EcoTech Marine VorTech MP40 Release Information

[sellout007]

Quick question for IC or ETM.

My LFS wants to get some of these pumps. Who do they contact to get some ordered? Im guessing its IC? They called and havent heard back from them yet.

 

[Brent Hutchings]

Bump,
Hey Tim,
A couple questions about thess statements I was hoping you would comment on.
The term "closest competitor" is relative.
At your price point and stated gph I would say that Tunze fits that bill over anyone else, especially taking design into consideration.

That being the case, you are running a reported 5-10 watts less than the Tunze 6100 however, you are not providing 25% more flow, in fact you would be running 4% less flow.
And at your specified numbers it is 7.7-8.8% more efficient in energy consumption.

I am just trying to figure out where you got your %'s from...what competitor did you use as a baseline?

Thanks,
Sean

 

[wade]

Hey Tim,
A couple questions about thess statements I was hoping you would comment on.
The term "closest competitor" is relative.
At your price point and stated gph I would say that Tunze fits that bill over anyone else, especially taking design into consideration.

That being the case, you are running a reported 5-10 watts less than the Tunze 6100 however, you are not providing 25% more flow, in fact you would be running 4% less flow.
And at your specified numbers it is 7.7-8.8% more efficient in energy consumption.

I am just trying to figure out where you got your %'s from...what competitor did you use as a baseline?

I don't believe that they will state who exactly they used in their tests, but you actually removed the line from their response that answers your question indirectly.

During the development of this product we benchmarked it against several other productsusing a standard procedure to measure the flow rate of the pump. We found that some of our competitors were not hitting their claimed flow rate. The VorTech provides ~25% more flow then the performance we measured from our closest competitor, and does this at 10% less wattage, amounting to a product which is overall ~30% more efficient.

It appears as though they tested their pump against a few others using the same test at the same time. In regards to their claims, so long as the testing was performed the same way on each device, it stands to reason that their claim is accurate.

I'm looking forward to getting one and trying it out in the future.... certainly sounds like its got the competition beat. Yay for hobby advancement!

 

[mwood]

Anyone else nervous about running a $300 pump on a wavetimer that didn't come from the same company? At least if I bought a pump with a controller from Tunze, I know it is designed to run that way, to pulse. Very few pumps have fared well on wavetimers. I'd hate to pay $300 to have it go bad.

 

[Wryknow]

They can't really answer the question about who they benchmarked against without opening themselves up to a law suit from their competitors (likely Tunze.) Stating that a competitor is falsely advertising their flow rate is a potential source of litigation regardless of whether it is true or not. (Gotta love the American legal system.) At the very least they would have to be able to provide extensive documentation on their testing methodology and results to prove that their claim was true. They are probably not willing to do that and who can blame them!

 

[RichK]

I have 2 of these on an ANCIENT wavemaker (Sandpoint Wave3XR) and there are no issues at all. I originally had them alternating with a 12 minute on/off cycle. I have since reduced the cycle to 5 min on/off. There is no pump "chatter" to speak of. These pumps do have a gentle start, which makes the pump ramp up to full speed. However, this takes only takes a second or two. The 2 pumps are on my 125G SPS tank for reference, full power. They create an extremely wide flow pattern and also create a nice undertow which seems to go along the sandbed. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

 

[Chris@IceCap]

sellout007,

Have your LFS contact me.

Chris
IceCap Inc.
609-588-5338 X22

 

[sellout007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6679724#post6679724 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Chris@IceCap
sellout007,

Have your LFS contact me.

Chris
IceCap Inc.
609-588-5338 X22

Just called them up and gave them your number. The LFS name is GoFish Aquariums (Chicago Aquatics) and either Jeff Lodico, Vince Kelly or Brian Potter will call you up. Probably Jeff.

Thanks for the response.

 

[Edgar VM]

Hi,

$345.00 Bucks each??!!!

I thought these pumps would have a price that will make the Tunzes look expensive (got that idea form the previous posts after the MACNA)...but it is exactly the other way around.

Battery backup is nice, but you can do a DIY battery backup for less money, which then lets us only with the flow control as the novelty...but then this flow control is manual and not like the ones in the tunze system...and if you could use a wavemaker with these pumps you still have to pay some more for the wavemakers and cross your fingers hoping the pumps will like that.

Which again makes me think that 2 tunzes for the price of one of these can create much more interesting flows than one vortech, specially since I'll have to turn the knob every time I want to change the flow...

Regards,
Edgar

 

[Bladez]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6819715#post6819715 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Edgar VM
$345.00 Bucks each??!!!

For that price range, you will get way more versatility out of the Tunze products.

 

[mwood]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6820098#post6820098 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bladez
For that price range, you will get way more versatility out of the Tunze products.

Yes and no, they will be smaller in the tank, but they can only be put on the back unless the tank is inwall. Also I've seen nothing showing how flow would be directed anything other than straight.

They are cool, but I wouldn't say they are way more versatile than a tunze.

 

[sellout007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6820508#post6820508 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mwood
Yes and no, they will be smaller in the tank, but they can only be put on the back unless the tank is inwall. Also I've seen nothing showing how flow would be directed anything other than straight.

They are cool, but I wouldn't say they are way more versatile than a tunze.

I think you misread what he said. He said the same thing you did. That the tunzes are more versatile.

 

[landragon]

Mwood, I think that is what he was saying, as there was no "than" in front of the "out".

 

[Bladez]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6820508#post6820508 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mwood
They are cool, but I wouldn't say they are way more versatile than a tunze.

Speaking from experience using Tunze streamsââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦ When operating this type of pump, even at the lowest speeds, you will be in danger of knocking things (rocks and corals) down.

IMO placement and flow direction are some of the most important issues when purchasing a pump. The VorTech is limited to the walls of the tank and a straight on flow, whereas the streams can be placed anywhere inside the tank including the rock structure and the they can be pointed in any direction; that's versatility.

Initially the VorTech might look marginally better than the Streams. However, at some point everyone will want to change the location and or the flow direction of their pump; looks won't help you with this!

 

[mwood]

I see now, my bad.

I think it will have a market, but they may have to price it closer to a sio.

 

[landragon]

I actually agree with that comment mostly. It seems quite steep for the features that come stock. Even with the pointed out difference between MSRP/selling price. For the pump as it will be released I feel $140-$180 would be fair for the introduction price, with it coming down $30 or so over the next year or two. It doesn't seem worth more with out the controller.

 

[wbeavers]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6822535#post6822535 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bladez
Speaking from experience using Tunze streamsââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦ When operating this type of pump, even at the lowest speeds, you will be in danger of knocking things (rocks and corals) down.

IMO placement and flow direction are some of the most important issues when purchasing a pump. The VorTech is limited to the walls of the tank and a straight on flow, whereas the streams can be placed anywhere inside the tank including the rock structure and the they can be pointed in any direction; that's versatility.

Initially the VorTech might look marginally better than the Streams. However, at some point everyone will want to change the location and or the flow direction of their pump; looks won't help you with this!

The flow on a Vortech pump is substantually wider and more gentle than the Stream. The flow pattern difference between the two is almost compariable to the difference between the Stream and a Maxijet. I have both a Vortech and a 6100 Stream. I would trade my Stream for a VorTech without question.

 

[Bladez]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6825315#post6825315 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by wbeavers
The flow on a Vortech pump is substantually wider and more gentle than the Stream.

Based on the videos and comments posted by the beta testers and the initial video posted on the website below, the VorTech flow seems equally as turbulent and forceful as the 6100's that I have in my tank.

Initial Video
Beta Tester Forum

Beta Tester Comment

Originally posted by melev Here
I have SPS corals about 16" from the VorTech (when it was positioned in the picture above), and two corals ended up with a small bald spot due to running it on high. I moved the pump more toward the front of the tank to avoid that direct contact and both are doing just fine. Of course, turning down the flow at the driver box is easily done as well.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6825315#post6825315 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by wbeavers
The flow pattern difference between the two is almost compariable to the difference between the Stream and a Maxijet. I have both a Vortech and a 6100 Stream.

That's a pretty substantial claim and this would be a very difficult thing to prove. Were both pumps pushing the same amount of water? The "gentleness" of the flow would be dependant on the volume of water being pushed through the pump.

 

[wbeavers]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6828634#post6828634 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bladez
That's a pretty substantial claim and this would be a very difficult thing to prove. Were both pumps pushing the same amount of water? The "gentleness" of the flow would be dependant on the volume of water being pushed through the pump. [/B]

Not really look at the size comparison between the props.

Both were turned up all the way. The point is that the pattern of flow is much wider on the VorTech.

 

[jnarowe]

It hurts when the truth hits you in the face like a frozen shovel.