Vortec users?

Okay, random question. Is a Vortec worth the money? Any pros or cons you all can offer? They look cool, but they are not cheap....so do you get the bang for your buck? Are there more cost effective options?

 

For vortech pumps you are paying to not only technology, but easy of use. MP40/10 ES have built in wireless controllers that create simple and effective flow patters for fish and corals.
Can you do this for cheaper? Yes. Is it more difficult? heck yeah!

My favorite feature is the low profile inside the tank, you can't beat that!

..... well maybe with a closed loop

 

Pros

-Motor is outside the tank which means less heat inside the tank
-Easy to clean
-Easy to set up
-Literally hundreds of different water motions you can create
-You can link it to other vortech devices and set up master/slave combos
-(Up to 10 different modes: Nutrient Transport Mode, Tidal Swell Mode, Reef Crest Random, Lagoonal, Short Pulse, Long Pulse, Feed Mode, Night Mode, Battery Backup Mode, Auto-Dim)
-You can turn it off easily with the push of one button for when it's feeding time and then turn it back on and it remembers the setting it was on. Very handy feature that I use daily.
-Very high flows with this size pump

Cons

Only one negative and that is the price.

 

Noise can be an issue to some, and cost of replacement/fixing a problem is much more serious. But they are the best pump for providing lots of random flow. There are lots of wave makers out there, but not a lot of devices than can do anything like reef crest.

 

+1 Grim
Definitely worth the money, I spent over $300 in powerheads and wavemakers for my little 30g Biocube trying to find the perfect flow without leaving dead zones, nothing was good enough, however once I bought the MP10 it solved all of my flow desires and dead spots. Very amazing tool to help keep your reef happy.

 

Thanks everyone. Great info

 

Ive been using a red sea wavemaker for awhile and was just about to splurge on a mp40 and then i started coming across people saying they were havimg to replace either wet side or dry side. And it wasnt cheap. Im sort of stumped now. If spent rhat kind of cash and had to replace one side or thw other a year later id be peeved. Not sure how common the problems are so it could be isolated cases.
I know koralias arent great with wavemakers but i know hydor will replace parts for free. Not sure what ecotech offers as a warranty. Id still like to get my hands on one though. If the price drops say 50-100 ill be on it like stink on a monkey.

 

Ecotech has a 1 year on it I think. they are pretty good about honoring it I would say.

I have had my mp10wES for over a year without a single issue and I absolutely love it. I dont think I will ever not have one in a tank from now on.

 

Vortech are definitly worth every penny. I belive you will spend the same amount in multiple powerheads and a wavemaker and still not have the adjustability you will with a vortech, and they push some serious water. I have one mp40 on the end of my 8 ft tank and it moves corals around on the other side and its not turned all the way up. I believe the older models are the ones that were having all the problems. I was skeptical at first too but decided to make the plunge and love it. Im saving to buy another one.

 

Me too, Vortech hands down! Worth the money just for the peace of mind!
Like all power heads, pumps etc, normal maintenance cleaning goes a long way in giving it longevity!