We're always on the lookout for innovative new products that make reefkeeping fun and enjoyable. We recently discovered two new products from Innovate Marine that are, well… innovative! Here's why.

Innovative Marine has a growing list of Aqua Gadgets that are designed with the philosophy of "Do less, achieve more." The idea is to enjoy your reef more by spending less time working on it. We all love to fine-tune our reef systems but the end goal is to be able to sit back and enjoy the beautiful corals, fish, and other marine life that thrives under our care.

WaveLink In nature, corals reefs are accustomed to constant changing water movements.

That's why we're excited (we were going to say "pumped") about Innovative Marine's two new water pumps. WaveLink powerheads and MightyJet return pumps are purpose-built for performance within the limited confines of all-in-one aquariums.

We all know that water movement is critical for keeping corals happy. It's no secret that there are plenty of wave-makers and in-tank circulation pumps to choose from, many loaded with high-tech features.

We really like the WaveLink ($99.99-$109.99) because:

  • They're made with high-quality components
  • Compact size
  • Available in two adjustable flow ratings (1,500 and 2,300 max GPH)
  • Come with a controller and flow modes
  • Won't drain your bank account

WaveLink Water movement helps gas exchange, removes waste build up, and carries food and nutrients to fish and corals.

The WaveLink pumps use the familiar egg-shape design, magnetic mounts and adjustable tilt for aiming the flow. But there's more.

The pumps use high-quality DC sine-wave motors that are quiet, efficient and enable the pumps to respond to the controller's flow modes. The controller has six controllable modes: Turbulent, Random, Pulse, Sine Wave, Stream, and Surge. You adjust these modes with the frequency dial and speed button. There's also a one-touch 10-minute feeding mode.

WaveLink The general rule is 5-10x the volume of water in your tank needs to move per hour. So if you have a 10 gallon tank, you need to move 50-100 gallons per hour.

The WaveLink has a really cool Self-Cleaning program. Once a day the pump will automatically reverse the flow to clear out any debris caught in the intake screen or impeller.

Want more control?

The "link" in WaveLink means you can link up to six (!) WaveLink powerheads together to respond to the different program modes. The WaveLinks can't be controlled wirelessly from an app on your mobile device, but truthfully, not everyone needs or wants that level of control anyway.

"Let's talk about how they link together," explained Royce Suzuki, Innovative Marine's Director of Marketing. "The WaveLink controller has a wireless linking feature that can connect up to six WaveLinks by toggling the master/slave option. On the controller you wish to be the master, you press the 'LINK' button and when the 'M' light illuminates on your controller it is now in paring mode. On your secondary controller press the 'LINK' button twice. The 'S' light will illuminate and now your Wavelinks have been paired to your master controller. You can now sync each wavemaker’s modes from the master controller."

WaveLink No bigger than an egg and using the latest in Sinewave technology, Wavelink by Innovative Marine is A DC-powered, controllable and energy-efficient wavemaker.

Suzuki continues, "If you want to add a third wavemaker, set its controller to 'S' mode and it will automatically sync to the master controller. Same goes for the fourth, fifth, and sixth pump."

If you're looking for an affordable, high-quality in-tank flow pump that has plenty of modes and linking capability, be sure to take a close look at the WaveLink!

MightyJet MightyJet pumps were designed to fit in virtually every all-in-one aquarium.

Want to upgrade your all-in-one aquarium's return pump?

There aren't a lot of options when looking for a pump that fits into an AIO filter system. Most AIO aquariums come with a basic return pump without many features, because no one ever saw the need for an advanced "tiny" water pump. But Innovative Marine wants to change that. Their new MightyJet DC return pumps are small in size but loaded with features not found on budget AIO return pumps.

MightyJet MightyJet pumps are rated for aquariums from 10 to 50 gallons and are available in two sizes.

Take a look at these MightyJet ($89.99-$99.99) specs:

  • Fits just about any AIO filter system
  • 3.7" x 2.5" x 3.4" with 326 GPH flow rate
  • 4.4" x 2.6" x 3.6 with 538 GPH flow rate
  • Silent DC sine-wave motors
  • Programmed flow rates and feeding mode

"Our prices are very competitive when compared to other return pumps on the market," Suzuki said. "Typically what you'll see in this price and size range are AC driven, non-controllable pumps that run at higher wattage. What sets the MightyJets apart is that they are DC driven, controllable (meaning you can increase/decrease flow with the push of a button), they have a feed mode, stream mode, sine wave mode, and they'll use less wattage—so they are energy-efficient and ultra-quiet."

MightyJet In the back compartments of this AIO you can see IM's drop-in filter socks, Ghost skimmer, MiniMax reactor, and MightyJet pump.

The MightyJet drops into your existing AIO filter, providing several upgrades. The DC sine-wave motor allows for silky-smooth operation that sips energy but puts out plenty of flow. But unlike budget AIO pumps, the MightyJet uses a controller with flow modes. The Stream Mode provides a steady, gentle flow while the Sine Wave Mode creates an oscillating, non-jerky wave motion. With the single push of a button, the MightyJet switches to a 10-minute feeding mode.

Mightyjet MighyJets have run-dry protection, one-touch feed mode, and barbed adapters that fit most AIO tanks right out of the box.

Except for the NUVO Black Series, all Innovative Marine aquariums are currently sold with a return pump included. We asked Suzuki if Innovative Marine has considered stocking their aquariums with MightyJets right out of the box.

"We made the decision not to include MightyJets with our tanks. We wanted to give the end-user the option to choose what they feel is the best return pump on the market," Suzuki shared. "There are many options out there and we did not want to force our fans into paying more for something they did not want or need."

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We've paired a few tanks that blend the beauty of IM aquariums with the dependability and performance of their new water pumps.

The NUVO Fusion Series of desktop-sized aquariums are reef-ready and fit into any décor. Adding the small MightyJet gives you all the return pump control needed to keep the water pristine and corals happy. If you've got a larger Lagoon or Peninsula model, the larger MightyJet will provide plenty of flow for your reef.

"We are currently working on an infographic chart for all tanks that fit the MightyJet. One thing we can tell you is that our 10-gallon aquarium has one of the tiniest return slots on the market—and the MightyJet can fit in there perfectly," Suzuki said proudly. "So if your return chamber is of equal size or bigger, they can fit. I believe Marine Depot will be doing a 'Will it Fit?' video featuring the MightyJet so we'll soon find out how it fits in other tanks."

There's plenty of flexibility with the WaveLink powerheads. Every reef has individual flow needs depending on rock placement, type of corals and size of the tank. The WaveLink pumps can be used as a single unit or linked in multiples for customized water flow for just about any aquarium.

CustomCaddy and Purity Pack Family Here are the CustomCaddy and Purity Pack product families in smart color-coded packaging.

Innovative Marine Box Package IM's New Smart Packaging

New Smarter Packaging From Innovative Marine

Innovative Marine has such a deep lineup of AUQA Gadget accessories it can be confusing for a hobbyist to determine whether or not something they want fits their tank. That's why the company is introducing new smarter packaging to eliminate this guesswork.

You heard it here first! :)

"We have a new naming convention with identifiers to help shoppers figure out which AUQA Gadgets fit their tank," Suzuki shared. "Now every package will have DESKTOP, MIDSIZE, or FULLSIZE printed on the box. We also added a color-coordinated stripe for each size to make identification easier. Desktop is red, Midsize is orange, and Fullsize is green."

Suzuki continues, "We have changed a few of our product names based on this naming convention. For example, what was once the CustomCaddy 20 will become the CustomCaddy DESKTOP and so forth."