Koralia 'copies'

scottward

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Oct 26, 2007
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Hi,

Just wondering if anybody has used the inexpensive Koralia 'copies'? They are way cheaper than the genunine Koralias. I'm sure they won't last as long, but, whilst they are working, do they at least perform just as well in terms of the low pressure + high volume water movement that Tom recommends?

Ideally I would like to pulse the water movement, but it seems to cost a fortune for a controllable pump.

The Tunze Stream pumps also look good - is there a good cheap version of these?

Scott.
 

shoggoth43

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How much water are you looking to move?

I have no idea on the SEIO pumps. I've considered them, but I've had poor experience with the RIO pumps so I'm a little leery of the other products made by TAAM. That may not be fair to the SEIO line, but it's kept me away from it. Maybe other people can give you some reviews on those.

You could also try a maxijet and one of their maxijet 1600 mods. The mod just pulls the usual powerhead impeller and nozzle off and replaces it with a cage and propeller assembly. It will probably be larger than the Koralia but should be cheaper, and you have the option of using it as a water pump for other projects if it doesn't work out for you. Dr. Foster Smith has the maxijet 1200 for 24$ and the propeller upgrade is 12$. So that's 36$ Supposedly this also works with the Maxijet 400 so that drops it down to 16+12$ but none of the maxijets come with the magnet mounts that the SEIO and Koralias do. Unfortunately there's no real indication of flow you could expect from these. I believe the Maxi1200/1600 combo was supposed to give 1600 LPH( ~400GPH ) but that's probably faulty memory on my part. Even the smaller SEIO comes close to that so it may not really be a decent option for you.

Alternately the new Koralias Evolution models are out and they're running 47$ for the "small" one which replaced the Koralia 2 model. The Koralia Nano models are running 35-40$. So at least on the low end with this the Koralias aren't much more than the maxijets and are probably smaller and more efficient being purpose built for this, but again, I have no idea how much water you want to move around. The SEIOs are cheapest overall and may be a very good unit, I just have no experience with them. I have been rather happy with the Koralia nano and Koralia 1 model that I have.

-
S
 

Tom Barr

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SEIO are okay, I like them better than the K.
I prefer the Vortech but they are 10X more costly.
The Surflo kit for the Maxi jets are nice as well.


Regards,
Tom Barr
 

scottward

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Oct 26, 2007
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Hi guys. Thanks for the help with this.

I *love* those Vortechs too Tom, I would love to have one of them, but no way could I afford one.

I would be able to spring for a genuine Koralia, or even one of the Tunze (nano) Stream type devices.

My tank is 400 litres and I currently have a single 'cheapie' powerhead pushing water around. It's not too bad, but it blocks up easily requiring regular cleaning, and it is a high pressure + low volume device.

I can totally understand the concept of moving larger quanties of water at much lower velocities, hence my decision to look for a propellor type device.

I thought I might save myself some cash and try one of the cheapies out first.

There is a JVP101B made by 'SunSun' and also a JVP300 made by 'Pro Aqua'. I'm not sure if they are actually the same thing, just badged differently?

If there is anybody that has one of these cheapies and can let me know how they perform that would be great!

Scott.

P.S. Would I be right in thinking that I should aim to get one that's a bit overpowered whereby I can diffuse the flow a bit if it's too strong?
 

shoggoth43

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Somewhat overpowered is better. You should aim for at LEAST 10x circulation although I know 15-20x seems to be more common around here to make sure the CO2 gets where it's supposed to. We really do tend to baby our fish when it comes to flow rates so I wouldn't be too worried unless you have no calm places for the fish to rest. Well that or if you see fish stuck to the glass or little fishy imprints in the wood or substrate... :)

-
S
 

Gerryd

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Scott,

PM me. I have quite a few Koralia models not in use. Would be happy if someone takes them off my hands.

I have a IV, a nano, and 2 model II, I think.

Cost would be minimal as they are used......work fine though
 

scottward

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Oct 26, 2007
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You should aim for at LEAST 10x circulation although I know 15-20x seems to be more common around here to make sure the CO2 gets where it's supposed to.

Hi shoggoth. Cool, thanks for the advice mate, I appreciate it. Wow - is that really true about the 10x thing? So, does that mean for my 400 litre tank, a 4000lph circulation pump would be what I would need? For the 15 - 20x bit part, are you sure that this isn't in the marine world? Plants would be uprooted at those rates for certain!

So I'm now thinking I'd be better to go for the 5000lph, and diffuse it a bit, rather than the 3000lph? I'd rather just buy a single propellor pump, but if buying 2 would be even better, let me know.

PM me. I have quite a few Koralia models not in use. Would be happy if someone takes them off my hands

Thanks for the offer Gerryd. I am in Australia though, so different power supply/plug etc. Better to send 'em north to barbarossa4122 than down under! ;-)

Scott.
 
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barbarossa4122

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scottward;47444 said:
Thanks for the offer Gerryd. I am in Australia though, so different power supply/plug etc. Better to send 'em north to barbarossa4122 than down under! ;-)

Scott.

Thanks Scott.
 

shoggoth43

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Buying two is not necessarily a bad thing and for longer tanks might be a good option. The prop pumps throw a lot of water but do it with a wider stream much like what I was going on about in the thread C. Smith linked to. The newer Koralias appear to be even better from a power to water moved ratio and you can use eductors on regular pumps for some gains, but they really shine on the pressure rated pumps from what I'm told. That's not going to be the most efficient use of your electricity though so you should probably stick with the prop pumps. Based on other threads it seems 5-6 feet is around where you might seriously consider two pumps as a minimum unless you have a more open scape.

Tom likes the Vortec pumps, and while I look at them and think it would be awesome to have a couple, I have a hard time justifying 300$ for one MP20 right now. However, they do seem to have the broadest flow and really seem to move the water more so than the other units out there but also seem to use more wattage when they do. I've haven't seen the specs on a 3200gph Koralia vs. the Vortec so that might not be a fair statement and any of them will move far more water with much less wattage than a powerhead. Unfortunately, I haven't seen any side by side comparison of equivalent flow rates to see just how well it stacks up. I'd like to see an overhead view of two tanks with the big competitors in there with the pumps in the same locations and some sort of suspended matter in the water to see the flow. It may very well be that the smaller footprint/design of the Vortec makes them that much better. Or it might just be that you dropped 200$ minimum on the Vortech and therefore it's just "much better" in the tank than that other pump you replaced it with no matter what. :)

In all seriousness though, the extra modes are really what sets those units apart from the straight prop pumps. For most of us though I suspect a couple cheap prop pumps will do far more for our tanks than what's currently in there until you have the cash saved up to decide on whether the more expensive units are worth it to you.

-
S

scottward;47444 said:
Hi shoggoth. Cool, thanks for the advice mate, I appreciate it. Wow - is that really true about the 10x thing? So, does that mean for my 400 litre tank, a 4000lph circulation pump would be what I would need? For the 15 - 20x bit part, are you sure that this isn't in the marine world? Plants would be uprooted at those rates for certain!

So I'm now thinking I'd be better to go for the 5000lph, and diffuse it a bit, rather than the 3000lph? I'd rather just buy a single propellor pump, but if buying 2 would be even better, let me know.



Thanks for the offer Gerryd. I am in Australia though, so different power supply/plug etc. Better to send 'em north to barbarossa4122 than down under! ;-)

Scott.
 

scottward

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Oct 26, 2007
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Cool, thanks guys for the info and also for the link to the other thread about circulation, it all makes perfect sense.

I think I will go ahead with purchasing some Koralia 'knock off' cheapies, just to experiment with, and learn. Down the track I may spend more on the better quality gear.

There is a place here where I can buy the Koralia clones, but they don't have the later model in stock yet. The later model is superior isn't it? I believe the later model has a better shaft, longer powercord?

Not sure if anyone will be able to answer the above, as I don't think anybody here has mentioned having a Koralia knock off. ;-)

Scott.
 

Biollante

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Awaiting Your Report!

scottward;47599 said:
There is a place here where I can buy the Koralia clones, but they don't have the later model in stock yet. The later model is superior isn't it? I believe the later model has a better shaft, longer powercord?

Not sure if anyone will be able to answer the above, as I don't think anybody here has mentioned having a Koralia knock off. ;-)
Scott.

Hi Scott,

We are all waiting for you to report. :D

Every now and then a knock-off is as good or better than the original. :)

Good luck,
Biollante
 

shoggoth43

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Not sure about any direct Koralia knockoffs....

I snagged the SEIO 320 last night to replace an airpump/airstone combo as I actually wanted to understand dialog from the TV without using stupid volume levels.

Much better fit/finish than the equivalent RIO pumps. The cord is impressive. However, the cord is only 6 feet which is a touch on the short side. It's also stiff, which is an issue since the magnet mount is a barely adequate. The koralia magnets are much stronger. This may be a problem over time, or the cord may loosen up.

It's a little buzzy but FAR quieter than the airpump and I don't have a high noise tolerance. The water flow is decent but due to the cord length positioning is going to be a problem overall. Shorter tanks may not be as big of a problem with this.

Not sure on the durability but given there's no open seams and the prop/volute actually fits unlike the RIO pumps I've gotten in the past I'm at least hopeful.

-
S


Biollante;47643 said:
Hi Scott,

We are all waiting for you to report. :D

Every now and then a knock-off is as good or better than the original. :)

Good luck,
Biollante
 

Biollante

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Pressure Rated Pumps

barbarossa4122;47477 said:
I looked at Vortec and like you, can not justify spending that kind on money but, I like them a lot.

Hi,

Honestly I think most folks are better off investing in somewhat over sized pressure rated pumps than than auxiliary pumps in the tank. :gw

The price of a couple of Vortec would go a long way to snagging a pump with plenty of head for all kinds of additional equipment and even sneak an eductor or two in the mix. :cool:

Biollante
 

shoggoth43

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The downside to that approach is the electrical consumption. Over time this may even out when you take into account the cost of a decent pressure pump and its reliability ( hopefully ) vs. the cost of replacement of the occasional prop pump ( not sure on longevity for either so it may be a moot point but presumably they won't last as long as the other pump ). Aesthetically there's probably an easy way to hide any of them.

In the interest of at least attempting to stay vaguely on topic, does anyone have any real idea on the tendencies of different pumps for noise? I know the TEFC types are typically quiet if not dead silent, but I don't need that kind of flow. The prop pumps aren't overly loud, but getting right up on the tank I hear them buzzing away which as I drop the noise sources over time will start to bug me. Of course I hear the eheim cannisters so chances are my expectations might be far too unreasonable. I know from messing with fans on PCs that you can tune out a noise, as long as it doesn't draw attention to itself by changing. I've heard that people do notice the Vortecs as they change speeds, which may be a real problem for me since without the variability of them I'm not sure it really gets me anything on that side. OTOH, they run on
 

scottward

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Oct 26, 2007
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Hi. I ordered a JVP-102 pump. It is made by JT-Industries and is the 5000lph model.

I received it in the mail yesterday and hooked it up last night.

Seems to work fine. It's very quiet.

Heaps of water movement!! I am trying to figure out the best way to position it so that I can get excellent water movement without flattening any plants. Tonight I will play around with it's positioning a bit more.

Scott.
 

barbarossa4122

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HI,

I got the Koralia today Gerry. Thanks a lot. Btw, for people that don't know, Gerry sent me a Koralia #2 for free. Didn't even charge me for shipping:)