Reefers woke this morning to news of the latest product launch from Aqua Illumination – the Nero 7. A bigger brother to the Nero 3 and 5 wave pumps, the Nero 7 is AI’s most powerful flow pump to date, capable of turning over up to 4000gph/15142lph for a maximum power draw of 40 watts of energy.
The Nero is known for its compact, puck-like form factor, and despite its now quite considerable flow rate, AI has squeezed down the Nero 7 into a device that is just 3.38” in diameter and 2.24” thick on the wet side, which is only a little bit wider and over half an inch thinner than the wet side on an MP40.
The propellor design and color have remained unchanged for the new model, the only giveaway being those extra inlet slots on the side, for added surface area and increased water uptake. The Nero 7 is rated for aquaria from 80 to over 500 gallons and can attach to glass that’s .79”/20mm thick – a necessity with larger braceless tank models these days.
Features
The Nero 7 features an inline push button controller or can connect to the My AI or Mobius apps via Bluetooth. Modes include Random, Pulse, Constant, and Feed, or a Schedule can be set up to change modes and output throughout the day. The pump itself includes 15 degrees of movement on the magnet mount and for those who fear for their mobile inverts and slow-moving fish, a fish guard is also supplied.
What we think
The Nero 7 is priced in the US at $299.99, which when you compare it with others in the 4000gph and up category, and the fact that it connects straight to an app, is good value, coming in at a lower price point than we expected. Maxspect’s Gyre XF350 Cloud Edition ($399.99) and EcoTech’s VorTech MP40 QD ($429.99) are both more powerful and more feature-rich, but if you have a 180-gallon reef tank, you’ll still probably buy two and that’s when the savings become noticeable.
Based solely on this early release of information, the new Nero 7 from Aqua Illumination will appeal to gearheads and coral collectors alike. It looks good, it has everything we require from a wave pump, and it’s really competitively priced. Pair the Nero range with AI’s Blade LED striplight, and you’ve got two natural reefing partners we definitely want to play with.
