****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
After deciding to add a gyre pump to my aquarium, I researched the market and decided on the Maxspect Gyre 350.Positive Decision Points• Maxspect seems to be the industry leader, having introduced gyre technology • The Gyre 350 appeared to be ideal for the resolution of inconsistent flow in several types of aquariums, especially mineNeutral Decision Point• The price point is in line with other manufacturers, so this was not a factorNeutral / Negative Decision Point• Bluetooth control is available at an extra cost. Other manufacturers include Bluetooth at no additional cost, but since I have several different brands of equipment, this was not a factor for me.The 300 Series is capable of many different functions, which, like other brands, are user-programmed into a controller. While pondering the doctrine of Caveat Emptor, allow these words to weigh heavily:Because so many functions are available, a great deal of knowledge is required on the part of the user. Typically, that information would be laid out in a user manual and would list clear and concise programming steps (hypothetically, to use program “A,”press the red button, then press the blue button).The manual for the Maxspect Gyre 300 series is an abomination. From grammatical errors to the lack of technical drawings to the blatant absence of instructions, this manual does not provide even a minimum of the instruction needed to competently operate the pump. This lack of information has the potential to cause harmful situations in the tank, e.g. injury to fish or corals. Not only does the manual leave one with unanswered questions, the user will probably never be able to take advantage of the full capability of the pump due to the absence of information.Many of these oversights are basic:• Failure to list nomenclature of items in the display• No explanation of parts functionality or how they are used • The unit features two halves which apparently can be programmed differently. There is no explanation of this functionality or why it might be beneficial• Several symbols carry an identifier, but there is no detail of their functionality• Some directives are given in the form of simple illustrations. These, however, are poor in resolution and give no detail as to programming procedures (in addition to illustrations, some meaning should be listed; hypothetically, push button until “x” appears, rotate wheel until “y” occurs)• Incorrect information (possibly due to a firmware update without updating the manual• Several similar instances are presentThere is an electronic version of the manual available on the Maxspect website, but it is a duplicate of the print version and gives no further information.Customer service is responsive, but not forthcoming with information unless a specific question is posed. There is also the need to register, register your device, and initiate service tickets before communication can be exchanged.Having decided to exchange this for a different brand, my first step was to narrow the selection by reviewing online the manuals of different manufacturers. That a process made the final decision very easy.Maxspect probably has a good unit, but it is difficult to tell. If accompanied by appropriate technical writing and illustration, Maxspect would have a great unit.
