Vortech QD Wetside Corrosion - Terrible Customer Service

A

Acromaniac

Member
I have had my MP40 QD Wet side for between 6 months to 1 year. While cleaning it last week I noticed the shaft is corroding. I would never buy another vortech after this, why it's not titanium is ridiculous, and on top of that their customer service is terrible. See below response from Ecotech:

Hi

I purchased the updated QD wetside for my MP40 around 6 months - 1 year ago and the shaft has started to corrode.

Can you please tell me what material is used for the shaft and why this is happening?

Thank you

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello,

Thank you for contacting EcoTech Marine. The shaft on the MP40 wetside is made out of stainless steel. With that said, if you are seeing slight signs of rust, it will not harm anything inside of your aquarium.

Thanks,

JR Toth
Customer Service Agent

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Hi,

I don't believe that is correct, nothing used in the aquarium should be corroding and while it is just the start of it now, the longer it is left the more trace elements of metals will increase in the aquarium and effect the sensitive corals i keep.

Why aren't the shafts made out of titanium as anyone paying premium price for a vortech would expect, rather than a stainless steel shaft one would expect on a $30 pump.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello,

I can confirm that the information that I provided you is correct. In addition, I am unsure of the reasoning behind which material is chosen for the product.

Thanks,

JR Toth
Customer Service Agent



After the last response the case was closed by the customer service representative and classed the matter as resolved. It clearly isn't resolved! haha
 
At least they contacted you back. I purchased four brand new mp40qd from brs during their Christmas sale for my 360g build. I got water in the tank about three weeks ago. Two of the four mp40s is loud as hell. I contacted them several weeks ago, still no response from them. I even replied to one of their FB post and they didn't reply there either. These will be the last ecotech products I'll ever buy and I've had nothing but vortechs over the last three tanks I had.
 
Interesting, as I called about the ceramic coating coming off the shaft of one of my mp10's. No questions asked, they mailed me a new wetside overnight. I found their CS to be far superior then most products.

Have you tried picking up an actual phone and calling them? I know talking on the phone is so archaic this day and age, but sometimes it gets things resolved rather quickly.
 
Not sure what you were expecting..
I think that technical service response was just fine..

I certainly wouldn't call it "terrible"..
They didn't even need to tell you the material it was made out of..
 
I don't know what you are complaining about. They responded to you timely with an appropriate answer. Take a deep breath... There's no issue. You're making something out of nothing.
 
Just think.. Maybe the additional trace elements are actually a positive..
Your chromium, carbon, molybdenum, and nickel trace levels will be good to go.. :p
 
ktownhero said:
I don't know what you are complaining about. They responded to you timely with an appropriate answer. Take a deep breath... There's no issue. You're making something out of nothing.
Click to expand...

I would contend that rust on the shaft of a 6 month old wet side of a premium $350 pump is most certainly an issue.
 
Like others mentioned, eco did replace a wet side for me on one of my new MPQD's right away, and if my personal issue ended right there I would be right on board w/ those claiming good CS.

My problem was the replacement they sent was bad too, and that's when CS went really South for me, and this was w/ direct communication via email and phone, and they really clung to how it had to be user error, I'm using the wrong spacer, I did not break in properly, I did not maintain it properly since I had not done a vinegar bath(brand new pump on first day) and I need to wait 2 weeks before we try again.

I could not even hear my TV it was so loud, and they could hear it over the phone, but still, they clung to how it's pretty much impossible to get 2 bad ones in a row.

Anyway, after 2 weeks I finally was given the OK to ship that vort back to them, at my expense.

They sent an email nearly a week later, tested, they said it was a bad wet and dry side, and sending me new of each.
What they did not realize is there was a tiny mark on my dry side from when it decoupled the first time, and guess what, that same exact mark was on this dry side, so it was BS, they did not send me both, they just did not want to say I was right that I was just sent 2 bad wet sides in a row like I originally told them

They also said I better measure my glass properly, or they would not warranty this in the future, and I'm not sure why they even said that, glass thickness was never an issue or unclear, standard SCA 120g, half inch glass.

Yeah, it's a cool design, I've used nothing but vorts pretty much since they first came out, I still like the pump, but their CS needs an adjustment.

Here's another thread w/ good photo documentation of the rust issue similar to what this OP posted.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2641323
 
FWIW, difference between a corroding/rotting magnet and rust discoloration on the spindle shaft. I've been fortunate to not have the former but I do see the latter. Doesn't really seem to make an impact though.
 
I agree w/ you on that ca1ore, I'm just pointing out that they do have some wet side issues and they can have some CS issues as well, while they still have a good product, they are not perfect, and no one is, and I understand many companies may get a bad batch of whatever, and I do not fault anyone for that, but how they deal w/ those issues.
 
LQT said:
I would contend that rust on the shaft of a 6 month old wet side of a premium $350 pump is most certainly an issue.
Click to expand...

You can contend anything you want, that doesn't make it the case. Also, there's a difference between "rust" and just discoloration. Nobody is forcing anybody to buy a $350 pump that they feel is flawed. I have discoloration on the shaft of both of my MP40s and they run like new; I sleep perfectly well at night and still can't imagine using anything else as long as budget allows.
 
Rust colored discoloration is still rust, and no, that is not my contention, that's a fact. Not only is shaft rust an issue, but so are split magnets on the newer MP40QD wetsides which could lead to dry side damage if not noticed in time.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2641323

Before I get called a hater, I own 2 MP10wQDs that I'm very happy with. However, I am following these threads as well as Ecotech's response, as my MP10s won't work on the 1/2" glass of my new build. Originally, I was set on upgrading to 2 MP40QDs, but these threads definitely have me second guessing and researching alternatives.
 
Guys are worried about some discoloration on a wet side shaft but probably has three cups of GFO in his sump.

Come on...
 
Seriously... How dare we be concerned! :rolleyes:



Picture is from the thread from yesterday that I linked to in my above post.
 
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