Vor Tech Propeller Pump?

[vettesarebest]

Has anyone used these or seen them? Or know anything about them?

Here is the link.

 

[wbholwell]

No, but an ingenius design!!! But at $350, a little out of my price range. But this looks like the <u>perfect</u> water pump.

 

[george]

I saw those last time I ordered something. The only drawback is that as far as I can tell there's no way to angle the flow any direction other than perpendicular to the glass. Then again Tunze streams aren't much for angling either.

 

[burdundi]

I have heard only good things about them. Just a little too expensive for me. They are working on a way to angle the flow and the controller should be out soon as well. I love the batter backup option.

-Andy

 

[wbholwell]

Yeah, they would need some sort of U joint like on a drive shaft.

 

[thekid55]

there is a huge thread on this on thereeftank.com

ends up its a piece of crap

 

[justonemoretank]

They look awesome... yes quite expensive but really nice. I like my closed loop too much to give it up in a trade for a set of ugly pumps inside the tank though.

 

[cameron]

Early ones were screwy and had design issues. Later ones seem to work well. I have seen one running and it was doing the job very well. Safer than a traditional submerged pump and you can get a battery backup for it.

 

[siege]

One of the room-mates pointed these out to me some time ago. I investigated them and while neat, found them way too far out of my price range as well... and not only because of the actual dollars involved, but I just don't think it's worth that... I think they're relying mostly on reefers with huge or custom tanks who are willing to spend any amount to have the best and coolest things for their tanks with pockets deeper than the Marianas Trench.

 

[cameron]

Assuming you are going to throw 300+ on a battery backup to save your fish during a power outage, the deal isn't that bad. $500 buys you the pump and the battery backup. That makes it a pretty good deal under those terms.

 

[burdundi]

Melev has an interview with Tim Marks from EcoTech about the vortech in ReefCast 19.

http://www.reefcast.com/downloads.php">http://www.reefcast.com/downloads.php</a> Take a listen if you have some time or watch the video.

-Andy

 

[dough]

I bit the bullet 2 weeks ago. Bought from Scott at Aquarium Specialty. It has some amazing flow to it. Very broad pattern. The flow is adjustable with a small dial. I can ramp it up to stir up the entire tank and then turn it down to a acceptable rate.

The cost of $350 is steep. But if you do some figuring what the Vortech capabilities and compare it to other pumps such as Tunzes, the price is not off the mark. They will also hold their value over the long run.

It is dead quite. No heat in the tank. The down side is that the design has it flat against the tank. So you really can't direct the flow like you can with a Tunze or Maxi Jet. My coraline algea has taken off since installing the pump. My SPS seem to be doing better. Even the zoa aren't bothered by it.

It is running on my RK2 on the wavemaker program, so there is not a constent hard flow.

No issues yet.

 

[ouling]

well i would recommend the Hydor Koralia instead if i havn't just got shocked by one.

 

[siege]

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to have some; I'm not so worried about being able to direct the flow, and if I was, I think I could come up with something to make it work. However, I just don't have enough invested in my measly 50gal tank to justify $500 power-heads when the little maxi-jets i have are at least serviceable.

If I had rather less limited funds at my disposal, however, I concede I'd definitely have a pair.

 

[vettesarebest]

Yeah IMO I would need two in my tank just to have more flow because I would have "dead Spots" with only one. That is the only problem. Thats expensive!

 

[vettesarebest]

I would love to have two also. Thats the thing though, I would need two. Thats A LOT of money!

 

[dough]

I am not sure what size tanks you guys are running but in my 58 the Vortech pushes so much water that there are not many dead spots when used in conjuction with my closed loop.

Okay, the intial cost is there. I did not have the cash to do it either. But, I need more flow in the tank. In order to do that I could put another Tunze nanostream in, but I don't like equipment in my tank. I could up the closed loop pump but that would require another Oceans Motion devise that could handle more than 1000 gph. Buying a new pump and OM devise was going to run way over the price of the VorTech.

 

[vettesarebest]

I have a 75 gallon and I just don't see how one could do the job. Are they Very big compared to a Maxi Jet?

 

[cameron]

At 3000gph I doubt you will have a dead spot in a 75 gallon. That is a lot of flow and will easily reach the other side of the tank wall and begin pushing against itself. That is 40x flow full out.

 

[dough]

With the motor housing on the outside and the prop housing on the inside, it is about the size of a softball.

Again, I am running mine with a Oceans Motions CL with 4 returns. When I crank it up the Vortech to 3000 gph the flow moves a lot of stuff around in my 58 gallon tank. The prop is 2" DIA. So unlike a maxi Jet, you get a wide flow pattern.

There are times when I feel like I am nickel and diming my tank. With the Vortech, I know that if I ever upgrade it can be used in a larger system.