The Sfiligoi Xenus Wavemaker is a small device that works on a “paddle system” to create small waves and glitter lines. Retailing for $200, we wanted to see if this truly was a worthwhile addition.

This patented design is said to create:

“…extrordinary ripple effects of light through the water like in nature!

These lighting effects are created in nature by the sun passing through the waves on the water’s surface creating refraction of light and giving that shimmer effect.

Sfiligoi is proud to present their brand new, patented wavemaker designed to create even and fully adjustable waves in your aquarium. You decide the height of the waves and adjust using the supplied controller.

In addition to creating a stunning lighting effect, the turbulent motion of the water maximizes surface area and allows for excellent gas exchange & oxygenation.”

When unpacking the unit,  it looked like mounting would be quick and easy. Unfortunately it was a bit more difficult than one would think due to the tight areas. The plastic mounting bracket is in a U Shape that slides over the edge of the aquarium. It can also work on Euro Braced tanks, but I am not sure if it could securely be attached to a standard plastic trim tank. When we installed the unit, we were caught off guard by the size–it is quite large.

The controller is a very simple design. It’s mounted in your standard plastic PVC electrical box and has two controls. One is a switch between Storm and Silent. It appeared that Storm mode added a little extra power to the paddle motion, however, in the tank, we did not notice a real difference between these two modes. 

The other control, is a dial that varies the speed of the paddle. We found the most effective and largest wave was created on a slower setting. When on the faster settings the paddle “slapped” more and seemed to be counter productive by the resistance of the waves it created just seconds earlier. 

The biggest flaws in the controller are the overall large size and the retina burning blue LED. It is quite powerful and blinding.  Be careful and do not look directly at it; you’ll be seeing a red dot for sometime. We put tape over the light, it is only there to let you know the unit is “on”.

In the image above you can see the internals of the unit. By design it is pretty noisy as the paddle hits the water, but on the slowest setting the splashing sound can actually be rhythmic and soothing. Because of the paddle’s short length, it does not actually move much water. Prior to using this product, I had been told it is designed to make glitter lines, and truthfully that is all it does. 

Below you can see a video we made of the unit in action. The waves look very promising, but the flow or movement did not go deeper than 2-3 inches into the tank. When left as the only means of water motion it is very apparent and a bit disappointing. The surface moved as shown, but the rest remained stagnant.

 Here’s the Xenus in “Silent Mode” on the glassbox.

When looking back at the product description, it is quite accurate. It creates glitter lines and from the bubbles produced and small wave motion it ought to increase oxygenation. Perhaps the term “wavemaker” should not be used?  The glitter lines it produces are attractive and nice, but the same can be had by aiming the return pump or powerhead at the surface for much less money.

Given the cost, bulkiness, noise, and lack of overall water motion we would not recommend this product for the average reef aquarium. All those criticisms aside, we do see promise in the actual idea and feel it could be useful for specialized set ups such as nano tidepool biotopes.  It’s a simple design, and we hope Sfiligoi will improve upon it in the future.

Related Posts

1. Reef News | ORA Red Planet, Preserved Whale Shark, Butterfly fish off NY, Warner Marine Zeo Reactor, Xenus Wavemaker, BK Releases, The Peppermint Angel
2. InterZoo 2008 – Sfiligoi
3. Sfiligoi Gets Sirius With New LED System
4. Last Day to Enter : Win a Vertex Mocean Wavemaker
5. Sfiligoi Vision Plasma Light is Coming