VorTech

[wiszmaster]

My VorTech powerhead is OUT FOR DELIVERY!

I'll be taking some pictures once it comes in, and when i get it setup - probably won't be tonight - but hopefully tomorrow.

EcoTechMarine is who makes them -
http://www.ecotechmarine.com

http://www.ecotechmarine.com/images/VorTech-propeller-pump.jpg

http://www.ecotechmarine.com/images/VorTechRender3xtraSmall.gif

From their website:
[list=1]
The VorTech consumes between 15 to 40 watts of energy depending on operational speed.
The VorTech uses the most advanced motor technology available, allowing the water flow rate to be completely controllable. Operating on tanks between 20 and 500 gallons and producing between 100 and 3,000 gallons per hour of flow, the VorTech is the most versatile flow product on the market. The VorTech is designed to operate on gap thickness from 1/8" to 3/4".
No Heat added to the water - The VorTech induces very little heat into the aquarium because of EcoTech Marine's patent pending magnetically coupled design which transfers motion through the glass, but not heat.
Bracketless Design - The VorTech minimizes the intrusion of equipment in your tank by using a patent pending bracketless design; this allows the motor to be on the outside of the aquarium and uses a magnetic field to transfer torque through the aquarium wall to the propeller located in the water.
[/list=1]

Video of power head in action (http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/catalog/video/vortech.mpg)

[wiszmaster]

speaking off the devil!
it showed up ... pretty early for ground shipment.

pics in a few minutes.

[wiszmaster]

here we go!

Package!
http://swfmas.com/gallery2/d/2020-2/DSC00017.JPG


Package again! ... can't wait - lets tear it open!!!
http://swfmas.com/gallery2/d/2026-2/DSC00018.JPG


Bubble Wrap?
http://swfmas.com/gallery2/d/2031-2/DSC00019.JPG


Content of package - & size camparison w/ a $5 bill
http://swfmas.com/gallery2/d/2037-2/DSC00020.JPG


Close Up - $5 bill & Motorola Razr
http://swfmas.com/gallery2/d/2041-2/DSC00021.JPG


both sides seperate
http://swfmas.com/gallery2/d/2046-2/DSC00022.JPG


both sides & my Blackberry 8703e
http://swfmas.com/gallery2/d/2051-2/DSC00023.JPG


and the motor is HEAVY! seems to be built pretty well - cast iron/aluminum case it seems like ...

[keinreis]

If you could aim those things that would almost make them worth the $350 ea

[Hobster]

Geeze, must be nice:cool:

Looks awesome. Probably give Tunze a run for the money.

[wiszmaster]

The biggest draw back is the 'aim'ability - or lack of!

if you have a 4 sided viewable tank ... i don't think these would be of much use to you ... would be perfect for an inwall setup with only front pane view. slap one on the left, one on the right & your set .. or more if you care to.

I will probably place this pump on the back pane ... pointed to the rocks to see how it does.

[wiszmaster]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9061970#post9061970 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Hobster
Geeze, must be nice:cool:

Looks awesome. Probably give Tunze a run for the money.

have you ever looked at a tunze in person, or held one?

a softball is SMALL compared to a tunze stream! they are huge - and i'm not cool with that.

This vortech is maybe 1/3 of the size of a tunze ... since you only have the prop inside the tank visible.

[keinreis]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9061970#post9061970 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Hobster
Geeze, must be nice:cool:

Looks awesome. Probably give Tunze a run for the money.

Nah they cost more, not able to be used on a wave maker or controler, and you can't aim them except for straight. I think I would rather have a pump inside of the tank, with these you have the inside part, and a big black blob on the outside with a cord hanging also. I am not in love with these things, but we will see You might proove me wrong.

[wiszmaster]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9063049#post9063049 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by keinreis
Nah they cost more, not able to be used on a wave maker or controler
Single Controller is scheduled to ship within afew months - wireless controller will manage up to 10 units & supposedly ship end of this / beginning of next year. you can put them on wave makers - but intervals of 30min - not great.


<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9063049#post9063049 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by keinreis
you can't aim them except for straight.

Big drawback for your tank, and mine ... and/or majority of people.


<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9063049#post9063049 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by keinreis
I think I would rather have a pump inside of the tank, with these you have the inside part, and a big black blob on the outside with a cord hanging also.
NOT ME! if these do not work out - i'll probably do a CLS. maybe an OM squirt, or 4 way - and some revolutions.



<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9063049#post9063049 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by keinreis
I am not in love with these things, but we will see You might proove me wrong.

I'm not in love with these either ... but neither am I with the idea of a huge tunze, and even less with the idea of drilling my tank for a CLS - while its full.


i'm not here to convince anybody that these are great, or these are the answer to all flow issues ... they are NOT - mostly since they cannot be aimed.

it would be great if these could be aimed @ a 45* angle - place them on the far right side of the back panel - then you'd get flow towds the middle front of the tank.
I have spoken with the guys @ EcoTechMarine about this ... and they're trying to work something out in regards to this ...

[wiszmaster]

here are some pics i found of one guys setups with these:

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f20/labman48076/Vortech%20in%20Action/IMG_7594.jpg


LOW FLOW:
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f20/labman48076/Vortech%20in%20Action/IMG_7582.jpg

HIGH FLOW:
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f20/labman48076/Vortech%20in%20Action/IMG_7581.jpg

[wiszmaster]

Quotes from another forum:
http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=81#81


==================

I have used a prototype Vortech for six months. I love it. I tested it side by side with a Stream 6100. Both pumps work well but I was happier with the wider flow put out by the VorTech. I wound up reselling my Stream to buy a second VorTech and am in the market for a third. Here are some comparison pictures.

Please note that since the VorTech pump is in the foreground it does appear larger.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d15/spsreef/c9a76006.jpg


Even though the tank portion of the VorTech is smaller it is larger where it counts.

Look at this pic of the two prop assemblies side by side.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d15/spsreef/48878772.jpg

ow look at these two pics of the propellor housings. The output on the Vortech is much larger. The slots for water intake are much larger, and provide less restriction.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d15/spsreef/c01da346.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d15/spsreef/DSCF0210.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d15/spsreef/DSCF0165.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d15/spsreef/DSCF0184.jpg


In the test tank the Stream caught debris in the intake slots the Vortex did not. While I like the absence of pump size in the tank, I love the significantly wider, more gentle flow,and what I feel is a larger total circulation. Yes, the pump doesn't pivot, but it doesn't need that to beat out the Stream in my opinion.

[Hobster]

If it doesn't have a controller, how do you dial in the flow rate from 100 to 3000 gph??

[keinreis]

you can control the flow but it is a one time setting. no pulse or anything random.

[wiszmaster]

roy,

the white box on the left is the driver/controller. there is a small 'dial' on it to dial in the speed.

http://swfmas.com/gallery2/d/2037-2/DSC00020.JPG


that box is whats causing the issues with wave makers on these units.

ETM & IceCap have come up with a battery backup unit for these pumps - and it feeds the white box - if power goes out, the unit will run at 50% of your set speed for a few minutes, then go down to minimum flow for a few minutes & alternate to conserve battery power.

In order to do this - i'd guess there is a small micro chip int he white 'driver' box - and the code that makes all of this work - gets corrupted with constant power cycles (wave maker ON/OFF) ... hence why ETM & IC suggest bring the cycles up to 30 minutes now - to reduce the chance that the code gets corrupted. it is not a IF, its a WHEN with the current style of wavemaker.

The unit itself does not 'fry' or seize up ... the code simply gets corrupted as far as i understand - and if you send your unit it, IC/ETM will re-program the unit for you to make it work again.

[Hobster]

I think that since they are coming out with a wireless controller that will work with several units they should also have a connection to your computer. You can then access it remotely. Get a diagnostic reading, reprogram it, look for trouble codes, have it clean the glass and then feed the fish.;)

Have fun with it, it does look like a really nice pump.

[wiszmaster]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9066100#post9066100 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Hobster
Have fun with it, it does look like a really nice pump.

ehh .. have a few issues with it already ... lets see how quick we can get them resolved.

[keinreis]

vortech = :thumbdown :thumbdown :thumbdown :thumbdown
lots of issues out of the box. one required a new part being sent out to try to fix one problem. what a fancy paperweight.

[wiszmaster]

its a paperweight if you try to get flow above 1/2 speed right now .. lol ...


OK - here is the quick run down:

1. the rubber spacer that is used to adjust the magnet strength (distance from each other) depending on glass/acrylic thickness - has 3 rubber legs that are to be inserted into holes that are all around the case of the motor.

BAD IDEAD! Those damn legs bent over everytime you tried to insert them. took about 15 minutes of scott & i trying ... i ended up lubing the holes & scott got them in with ALOT of playing & trying.
:thumbdown:

2. rattle & vibration
-> i'm sure i could play with it enough to get it to stop - and it is said that sometimes it will take up to 48 hours for the rattle & vibration to stop while the pump vibrates itself into prime location.
:thumbdown:

3. pump worked fine @ speeds below 1/2 power - GREAT! but it shutdown above 50% power ... the power cube/adapter's LED started to fade in/out .. almost looked like the motor was starving .... so USELESS above 50% speed
:thumbdown:

[wiszmaster]

and yes - i'm getting a new power adapter & driver already. i spoke with IceCap whom services these & they are sending me a new one.

[wiszmaster]

here is a GREAT video by Melev Video - HERE (http://www.melevsreef.com/video/vortech_flow.wmv)

[wiszmaster]

Here is a quick picture someone else took of the motor casing of the vortech - the rubber legs that i've previously talked abotu go into these holes:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d200/sps_addict/vortech/vortech2.gif

[ConcreteReefer]

That sucks.. I wish you would have known you were going to buy a Vortech, I would have told you not to waste your money.

John (The Owner of Aquarium & Reef center, Del Prado) has been researching powerheads for a couple of months now.
He ordered a couple of VT's to try out in his display tank. Well, after waiting almost a month to get one from his distributor it finally came in (He ordered 4 and only got 1??).

He took it out of the box, put everything together and dropped in his display tank. Plugged it in and it ran for about 30 sec. then.... nothing. Piece of crap motor burnt up in less than a minute. He sent it back to Vortech and they refuse to send him a new one.
They tried to say it was his fault but wouldn't tell him why, or what he did wrong, they just kept blaming him.

I think that this PH was rushed into the market and they (Ecotech/Icecap) did not do enough testing to work out the bugs, They might be trying to push the cost of R&D off onto the consumers and using us as paying beta-testers.

Oh well, looked like it would be a great product but after hearing all of these stories I think I'll go with a CL/OM 4way on my next tank. Either that or buy some of those new Hydor PH's (1200 gph for $50) Cheap and the flow is capable of directional flow (ball joint) and can easily be controlled with Seio Wave-maker.

[coralfarmer84]

you guys have way to much freetime, I want an article posted on the lifecyle of a flatworm vs. the lifecycle of a redbug and why one is better for marco's tank. lol. I crack myself up... come to think of it thats what happened, the pump prolly sucked in a huge flatworm and broke haha. (its only funny cuz its true) ;)

[keinreis]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9076336#post9076336 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coralfarmer84
you guys have way to much freetime, I want an article posted on the lifecyle of a flatworm vs. the lifecycle of a redbug and why one is better for marco's tank. lol. I crack myself up... come to think of it thats what happened, the pump prolly sucked in a huge flatworm and broke haha. (its only funny cuz its true) ;)

you are starting to become my new hero!

[wiszmaster]

can we not keep one thread ON TOPIC?

[wiszmaster]

I placed the VT in my tank last night ... it was rattling and vibratinga little ... annoying loud - this morning its not anymore - just the humming from the motor. i only had it running on a little over minimum speed.

[keinreis]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9077865#post9077865 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by wiszmaster
i only had it running on a little over minimum speed.

Yea because anything more would make the pump shut down since it is a turd, and it is junk...:D

[wiszmaster]

rofl .... i just got the package with the replacement driver & power supply ... i'll test that in a little bit ... since i'm going home anyway troubleshoot my cold water issue this am ... SUCKS waking up & showering COLD!

[wiszmaster]

I got the package - took it home & replaced the Power Supply - that was it.

I've had the unit running since around 12.30pm @ somewhere between 90% to 100% constant - and NO ISSUES!

The pump/motor also does NOT vibrate, or rattle anymore. you hear the quiet humming of the motor - thats it.