mp40 noise experience?

[soramsu]

I'm looking at getting two mp40's for my first tank. I've read a lot of heated debates on here about whether they are worth the money or not. Money and how loud they are seem to be the two biggest factors people differ on. Otherwise, they seem to be really good units.

As far as the noise, I've read some posts from people who got them more recently and they say they aren't loud at all, but the older ones are? So, I'm asking for input from anyone who owns these. If you could, please post:

1: when you purchased your unit (month/year)
2: where it is set up (such as living room, kitchen, dedicated fish room, etc...)
3: If you find the noise they create acceptable or not for the location.

I'm setting my tank up in my theater room. I'm already a little worried about the noise of the tank in general, but even more so given what I've read about these powerheads if I choose to get them. Thanks!

 

[reefjunkie42]

they are great go for it! they make a little noise but to be honest i heard my overflow and such more!

 

[James77]

I have purchased the MP40s 3 times, once when they first came out. Again right before the Gen2 was released, and I purchased a Gen2 MP40 I believe about a year and a half ago. Setup was in my living room on an otherwise silent tank....with all 3 pumps the noise was far from acceptable. The first one I could hear over 15' away up into a hallway in my old apartment. The others were jsut as audible.For comparison, my current 2 Tunze 6105s cannot be heard at all unless you are inches from the glass.

Most anyone that says they are silent or extremely quiet- like the poster above- will also say it cannot be heard over other noises. They are right, the typical reef noise like 35+ decibel fans, skimmers, overflows, etc will easily mask the noise of Vortechs. If you lack any noise on your tank, you will hear them. Besides my 3, I have heard the same noise on other peoples tanks and stores....although at stores the white noise makes them seem silent.

Are they worth it? Yes, they are great pumps with awesome flow. Very few have a problem with the noise, but it is a real problem for some. It is the nature of having a pump exposed to air, where Tunze are muffeld some by the water. If you are sensitive to noise and/or have a dead silent tank, I would test one to see exactly how it will be for you in your house and setup, you can always sell it for a small loss if you do not like it. My tank has silent pumps and a siphon overflow, the stand is lined with melamine foam for noise reduction.

 

[JG1]

They're not silent but they do blend in with the background noise of the tank....unless you're running Nutrient transport mode, which you will hear even with the background noise.

By far the loudest thing on my tank is my ATI powermodule fans....they completely drown out my vortechs.