Best Saltwater Aquarium Wavemakers

The fish and corals that we keep in our saltwater aquariums have all evolved in the turbulent world of the ocean around coral reefs.

This means high and variable current flows coming from different and competing directions.

How do we recreate this in the closed world of an aquarium?

The answer is to use wavemakers, powerful underwater pumps that blow water through an internal fan to create the water flow needed.

Top 5 Saltwater Aquarium Wavemakers

#	Preview	Product	Quick Review
1		AI Nero Wireless Wavemakers	Best Overall
2		Maxspect Jump Gyre Wavemakers	Very Good
3		D-D Jeboa MOW WIFI Wavemakers	Powerful and Flexible
4		Hydor Koralia WIFI Controlled Wavemakers	Good For Nano Tanks
5		Fluval Sea Circulation Pumps	Decent for smaller tanks

Why You Should Use A Saltwater Aquarium Wavemaker

The flow created by the return pump in a saltwater tank is rarely sufficient to keep a saltwater aquarium healthy and thriving.

The return pump just circulates the water through the filtration system, usually in the sump, and is not powerful enough to keep sufficient flow going throughout the display tank.

Coral reefs are naturally turbulent environments and the fish and corals that inhabit them have evolved over millennia to take advantage of this.

As we aim to replicate this environment as closely as possible, we need to recreate those high-flow conditions and for that we use wavemakers.

Wavemakers are simply submersible water pumps with a fan designed specifically for producing internal water flow (with the flow dependent on the size and power of the pump).

Another reason to provide good flow throughout a saltwater aquarium is that it will stir up and flush out any debris, including fish and food waste.

Once stirred up, it can be captured by your filter and not be allowed to settle in any dead spots. If waste is allowed to settle it can lead to an increase in harmful nutrients and may lead to algae problems later on.

Finally, a well-positioned wavemaker will increase the surface agitation of the water increasing the aeration in the tank which, in turn, will help stabilise the PH.

What to Look for When Buying a Saltwater Aquarium Wavemaker

Flow – A wavemaker should be able to turn over 20 times the tank’s capacity every hour. For a 300 litre reef tank, you will need a wavemaker with at least a 6000 lph capacity.

For tanks that are 3 feet or more in length, you will need two wavemakers placed at opposite ends of the tank.

Control – Most good wavemakers, nowadays, allow you to not only control the strength of the flow but also the type of flow.

Usually, this means setting it to a constant flow, a gentle varying wave motion or a pulsing flow for shorter but deeper wavelengths.

Bluetooth or wi-fi control allows you to control the wavemaker via an app rather than fiddling with a manual control that may be hidden away in your sump.

Noise Level – There’s nothing more annoying than a noisy wavemaker so it’s always worth paying more for a good quality wavemaker,

Cheap wavemakers are not only usually noisy but they break down far more often.

Saltwater Aquarium Wavemaker Product Reviews

Here are my reviews of the best Saltwater Aquarium Wavemakers:-

1. AI Nero Wireless Wavemakers

The slimline AI Nero Wireless Wavemakers create a powerful wide-stream flow that simulates a high-energy reef environment.

One or more in your saltwater aquarium will stimulate coral growth and eliminate any dead spots where debris can accumulate and algae take hold.

The easy-to-use myAI App controls the wavemaker from your smartphone allowing you to set up your own custom schedule with multiple timings and flow patterns.

Pulse, random and constant flow patterns allow you to simulate any reef environment.

The slimline design means they are very unobtrusive inside the aquarium.

Unfortunately the AI Neros are difficult to get hold of at the moment.

Pros

• Wide stream output
• Silent running
• Bluetooth
• Intuitive app control
• Multiple flow patterns
• Non-obtrusive
• Feed Mode and on/off functions

Cons

• Limited directional control

2. Maxspect Jump Gyre Wavemakers

The Maxspect Jump Gyre Wavemakers have a very powerful linear flow that pushes the whole body of water from one side to the other.

They contain the same Sine Wave technology as the top of the range 300 series which virtually guarantees the elimination of dead spots.

The controller is very simple and intuitive to use.

For small tanks, you can cap one side to reduce the flow. For larger tanks, we recommend using two with one on each side of the tank.

Pros

• Silent
• Sine Wave technology
• Easy to use controller
• Low profile
• Powerful flow

Cons

• No wi-fi

3. D-D Jeboa MOW WIFI Wavemakers

The MOW WIFI Wavemakers are the latest wavemakers from D-D.

The pumps are supplied with a dual interface controller allowing the settings of the pump to be adjusted directly from the control unit or remotely via the Jebao Aqua App if connected via wi-fi.

Flow rate settings are adjustable between 30% and 100% with multiple daily flow rates/patterns programmable in the app.

The pumps can be easily pivoted on the mounting allowing full directional control.

Pros

• Wi-fi
• App control
• Multiple flow patterns
• Good directional control
• Feed Mode and on/off functions

Cons

• Noisy at high flow rates
• Slightly obtrusive inside the tank.

4. Hydor Koralia WIFI Controlled Wavemakers

Hydor Koralia wavemakers can now be controlled via a wi-fi app on your smartphone. User friendly, it is both easy to set up and modify.

6 different movement profiles and up to 48 different set points throughout the 24 hour daily program cycle.

The pumps are reasonably powerful for smaller tanks and quiet when operating.

Pros

• Great for Nano tanks
• Wi-fi
• Quiet
• Powerful magnetic suction cup

Cons

• Low flow rates for larger tanks

5. Fluval Sea Circulation Pumps

The Fluval Sea range of circulation pumps are pretty good for smaller tanks with a decent flow and very low power usage.

However, whilst you can adjust the flow direction, you have no control over the flow strength or type of flow.

Safe to use with a timer system.

Pros

• Ok for Nano tanks
• Low Power usage
• Adjustable flow direction
• Quiet

Cons

• No control
• Too low flow rates for larger tanks

Conclusion

AI Neros were one of the first wavemakers to be controllable via a smartphone app and are excellent wavemakers. They are powerful, unobtrusive and very quiet and are our best overall choice.

The Maxspect Jump Gyre Wavemakers are very good and whilst they lack wi-fi control, their overall power and flow rate are excellent.

The D-D Jeboa MOW WIFI Wavemakers are certainly worth a look. With wi-fi control, multiple flow patterns and good directional control they are excellent wavemakers.

The Hydor Koralia Wavemakers are good but lack the flow needed for larger tanks and we would therefore only recommend them for tanks under 120 litres.

Saltwater Aquarium Wavemaker FAQs

What size wavemaker do I need in a saltwater aquarium? – Wavemakers for reef tanks should be able to turn over 20 times the tank’s capacity every hour.

So for a 250 litre reef tank you will need a wavemaker with at least a 5000 lph capacity.

Where should I place a wavemaker in a saltwater tank? – It’s usually best to get at least two wavemakers rated for your tank size. Place one at each side or on the back at each side so that you can create conflicting and variable currents.

This will replicate the random flows around coral reefs and prevent any dead spots.

Should wavemakers be on at night? – Yes, the sea does not stop flowing at night. That said, fish sleep at night and may benefit from a lower overall flow.

Likewise, many corals retract at night and so again, flow can be lowered. Lower flow means less power usage so by all means lower the flow but don’t turn it off altogether.

Do I need a wavemaker in a fish-only tank? – Yes, as good flow throughout the tank will keep debris on the move and eliminate any dead-spots where algae may develop.

Can you have too much flow in a reef tank? – Yes, if the flow is too strong, corals may retract for protection. If the excessive flow continues, they will stay retracted and be unable to feed.

Do torch corals like a lot of flow? – Torch corals prefer medium to high flow. However, it should not always be from just one direction. Rather they prefer a multi-directional flow which can be achieved by pointing your wavemakers diagonally so the flow bounces off the tank glass and sides.