Vortec or tunze

ade · 10/11/2006, 08:55 AM

I know that there NRVRC guys that have Vortec pumps so I would love some feed back. In the near furture I plan on buying a new wave maker. I am torn between Tunze and Vortec I have for those who don't know I have a 180 mixed reef and I was looking at the 2 x 6000 and a 7095 controller or get 2 x Vortec pumps which I know right now does not have a controller available. After looking at a lot of you alls tanks I don't think that 4 x punps @ 350gph will do it for SPS. Right now it is fine for a lot of my corals but as I add more SPS I would think that they would like a lot more flow. Any input would help.
Thanks, Ade

manderx · 10/11/2006, 12:32 PM

yeah, for the sps i'd say your options are tunze, vortech, or closed loop with a penductor. closed loop would be the cheapest but the biggest pita. plus it would suck down lots of electricty. so i wouldn't go that way.

between the tunze and vortech, your tank is big enough that i don't think the size or heat savings of the vortech would be significant enough to consider. the real selling point for me to put a vortech on your tank would be the battery backup and wave controller. apparently the vortech wave controller (they say early next summer but i think they are just saying that to surprise us in the spring) will be leaps and bounds better than the tunze controller, in terms of programability. the backup battery is even a better incentive, 150 bucks to give you 36 hours of backup. you can do a UPS or something on a tunze, but having to convert from DC to AC to DC takes a massive hit on how many hours per $ you get out of it.

the vortech will be a little more frustrating to get setup. with the tunze you just drop it in a plug it in. pointability is nice, but for a 180 not that big a deal if you plan on mounting them on the sides anyway. with the vortech, you have to be able to reach the inside and outside parts at the same time to be able to align. but once it's running they are magic.

i'm going to buy 2 more once the controller is available.

maxistream is another option. not controllable like the DC pumps (vary intensity rather than on/off) but lots of flow for cheap. this is the most expensive of the kits, but it looks like the best one by far. http://www.reefdom.com/default.asp

reefdadx2 · 10/12/2006, 05:06 PM

Ade, Matt beat me to the link that you were asking me to send you to. www.Reefdom.com They look nice to me. Michael R

ade · 10/12/2006, 06:42 PM

You know what if I didn't want to controll the pumps then I would go that way I think that they look great.

mbort · 10/13/2006, 12:29 PM

I've had the Tunzes (6100) and been very happy with them .. extremely reliable, robust, and almost maintenance free .. I clean them about once every 2 months, thats it.

The controller is a little primitive, but works just fine.

They are big in the tank, but they can easily be hidden by placement next to overflow boxes or next to corals.

The Vortechs do have the advantage of being placed almost anywhere, especially deep in the tank, without wires and long supports in the tank.

ade · 10/13/2006, 12:39 PM

Thanks for the info, I have to post fast being as my last count was 666 and it's Fri 13th. I am not superstitious or anything.

ade · 10/13/2006, 01:03 PM

OK does anybody know what kind of flow the maxi-jet will put out with the mod (reefdom) and how bad are mxi-jets with wavemakers?
Ade

manderx · 10/13/2006, 01:05 PM

i would bet that 4 of them on 1200s will put off more flow than either 2 vortechs or 2 tunzes. they will chatter a little almost every time they start up on a wavemaker, but should work fine for at least 2 years.

ade · 10/13/2006, 07:25 PM

They say that the 1200 will go from 295 to 2000 ghp. Man if only it wouldn't chatter on a wavemaker I would do 4 of those.

ade · 10/15/2006, 03:01 PM

reefdadx2 has given me more to think about with the new Seio controllers and 2 x 1500. what do you think. For me it is going to be $300+ or $750+ for the tunzes.
Thanks for your input.
Ade

manderx · 10/16/2006, 10:07 AM

dunno about the seio controller. they are very limited in what they do, it will only do 2 pumps that vary up and down at the same time. so unless you get 2 separate seio controllers you can't get any back and forth alternating. with the maxistream and nanostream (about to be released) i would not consider a seio pump at all. they said at one time (dunno if they still say this), that the seio controller is supposed to be able to control *any* AC powerhead. if that is still true, i might consider 4 maxistreams and 2 seio controllers. but i'd wait for someone else to test it and report back.

is the seio controller even shipping yet?

ade · 10/16/2006, 11:46 AM

Not sure, I have no response on other forums asking anyone that has one, a few said that they have them on order but nobody has one running yet. I think until some solid info comes out for them I am going to place that $ in a pot and wait until it grows so that I can get the Tunzes.

10/11/2006, 08:55 AM	#1
ade Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Smith Mountain Lake Va Posts: 3,264	Vortec or tunze I know that there NRVRC guys that have Vortec pumps so I would love some feed back. In the near furture I plan on buying a new wave maker. I am torn between Tunze and Vortec I have for those who don't know I have a 180 mixed reef and I was looking at the 2 x 6000 and a 7095 controller or get 2 x Vortec pumps which I know right now does not have a controller available. After looking at a lot of you alls tanks I don't think that 4 x punps @ 350gph will do it for SPS. Right now it is fine for a lot of my corals but as I add more SPS I would think that they would like a lot more flow. Any input would help. Thanks, Ade

10/12/2006, 06:42 PM	#4
ade Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Smith Mountain Lake Va Posts: 3,264	You know what if I didn't want to controll the pumps then I would go that way I think that they look great. __________________ Everything digital has analog parts. Current Tank Info: 33 Cube and 45 ML Cube reef.

10/13/2006, 12:29 PM	#5
mbort Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Blacksburg, VA Posts: 791	I've had the Tunzes (6100) and been very happy with them .. extremely reliable, robust, and almost maintenance free .. I clean them about once every 2 months, thats it. The controller is a little primitive, but works just fine. They are big in the tank, but they can easily be hidden by placement next to overflow boxes or next to corals. The Vortechs do have the advantage of being placed almost anywhere, especially deep in the tank, without wires and long supports in the tank. __________________ "To alcohol: The Cause of, and Solution to, All of Life's Problems" - Homer Simpson Current Tank Info: 120 AGA rr SPS, 15 fuge, 50 custom sump

10/13/2006, 12:39 PM	#6
ade Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Smith Mountain Lake Va Posts: 3,264	Thanks for the info, I have to post fast being as my last count was 666 and it's Fri 13th. I am not superstitious or anything. __________________ Everything digital has analog parts. Current Tank Info: 33 Cube and 45 ML Cube reef.

10/13/2006, 01:03 PM	#7
ade Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Smith Mountain Lake Va Posts: 3,264	OK does anybody know what kind of flow the maxi-jet will put out with the mod (reefdom) and how bad are mxi-jets with wavemakers? Ade __________________ Everything digital has analog parts. Current Tank Info: 33 Cube and 45 ML Cube reef.

10/11/2006, 12:32 PM	#2
manderx Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Blacksburg, VA Posts: 4,807	yeah, for the sps i'd say your options are tunze, vortech, or closed loop with a penductor. closed loop would be the cheapest but the biggest pita. plus it would suck down lots of electricty. so i wouldn't go that way. between the tunze and vortech, your tank is big enough that i don't think the size or heat savings of the vortech would be significant enough to consider. the real selling point for me to put a vortech on your tank would be the battery backup and wave controller. apparently the vortech wave controller (they say early next summer but i think they are just saying that to surprise us in the spring) will be leaps and bounds better than the tunze controller, in terms of programability. the backup battery is even a better incentive, 150 bucks to give you 36 hours of backup. you can do a UPS or something on a tunze, but having to convert from DC to AC to DC takes a massive hit on how many hours per $ you get out of it. the vortech will be a little more frustrating to get setup. with the tunze you just drop it in a plug it in. pointability is nice, but for a 180 not that big a deal if you plan on mounting them on the sides anyway. with the vortech, you have to be able to reach the inside and outside parts at the same time to be able to align. but once it's running they are magic. i'm going to buy 2 more once the controller is available. maxistream is another option. not controllable like the DC pumps (vary intensity rather than on/off) but lots of flow for cheap. this is the most expensive of the kits, but it looks like the best one by far. http://www.reefdom.com/default.asp

10/12/2006, 05:06 PM	#3
reefdadx2 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Salem, VA Posts: 929	Ade, Matt beat me to the link that you were asking me to send you to. www.Reefdom.com They look nice to me. Michael R

10/13/2006, 01:05 PM	#8
manderx Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Blacksburg, VA Posts: 4,807	i would bet that 4 of them on 1200s will put off more flow than either 2 vortechs or 2 tunzes. they will chatter a little almost every time they start up on a wavemaker, but should work fine for at least 2 years.

10/13/2006, 07:25 PM	#9
ade Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Smith Mountain Lake Va Posts: 3,264	They say that the 1200 will go from 295 to 2000 ghp. Man if only it wouldn't chatter on a wavemaker I would do 4 of those. __________________ Everything digital has analog parts. Current Tank Info: 33 Cube and 45 ML Cube reef.

10/15/2006, 03:01 PM	#10
ade Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Smith Mountain Lake Va Posts: 3,264	Seio controllers? reefdadx2 has given me more to think about with the new Seio controllers and 2 x 1500. what do you think. For me it is going to be $300+ or $750+ for the tunzes. Thanks for your input. Ade

10/16/2006, 10:07 AM	#11
manderx Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Blacksburg, VA Posts: 4,807	dunno about the seio controller. they are very limited in what they do, it will only do 2 pumps that vary up and down at the same time. so unless you get 2 separate seio controllers you can't get any back and forth alternating. with the maxistream and nanostream (about to be released) i would not consider a seio pump at all. they said at one time (dunno if they still say this), that the seio controller is supposed to be able to control any AC powerhead. if that is still true, i might consider 4 maxistreams and 2 seio controllers. but i'd wait for someone else to test it and report back. is the seio controller even shipping yet?

10/16/2006, 11:46 AM	#12
ade Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Smith Mountain Lake Va Posts: 3,264	Not sure, I have no response on other forums asking anyone that has one, a few said that they have them on order but nobody has one running yet. I think until some solid info comes out for them I am going to place that $ in a pot and wait until it grows so that I can get the Tunzes. __________________ Everything digital has analog parts. Current Tank Info: 33 Cube and 45 ML Cube reef.