Power Heads

[Guy554]

So I have been looking and doing some research. I was wondering what I should go with for a power head. At first I was thinking The Echo Marine Vortech Mp40 ES but the price tag isn't sitting well with me. So today I was looking online and found the Tunze Turbelle Nano Stream 6045 Power Head Pump. I was thinking about running two of the tunze with a Tunze wave Controller 7092. I can do that set up for little more then half the price of a Mp40 Vortech. I have seen both operate and personally I think the Mp40 is to loud compared to the tunze. I understand that the MP40's Dry side is the motor and that's where the noise comes from. Also with me going with 2 Tunze 6045 Power Heads with the Controller ill be able to have more water movment and less dead spots, and the Tunze's you can point them in any direction. So what do you people think. Am I thinking of this the right way or not. If I can recreate what an Mp40 can do with what I have said earlier and save me couple hundred dollars, Should I go that route?

 

[Greenstreet.1]

Those wp's that everyone is using a pretty good hooked on's up for a friend on his 90 It worked great and the price is good. I just don't like to see the cord in my display but that's me.

 

[Tkey3425]

So I have been looking and doing some research. I was wondering what I should go with for a power head. At first I was thinking The Echo Marine Vortech Mp40 ES but the price tag isn't sitting well with me. So today I was looking online and found the Tunze Turbelle Nano Stream 6045 Power Head Pump. I was thinking about running two of the tunze with a Tunze wave Controller 7092. I can do that set up for little more then half the price of a Mp40 Vortech. I have seen both operate and personally I think the Mp40 is to loud compared to the tunze. I understand that the MP40's Dry side is the motor and that's where the noise comes from. Also with me going with 2 Tunze 6045 Power Heads with the Controller ill be able to have more water movment and less dead spots, and the Tunze's you can point them in any direction. So what do you people think. Am I thinking of this the right way or not. If I can recreate what an Mp40 can do with what I have said earlier and save me couple hundred dollars, Should I go that route?

Personally Ecotech MP40s 10s 60s whatever are WAY over priced. I ran them and saw no benefit other than when i got bored i could make waves in my tank and piss my fish off. I went to the koralia evo pumps on the hydor wave maker and I'm happy with them. Tunzes are good powerheads but the price on them is still pretty high.

 

[Guy554]

Personally Ecotech MP40s 10s 60s whatever are WAY over priced. I ran them and saw no benefit other than when i got bored i could make waves in my tank and piss my fish off. I went to the koralia evo pumps on the hydor wave maker and I'm happy with them. Tunzes are good powerheads but the price on them is still pretty high.

Thanks for your input. I Have looked at the Koralia power heads and its about the same price as the tunze. I guess its a preference thing. I don't really mind the cords in the tank but cleaner the better. Is it worth spending And couple hundred dollars for no cords.

 

[Guy554]

Those wp's that everyone is using a pretty good hooked on's up for a friend on his 90 It worked great and the price is good. I just don't like to see the cord in my display but that's me.

What is the Full Name of those wp pumps I would like to look them up. Thanks

 

[Greenstreet.1]

What is the Full Name of those wp pumps I would like to look them up. Thanks

Jebao power heads.

 

[Guy554]

What's the difference between the Tunze Turbelle Nano Stream power head pump and the Tunze stream power head pump?

 

[Tkey3425]

Thanks for your input. I Have looked at the Koralia power heads and its about the same price as the tunze. I guess its a preference thing. I don't really mind the cords in the tank but cleaner the better. Is it worth spending And couple hundred dollars for no cords.

not at all in my opinion. I hated the way my tank looked when i had cords outside my tank worse than the cords in my tank. I just pull my cords straight up into my canopy so you only see a minimal amount of wire in the tank. Plus you have to use the cord on the MPs as a saftey chain in case the dry side comes of from a fish hitting the wet side or whatever happens so you have to use a little sticky pad and zip-tie the cord to it so the pump doesn't hit the floor. In my opinion the inside of the tank may look cleaner but it makes the outside a mess.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

not at all in my opinion. I hated the way my tank looked when i had cords outside my tank worse than the cords in my tank. I just pull my cords straight up into my canopy so you only see a minimal amount of wire in the tank. Plus you have to use the cord on the MPs as a saftey chain in case the dry side comes of from a fish hitting the wet side or whatever happens so you have to use a little sticky pad and zip-tie the cord to it so the pump doesn't hit the floor. In my opinion the inside of the tank may look cleaner but it makes the outside a mess.

When it comes to the mess on the outside its all about how you run the cord so the messy look is on you lol and I have been using mp's since 08 and a fish never knock it down and never heard of anyone it happened to. Only thing I can see with someone not want to get the mp is price.

 

[Guy554]

Right, I agree. It's my first saltwater aquarium and if I can recreate what an mp 40 can do for half price, why not.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

Right, I agree. It's my first saltwater aquarium and if I can recreate what an mp 40 can do for half price, why not.

I will agree with that good point.



This is when I was setting up you can see how I ran them.

 

[Tkey3425]

I will agree with that good point.

View attachment 197679

This is when I was setting up you can see how I ran them.

1. My clown trigger knocked mine down several times that i witnessed (maybe he didnt like the noise or maybe it was accidental but it happend at least 6 times in the few months i had them)
2. My MP40s mysteriously ended up separated when I got home on more than a handful of occasions.
3. They are still not that sleek looking in my opinion no matter how the wires are ran.
4. I find it hard to trust a magnet holding up $1600 worth of pumps that could hit my hardwood floor and damage the pumps or floor so the safety chain setup was my only option.
5. I ran two towards the top of the water and two towards the middle of the tank so the deeper you put the pump the more wire to "hide" Which is impossible on a 210 the center pumps were a foot in either direction across glass that you could not hide wires on they were just there.
6. The pumps hanging off outside of the glass were cool but people grab them wondering what they are and there goes the wet side down into the sand again. And they get to be just as much of an eye sore to me as the internal PHs so i figured id use cheaper eye sores lol.
7. The dry side is pretty loud when you have spent so much time tuning your tank for silence and then you hear a constant wirrrrrrrrrrrrr wirrrrrrrrrr wirr wirrr wirrrrrrrrrrr sound coming from a $400 power head
8. The noise was still noticable at only 50-60% power. EcoTech did send me several replacements but they were never any quieter than the previous ones.

As you can see they did not fit my needs in the least bit. Not saying they aren't for somebody but they weren't for me and my tank. At $400 a piece they should have been absolutely silent and thats my biggest complaint.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

Ok I hear if its not for you. How thick is the glass on the tank they where on remember the 40's is up to certain thickness. For me I rather see the cord outside than inside the tank plus I found them for less when I was looking for them. But I think I would of still paid for them I love the performance and the look I hear bout people with the noise but never had that problem.

 

[Tkey3425]

Ok I hear if its not for you. How thick is the glass on the tank they where on remember the 40's is up to certain thickness. For me I rather see the cord outside than inside the tank plus I found them for less when I was looking for them. But I think I would of still paid for them I love the performance and the look I hear bout people with the noise but never had that problem.

MP40s are good up to 3/4inch and 500 gallons. I had 4 on my 210 with 1/2inch glass and wasn't impressed for what I paid. I had the MP40 "wireless" models and I doubt they are found for less than $400 New. Just figured for $1600 they would be better than they were i like my koralias better on the wave maker.

 

[Guy554]

My biggest thing with the Vortech PH are they only point on one direction where other brands you can point in any direction. Price is a big factor.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

My biggest thing with the Vortech PH are they only point on one direction where other brands you can point in any direction. Price is a big factor.

Price is the only point. You still get flow all over the tank. It comes down to what you like and will to pay for it. He loves his K's and I love my M's.

 

[Tkey3425]

Price is the only point. You still get flow all over the tank. It comes down to what you like and will to pay for it. He loves his K's and I love my M's.

There is more than the point of price that steers people away from these pumps. and there are some that only buy it because they cost so much and they think they must be the greatest things on earth lol. To each is his own.

 

[blert]

OP... The 6045s are not controllable via their head unit. They are either on or off and you adjust the flow manually with a little slider thing on the pump housing. A proper Tunze setup that will let you mimick a Vortech will cost you just as much as the Vortech.
If you want to save some money and mimick a Vortech then, as previously suggested, look into the Jebao WP25 or WP40. They look exactly like a Tunze. The head unit is quite flimsy, and it is obvious that corners were cut to reduce price, but the pump itself is solid.

 

[Pschmitt]

Wow. Love hate relationship. I love my MP 10 and getting another one for my new build.

 

[huma-huma]

This is what i told another hobbyist that was in the market for powerheads. IF you want a simple wavemaker ph that gives you random currents and flows, the vortechs arent for you. ( anything from the hydor koralias on their wm controller to tunzes pr jebaos would be better) However, IF you plan on utilizing the key features pf the MP series (master/slave modes, custom wave profiles, wireless controllability via apex controller) then the MP's will outshine the rest. What it boils down to is that they are just overpriced powerheads for those that have minimal equipment and minimal needs, but are amazing powerheads with alot of customizable options for the more complicated hobbyists with the proper equipment to use them.