You guys might be interested in this http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1472426&perpage=25&pagenumber=1
To Ecotech:
- Thread starter Nht8134
- Start date
Husky_1
Premium Member
I agree, I would like to see some recommendations on this. I have seen many a reefer that has bought these for the protection that they offer. Even though I do not think the Vortech is directly to blame, it should be addressed and even possibly noted in their product documentation.
EcoTech Marine
.Registered Member
This is the response that I have posted on the other thread:
Fishcraze2002-
While hindsight is always 20/20, I recognize that you may have felt that you should be safe with our system during this tragic event. In an effort to relieve this frustration and improve the odds that this never happens to your tank again, please contact us (sales@ecotechmarine.com and ask for Tim) at your earliest convenience so that I may speak to you personally and provide you a complimentary battery backup unit. I hope you will accept this as a token of our understanding for this situation.
It saddens me very much to hear about the loss of your live stock during the devastating hurricane Ike. It appears that your VorTech battery backup did function as advertised in this situation, running at a reduced speed for the duration of your event, but unfortunately the oxygen demand must have been higher than what the pump could provide given its placement and the size of the aquarium. Testing of multiple situations including optimal placement and positioning of our pumps is the only way to improve the likelihood of success or safety of your tank in a disaster situation. No single solution will guarantee that your tank is ever safe, but the battery backup will certainly improve your odds.
While some customers may ask us on our forum where the pump should be placed within the aquarium, this question is typically asked to us with respect to optimum wave creation and so our recommendation is 4" below the surface. If the question is posed 'where should my pump be placed for maximum oxygenation?' the answer is logically 'at the water's surface.' The point is that there is no one solution and regardless of recommendations, at the end of the day we are all solely responsible for our own aquarium’s safety and well being and must make the right decisions and test those decisions to ensure the long term success of our tanks. This being said, we will do our part and request that IceCap (the manufacturers of the battery backup and the ones who wrote the instruction manual for this product) do their part to update the battery backup documentation to record what we have learned so that hobbyists can benefit the most from this technology.
This system has been used for close to three years now and the hobby as a whole has benefited from saved corals and fish during terrible times such as what you experienced. In the future we have all learned that for a tank as large as yours two battery backups or one battery backup powering two pumps (albeit for less total run time) may be more desirable than just one single pump. Also, the pumps should be moved to a point where they will provide the most oxygenation for the aquarium during a power outage situation, such as directly below the water’s surface.
Again, it saddens me to know what you must be going through right now. I hope you will contact me so that we can take a part to brighten what is otherwise a very dark day.
-Tim
Fishcraze2002-
While hindsight is always 20/20, I recognize that you may have felt that you should be safe with our system during this tragic event. In an effort to relieve this frustration and improve the odds that this never happens to your tank again, please contact us (sales@ecotechmarine.com and ask for Tim) at your earliest convenience so that I may speak to you personally and provide you a complimentary battery backup unit. I hope you will accept this as a token of our understanding for this situation.
It saddens me very much to hear about the loss of your live stock during the devastating hurricane Ike. It appears that your VorTech battery backup did function as advertised in this situation, running at a reduced speed for the duration of your event, but unfortunately the oxygen demand must have been higher than what the pump could provide given its placement and the size of the aquarium. Testing of multiple situations including optimal placement and positioning of our pumps is the only way to improve the likelihood of success or safety of your tank in a disaster situation. No single solution will guarantee that your tank is ever safe, but the battery backup will certainly improve your odds.
While some customers may ask us on our forum where the pump should be placed within the aquarium, this question is typically asked to us with respect to optimum wave creation and so our recommendation is 4" below the surface. If the question is posed 'where should my pump be placed for maximum oxygenation?' the answer is logically 'at the water's surface.' The point is that there is no one solution and regardless of recommendations, at the end of the day we are all solely responsible for our own aquarium’s safety and well being and must make the right decisions and test those decisions to ensure the long term success of our tanks. This being said, we will do our part and request that IceCap (the manufacturers of the battery backup and the ones who wrote the instruction manual for this product) do their part to update the battery backup documentation to record what we have learned so that hobbyists can benefit the most from this technology.
This system has been used for close to three years now and the hobby as a whole has benefited from saved corals and fish during terrible times such as what you experienced. In the future we have all learned that for a tank as large as yours two battery backups or one battery backup powering two pumps (albeit for less total run time) may be more desirable than just one single pump. Also, the pumps should be moved to a point where they will provide the most oxygenation for the aquarium during a power outage situation, such as directly below the water’s surface.
Again, it saddens me to know what you must be going through right now. I hope you will contact me so that we can take a part to brighten what is otherwise a very dark day.
-Tim
robojet
New member
I've been considering purchasing a Vortech MP20 with a battery backup - just in case. After reading the referenced post, I decided I would read the instructions for the battery backup and Vortech. The question I wanted to answer for myself was:
1) is it clear which vortech is recommended for my size tank?
2) is it clear how many vortechs are recommended for my size tank?
3) if using for power failure, does it indicate the use of additional vortechs for that situation?
4) is placement clear
Well, I have an all-in-one, the main display being about 25g. So, the recommended Vortech is the MP20 (20-70g). I could not find anywhere where it indicate using more than 1, for any size tank (i.e., the MP40 is recommended for 40-500+ gallons, or 20-500g on the web page specs - so I suppose I only need 1?). But I couldn't find any discussion about the power emergency and if that should impact how many vortechs I run. I did not see any clear recommendations on placement.
I know we need to apply some logic... and I can't imagine running more than one vortech in my tank... I think it would be a ridiculous amount of flow (but I will reserve the right to change my mind once I have direct experience). And it would make since to run it near the surface... but it would be great if a paper could be written just for these circumstances to help guide us with our expectations.
I would hate to be that person with a 500+ gallon tank running a single MP40, have the power go out for 24 hours and realize what an idiot I was for not thinking this through. We're only human
1) is it clear which vortech is recommended for my size tank?
2) is it clear how many vortechs are recommended for my size tank?
3) if using for power failure, does it indicate the use of additional vortechs for that situation?
4) is placement clear
Well, I have an all-in-one, the main display being about 25g. So, the recommended Vortech is the MP20 (20-70g). I could not find anywhere where it indicate using more than 1, for any size tank (i.e., the MP40 is recommended for 40-500+ gallons, or 20-500g on the web page specs - so I suppose I only need 1?). But I couldn't find any discussion about the power emergency and if that should impact how many vortechs I run. I did not see any clear recommendations on placement.
I know we need to apply some logic... and I can't imagine running more than one vortech in my tank... I think it would be a ridiculous amount of flow (but I will reserve the right to change my mind once I have direct experience). And it would make since to run it near the surface... but it would be great if a paper could be written just for these circumstances to help guide us with our expectations.
I would hate to be that person with a 500+ gallon tank running a single MP40, have the power go out for 24 hours and realize what an idiot I was for not thinking this through. We're only human
Ding2daDong
New member
Re: To Ecotech:
Back to basic reef keeping 101. An oxygen rich tank with a sump and multiple pumps going with a huge skimmer, calcium reactor, phosban reacotrs, and refugium gets taken off line and in place an mp40 on half power not even rippling the waters surface should suffice as adequate oxygen needs for huge 5"+ fish and 200g+ of water....
I think not.
It sure did its job in keeping his corals alive but a key factor was overlooked and vortech shouldn't get the blame. Especially a past TOTM winner who clearly seems to know what he is doing.
Lesson learned, add air pumps to your tank not just flow when the power goes out.
-Matthew
ps sorry for all the run on sentences, just trying to get my point across.
Back to basic reef keeping 101. An oxygen rich tank with a sump and multiple pumps going with a huge skimmer, calcium reactor, phosban reacotrs, and refugium gets taken off line and in place an mp40 on half power not even rippling the waters surface should suffice as adequate oxygen needs for huge 5"+ fish and 200g+ of water....
I think not.
It sure did its job in keeping his corals alive but a key factor was overlooked and vortech shouldn't get the blame. Especially a past TOTM winner who clearly seems to know what he is doing.
Lesson learned, add air pumps to your tank not just flow when the power goes out.
-Matthew
ps sorry for all the run on sentences, just trying to get my point across.
EcoTech Marine
.Registered Member
1) for a 25gallon an MP20 will be fine.
2) just one.
3) I highly doubt you would need more than one pump running during a power outage.
4) During a power outage you would want the pump rippling the water's surface to ensure adequate mixing of oxygen. Testing the placement of the pumps is the best means to achieve this.
Bottom line, with a 25gallon tank I don't think you have anything to worry about. The oxygen demand would be much easier to handle than on a larger system. That being said, every tank is different and your mileage may vary, etc etc.
-Tim
