Chris' Reef

I agree, for what they are they are vortechs are overpriced IMO as well... but they are still better and IMO safer (and more tested, tried and true) then any other option. But stray voltage is not the only issue to be concerned about. Cheap poorly made magnets are a HUGE problem. Also, I believe I have read multiple times about jebo pumps having oil in them, while it was "sealed" if/when the seal becomes damaged thats a huge problem. Trust me I used to think exactly like you are about the pumps, but despite my current issues with them, I don't think I would go back to my old set up either.

FWIW the 4 powerheads your using are really underpowered for your tank anyway. Personally I would wait save the extra $ and try to find a decent used vortech.... thats what I will end up doing for the 2nd most likely.

 

I must say you being up some real good points and things that I didn't know about. Thank you. I will have to do more research before I make any decisions. I do agree with you that I am underpowered for my system. That's why I am looking into alternative powerheads. I think that is what I might do is just wait to find a decent priced vortec. Time to save some money and hang around the local forums.
Thanks for the help and advise. I will definitely do my research before pulling the trigger on anything. I hadn't felt comfortable yet so I hadn't made any moves.
Thanks again.

 

I've been in the hooby 4 or 5 years now (maybe 6 I dunno lol) and if you plan on staying in the hobby for an extended period of time I'd suggest saving your money and buying the best. If I would have just bough a vortech way back when I would have actually saved money on all the power heads I've bought over the years.... but I was the same way, overpriced not worth it to just move water etc. but still ended up coming to the realization that there really isn't a comparable worthy opponent They are starting to quiet down, and the flow from the 2 of them is certainly alot better then the koralia 1400 and 2 modded maxijets I had running before, while not really being much more powerful gph wise, and they do take up alot less space in the tank.

 

Again I agree with you. I too have been in the hobby for 5 years and my problem that I've been trying to get away from so bad is being so darn impatient. It's my Achilles tang heel. (My attempt at a stupid joke). I have gotten batter and being patient is how I was able to get the light I did and super happy with it. I went through so many cheap lights and didn't learn. I know you get what you pay for in this hobby and I've done my research and I know china LEDs have actually performed pretty well and I know there isn't a substitute for a mp40 but i wanted to give the wp40 a try. Just to see how it does. I didn't know about the oil in them and any other detrimental things you brought up. If I get it it would not be a long term purchase as I know I would probably go with something else soon. I do appreciate your advise and one thing I have just started researching is powerheads. I spent the longest time researching lights so no I'm going to work on water flow. Thanks again.

Glad to hear the mo40s are quieting down. How is the vibration on the original? Keep us posted on the status.

 

Yeah I've researched alot of stuff like crazy. I don't know if the wp40s contain oiled pumps but I know the company has used the oiled motors in pumps previously (like many chinese companies). While some would look at it as a ~$100 loss if it failed, I look at it more of a thousands of dollars in potential loss if it fails and kills off my tank (like the cheaper pump on my skimmer did my 180). Alot of us don't think about it like that, atleast not until it happens to us, which is why I skipped over trying any more cheaper pumps and went straight to the vortech. Tunze does make some good pumps and they are a little cheaper, and alot quieter as the motor is inside and if I decide I am not fully happy with the vortechs I will go that route as they are very high quality as well..... I've had good luck with my koralias over the years, but they just don't have quite the flow/ caliber I want for this tank, and I've recently had 2 fail (they were ~3yrs old and ran on timers for 2 years) which aided in the need for a new pump anyway

 

Man I hate it when other people are right. I didn't think about the ????$?$k I put in over the years to get to where I'm at. That just solidified it for me. No wp for me. Thanks for putting it into perspective.

 

Sorry lol I'd be in the same thought process as you and others on the vortechs tho if it wasn't for my bad pump experience wiping out my 180. Granted it was a different type of pump, but it was still poorly sealed, low quality magnet, and just cheap all around, but it did its job and worked pretty good so despite my thoughts on converting them over to good pumps that were known to be better and not fail as much I figured it works so no sense in spending $ to do the same thing, if it failed I'd replace them then not thinking of the risks I was ultimately taking by having the cheaper lower quality pump in my system..... lesson learned I'd just like to help people realize that lesson before it is to late for their tanks and they don't have to go through the devastating losses I did.

 

How are the vortecs doing? Any quieter?

 

The noises are still present, but I am getting used to it a little bit. Both are performing great tho, and I have begun to notice improved PE as well as slightly increased skimmer performance. Not sure if that has anything to do with the vortechs really, but can't complain that the skimmer has been pulling a little more then usual lately.

 

Today I moved the original around abit and boy did that make a difference in its performance. I thought that having it more centered would give it the opportunity to move the most water as it had the most space to do so really but boy was I wrong. I placed it slightly off center horizontally in the upper section of the tank and it will do the job alone. Polyps are swaying throughout the tank and it is clear that it is moving water throughout the entire tank..... something my previous powerhead setup could not do at ~5200gph+ it is doing at far less. Even when it is not fully ramped up there is significant water movement to keep my acros happy I feel, which makes me happy.

The vibration is still occasionally present tho, and the replacement is still annoyingly loud with the louder electric motor whine where the original is pretty quite in that sense atleast.