Vortech vs Tunze - Page 2

Aquaticman74 · #26 12/22/2007, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jamesdawson
Nothing beats a Tunze oscillating on a WavySeas IMHO for randomized, chaotic flow with no dead spots.

James

Do you run this combo? I'm thinking of adding two of these on my cube at opposite corners with 6201's. I was thinking of running interval 2 at 12 hour cycles. Any thoughts?

jamesdawson · #27 12/22/2007, 08:55 PM

I have run a pair of 6000s on wavyseas with interval 2 at only 30 seconds and this was a ton of flow on my 90 bowfront.

I have since took my wavyseas out and have tried the Tunze rocks for looks/real estate reasons. I will be setting up a 500G inwall this summer and plan on using 4 wavyseas with probably 6100s.

If you use 6200s on wavyseas, you will have massive, massive flow!

James

Carnavor180 · #28 12/22/2007, 09:04 PM

i prefer oceans motions four way units, with a strong pump you get some great alternating return flow to the reef.

Aquaticman74 · #29 12/22/2007, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jamesdawson
I have run a pair of 6000s on wavyseas with interval 2 at only 30 seconds and this was a ton of flow on my 90 bowfront.

I have since took my wavyseas out and have tried the Tunze rocks for looks/real estate reasons. I will be setting up a 500G inwall this summer and plan on using 4 wavyseas with probably 6100s.

If you use 6200s on wavyseas, you will have massive, massive flow!

James

Awesome! Thanks for your input.

sjm817 · #30 12/22/2007, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sjm817
Well, my Vortechs were shipped via covered wagon and finally arrived today. Here are my initial impressions:

My current pumps are Tunze 6100s with 6200 grilles (wider opening) and a 7095 controller.

Design:
The design is very simple. Easy to setup and get them up and running.
Cleaning the Coraline off the wet side would be a lot easier than the Tunzes. Not much there to clean.
The magnetic coupling is not as strong as I expected. The rubber on the dry side is "sticky" enough to keep the dry side from rotating.

Asthetics:
Pretty much what I expected. Nice small footprint inside the tank. Not so nice on the outside with the visible motorhead and large wire. These would be ideal for an inwall since you wouldn't see the dryside.

Flow:. Flow is very nice! It has a ton @ full speed....if you could run it there. I would rate that flow better than the Tunze 6100s I have with the 6200 grills.

Noise:
This is the issue. They are not quiet. Totally unacceptable @ full speed. This was my concern and it is true. The Tunzes are FAR quieter. At less than full speed, it is better, but still not sure they will be quiet enough. I'm playing around with the various modes to find a combination that would be tolerable

Controller. I like the Tunze 7095 a lot better. Buttons, dials, LEDs on the front where they are easy to see and get to. Why the multicolor LED? It would be better to have different LEDs or display to show the mode it is in.

I'll be playing with them the next few days and decide if I'll keep them.

An update: I've been messing around with them, and I dont think they are going to work out for me. They are just not quiet enough. A neat pump and all, but not for me. I'll let them run overnight and see how they are in the morning.

RedEDGE2k1 · #31 12/23/2007, 12:42 AM

The Tunze pump's audible noise is greatly muffled by the tank water. So obviously that's an advantage.

For everyone complaining about noise with the VorTech -- YOU DO NOT HAVE THE WET/DRY HALVES ALIGNED! The instructions clearly say the pumps will be loud unless aligned properly. My VorTech was noisy at 100% throttle also, until I took the time to properly align the two halves. With the pump running full speed, I pressed my ear against the glass right beside the pump, and VERY gradually moved the wet side in a circle until it went silent. It took some time, but once I found the sweet spot, the pump is dead silent at 100% and in any mode you want.

killagoby · #32 12/23/2007, 12:53 AM

Tunze 110%. They look cheap, but damn do they do the job.

sjm817 · #33 12/23/2007, 01:09 AM

I did align them. I've been messing with them all day. You can only move them so much. I cant see how it could be even close to possible to be dead silent @ 100%. My Tunzes are not silent @ 100%. Much of the noise is the dry side anyway. Its an electric motor and sounds like one. One is louder than the other.

My tank setup is very quiet. I have a basement sump. No audible pumps/skimmers. The noise from these are very noticeable. I have to decide if I want to send them in to see if they can be made quieter or just sell them and move on.

RedEDGE2k1 · #34 12/23/2007, 01:50 AM

It's obvious you need to sell them and buy some Tunze pumps, and stop wasting your time with this thread.

sjm817 · #35 12/23/2007, 07:38 AM

I have Tunze pumps already and have stated that more than once. Since this is a thread titled "Vortech Vs Tunze", I'll continue to post my honest experience with the 2 products, since I own them both. I can decide for myself if my time is worth spending on this thread.

I can hear these pumps in the next room. At this point, I'm fairly certain they are defective. No one in their right mind would use these pumps like this. I'm going to send them in for service and see what they can do with them.

killagoby · #36 12/23/2007, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by sjm817
I have Tunze pumps already and have stated that more than once. Since this is a thread titled "Vortech Vs Tunze", I'll continue to post my honest experience with the 2 products, since I own them both. I can decide for myself if my time is worth spending on this thread.

I can hear these pumps in the next room. At this point, I'm fairly certain they are defective. No one in their right mind would use these pumps like this. I'm going to send them in for service and see what they can do with them.

Did you try to align them correctly like the others stated in this post?

sjm817 · #37 12/23/2007, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by killagoby
Did you try to align them correctly like the others stated in this post?

No. I ignored the instructions, didn't read the many posts and threads on aligning them. I just dropped them in the tank and hoped they stuck in the right spot.

I guess you didn't read my post about 3 up from yours. I spent most of the day aligning/messing with them. It didn't help.

rishma · #38 12/23/2007, 01:07 PM

anyone who cannot hear their vortechs probably has other ambient noise like pumps, fans, skimmer intake, etc. They are not silent.

RedEDGE2k1 · #39 12/23/2007, 06:25 PM

"Ambient noise" is one thing, being able to hear them in another room is another. They are either terribly aligned or defective.

sjm817 · #40 12/23/2007, 07:08 PM

Right. I get it. You have to align them. I did. Its not exactly rocket science were talking about here. When they were misaligned, the sound got much worse. With best possible alignment, horribly noisy. My wife commented on them this morning. She couldn't believe how bad they were. They are off and back in the boxes. I'll send them to Ice cap for service after Christmas and see what they can do with them.

Fliger · #41 12/23/2007, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RedEDGE2k1
It's obvious you need to sell them and buy some Tunze pumps, and stop wasting your time with this thread.

You sound like you have some sort of agenda. His issues are on topic to the OP. He's not "wasting" his time, he's giving some of his time to other RC users trying to make decisions.

Vortechs are noisy at 100%. I was all Tunze, went all Vortech (six) and am back to all Tunze again. I'm a pretty smart guy and know how to align them. I got used the noise with the old controllers - sensory adaptation - but with the WWD, it sounded like an army of crickets. People would come in my house and ask what that noise is.

The flow on the VT is incredible, the wider pattern is great. If I had a tank that was less than 48" - I might choose VT's again. But when you have to ramp all the way up to 100% - they DO make a sound. I mixed and matched dry sides with wet sides, WWD's - etc. Never, ever got them silent. I would also consider the VT if I had an inwall tank and the sound was not an issue. Although the downside to the wide flow is you don't get alot of flow, if any past maybe 48" or so. I had some cyano with the VT, which was gone after 3 days of going to the 6101's.

I think it was Quattro who had a good recap on his build thread in the Elos forum. He had the exact same experience as many who pulse them, and ended up getting rid of them. Its not like the people who bought them and got rid of them WANTED to, many people lost money. They just don't work in some people's applications.

Fliger · #42 12/23/2007, 07:36 PM

Oh one more thing - if you can put them on a side of your tank that doesn't project the sound into the room, hey are much more quiet. The three on the right side of my tank were much lease audible in the house than the three on the left. The sound was muffled pretty easily with the wall. I've heard that people who have them on the backs of their tanks notice the sound less also.

sjm817 · #43 12/23/2007, 09:15 PM

Thanks for the info Fliger. I've seen a few posts that the WWD units ae noisier than the original models. This is the motor noise from the dry side that I hear.

Mine are on each end of a 180G. The tank is my family room that is open to the kitchen with a step down. When you are looking at the tank from the kitchen and entering the family room, you are looking at the right end. That pump is the one that was incredibly noisy. The one on the opposite end, not as bad which may be what you are referring to,