The Aqua Link Controller is an interesting device coming at us straight from China to actually do something quite useful. Like the IceCap Gyre Interface Module the Aqua Link Controller allows you to get your controllable DC pumps ‘online’, but it doesnt stop at the MaxSpect Gyre, it also plays nice with most controllable DC pumps such as those from Jebao and Waveline.
The introduction of the Ecotech Marine Ecosmart Vectra pump spolighted how dumb and basic our ‘controllable’ DC pumps are without any real smarts in the driver. This has led to us to speculate that Neptune Systems is launching a smart DC pump of their own, RLSS has finally gotten an Apex Ready driver for their new Waveline pumps, and there’s going to be a lot of activity in the controllable pump space.
The Aqua Link appeards to be the gateway to unlocking the capability of all of these popular DC pump models, with the ability to enable a backup battery, program top off functions, to create a wave making pulses. Some other possible benefits to the Aqua Link will be the ability to ‘overclock’ the pumps and perhaps to even make pumps run quieter than their existing drivers currently allow.
What is interesting about the AquaLink is that it not only performs the pump speed control settings itself, but it also interfaces with popular complete controller systems like the Apex and GHL. It is however unclear exactly what range of voltages the Aqua Link will be able to drive, how many pumps it can actually control, and how well it actually does any one of these tasks.
At this point, we have more questions than answers about the Aqua Link pump controller, not the least is how much it will cost, and who exactly will be selling this device in the U.S. The idea of having a pump ‘subcontroller’ like the Aqua Link is a very creative one, and it has the potential to be very popular with consumers, but this device will have a lot to prove this fall when it actually starts getting used in real reef tanks.
