Is the Newave 1.6 Circulation Pump a rebranded SOBO WP-50M?

[Adam78]

Been doing a bit of research today as I'd like to add some extra flow to my planted 100L (L36"xW12"xH15") tank.

I've never bought a circulation pump before & I was leaning towards the Aquarium Systems Newave 1.6 off ebay for about £23 as I've read some good reviews but then I stumbled across something called the SOBO WP-50M.

Here's pics to show what I mean.

Aquarium Systems Newave 1.6



SOBO WP-50M.


SOBO WP-50M.




It's made in china and is only about £6 on ebay but it looks exactly the same.

Does anyone have any experience with this SOBO version?

 

[ian_m]

I have had experience of Ebay, China and cheap (£18 in my case for 3000l/hr). These three words together say it all.

First one lasted not very long (couple of months) before it started spinning backwards !!!. Free replacement was dispatched, took couple of weeks to arrive, CO2 and algae issues started making themselves apparent...but the replacement lasted a while till one day just stopped. So two circulation pumps in just over a year.

Finally did what I should have done in the first place pay £50 for a Koralia Evo (3200l/hr). Uses less power, gives better wider flow and mainly is so so so so so so so much quieter than the cheap ones, that I often get confused that it is actually on. Look at the fixing plate in picture below there is a rubber damper and that makes such a difference.

So I recommend none of the ones you have indicated and recommend you do it right and do it once with a Koralia Nano 1600 at about £40.

 

[Edvet]

Koralia Nano 1600 at about £40.

Agreed!

 

[ian_m]

Just look what the "marine boys" use in their tank when an individual fish can cost £500, always Koralia's.

 

[Adam78]

Thanks for the advice, appreciate it.

The only thing bugging me is that the Koralia 1600 doesn't seem to have the anti vibration rubber damper & quite a few of the reviews for it on Amazon say it's quite noisy.

I was looking for something with flow rate control really, having not owned a wave maker before I don't know how much would be appropriate.

Here's a pic of the low tech tank I want to improve flow in. 100L (L36"xW12"xH15") it only has a Fluval U3 in it at the moment.





What size aquarium do you have the 3200 in Ian, do you think it would be too much for mine?

The Tunze Nanostream 6045 has flow rate control, so that's another option I guess.

 

[ian_m]

I have a Vision 180,180l tank. You can just see the Koralia in top left of the picture. This was tank before major trim, now looks "bald" ready for summer holidays.


The Koralia is pointing across the front as causes all the plants to gently sway. I got a wave maker as there were positions in my tank where the drop check was more blue than green and in these areas algae was starting to form on the plants. Drop checker is green all over the tank now.

 

[Adam78]

Thanks again Ian, I think I'll just take a punt on the SOBO £6 one.

It's so cheap that if it's rubbish I'll just bin it & go for a Koralia or the Tunze 6045.

 

[ian_m]

That's what I did, take a punt, which in the end was a waste of money.