Vortech worth $$?
- Thread starter mike33
- Start date
johnnyroastbeef
Member
I have an 8' tank, and with a large return pump and closed loop and still didnt have enough flow on the top right side of the tank to disperse the film. The MP40 got rid of it completely. They are nice, but I agree theyre very expensive.
Well question would be how big is your tank? and where you wanted to place the power head. I currently have a vortechs and tunze and feel I can place the tunze anywhere within the tank than a vortech which will not do angles. They are expensive have you tried a MJ mod if you aren't concern about the look?
I have a 72 gallon and will probably upgrade to a 90 during the year. The have a koralia 4 and 2 hidden in the rocks and another k2 aiming at the surface. My return is powered by a mag 5 and doesn't provide much flow on purpose (higher pump would result in micro bubbles in my sump). I'm very picky with the look of pumps in the display and not sure I can hide the MJ. Vortech sounds nice by being able to place on the side and alternate flows but it may just be marketing? I will look into the k4 mod! thanks!
RTMA
DIY Fanatic
If you are concerned with the look and performance, its hard to beat a vortech. They work and work well. It has a wide enough dispersal to not have to direct the flow. However if you want a more direct flow, then a tunze / MJ mod or modded K would be fine. I use a Vortech Mp20 and a Sureflow 1200 mod on a Maxi-jet 900 for flow in my 75.
tank o tang
Thread Lurker
I just mounted a modded mj to a k4 magnet and ball assembly and it looks a ton better, the ability to direct flow also improved greatly (than the sureflow magnet), not to mention it ended up smaller than the k4. Also have it on my controllers wave maker. Much happier with the flow out of the mj. I wanted the vortec till I see all the complains about the wet side failing to often. Just because they have great customer service doesn't mean squat if the product spends more time shipping than in my tank. jmo
Nerdy Nudi
New member
Mike, I was as curious as you and took the plunge. sweet pump. I love my mp20 so much Im getting a pair of mp40s when my new tank comes in.
the flow is so wide it affects the water column in both directions. youve probably heard people refer to the "undertow". this is where the vortech beat out other pumps. Ive had maxi mods and used tunze which have nice strong flow but more concentrated, like a fire hose, and consequently dont have affect as much of the water column as the mps.
with the vortech you can see the water being being pulled back like a tide. its funny when you see fish trying to swim away as they get pulled back towards the pump. so fish get a larger area to swim against 2 different currents.
if you want to save some dough, let me know, Ill be selling my 2 month old mp20 when I get my 40s. I have to because "you know who" told me to in order to pay for the new guys!
the flow is so wide it affects the water column in both directions. youve probably heard people refer to the "undertow". this is where the vortech beat out other pumps. Ive had maxi mods and used tunze which have nice strong flow but more concentrated, like a fire hose, and consequently dont have affect as much of the water column as the mps.
with the vortech you can see the water being being pulled back like a tide. its funny when you see fish trying to swim away as they get pulled back towards the pump. so fish get a larger area to swim against 2 different currents.
if you want to save some dough, let me know, Ill be selling my 2 month old mp20 when I get my 40s. I have to because "you know who" told me to in order to pay for the new guys!
tank o tang
Thread Lurker
Well, I went against my advise and ordered an mp10 formy 40b. If I like it, I'm thinking of a mp40 for my 180. Seems like alot (but not all) problems have been solved in the newer models. It should be here today, can't wait to play with this thing.
I'm not running an SPS tank, but I can tell you that the flow kicked out by my MP10 on my 30" wide standard 29g is WAY more than my mixed reef wants. I've got to dial it way back or my LPS look like they are flapping in the wind.
Kinda' brings to mind the cheeks on a dog when they hang their head out a car window. :lmao:
Kinda' brings to mind the cheeks on a dog when they hang their head out a car window. :lmao:
tank o tang
Thread Lurker
First impressions of my mp10.
My first impressions of my mp10 have thinking if mp40's are not the way to go. In my 40b I have the mp10 on one side and a modded maxijet 900 with the small prop on the other. The modded mj provides much more flow. Considering the mp20 only is able to produce 500 more gph I can't see that providing much more flow. Size wise the mp10 looks better on the inside but the motor on the outside looks like a big earmuff. The one advantage I like is that the mp10 can run at variable speeds. If the mp10 was run on pulse it would be no different that the mj on a wavemaker. Those people that complain about noise are wrong, the mp10 is dead silent. The 40b must have 2 mp10's to get proper flow imo. Now just my opinion but after comparing the $60 mj to the $200 mp10 it all comes down to looks (which could be better for the vortec if it was mounted on the back of the tank) IF one is not taking advantage of the variable speed modes. If it comes down to flow I would say the modded mj hands down unless you are going to compare to a mp40.
My first impressions of my mp10 have thinking if mp40's are not the way to go. In my 40b I have the mp10 on one side and a modded maxijet 900 with the small prop on the other. The modded mj provides much more flow. Considering the mp20 only is able to produce 500 more gph I can't see that providing much more flow. Size wise the mp10 looks better on the inside but the motor on the outside looks like a big earmuff. The one advantage I like is that the mp10 can run at variable speeds. If the mp10 was run on pulse it would be no different that the mj on a wavemaker. Those people that complain about noise are wrong, the mp10 is dead silent. The 40b must have 2 mp10's to get proper flow imo. Now just my opinion but after comparing the $60 mj to the $200 mp10 it all comes down to looks (which could be better for the vortec if it was mounted on the back of the tank) IF one is not taking advantage of the variable speed modes. If it comes down to flow I would say the modded mj hands down unless you are going to compare to a mp40.
