Which Vortech modes do you use?

Which Vortech modes do you use?

  • Constant Speed Mode

    Votes: 6 2.5%

  • Tidal Swell Mode

    Votes: 25 10.5%

  • Nutrient Transport Mode

    Votes: 37 15.5%

  • Lagoon Mode

    Votes: 24 10.0%

  • Reef Crest Mode

    Votes: 121 50.6%

  • Short Pulse Mode

    Votes: 16 6.7%

  • Long Pulse Mode

    Votes: 10 4.2%
  • Total voters
    239
I use an MP60 on one side of the tank and two mp40's on the other side. It's a 5 foot tank.

Nutrient Transport Mode for 1 Hour a day
Lagoon Mode for 4 hours
Reef Crest Mode for 8 hours
Short Pulse Mode 2 hours
Slow constant for the two feeding times - 1/2 hour a day
Night for the rest of it
 
SPSEMPIRE said:
I've been using it for a while as well but lately I have started to second guess it. The pulsing is great and it doesn't put too much stress on the bearings since it goes into a constant speed and also stops for a few seconds. I'm just wondering if the pulsing is kind of redundant.

In NEM, it feel like two steps forward and one step back. My system had more of a circular pattern back when I had tunzes. Basically, it was alternating between clockwise and counter clockwise patterns. I'm starting to feel like that is the best type of flow for sps. I'm going back to the Reef Crest and change the position of the pumps to achive the circular pattern.
Click to expand...

SPSEMPIRE: You have hit it on the head so to speak. I tried the NEM and the Tidal Swell mode (or whatever it is called...) the flow is just isnt the same. The coral polyps and water motion is best with ReefCrest mode.

I have my two MP10's slightly offset at each end of the tank and this causes a pulsing of the polyps, but also an OVERALL circular pattern. I also have one ever so slightly higher than the other and it causes the water to lift debris etc.

I think when Ecotech Marine first designed these pumps, they came out with the best flow patterns that mimics nature...all the newer flow patterns are gimmicks at best to me.

Reefcrest provides the best water motion and for me that is evidenced by the movement of the SPS coral polyps.
 
I have two MP10 units. The older ones, not the MP10w ES. so they are not connected to each other...and I also don't have NEM. I don't know if I would use it that much...ReefCrest mode has been great for me. But I do wonder if I could get it to do two seperate Gyre currents if I did them on opposing long pulse modes. I will have to give that a try. I've heard good thigs from the Gyre, but I don't want to move both pumps to the same side just yet.
 
SPSEMPIRE said:
I've been using it for a while as well but lately I have started to second guess it. The pulsing is great and it doesn't put too much stress on the bearings since it goes into a constant speed and also stops for a few seconds. I'm just wondering if the pulsing is kind of redundant.

In NEM, it feel like two steps forward and one step back. My system had more of a circular pattern back when I had tunzes. Basically, it was alternating between clockwise and counter clockwise patterns. I'm starting to feel like that is the best type of flow for sps. I'm going back to the Reef Crest and change the position of the pumps to achive the circular pattern.
Click to expand...

sahin said:
SPSEMPIRE: You have hit it on the head so to speak. I tried the NEM and the Tidal Swell mode (or whatever it is called...) the flow is just isnt the same. The coral polyps and water motion is best with ReefCrest mode.

I have my two MP10's slightly offset at each end of the tank and this causes a pulsing of the polyps, but also an OVERALL circular pattern. I also have one ever so slightly higher than the other and it causes the water to lift debris etc.

I think when Ecotech Marine first designed these pumps, they came out with the best flow patterns that mimics nature...all the newer flow patterns are gimmicks at best to me.

Reefcrest provides the best water motion and for me that is evidenced by the movement of the SPS coral polyps.
Click to expand...

Interesting, thanks for your reply, Honestly, after readying your replies, I made the switch to Reef Crest, and will keep it there for a while to see if I notice any difference. Seems like Reef Crest is by far the favorite mode....interesting.
 
I gonna have to try reef crest in my new tank- 57g 36 long... I actually have 3 MP10s, should I use the 3rd one or is it overkill?
 
Navymedic said:
I gonna have to try reef crest in my new tank- 57g 36 long... I actually have 3 MP10s, should I use the 3rd one or is it overkill?
Click to expand...

If electricity costs is not an issue for you, then I'd use a 3rd pump.

BTW: Reefcrest mode use the LEAST amount of watts when set a max compared to all the other modes.
 
maybe i am an idiot but the directions were never very clear to me which
setting was reef crest and which was lagoon.

i run in the yellow mode.. with the two lights highlighted on the 3rd and 4th LEDs.. which
i thought was lagoonal.

Also based on the graphs they show of reef crest and lagoonal i thought the graph clearly
showed that lagoonal was using more power based on them being equivalent on the graph.
The graph is above in yellow...

i guess it was not explained very well in the directions or i am slow!
 
fcmatt said:
maybe i am an idiot but the directions were never very clear to me which
setting was reef crest and which was lagoon.

i run in the yellow mode.. with the two lights highlighted on the 3rd and 4th LEDs.. which
i thought was lagoonal.

Also based on the graphs they show of reef crest and lagoonal i thought the graph clearly
showed that lagoonal was using more power based on them being equivalent on the graph.
The graph is above in yellow...

i guess it was not explained very well in the directions or i am slow!
Click to expand...
Yes, 3,4th LED's represent lagoonal, and yes, lagoonal uses more watts. Like I said Reefcrest uses the least amount because of the random nature, the pump spends a lot of time in low speeds as well.

When you first go into the yellow mode (ie random flow) the 1,2 yellow leds are on and that is reefcrest.
 
sahin said:
Yes, 3,4th LED's represent lagoonal, and yes, lagoonal uses more watts. Like I said Reefcrest uses the least amount because of the random nature, the pump spends a lot of time in low speeds as well.

When you first go into the yellow mode (ie random flow) the 1,2 yellow leds are on and that is reefcrest.
Click to expand...

well one final question please...

between reef crest and lagoonal.. which mode keeps the pumps closer to 100%
most of the time?

based on the directions i thought that would be lagoonal keeping them above
50-60% most of the time while reef crest seems to have quite a bit of time
below 50%. i guess anti sync also plays a role like Acrotrdco said.. and that
is probably what I am misunderstanding...

so sounds like i should switch to reef crest like the majority here. pulse options
unless quite long.. are just too loud for a living room and i have pretty quite dry
sides to boot.
 
I run my MP60 in RCM. Early on in the operation of my MP60 when, when they first came out in the Fall, I spoke to a Tech Rep at EcoTech about NTM and its affects on the motor/bearings. He did state that it would be undue/premature wear and tear on the motor and bearings. That was enough for me to use the more straightforward and simpler RCM.

Running an SPS tank, I feel the same as others have stated. RCM gives the best flow patterns, imho, for overall benefit to SPS's. As one other stated, I feel that some of the other modes are gimmicks too for marketing against other PH companies; especially Tunze which has very limited modes.

BTW: at first I was VERY skeptical about purchasing my MP60 and now after about 5-months of use I really like it; especially in combination with my two Tunze's on the opposite side.....not that it really matters for this thread.:fun4:

JMHO and HTH.......
 
tegee said:
I run my MP60 in RCM. Early on in the operation of my MP60 when, when they first came out in the Fall, I spoke to a Tech Rep at EcoTech about NTM and its affects on the motor/bearings. He did state that it would be undue/premature wear and tear on the motor and bearings. That was enough for me to use the more straightforward and simpler RCM
Click to expand...
If your using a particular mode over another just because you're concerned with bearing wear then check out this thread. I know that the 60's are new and no one has had problems with the bearings yet but bearing replacement is fairly easy on the other models. HTH
 
I use TSM with 2 MP40 ES on either side of a 90 and a MP10es on the back! Works great and I have noticed a huge difference adding the 10 on the back in EcoSmart modes.

Without the 3 pump configuration I would go back to RC mode!

Dallas
 
Reef Crest is my favorite if.......I had more than one Vortech. I only have 1 and like to use lagoon as Reef Crest with one pump has it running at too low of a speed too often. So I think the number of units can have a factor as to which mode to use.

Drew
 
I know this is an older thread, but it came up in my Vortechs search. My question is in the Reefcrest graph, how long is that graph representing? I mean, it says time at the bottom but doesn't say how long till it completes its cycle and starts over..... Anyone know?
 
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