRisenAquaRat · #1 06/22/2007, 08:33 AM

Does anyone use these? Does it work well?

http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/group/11661/product.web

checkinhawk · #2 06/22/2007, 12:19 PM

i have one on my clam tank.it works great but you lose about 20-30% of the pumps flow.

I'mRisenAquaRat · #3 06/22/2007, 12:33 PM

Wow. That much huh.

Does it make your pump louder?

ReefArtist · #4 06/22/2007, 02:59 PM

I had one and really hated it. Every time it changed the flow I could hear it and it would rattle a bit. It cut my flow way down to the point / combined with making noises - I just took it off. Everyone that has been to my house for DIY builds has made a comment about my hanging closed loop in my garage (that's where it's located now).

Lots of people love them so this has only been my experience as they do sell a lot so someone like it.

I'mRisenAquaRat · #5 06/22/2007, 03:35 PM

I was going to buy one this morning. Thanks for the input everyone. ReefArtist put the nail in the coffin. Anything that makes additional noise is out.

checkinhawk · #6 06/22/2007, 03:37 PM

mine doesnt make a sound.

jokeefe727@aol.com · #7 06/22/2007, 07:23 PM

Love it.

I'mRisenAquaRat · #8 06/22/2007, 07:35 PM

hmmmmmm

ReefArtist · #9 06/22/2007, 07:41 PM

I'mRisenAquaRat - that's the problem with these things. Some love them some hate them. I went through the same before I got mine. I'd read about the problems there were having in the manufacturing process etc. Not sure if they got it fixed but they were having problems. If you purchase online, put it in and don't like it you can send it back. This is what I ended up doing - it did cost me shipment but that was it. I'm just very picky about the noises my tank makes - I could hear it and didn't like it, but it is also in my living room which makes a very big difference.

I'mRisenAquaRat · #10 06/22/2007, 09:09 PM

Yep, mine is in the living (family) room too. I don't know - living -family?

Basically - the room we are always in. I think thats the family room.

budhorse775 · #11 06/22/2007, 09:13 PM

hopefully it works better than those Hydor Flos

kingnai · #12 06/22/2007, 11:25 PM

I have a brand new one for sale... Used for 1 month

$20 its yours

ReefArtist · #13 06/23/2007, 05:39 AM

I'mRisenAquaRat - that's to funny, living room vs. family room. When I was growing up the living room (Front Room) was the room the kids weren't allowed in (The Non-Living Room). The family room was where everyone was allowed - do we still call these rooms by these names?

As you can see - people either hate them or love them, I think it's the luck of the draw.

I'mRisenAquaRat · #14 06/23/2007, 05:54 AM

ReefArt - Ha. Let me add, as a kid ours (we only had one room) was called a parlor. But we were the only strange family that called it that.

king - does it work fine? and quite?

alizarin · #15 06/23/2007, 12:52 PM

I'm on my 2nd one and neither one has made any sound unless you put your ear on it.

The advantages of a SCWD:
* It's a wavemaker that doesn't rely on bulky powerheads
* It costs $35 instead of 150-350$ for an electric valve (right?).

The disadvantages are:
* They reduce flow 10-40% (10% when you're pushing 400gph or more thourhg them/as much as 40% when you're only pushing 150gph through them). I don't think that's a big deal - bigger pump is cheaper than an electric valve in my setup.
*They tend to get jammed if you don't prefilter the water after several months. Some people have luck with soaking them in vineager like a calcium encrusted impeller but that didn't work for me. Filtering seems to work fine (like a filter sock or a canister filter to power it) but I don't like how that filters out desireable things from the water.

If anyone has a better alternative I'd love to hear it but I'm putting a coarse sponge on mine for a prefilter and if that fails I'm going to do the mod to it so I can fix jams latter if that happens: http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...5&pagenumber=3