Tunze 6055 & ProfiLux - NO fish protection function!

I use two electronically controlled Tunze 6055 pumps in my display tank, which I control by means of a ProfiLux 3n computer 1-10V ports.
Everything works fine in what concerns the control part.
Tunze pretends these pumps have a "fish protection feature" by which when the pumps are electronically set to stall (they are still powered though) they will spin once every 20 seconds.
Well, this never happens to any of my Tunzes!!! I contacted Tunze and they gave me an unbelievably reply: due to complaints concerning the noise generated, the programming of the pumps has been changed in performing only 1/4-1/3 of a full spin at every minute (the pumps are so silent I cannot hear any noise even at full speed!). I watched the pumps for long periods of time and I never saw any propeller movement to any of them (in the above mentioned conditions). Frankly, I think the guys from Tunze are not telling the truth - I suspect they simplified the pump to reduce production costs and replaced the electronic fish protection with a plastic grid that is supplied with the pump.
But before taking any further action for misleading commercial information, I have to be sure it's not something related to the fact I'm controlling the pumps by means of a Profilux computer instead a Tunze dedicated controller.
So, here is the question: is there anyone to have observed a similar dysfunction with electronic Tunzes controlled by Profilux computers? Or reversely, if you have electronic Tunzes to provide the advertized "fish protection" function even when controlled by Profilux, how old are these pumps (when were they manufactured/bought)?

I have two 6055's connected my Profilux, the fish protection works fine for me, the rotor just moves a (very small) bit every few minutes or so......(when power is at 0%). Did you set the right voltage controlrange on your Profilux "L-ports" that control your pumps(U min=3V, U max=8V) the same as the Tunze controller uses
The plastic covergrid was, and is always suppled with the 6055's, so no not cutting cost's here I think.

I have bought them about two years ago, the are the "new" ones with the blue silicon anti-vibration mounts.

Thank you for your input, mdanielse!

Yes, I have my ProfiLux set to control the pumps according to the GHL directions, with the Umin and Umax mentioned by you.
Good to know the plastic grids were there from the beginning, as they're not mentioned or shown anywhere in the manual (so I thought they're a cheap replacement for the apparently missing electronic function).

One more thing that makes me believe something (wrong) has been done with the factory programming of these pumps is that neither the other aspect of the fish protection function seems to be working anymore. Tunze pretends the pump will stop for 20sec if the impeller hits anything (a fish, for example). I have a blue damsel that appeared one day with the entire right side of its body escoriated. I have no other moving device inside my display tank but the Tunze pumps, so I suspected one of them to be responsible for whatever happened (I wasn't using the plastic grids at that time). I decided to check the pumps and I deliberately inserted a thin rubber stick (diameter of 2-3mm) inside them while working at full speed. Well, the rubber got pushed to the periphery of the pump with no stop of the impeller.

I still hope I'm wrong and I'm missing something rather important -- the fish protection function was one of the main reasons I opted for Tunze's products!
Thank you again!

The pumps will stop if interrupted with an object, but it does take a fair amount of resistance to make this happen.
I can stop them with my fingers, but if it were a smaller fish, I don't think it would stop before maserating it!
I have 6105's so a different pump, but the same features as you have stated!

Thank you for your reply, Antipodes! (btw, inspirational nickname for someone from NZ!!!)

I imagine the pump can be stopped with enough force (it's nothing more than an electric motor after all), but what about fish protection if that force needs to be so high?!?

Anyway, do your pumps make that preventive spin when idle??? And, most important, do you control them using GHL hardware?

Yes, they do have the single turn every so often.

I turn them off along with the main feed pump at feed pause.
I have 4 6105 pumps in a 750 ltr Aquarium. They are all configured with the Profilux 3eX.

So yes they perform as per the specs and the same as when connected to a Tunze 7095.

I think when the pump is spinning, there is not much chance of a fish entering the prop. The stall protection, I suspect is more if something solid blocks the prop.
As you have intimated, the real fish protection feature in the pump, is to just make a twitch when it is stopped for a feed pause instance( or similar)

Ha Ha, Yeah pretty lucky to get that nick at this late stage in the life cycle of the internet. Strangely enough, I can't seem to use that one on a lot of new sites. But of course there are more than a few of us upside downers.:cool:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Antipodes

Yes, they do have the single turn every so often.
...
there are more than a few of us upside downers.:cool:

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Hmm... I'll try watching the pumps when idle while standing upside down! :D
Thank you very much for the detailed explanation!

I have two 6095's controlled via the GHL and they do not perform the "fish care" move when paused. I asked on ReefCentral and Roget Vitko confirmed that the function had changed recently so I tested with my Wavebox's 6091 controller and they still didn't do it when paused so I guess Tunze is correct. Regards, Andy

Thank you for your very interesting input, Andy!

I'm happy I'm not alone in this matter, but I don't understand why do you say "Tunze is correct". If you refer to the reply I got from them, they still pretend this function is available, but instead a full turn the propeller makes just 1/3-1/4 turns and instead 20 secs between these movements there is 1 minute. Do you mean you get these modified spins?

Anyway, the fact you tested these pumps on both GHL and Tunze controllers is great, as it seems the ProfiLux mimics the original controllers perfectly.

Hi

the so-called "fish care function" is not invoked by the connected controller (ProfiLux or Multicontroller), it is integrated in the pump (resp. the interface)

-> the controller doesn't (and can't) influence this function

Thank you for your clarification, Matthias!

I was aware of the fact that the fish protection function is embedded in the pump (or at least Tunze says so), but I was wondering if the controller wouldn't be able to disable it. I mean, the pump proper (the part in the water) needs to receive some intermitent electric potential at its input in order to be able to execute the expected spins. It would have been possible that an inadequate control potential (from the controller) during idle time to make the intermitent pump potential (from the pump power supply) fall under the necessary value.

I understand from your reply this is deffinately NOT the case. Please correct me if my understanding is erroneous!

...And if I'm right, this discussion has to be continued in Tunze's yard (which is quite difficult, as they clearly forbid controlling their pumps by any other device but their dedicated controllers).

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Many thanks to all contributors to this thread!

Something you may wish to check is that you are not turning off the pumps during inactivity (the check box in the current pump, edit window for each pump).

I think this turns the power off to the pump, not just sends a low voltage.

If that is the case, it would explain what you are seeing.

even this would not affect the fish care function

only removing the power totally (with a powerbar socket) would do this

I think I understand what Matthias is saying: as long as the power supply unit of the pump is plugged in a functional power socket, even without any voltage input from the controller, the pump should move from time to time.

Anyway, thank you for your input, CaptCrash, I was originally thinking about something similar as I'm controlling these pumps through a couple of illumination channels, not through the standard pumps control channels. Your suggestion is thus highly appreciated!

And thank you again, Matthias, for excluding that eventuality too!

You guys are just fantastic, I'm starting to fall in love with this virtual community!