View On Amazon
| Size | Dimensions | Tank Size | Noise Level | Longevity | Price |
| 500-5300 GPH | 11.8″ x 2.9″ x 2.4″ | 50-800 Gallons | Very Low | 2-6 Years | High |
The Maxspect XF-150 Gyre water pump is a whole new breed of water circulation. It produces a sheet of water flow rather than a jet, providing much more evenly distributed water flow than any other powerhead on the market. The price is high, and maintenance can be a bit of an issue, but for the level of customization offered by the controller and amazing water current this brings the price tag is well earned.
Set-up
Installing the Maxspect XF-150 Gyre is no problem. It uses a magnet and magnetic base to secure the pump in place, avoiding any issues that suction cups always seem to have. The magnets are designed to work with 1/2″ glass but can often work with 3/4″. If you find the strength too low there is a magnetic extension which allows the magnet to reach all the way through 1 1/4″ thick glass.
Remember: Use caution when handling extreme strength magnets. They can easily injure the careless aquarist by clamping onto their body. Keep someone else around just incase of an accident and do not let the magnets touch one another.
Noise, Issues & Odd Details
When using the pulse mode, which we will describe later, the powerhead makes a noticeable rev up and down noise. While this is not particularly loud it is far more noticeable than a nearly silent drone produced in the normal constant speed mode. Additionally the use of waves in the tank will wear out the silicone of your tank much quicker. Inspect the silicone regularly and repair it when needed.
The grates on the Maxspect gyre are slightly too big and allow nipping fish such as the butterfly and rabbit fish access to the spinning components. This contact can shred the fish instantly, meaning these fish 100% should not be kept with this powerhead.
On the note of the grate they hold one of the Maxspect gyre’s biggest flaws. Small snails can easily enter the grate and will often either stop or damage the powerhead. When this happens you will either need your warranty or to purchase replacement parts yourself. If you have the choice stick to crabs, hermits and shrimp for your clean up crew.
The cord has two parts, measuring 3.5 meters total. 1.5 meters between the power supply to the controller and 2 meters from the controller to the powerhead. This will allows you to place both the powerhead and controller wherever you like without any fear. Do note that the controller is not wireless.
Assembly
Opening and cleaning the Maxspect Gyre is no problem, but disassembling and reassembling is a whole different issue. Please follow both the video and the official manual when attempting this. There are tons of small parts which must be placed back exactly where you got them. If not the flow will not be correct or the powerhead simply won’t function. Keep a tray nearby with a divider to hold everything separate. I like to use my old tackle box for the multiple small compartments it has.
Cleaning The Maxspect XF-150
To clean out the Maxspect Gyre you will need to first remove the magnetic mount from the powerhead and remove it from water. Next you will be removing the brushings on each side of the gyre. Finally you can twist the grates and pull them off of the powerhead, exposing the grates and inside for easy cleaning. Simply reverse the order to put it back together.
Flow & Adjustments
The direction of the Maxspect Gyre can be set up and downwards but not side to side. Simply twist the grates to face whichever direction you want the water to flow towards.
The flow speed itself is highly customizable ranging all the way from 500 gph to 5300 gph, 10%-100%. This is a great feature, as many owners are surprised at the power this monster can produce, and therefore set the power to run at 30-40%. If you do not need the full power of this Gyre you can read my Maxspect XF 130 Review.
Using The Maxspect Gyre Controller
The controller has come a long way since the introduction of the Maxspect Gyre. Currently there are 10 parts to recognize.
Switch Mode: This button has multiple functions. Pressing the button once will cycle between the 4 different modes. Holding the button for 4 seconds will turn the controller on/off.
Setup Mode: Begins the setup process. This turns the indicator light green. pressing the button again confirms the settings, exiting setup mode and returning the indicator light to blue.
Control Dial: This will be used to set both the timer and water flow speeds on the powerhead. This will be used for most every feature on the controller. The speed is set by turning the knob, with the number of lights indicating the percentage in increments of 10. Here’s a quick example:
Constant Speed Mode: This can be set to use either reverse or normal flow by twisting the dial counterclockwise or clockwise, respectively.
Pulsing Mode: This mode produces consistent waves in the tank and will also have you set the speed and direction as the first step. After that you will need to hit the setup button again to set the pulsing speed. This speed does not follow the 10% increments but instead goes as follows: .4s, .5s, .6s, .7s, .8s, .9s, 1s, 1.3s, 1.6s, 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s, 6s, 7s, 8s, 9s, 10s, 20s, 30s. Press the Setup button again to exit
Alternating Gyre Mode: The most complex mode by far, alternating gyre mode creates a unique flow that no other powerhead can.
First you will need to set the normal water flow speed. Pressing the setup button again will switch to the reverse water flow speed. These will be the two speeds your motors will run throughout the cycle. After pressing the setup button again you will choose the duration between the alternating flows. These are much longer increments, but are depicted accurately on the dial as every 2 minutes to 12 hours. After that period of time the flow will switch between your two set speeds. Finally you can customize your gyro settings even further by installing the Different rotor types to different parts of the Maxspect. Initially there are one of each type a and b rotors, both with their own grates.
Feeding Mode: This button simply shuts off the Maxspect for 10 minutes and sets the indicator light to flashing blue. Once the 10 minutes is over the previous settings will resume and the indicator light will switch back to solid blue.
Warranty
The warranty on this product lasts for 1 year after the date of purchase. This is a surprisingly short time for such a high price. During this time Maxspect will send you any and all replacement parts your Gyre may need. It is up to you to install it, making the manual and video shown above almost essential to ownership.
My main complaint is that, while the powerhead can last a long time, there will often be a single part breaking every 6 months or so. They can be fairly cheap to replace, but small costs do add up. Overall I found the Gyre to be a great addition that could easily get rid of three larger powerheads thanks to its sheet shaped distribution. If you have a large tank with lots of powerheads and are still experiencing dead zones the Maxspect Gyre 150 could be just what you need.
