Makers print a tank size range on every wave maker, and that range is the first thing to match. Take a 4 ft tank: it is about 122 cm long, so a pump listed for up to 120 cm is already a little short. After the size, pick fixed flow or app control, then check the guard and the mount so the pump is safe for your fish and fits your glass.
What a wave maker does
A wave maker is a pump that moves water around the tank instead of filtering it. It keeps water circulating past rocks, corals and plants so there are fewer still spots. Wave makers are mostly used in marine and reef tanks. In a freshwater tank one is optional.
Which wave maker for a 2, 3, 4 or 5 feet tank
One foot is about 30 cm. These are the tank sizes the makers list for six of the pumps below.
| Tank length | What the makers list |
|---|---|
| Under 2 ft (under 60 cm) | Jecod DMP 10: suggested for tanks under 60 cm |
| 1 to 2.6 ft (30 to 80 cm) | Jecod DMP 20: 30 to 80 cm |
| 1.5 to 4 ft (45 to 120 cm) | Red Sea ReefWave 25: 45 to 120 cm |
| 2 to 3.6 ft (60 to 110 cm) | Jecod DMP 30: 60 to 110 cm |
| 2 to 6.5 ft (60 to 200 cm) | Red Sea ReefWave 45: 60 to 200 cm |
| 3.3 to 5 ft (100 to 150 cm) | Jecod DMP 40: 100 to 150 cm |
For a 2 ft tank, the Jecod DMP 20, ReefWave 25, DMP 30 and ReefWave 45 all list it. The DMP 10 is for tanks under 60 cm. A 3 ft tank (about 91 cm) fits the ReefWave 25, DMP 30 and ReefWave 45.
At 4 ft the list shrinks. The ReefWave 45 covers it, and so does the DMP 40. The ReefWave 25 stops at 120 cm, just short of a 4 ft tank. At 5 ft (about 152 cm) the ReefWave 45 still fits, and the DMP 40 stops at 150 cm, just under. The ranges overlap, so a tank near an edge can suit more than one pump.
Some pumps are listed by tank volume or by flow instead of length. Tunze Turbelle Nano Stream 6045 and 6055 are both listed for aquariums from 40 to 500 litres, and the Sicce Voyager 3000 for roughly 57 to 340 litres. For small tanks, the Sicce Voyager Nano 1000 is described on its page as a nano and small-tank pump for roughly 20 to 100 litres.
On a long tank, the Sicce Voyager notes on our product page suggest two pumps at opposite ends, pointed slightly towards each other, instead of one pump at full power. One jet only moves part of the water. Two pumps mix the whole tank.
Read the flow number carefully
The litres per hour on the box is the maximum. That is with nothing attached. Fit a guard and the flow drops. Hydor lists the Koralia G3 5000 at 5,000 l/h with no attachment, 3,500 l/h with the small fish guard, 4,000 l/h with the medium fish guard and 3,700 l/h with the flow diffuser. The Koralia G3 7000 is listed at 7,000, 4,900, 5,800 and 5,300 l/h for the same four set-ups. Guards cost flow, so compare pumps on the number you will run. Watts matter too. Hydor says the Koralia G3 uses about 1 watt for every 1,450 l/h of flow, and the Sicce XStream Compact range runs from 3,500 l/h at 4 W to 8,000 l/h at 12 W.
Fixed flow or controllable
- The Hydor Koralia G3 5000 and 7000 and the Sicce XStream Compact 6500 and 8000 run at one fixed speed. You aim them and plug them in.
- The Tunze Turbelle Nano Stream 6055 gives 1,000 to about 5,500 l/h at 4 to 18 W with its controller.
- The Red Sea ReefWave connects to the ReefBeat app. Our product page describes the Jecod DMP as the newer series, with the motor outside the aquarium and app control over WiFi and Bluetooth, on a 24 V DC external power supply.
Control is for changing the pattern, slowing the flow at night, or running more than one pump together.
Mounting and glass thickness
Check the glass thickness before you order. Hydor lists the Koralia G3 for glass up to 15 mm. Sicce lists the XStream Compact and the Voyager HP series for up to 20 mm, the Voyager 3000 for up to 15 mm and the Voyager Nano for 10 to 12 mm. The Jecod DMP 30 page lists 6 to 19 mm. It has a minimum as well as a maximum. Magnets are strong. Handle them with care, and switch off every appliance in the water before you put your hands in the tank.
Placement and aiming
Setup notes for the pump once you have chosen it, mostly from the makers:
- Red Sea says to mount the ReefWave horizontally and at least 5 cm (2 in) below the water line, so it is less likely to pull air into the pump.
- Put the pump where you can reach it, because you will re-aim it and take it out for cleaning.
- Aim it across the open water. The Voyager notes on our page say to keep the jet off the rockwork and the sand.
- Sicce says to put an XStream under the water held vertically so trapped air escapes from the rotor, otherwise it rattles on start-up, and to keep it clear of sand and gravel so it does not draw in grit.
- Tunze says to clear algae from the inside of the pane and keep the outside dry and clean before you fit the magnets.
- Fit the guard or grating that comes with the pump. An open intake can draw in small fish and shrimp. Hydor, Red Sea and Tunze supply guards or gratings with their pumps.
Cleaning and care
A wave maker runs in the water all day. Plan on cleaning it. The Voyager notes on our page say to pull the impeller and rinse it in fresh water every few months. Red Sea asks you to take the ReefWave apart and rebuild it once before its first installation, so the parts are familiar when you strip it for cleaning. The rubber parts are colour coded. They must go back on the correct side. Check the manual for your model for its own interval.
Very high flow pumps
For large systems, the Sicce Voyager HP-8 is listed at 12,000 l/h and 18 W, and the HP-10 at 15,000 l/h and 25 W, both for 230 to 240 V mains. Our pages give flow and no tank size for these two, so check with Sicce or with us before you choose one for a particular tank.
Common questions
Do I need a controller? No. Fixed flow gives steady circulation. A controller or app only helps if you want to vary the flow.
Can a wave maker hurt fish or shrimp? An open intake can draw in small fish and shrimp, so fit the guard that suits the smallest animal in your tank. The Koralia G3 comes with small and medium fish guards, and the ReefWave comes with snail guards for the impeller cages.
Where can I see every model? The full range is on the wave makers page, and our marine aquarium accessories roundup shows where a wave maker fits with the rest of a reef setup.
