Hygger Wavemaker Powerhead

The hygger Wave Maker is a small circulation pump that sticks to the inside of the glass with a magnet and pushes water around the tank. Its maximum flow is 1056 gallons per hour, and hygger rates it for 40 to 100 gallon freshwater and saltwater aquariums. It draws 6W, so it’s cheap to leave running all day.

What extra flow does for a tank

Most filters move water in one stream, which leaves quiet corners where waste settles and heat doesn’t mix well. A powerhead fills those gaps. hygger describes three jobs for this one, and each depends on where you aim it:

• Surface agitation. Point it near the top so the surface ripples, which helps oxygen exchange.
• Circulation. Aim it across the tank to give corals a current and spread heat from the heater evenly.
• Debris lifting. Angle it down so waste on the substrate gets blown up and carried to the filter intake.

Mounting and setup

The magnetic base works on glass 4 to 10mm thick, and you can slide it to a new spot without draining anything. A cotton pad comes with it to cut vibration against the glass. The head sits on a 360-degree ball joint, so you can change direction without moving the mount. The power cord is 5.9 feet long, and the pump runs on 110 to 120V AC.

Start with the pump pointed along the long wall, then watch how food drifts at feeding time. If it piles up in one corner, adjust the angle until it moves toward the filter.

Cleaning and care

The guard over the intake comes off for cleaning, and the motor uses a ceramic shaft that resists corrosion in salt water. In a reef tank, pull it every month or two and rinse off coralline algae and grime so the flow stays strong. The pump is ETL certified.

Who should look elsewhere

This model has no controller, so it doesn’t make pulsing waves or change modes. If you want programmable wave patterns in a reef, a controllable pump like the AI Nero 3 is the step up. For tanks under 40 gallons, the Hydor Koralia Nano 565 is closer in size.