Vortechs or Sea Swirls

[chrismhaase]

Getting ready to do a 180 and trying to figure out what I want to do for water movement. I want to do a SPS setup as a miss my prior 90 SPS setup.

So would you go with (2) Vortech MP60 or (2) 1.5" sea Swirls. Thoughts, recommendations? Thanks in advance.

 

[albano]

Not even close... Sea swirls... Mine have been running 24/7/365 for 10 years AND I bought them used...don't try that with Vortechs

FWIW, I don't think that you need to use 1.5" SSs for a 180g

 

[Scffvariable]

I am just setting up my 250DD. I have two 1" sea swirls and will supplement with a couple vortechs if need be.

 

[ca1ore]

I guess I'll be the contrarian .... I like and used sea swirls for a long time on my last tank. They work as advertised and do last forever, but they don't provide the same kind of broad flow that you get from a vortech. Even a big pump through 1 1/2" units isn't going to give you that, and you'll burn a ton of electricity in the bargain. Plus I absolutely hate stuff coming over the back of my tank. Just completely ruins the aesthetic for me.

 

[chrismhaase]

I guess I'll be the contrarian .... I like and used sea swirls for a long time on my last tank. They work as advertised and do last forever, but they don't provide the same kind of broad flow that you get from a vortech. Even a big pump through 1 1/2" units isn't going to give you that, and you'll burn a ton of electricity in the bargain. Plus I absolutely hate stuff coming over the back of my tank. Just completely ruins the aesthetic for me.

Can you post a Full Tank shot with your setup?

 

[chrismhaase]

One of the reasons I was considering the Vortechs was the integration with the Radion LED lights. I used to have the MHs with Tunzes & Controller. This time I want to go a more economically conscious tank with LEDs and then was thinking about water movement.

Any fans with Vortechs and Radion LED light combo for a SPS tank? It has been 5 years since I got out as it was a busy time with a first baby approaching. Now she and her sister are both growing up and I would like them to experience a nice tank.

 

[ca1ore]

Can you post a Full Tank shot with your setup?

Sure, though apologies in advance for the lousy picture quality .....







Last picture is from before I added the third Vortech pump along the back wall.

Tank is a 265. I run a MP60 0n the left end, a MP40 on the back (antisync to the MP60), a MP40 on the right end (run it fairly low though otherwise it will peel the anemone off its rock -which would be a BAD thing), and a Jebo WP-25 along the back wall also to provide more directed flow. I do run a CL through an OM device, though it I had it to do all over again I would probably skip it. Screen top, but only a single wire from the Jebao.

 

[chrismhaase]

ca1ore - If the anenome was not there wold you go with a 60 on each side and the 40 in the middle?

 

[ca1ore]

Yes, absent anemone pillar, I would have gone with a MP60 on both ends, probably still a single MP40 on the back wall (though perhaps unnecessary with dual 60s), and bagged the closed loop. Only downside with the 60s is they're quite loud as you get closer to running them full out. Acceptable trade off for me for no wires in the tank, but others might feel differently.

 

[andrewkw]

Not even close... Sea swirls... Mine have been running 24/7/365 for 10 years AND I bought them used...don't try that with Vortechs

FWIW, I don't think that you need to use 1.5" SSs for a 180g

All my G1 Vortechs are dead 2 MP40's and 1 MP 10.

Another option is Jeabo WP 40's or 60's. I use the 40's and the flow imo is better then Vortech's. They don't look as nice but are comparable to tunzes. I don't expect them to last forever either but are way cheaper then Vortech's. Tunze's are perhaps another option. My 6060 has been running more then 8 years.

 

[DavidinGA]

Definitely run two jebao wp60's.

I have two WP40's and one wp60 on my 210gal and two WP60's would be the perfect setup imo.

 

[ca1ore]

All my G1 Vortechs are dead 2 MP40's and 1 MP 10.

Just out of curiosity, how long did you run them before they failed? As a premium product, I'd expect them to significantly outlast the Jebao units (thus effecting a more balanced total lifetime cost), if they don't them I'm going to have to reevaluate my approach .....

 

[DavidinGA]

Just out of curiosity, how long did you run them before they failed? As a premium product, I'd expect them to significantly outlast the Jebao units (thus effecting a more balanced total lifetime cost), if they don't them I'm going to have to reevaluate my approach .....

That is based on the old notion that the more expensive product is truly the better product. That idea mostly died when mass production kicked in and greed swept the marketplace.

I've read countless threads about premium vortecs biting the dust within a year of use or needing the wet side replaced countless times. For the bargain price of the jebao's if they only lasted a year they would still be a better deal verse the insane price for vortecs.

I have two WP40's going strong 24/7 for nearly a year now and just added a wp60. Everything is made in China these days and quality is hit or miss but when it's miss at least you didn't fork out a fortune to begin with.

 

[ca1ore]

That is based on the old notion that the more expensive product is truly the better product. That idea mostly died when mass production kicked in and greed swept the marketplace.

I am involved in the manufacturing industry, and sorry but that's actually completely untrue! In fact, I'd argue it is precisely the opposite - the 'throw away' nature of many products actually enhances the relative value of a premium product. You have to be very careful about online complaints given the tendency for people to be 'privately happy; publicly unhappy'.

BUT, it isn't always true and it certainly may be that over time the Jebao pumps are comparable to Vortech in terms of reasonable expectations for useful life, we simply don't know yet. Sample size of two or three is not statistically significant anymore than would be my claim that I've had no problems with my three 2 year old Vortech pumps (I also have two Jebao's running without incident).

 

[zoomonster]

The short answer to the original question is do both. I'm doing a 200 build and going to be using two FS14000's (newer wp40). I have two 3/4 inch returns and very seriously debating using two sea swirls instead of the loc line return nozzles. 1.5 is probably too much but they have a new smaller universal unit that has all fittings for .75, 1 and 1.5 so there is room for error/upgrade.

 

[hedgedrew]

I run both. I vote that way!!!