Ecotech Marine Vortech propeller pump

[KenFitz]

From the above posts - it would seem that this pump can only be mounted on the side of some aquaria - those that have a built-in in-tank area at the rear (Aqua-Medic) would find that rear mounting would prove problematic if not impossible.

I am correct in this - I don't have an Aqua-medic - but it would seem so.

 

[Anonymous]

BTW, championlighting has a wait list for these. I signed up for two today. gonna put them on a cleam bottom 120. ooooooooh, I can't wait I think I'll sequence them with a wavemaker.

don't think I'll ever need to storm my tank :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

BTW, championlighting has a wait list for these. I signed up for two today. gonna put them on a cleam bottom 120. ooooooooh, I can't wait I think I'll sequence them with a wavemaker.

don't think I'll ever need to storm my tank :lol:

Did Champion give you a price?

~wings~

 

[LA-Lawman]

ther are $350... at champion.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks...a bit pricey. Supply and demand, I guess. :lol:

~wings~

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry wings for not getting back. IMO, these are a big step forward in reef keeping for so many reasons. So price for me was not a problem.

They will go on a 5 foot long custom tank ~110gal. ..2 of them. Very curious to see what I will have to dial them to, to prevent tsunamis :lol:

I'm going to go "bare-bottom this time around, so not too worried about the "southdown sand storm"

For those that have beta-tested, what would be a good interval on a wavemaker for alternating these two?

 

[Ricordia]

I'm really curious about the benifits something like this or a Tunze actually provides. I've been looking at the Oceans Motions Super Squirt, which will redirect my return through four channels.

The Super Squirt doesn't add any heat to the tank, it allows me to run outlets to whatever part of the tank needs it (up to four locations), and only costs $200. I'm using an Iwaki 1200gph pump for my return, on a 150g tank.

To get the same effect (I think , correct me if I'm wrong) I'll need four Vortechs and a controller that lets them run one at a time in series.

What would a Vortech or Tunze actually give me that the Super Squirt won't? Is it worth the extra $1200?

 

[Anonymous]

You need to add the cost of a 3000+ gph pump, and piping, and cost to run to the comparison.

 

[Len]

These prop pumps also provide an entirely different type of circulation. They are high volume but low velocity .... the ideal flow type. 3000gph through 1 to 1 1/2" piping (ala the Ocean Motions, which I also own/use) equals very high velocity with very narrow angle of distribution.

Pumps like the bigger Tunze and Vortechs also have adjustable pump outputs that can be controlled by advanced programs. You can have one side slowly ramp up in output while the other side slowly ramp down. It can thus be programmed for a very naturall "ebb and flow" type flow. You can't do that with conventional pumps.

For a 150g, you will only need two Vortechs or Streams (6100). Four will be extreme overkill. You could even get away with just one pump IME.

 

[Anonymous]

If you attach enough outlets to your oceans motions unit, and use a strong enough pump you can get the effect of all the water flowing one way and then the other pretty well.

For me the downside of that setup is the noise of the big pump and the complexity of the plumbing.

 

[Ricordia]

Sorry, I should have been clearer. I know my 1200gph pump doesn't compare to the 3000gph of the prop pumps being discussed here. I'm not trying to compare them to the Super Squirt. what I'm looking for is an answer to "what do they provide my tank and is it worth that much money to get it?" question.

I think there are diffuser attachments I could put on the end of the pipes coming off each of the outlets of the Super Squirt, and yes, I believe my existing pump (with it's existing noise level) would be suffcient for acheiving the alternating water movement.

At the moment, I have the 1200gph split into two outlets with a T, one in each rear corner of the tank. If I go with the Super squirt I'd have outlet 1 and 2 run to one side, and outlets 3 and 4 run to the other. That would double the flow from each side of the tank over what I have now.

Again, I'm not trying to compare this setup to one with Vortechs or Tunzes. I'm just trying to understand exactly what that extra $1200 would do for me.

 

[Anonymous]

I love this product thus far...especially the fact of no wires in the tank.

I would say, however, it would probably be overkill for a 60 hex? Front to back it seems too short a span.

Right now I have 2 maxi jet 900's. Replacing them with one of these would be awesome. I hate wires.

 

[GSchiemer]

I love this product thus far...especially the fact of no wires in the tank.

I would say, however, it would probably be overkill for a 60 hex? Front to back it seems too short a span.

Right now I have 2 maxi jet 900's. Replacing them with one of these would be awesome. I hate wires.

The Vortech will work great on your 60 hex. I'm presently using one on a 42 hex with the output set at 50%. It replaced two MaxiJet 1200's. The Vortech has a very wide flow pattern so it doesn't need much "clearance."

Greg

 

[Anonymous]

So the external portion isn't even waterproof?

For an investment like that, I hope like heck its at least significantly water resistant!

 

[Len]

The external portion is not waterproof but it is water resistant. The only way I can see damaging it is if you submerge it, and there's no likely way of that ever happening. Like many product (e.g. Ocean Motions, inline pumps, Sea Swirls, Tunze Turbelle, etc.), only the portion that need to be waterproof are.

 

[Anonymous]

Alright, so lets say I do something really dumb (not at ALL unusal) and manage to drop a 5 gallon bucket into my tank and cause a tidal wave that gushes over every side of the tank..

These things are resistant enough that a "gentle dousing" like that isn't gonna fry 'em?

Oh, yeah, and actually, I did do that just a couple months ago. - Nearly started an electrical fire and wound up having to replace an electrical outlet behind the tank.

 

[Len]

I don't know for sure, but I don't think that would kill the pump. The main potential area for water damage is where the wires go into the pump casing. I don't know if the production model will be a little more watertight there.

 

[Anonymous]

Alright, so lets say I do something really dumb (not at ALL unusal) and manage to drop a 5 gallon bucket into my tank and cause a tidal wave that gushes over every side of the tank..

These things are resistant enough that a "gentle dousing" like that isn't gonna fry 'em?

Oh, yeah, and actually, I did do that just a couple months ago. - Nearly started an electrical fire and wound up having to replace an electrical outlet behind the tank.

Did you also replace the the outlet with a wet use cover?

 

[Anonymous]

Alright, so lets say I do something really dumb (not at ALL unusal) and manage to drop a 5 gallon bucket into my tank and cause a tidal wave that gushes over every side of the tank..

These things are resistant enough that a "gentle dousing" like that isn't gonna fry 'em?

Oh, yeah, and actually, I did do that just a couple months ago. - Nearly started an electrical fire and wound up having to replace an electrical outlet behind the tank.

:lol:


Sounds like a knuckleheaded move to me....

 

[iiidmaxer]

Hi,

Does anyone know the dimensions on this pump? I have a 500 gallon tank, but only have 4 1/2" of clearance (each end of the tank) where I can attach the two parts of the pump.

Thanks
-Bob