Im moving from Vortech to Tunze

[shinninja]

Hey everyone. Thought id share my new path to aquarium zen. Im trying to make my aquarium the quietest possible. I recently moved all the gear to the garage. I changed my primative one 90 degree elbow overflow to a calflo with bean animal style overflow. Now im going to buy tunze 6105(2). I have three vortech mp40s. Awesome, i mean AWESOME pumps but too loud for my taste. I run AI led lights. With the vortechs off, i can hear the AI fans come on. So my tank is pretty quiet. I pick up the tunzes today and can hopefully have them somewhat running. I say somewht because I really want to replicate the different modes the vortechs have. For now I will run both type pumps and have the vortechs come on for maybe a couple of hours a day. Ill post my findings.

[zakstrong]

how big of a tank do you have

[shinninja]

180 gallon 6x2x2.

[Giovanni]

I had the same experience. Purchased some used tunzes to try and discovered I was letting the best in life pass me buy.

[azjohnny]

one thing I like about Vortechs is the undertow that is produced and also I have triggerfish that I am afraid will try to chew the power chords of a Tunze

[mark54321]

I did exactly the same on my 120 gal. It is so much more quiet and two tunze 6105 move more water than 2 vortechs IMO.

[shinninja]

Cool! Didn't get them today. They will be here tomorrow. As with the whole undertow thing. Wouldn't the tunzes or any other pump produce the same if placed close to the sandbed?

[reeferlover]

I run one mp one tunze two were driving me nuts

[Maivortex]

I think the key to vortechs is that u can not have them cranked up all the way. Even with this tunze is hands down quieter if u can live with the wires

[shinninja]

Sweet! I want a dead silent tank. I cant wait!!

[Reefnut2010]

I'll take quiet over pretty any day of the week !! Running the cable staraight up and above the water line isn't that hard anyway.

[James77]

Cool! Didn't get them today. They will be here tomorrow. As with the whole undertow thing. Wouldn't the tunzes or any other pump produce the same if placed close to the sandbed?

The whole undertow thing is from the wide flow of the vortech....it has to pull water from somwhere the water is not being pushed. The sandbed is one area. On older Tunze models, the flow is much narrower so there is more area for the return flow to come from so there would be less of this under tow effect. The newer Tunzes have a much wider flow and it will be there as well. But undertow is not everything....the Tunzes "move" a tank much more than Vortechs do. They are also silent and I think you will like them :)

[Craig Borowski]

Jim explained the undertow effect very well. It's not really a special or intrinsic feature to any particular make or model of pump. Undertow is just water returning towards the pump. This returning water is more pronounced with a wide flow pump as it is forced to return on a level further from the center of the flow, which is usually down by the sand bed.

[shinninja]

So I finally received the new tunzes. I bought three. I installed two in the six foot tank. All I can say is woooowww!!!! The noise is almost gone!!! I say almost because I can hear a click when then pumps turn on. Otherwise they are dead silent!! I love it! I haven't ever heard my tank that quiet. It's awesome!!! I'm using apex so programming is kind of a pain! Not simple like the vortechs. The flow is much different.

[wyoung609]

I have two 6105s in my 180...soooooo much better than vortech, IMO the mp40's are the most overrated pumps out there.

[dread240]

my 6095 got delivered today... still have to finish the controller for it though

[triguy]

I too recently switched from 2 mp40 to 2 Tunze 6105 for my 150g, and I too LOVE them. Much quieter than my mp40, which were old GEN 2 models, but I do like having the ability to angle the direction of the Tunze. I can also hear the hum of when the controller switches powerheads. I didn't hear this when I was running the 12v jumper, but now I have the 18v jumper in.

[trinity1012]

so the tunze 6105's come with controllers? random flow patterns? might have to give up my mp40's if thats the case.my tank sits in my living room so quieter would b better

[Humu Humu]

tagging along, can I ask you guys, what skimmer you are running that is so quiet that all you hear is the circulation pump? My octopus skimmer is the loudest thing on my tank.

[James77]

so the tunze 6105's come with controllers? random flow patterns? might have to give up my mp40's if thats the case.my tank sits in my living room so quieter would b better

No, you need to purchase a 7095 (older manual) or 7096 (newer USB) programmed controller by Tunze to control them. Apex, Digital Aquatics, Profilux, and Reef Angel can also control them. I prefer Tunze, since it works with battery backup easier, since their controller is powered by the Tunze pumps. The 7096 offers limited randomness, nothing like the Vortech though unfortunately. The Profilux offers 100% random control though.

Quieter.....night and day difference IME between the Vortech and Tunze.

PS....do you know the name of that coral in your avatar? Is it yours? I'd love to know where you got it from if so....I had one about 6 years ago that looked just like, and it is a gorgeous coral!

[James77]

tagging along, can I ask you guys, what skimmer you are running that is so quiet that all you hear is the circulation pump? My octopus skimmer is the loudest thing on my tank.

I'm using a Super Reef Octopus skimmer, and it is the loudest thing on my tank....but it is also behind 3/4" thick oak doors and a melamine foam lined stand. It is a quiet skimmer, and I can faintly hear its hum.

The Tunze are out in the open, and I cannot hear them unless I am literally 1 foot from them. This is with everything off on the tank. I am actually switching skimmers in an attempt to get to 100% silent again. The SRO skimmers are fantastic and amongst the quietest I have used, but Im going to try others....

[wyoung609]

All my filtration is in the basement. The only thing I can hear at the DT is my power heads so they had to be quiet.

[triguy]

No, you need to purchase a 7095 (older manual) or 7096 (newer USB) programmed controller by Tunze to control them. Apex, Digital Aquatics, Profilux, and Reef Angel can also control them. I prefer Tunze, since it works with battery backup easier, since their controller is powered by the Tunze pumps. The 7096 offers limited randomness, nothing like the Vortech though unfortunately. The Profilux offers 100% random control though.

Quieter.....night and day difference IME between the Vortech and Tunze.

PS....do you know the name of that coral in your avatar? Is it yours? I'd love to know where you got it from if so....I had one about 6 years ago that looked just like, and it is a gorgeous coral!

What battery backup are you using? I was wondering, since I already have it, if I could use the vortech battery backup somehow with the Tunzes. It would have come in handy tonight since power was out for a couple of hours.

[Craig Borowski]

So I finally received the new tunzes. I bought three. I installed two in the six foot tank. All I can say is woooowww!!!! The noise is almost gone!!! I say almost because I can hear a click when then pumps turn on. Otherwise they are dead silent!! I love it! I haven't ever heard my tank that quiet. It's awesome!!! I'm using apex so programming is kind of a pain! Not simple like the vortechs. The flow is much different.
That click should fade away within two or three weeks to become almost inaudible. If it doesn't, please get in touch and we'll help you out.


so the tunze 6105's come with controllers?
As Jim explained, our controllers are sold separately. Here's a basic chart showing the functions available on the different models:

http://tunzeusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Controller-Chart.jpg

random flow patterns?

Even the Random Flow is not truly random. It's a combination of two other modes that alternate at long intervals. Our controllers don't have any fully randomized mode. This is intentional. But why? To put it simply- random flow is something that some people have been taught to like. (It's a lesson left over from the days before controllable pumps were the norm.) But corals, who are after all our target customers, have evolved to dislike it. It doesn't impress them at all.

Even in the most turbulent sections of a coral reef, flow comes and goes in patterns consistant with the changing of the tides. Corals require time and energy to adjust polyp extension (and calcification and growth) based on flow direction. If we could ask corals what they thought of random flow, they would probably say, "It's actually kinda annoying." Of course that's just speculation, rather silly speculation, but it's based on what we know of coral biology and their natural environment.

[shinninja]

Thanks Craig. I look forward to them really breaking in.
So I now have two tunze 6105 in my 180gal -6x2x2 tank and one 6095 in the 2x2x2 cube all controlled by the apex. I still have the vortechs hooked up. Two mp40s in the 180 gal and two mp10s in the cube. Once i get the tunze programming dialed in Im not sure what i will do. For now i have been running a basic "wave" in both tanks with the vortechs off. Maybe I will keep all the pumps and create a tsunami when I do water changes. I can cause a little stirring of my sand with all pumps running!!! Hahahaha.

BTW i only have the either the vortechs or tunzes running. not both. Although i couldn't resist i did have everything at full blast for a few seconds. My fish didn't appreciate it. They were swimming backwards!!!!

[James77]

The noise is almost gone!!! I say almost because I can hear a click when then pumps turn on. Otherwise they are dead silent!! I love it! I haven't ever heard my tank that quiet. It's awesome!!! I'm using apex so programming is kind of a pain! Not simple like the vortechs. The flow is much different.

Yeah, the one Vortech HUGE plus is that random flow. Tunze dropped the ball on that one with their 7096 controller, I guess it lacks the memory? The apex is a bit more of a pain, but gives you nearly unlimited amounts of flow patterns throughout the day.

Your pumps are new enough where they should already include it...but on your drive shafts, there should be a blue silicone "cup" beneath the impeller that holds a bushing/small disk. It is called an attenuation disk, and is made to stop clicking on start up by absorbing force. Looking into it on the Tunze forum, they are on all pumps made after July 2010, so it should not be an issue for you but just in case. That makes my 6105s almost 2.5 years old :). Zero problems or noise with them, and I think I have cleaned them at most 8 times, mostly for algae buildup on the propeller housing.

[blutang007]

Hey guys a question for you. I was wondering if there's an option where we can control our tunze pump like the reef crest mode from a vortech.. I'm running my 6105 off my Profilux 3 but haven't had any luck to replicate the reef crest mode. Anyone know please let me know.. Thanks

[Craig Borowski]

Thanks Craig. I look forward to them really breaking in.
So I now have two tunze 6105 in my 180gal -6x2x2 tank and one 6095 in the 2x2x2 cube all controlled by the apex.

You're very welcome. Take a look at Interval Mode on the chart on the previous page. The description there is a brief, but it should give you some idea about how you might try programming your Apex. Basically you have one pump pulsing between 100% and 30%, pulsing between these two speeds every 2-5 seconds.* While that pump is pulsing, the second pump is just idling at a constant speed, generally around 50%. Then every 6 hours the two pumps swap roles. (*The pulse speed is dependent on the length of the tank. You want it to stay on 100% just long enough so that the full power stream has time to reach the other side of the tank. On your 180 this should be around 3 seconds.)

What this does is mimic true reef crest currents, where you have waves with one dominant direction for a period of hours. When the tide changes, the dominant direction changes. The pulsing of the waves continues as before, but now it comes from the opposite direction. This longer time span between major changes in current direction allows corals to adapt their polyp extension accordingly. Corals need time to adjust to changing currents. Constantly changing flow patterns, as seen with 'random' flow modes, would more aptly be called inconsistant, but that's a discussion for another day.

[swcc]

See I was all set to buy one tunze and controller and now thinking two smaller ones to do the am pm opposite direction pulse mode... darn it..lol.

[solitude127]

For the folks with Eurobracing, how do you put the wires in your tank if you don't have holes in the bracing?

[DiscusHeckel]

That click should fade away within two or three weeks to become almost inaudible. If it doesn't, please get in touch and we'll help you out.



As Jim explained, our controllers are sold separately. Here's a basic chart showing the functions available on the different models:

http://tunzeusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Controller-Chart.jpg



Even the Random Flow is not truly random. It's a combination of two other modes that alternate at long intervals. Our controllers don't have any fully randomized mode. This is intentional. But why? To put it simply- random flow is something that some people have been taught to like. (It's a lesson left over from the days before controllable pumps were the norm.) But corals, who are after all our target customers, have evolved to dislike it. It doesn't impress them at all.

Even in the most turbulent sections of a coral reef, flow comes and goes in patterns consistant with the changing of the tides. Corals require time and energy to adjust polyp extension (and calcification and growth) based on flow direction. If we could ask corals what they thought of random flow, they would probably say, "It's actually kinda annoying." Of course that's just speculation, rather silly speculation, but it's based on what we know of coral biology and their natural environment.

Hi Craig,

I have three Tunze 6055s connected to a 7095 controller. What is the best combination for the "random" mode in terms of interval and pulse setting so as not to a"annoy" my corals.

[DiscusHeckel]

tagging along, can I ask you guys, what skimmer you are running that is so quiet that all you hear is the circulation pump? My octopus skimmer is the loudest thing on my tank.

I use a Bubble Magus NA6 skimmer, which is very quiet. I got of my Vortech MP pump because I could not stand the sound of a plane taking off in my study all the time. I find Tunzes a lot quieter than Vortechs. I am not suggesting that Tunzes are silent because I still get some slight humming noise when they pulse. I run mine at 24 V.

[DiscusHeckel]

tagging along, can I ask you guys, what skimmer you are running that is so quiet that all you hear is the circulation pump? My octopus skimmer is the loudest thing on my tank.

I use a Bubble Magus NA6 skimmer, which is very quiet. I got of my Vortech MP pump because I could not stand the sound of a plane taking off in my study all the time. I find Tunzes a lot quieter than Vortechs. I am not suggesting that Tunzes are silent because I still get some slight humming noise when they pulse. I run mine at 24 V.

[DiscusHeckel]

tagging along, can I ask you guys, what skimmer you are running that is so quiet that all you hear is the circulation pump? My octopus skimmer is the loudest thing on my tank.

I use a Bubble Magus NA6 skimmer, which is very quiet.

[TylerHaworth]

Just another Vortech to Tunze convert chiming in... The MP's have some coolness factor, but I like having my three viewable sides free of any obstruction and without the ROOOOMP noise the Vortechs make.

[reeferlover]

i agree that the mp40 are extremely over rated. i am not impressed at all. the mp10s are a lot better seeing as you can get two for the price of one mp40. and yes that is more, and better flow from two mp10 then one mp40. anyway. mp is just too too loud no longevity. im selling the mps for the tunze with controlls

[Craig Borowski]

Hi Craig,

I have three Tunze 6055s connected to a 7095 controller. What is the best combination for the "random" mode in terms of interval and pulse setting so as not to a"annoy" my corals.
Can you tell us a little more about your aquarium, like size, corals, rock and current pump placement? You can start a new thread if you prefer; it's up to you.

But if this is for a discus tank, then the answer is simple: turn all of the 6055s to the 'off' setting. :lol2:

[shinninja]

Craig, not sure if your using apex (im guessing not) but i took you suggestion in regards to the interval mode. For the pump that is in a "constant flow" mode i have the apex programming as follows....
Sync: disabled
Divide by 10: disabled
Initial time off: 0
On time: 60
Off Time: 0
Min: 100
Max: 100

Does this sound about right? Otherwise I dont know how to keep the tunze at a constant flow rate? THanks a lot.

[DiscusHeckel]

But if this is for a discus tank, then the answer is simple: turn all of the 6055s to the 'off' setting. :lol2:

:lmao:

I have a reef tank. I will post some details asap.

[zibba]

Seems to be a lot of these threads going, but figured I'd chime in here too since I'm a recent Vortech to Tunze convert. Like others on this thread, my goal is to create a near-silent reef tank. As with all of the equipment that I've purchased for this tanks, "silence" was at the top of the list in the "must-haves." I'm currently running a Sicce Syncra 4.0 return pump and an ATB 840 v2 skimmer (uses a sicce pump) and both are louder than the Tunzes. I expect the Sicce pumps to quiet down over time though.

I had a MP40wes and just bought 2 6105s. In my experience, the single Vortech was too loud; and, indeed, much louder than the Tunzes, which are dead silent on their current setting. They're using the 18v jumper and are only running at 30% right now on alternating 20-minute cycles, but dang, these things move a ton of water!! :) I'm slowly trying to ramp them up to avoid massive sandstorms. I'm hopeful things will settle in and I'll be able to cut these things loose.

I'd prefer to run the Tunzes off the 7096 but I already have the Apex, so it's hard to justify the extra cost. Instead, I'm going to try and play with the programming as Craig recommended.

Regarding the undertow issue -- I have the wide-flow covers on the Tunzes and they create a lot of undertow in my tank. The flow pattern is certainly different compared to the Vortech, however, I think both can (and have proven to) provide a great environment for our corals. The Tunzes do take up more room inside the tank, but I wasn't fond of the giant motor running on the outside of the tank either. In fact, for my tank, I couldn't run the Vortech on the back-panel due to an issue with the external overflow. So ultimately, it was a trade off between noise and aesthetics -- Tunze won.

[shinninja]

UPDATE
The pumps are a lot quieter now. The clicking i had is much quieter. You can hear it if your standing next to the tank. Flow is nice. The corals seem to be doing well. Overall im very happy with the purchase. The 6095s are also quiet. I bought a second 6095 for my 50 gal cube. I do not regret the purchase at all!! Im thinking of adding another two 6095s to the 180 tank just to get some movement in those hard to reach areas.

[Craig Borowski]

UPDATE
The pumps are a lot quieter now. The clicking i had is much quieter. You can hear it if your standing next to the tank. Flow is nice. The corals seem to be doing well. Overall im very happy with the purchase. The 6095s are also quiet. I bought a second 6095 for my 50 gal cube. I do not regret the purchase at all!! Im thinking of adding another two 6095s to the 180 tank just to get some movement in those hard to reach areas.
That is great to hear. Thank you for the update!

As far as your 180 is concerned, the 6095s would work very well to add targeted flow. But depending on your budget you might also consider the non-controllable 6045 or 6065. (At $92 and $138 respectively, you could save a bit, and the controllability is less important if the pumps are just going to be blasting from behind the rocks.)

[cpllongjk]

I own several 6055s and I can attest to the ease of use of the 7096 controller for the tunze pumps. I ended up selling that controller because I use the apex controller but prefer how easy it was to set up the pumps via the 7096. It was as simple as a few clicks and done. With the apex I have to dial it in manually and it is a good thing I am half way computer saavy or I wouldnt be able to do it.

In the end, apex or tunze's 7096 you'll get nearly the same result. The 7096 is just a TON easier to get going.

[dread240]

I may or may not have the equivalent of a 7096 going for roughly 30 bucks in parts lol :) I'm waiting on some stuff from digikey but I may jump the gun on a few parts from radiowecansellyouacellphoneshack because I'm too eager to finish this up lol

0-100% speed control (well it's really off or about 30%, the initial in-rush on my 6095 won't let it run slower unless i back it down once it's already started)

adjustable time period for pulse from .1 sec to 6 sec

duty cycle can be whatever you want and not just 50/50 (i.e. high pulse for 2 sec and low pulse for 4 sec... which I believe this is basically reef crest which most people have been asking for)

switch programs depending on time of day, feed button, sky be the limit in the program

will not be anywhere near as pretty as tunze's program as I'm planning on incorporating it into more stuff, so no seperate program to set it up, you'd have to do it in code if you only want this portion

[blue98ls1]

If any of you would like to part with your MP40s once you switch over, please PM me with a price. Thanks.