EcoTech Marine Vectra S2

Bonanza

Member
Did a bit of searching, but didn't find my answer. What's your opinion on the EcoTech Marine Vectra S2 as a return pump for a 100g cube?
 
Did a bit of searching, but didn't find my answer. What's your opinion on the EcoTech Marine Vectra S2 as a return pump for a 100g cube?
I think it's too small for 100g...
Yoi should aim for 10 to 15 times the volume flow rate..

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I think it's too small for 100g...
Yoi should aim for 10 to 15 times the volume flow rate..

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

I disagree.. 10-15x flow through a sump is excessive..
3-5x is typically more than sufficient and that pump is certainly capable of that..
 
Hmm maybe. I think 3 times the flow is low and can cause issues if you run demanding tank.

On my end when flow was 5 times volume,my smear was chronically low performance and nutrients were hard to control
Once I upped the flow to 10 times, my skier produced chunk I never dreamt of and nutrient was under control. Same setup same skimmer just better flow...
so I concluded I was skimming clean water cause skimmer did not have enough turn around water around it..
 
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I run a M1 on my 310, its cheaper to run multiple power heads to get the flow you want
 

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I run a M1 on my 310, its cheaper to run multiple power heads to get the flow you want
Well...bit if apple's and oranges..
return flow function is bit diffrent than in DT power head flow functions
Your statement is correct for a narrow point which is the flow requirments of coral.
Return pump and its flow rate is like the heart inside the body, responsible for pushing water to the filtration systems and bring it back up..
If return flow rat was not sufficient say for nutrients exports, it will not matter how much flow you have inside the DT...



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The first tank ran from 1999 to 2009 200 gallon pump 1100 gph
Second tank 300DD ran from 2009 to 2016 pump#1 1100gph 24/7, second pump 480gph ran 12/7
Third tank 180 ran from 2016 to 2019 M1 at 50% and a tunze powerhead
4th tank 310 2019 to current tunze on one side and MP40 on the other with M1 80% (Pictured above)
Last picture was a 158 that was in my office that I had from 2003 to 2008 which I sold when my company moved. 1100 gph no power heads
I know there are much better looking tanks than mine, but I never had a crash or an issue with nutrient control. My skimmer is a 17 year old Urchin Pro.
 

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The first tank ran from 1999 to 2009 200 gallon pump 1100 gph

Second tank 300DD ran from 2009 to 2016 pump#1 1100gph 24/7, second pump 480gph ran 12/7

Third tank 180 ran from 2016 to 2019 M1 at 50% and a tunze powerhead

4th tank 310 2019 to current tunze on one side and MP40 on the other with M1 80% (Pictured above)

Last picture was a 158 that was in my office that I had from 2003 to 2008 which I sold when my company moved. 1100 gph no power heads

I know there are much better looking tanks than mine, but I never had a crash or an issue with nutrient control. My skimmer is a 17 year old Urchin Pro.
Great pictures and congrats on the success.
Each system is diffrent both in demand and care. I am sure if I use your flow, my coral will not survive or look the way it is now,and if I pass on to you my flow (6 mp40s on a 160g tank) your coral will not be happy since your system is lps and softies.
Lps and softies like dirtier water than sps...I know this can be debated to death that's just what I have experinces and do on my systems which are always sps dominant.
This means lps and softies are more forgiving on nutrient exports and like bit less aggressive flow.
As I said before,
In tank flow discussion is bit diffrent than return flow rate. I believe while they 9verlap in one or 2 areas, they are used for diffrent purposes.
If your return flow rate is not sufficient, your filtration equipment will be less efficient cause not enough new water is coming to the equipments to be filtered. At least return flow rate should greater than skimmer flow rate..at lest this is a must. Thatd all what am saying.

At the end of the day if you know the system you are running by all means optimized for it, but if you do not know yet, I think its wise to budget bit above to what you need.

Finally, when it come to dc pumps the gph number in the box means nothing and usually you lose half or even more than half once you connect it to your plumbing.
I used to have vectra L1..3100gph. When I measured the flow rate using reliable flow meter it was giving 650gph...at that time my system was not optimized to the paramaters I was aiming for and my skimmer was underperforming. I used to call royal execlusive complaining that my bk mini 200 is bad. They asked me to up the flow which triggered me to measure flow rate btw.
Ince I changed my flow, upped it to 1300gph, the perfomance of the skimmer dramatically improved and I was able to co teol my nutrients better...

No one I saying system will crash..we are discussing optimum and tuning...

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Did a bit of searching, but didn't find my answer. What's your opinion on the EcoTech Marine Vectra S2 as a return pump for a 100g cube?

I had a Vectra L1 for a return. The insides literally melted. Ecotech basically said too bad, out of warranty, despite it being clearly a design defect. Pump was only a couple years old. From what I understand, this was a design defect and has since been fixed. I was disappointed they didn't take care of it for me.

I replaced it with a ReefOctopus VarioS 8 and I've been very happy.
 
I had a Vectra L1 for a return. The insides literally melted. Ecotech basically said too bad, out of warranty, despite it being clearly a design defect. Pump was only a couple years old. From what I understand, this was a design defect and has since been fixed. I was disappointed they didn't take care of it for me.



I replaced it with a ReefOctopus VarioS 8 and I've been very happy.
Same happened to me. While ecotech graciously changed my pump for free out of warranty, the event costed me thousands in losses as all my lps took such a hit from the spik in the heavy metals in the water from the impeller grinding against the melted housing..
Am suprised they did not change it for u. They did with me and they were honestly great, did not even make feel uncomfortable..

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Same happened to me. While ecotech graciously changed my pump for free out of warranty, the event costed me thousands in losses as all my lps took such a hit from the spik in the heavy metals in the water from the impeller grinding against the melted housing..
Am suprised they did not change it for u. They did with me and they were honestly great, did not even make feel uncomfortable..

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Sorry to hear that... At least I didn't lose anything....

I had been a loyal eco-tech customer, and would have continued purchasing pumps had they admitted the defect to me and replaced it. Now my business goes to ReefOcto.
 
Sorry to hear that... At least I didn't lose anything....



I had been a loyal eco-tech customer, and would have continued purchasing pumps had they admitted the defect to me and replaced it. Now my business goes to ReefOcto.
I get it but man tough to pass on their vortech and LEDs...I cannot live without these products ha ha..

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I use two MP4-40s on my 90Gal and the most I can go up with them is to about 50-60% before it will start doing damage to LPS stuff.



I turned down my return pump flow rate to about 5x to accommodate a Klir DI-4 and after one month I noticed the Tank was not looking so great. I returned to flow to 8x and after a week everything looked great again.



I wanted to buy a Vectra S2 to replace my Reeflo Dart but everything I was reading was painting a sketchy picture, too many people saying the flow is disappointing or the pump died. One thing I like with my Reeflo Dart is that the only issues it has ever given in 16 years is the bearings and seals start to go at the five year mark. You get a squeaking noise that gets louder and after about 6 months it gets loud enough that your compelled to press out the bearings and replace them and the seals.

I have never had a sudden death of a pump! When I do take it out I just slap in my spare pump (B) and take my time servicing pump (A).
 
I wanted to buy a Vectra S2 to replace my Reeflo Dart but everything I was reading was painting a sketchy picture, too many people saying the flow is disappointing or the pump died. One thing I like with my Reeflo Dart is that the only issues it has ever given in 16 years is the bearings and seals start to go at the five year mark. You get a squeaking noise that gets louder and after about 6 months it gets loud enough that your compelled to press out the bearings and replace them and the seals.

I have never had a sudden death of a pump! When I do take it out I just slap in my spare pump (B) and take my time servicing pump (A).

If my tank weren't in the dinning/tv room, with noise being an issue, my return pump would be reeflo or iwaki. Bullet proof. I have an iwaki powering my mixing station running virtually 24/7. It's a tank.
 
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