IceCap just recently announced a new line of skimmers called the K1. Not more than two weeks later IceCap is back in the news with additional product announcements. Spoiler alert, more to come.
The first product announcement is the new IceCap 1K Gyre pump. The pump was built with smaller reef aquariums in mind. Before the 1K, the gyre style pumps were really built with larger reef tanks in mind. Finally reefers with smaller aquariums can enjoy gyre flow patterns with this fully controllable linear flow pump. The pump is recommended for aquariums between 20 and 50 gallons with an affordable $129.99 price tag.
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- Gyre Flow Pattern 1 (Horizontal)
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- Gyre Flow Pattern 1 (Vertical)
What makes Gyre flow different?
Traditional wavemaker pumps use a magnetic drive impeller to create flow patterns in the aquarium. The water flow is more narrowly focused on smaller areas of the reef. While the water velocity is very strong near the input/output side of the pump, the flow drops off at the far end of the aquarium which leaves dead spots or areas of low flow. These dead spots accumulate detritus over time which can lead to excessive nutrient levels in the aquarium.
Gyre technology creates a wider, laminar flow pattern as the wall of water movement pushes across the length or width of the aquarium. As the flow reaches the other side of the aquarium, it hits the glass and then begins to make its return trip back toward the pump. This Gyre flow pattern leaves fewer dead spots for detritus to build up. Gyre technology does its best to remedy these inherent issues that are often observed in many traditional wavemaker pumps.
The new 1K model has many of the great features of the larger models but with a smaller pump that is perfect for nano aquariums. The length is only 8.8″ long so it will fit in just about any 20+ gallon aquarium and the flow maxes out at 1000 GPH. The pump includes five flow modes and the 1K Gyre easily mounts to glass or acrylic tanks (up to 1/2″ thick) with the included magnet mount. If the 8.8″ length is too long for your aquarium (nano aquariums) then it is easy to simply remove one side of the gyre turbine. A side cap is included for a more compact “single propeller” operation for small nano tanks.
We really like that you can remove and cap-off one of the flow cages. This makes the IceCap 1K Gyre really small and easy to mount in most any nano setup.
Like its predecessor the IceCap 3K Gyre, the 1K includes a controller (this time with a large LCD screen) that makes setting up the water pump quick and easy. You get full 24-hour ramp up and down programming capabilities plus a 10-minute feeding mode for your corals.
Gyre pumps produce evenly distributed flow throughout the entire aquarium leaving virtually no dead spots.
The 1K Comes with 5 Pre-Programmed Flow Modes:
• Constant Speed
• Pulsing
• Gradual Pulsing
• Random
• Alternating Gyre
The IceCap 1K Gyre pairs perfectly with a variety of nano tanks and will greatly improve the water flow around your corals and rock. To learn more about the IceCap Gyre 1K please visit this link.
