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Reef Octopus Octo Pulse Pumps Product Spotlight

In a reef aquarium water movement is crucial, and there are many different circulation pumps to choose from. The Reef Octopus Octo Pulse Pumps are quickly becoming one of our favorite circulation pumps. Here is a quick list of what makes these pumps special.

Insane Water Movement
It seems that there is no standard measurement for water flow in tanks. Manufacturers rate their pump flow rates in gallons per hour, but 1,000 GPH for one brand is not the same as 1,000 GPH for another. The small OCTO Pulse 2 is only rated at 1,600 GPH, but it puts to shame competitor pumps rated at 2,500 GPH. The amount of water flow is truly impressive, and we recommend that you only use these pumps on a tank at least three feet long.

The larger OCTO Pulse 4 is rated at 4,500 GPH, but it will likely need to be dialed down in most 6-foot-long tanks. It is an absolute monster when it comes to water movement. With this in mind, a pair of TWO OCTO Pulse 2 Pumps is sufficient for mixed reef aquariums four feet long, and TWO OCTO Pulse 4 Pumps is sufficient for a mixed reef aquarium eight feet long. This makes the pumps an excellent value.

The most common complaint about these pumps is that they are too powerful, so do not underestimate them. If you are between the two sizes, it is better to go with the smaller OCTO Pulse 2.

Low Profile (With directional adjustment)
We all want water movement, but we don’t want to look at water pumps. There are many different designs that try to keep a pump low profile, but the OCTO Pulse is unique in that it has a very small, low-profile internal motor. Although not quite as low profile as the external motor of pumps such as the Ecotech Vortech, unlike external motor pumps the pump output can still be aimed and directed at different positions in the aquarium. We are glad to sacrifice a bit of space for the ability to aim the pump and for a simpler overall design.

Reliable and Easy to Clean
There are many water movement pumps that work well for a couple of weeks but as soon as they get any biofilm and algae build up on them the performance suffers greatly. Other pumps have parts that seem to dissolve like hard candy. We hate pumps that require constant cleaning and replacement parts. The Pulse Pumps are easy to pop out of the tank and soak in Citric Acid for cleaning. After years of using OCTO Pulse pumps we have not needed to replace any parts. We wouldn’t say you should never clean these pumps, but we only need to clean them one to two times a year.

Multiple Control Options
The OCTO Pulse pumps can be purchased with two different controllers. The Hydros controller is a fully featured WiFi and Bluetooth control option that allows multiple flow patterns each day, different flow patterns for each day of the week, manual feed modes and storm modes, and full integration with other Hydros devices. It is an excellent controller for the reef geek. The OCTO controller is simpler with four modes and the ability to control the pump without an app. There is also a compatible app with basic 4-mode functionality and a port for connecting the pump to a Neptune Apex Controller. This gives plenty of options for controlling the Pulse pumps. Another benefit of the Pulse Pumps is if you purchase the pump with a controller, you can add a second pump without the need to purchase a second controller and power supply. This limits the amount of outlets you need and keeps down the overall cost of having one pump on each side of the tank.

Battery Back-Up Options
Without power, everything in our aquariums will die in a matter of hours. This makes power outages a very real threat to our aquariums, and power outages never seem to happen when you are home in front of your tank. Power outages seem to only happen when you are out of town, at work, or fast asleep. This is what makes a circulation pump battery backup option so crucial. The Octo Pulse pumps are compatible with the Ice Cap Battery Backup when using the WaveEngine LE Controller and the CoralVue Hydros IceCap Battery Backup V3 Cable Kit.

Once the pumps are connected to the Battery Backup, the pumps will immediately switch to running off battery power when there is a power outage. During the outage, the pumps will keep the dissolved oxygen levels up so your fish don’t suffocate. After power is restored, the pumps switch back to using grid power and the battery automatically starts recharging. The controller can also send you phone notifications that the controller has lost connection to the internet, letting you know that the power has gone out. This is an excellent system that keeps your tank alive and gives you time to react to decide if the outage is only going to be a few hours or if you need to get a generator ready for an outage that will last several days. The Ice Cap Battery Backup can run a single small pump for up to 10 hours

Available extra strong magnets
The included magnets with the OCTO Pulse Pumps can work only on glass up to 5/8" thick but there is an optional Strong Outer Magnet Mount for tanks with glass up to 3/4" thick. This makes the OCTO Pulse pumps great for all but the very largest aquariums. The magnets are also sealed so they can be used to attach the pumps to an AIO filter wall or overflow box.

  • Please contact us with any questions you have.

  • [email protected]

    We answer all emails through 3 PM the same day (m-f).

  • (480) 491-5283

    Monday-Friday 9:00 am to 11:00 am & 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm MT. We will return all phone calls through 3 PM the same day.

    Note: we do not have daylight savings time in Arizona

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