Tunze or VorTech - another thread

[t5Nitro]

Posting again, which would you pick? Two VorTechs and 2 controllers or 2 Tunze 6101 with a controller? I have about 2.9" of space on the one end of the tank between glass and wall, would this not work, be too cramped, and if it did, would heat and the wall be an issue? (Of the outside part of the VorTech)

Tunze are much larger powerheads. VorTechs are about 2.25" length inside the tank.

The controllers appear to be pretty much the same? (correct if wrong).

The wattage, tunze is probably more watts consumed or not really?

Tunze - able to aim the powerhead, VorTech is not (people said you don't need to aim the VorTech because of the wide flow and undertow?) - What about if a few of my corals are near the powerhead, maybe 7" away from it, and a little off to the side, but not much. Would tunze be better to angle the powerhead and not place it on the side?

Customer service - Tunze has really good customer service people say, I have also heard VorTech has good customer service.

Which would you guys pick? The VorTech of course is probably a bit more sleek looking and more "up to date" for looks too, keeping a small powerhead inside the tank.

[USC-fan]

I would go with the tunze.

[GSMguy]

Originally posted by USC-fan
I would go with the vortech.

fixed

jk

[twon8]

id go with tunze also. i dont' have a non viewable panel and i don't want cords on the outside of the tank.

[kdblove_99]

Tunze

[IPT]

I am debating the same issue. So far it seems like Tunze is in the lead. Anyone care to post personal experience as to why they went the way they did (or would do it different if they could)?

[t5Nitro]

Yep, seems like tunze takes the lead so far.

[OliverM3]

I'd rather have a modded maxijet then a tunze.

Vortech is the next evolution in water movement.

[t5Nitro]

Wow, it seems they are pretty equal. I noticed Tunze had a 2 year warranty. Anyone know what VorTech has? How is VorTech's customer service?

Also, they would go on each side of my tank. On the right side of the tank is some xenia maybe 7-8" in front of the VorTech (If i got them), but I could trim the xenia back too. On the other side of the tank, though, the VorTech would have to sit closer to the front glass because a birdsnest is maybe 7" in front of that VorTech (again if I had one there), but off to the side a bit, so the coral isn't directly in front, but a little off to the side. That isn't very far away for a powerhead that can push 3000 gallons an hour. Is this not an issue since a VorTech has a really wide gentle flow as people are saying or would this be an issue?

[OliverM3]

The Customer service is also great with the vortech.
Not sure about the warranty I think It was one year.
Never needed to use it so I haven't looked.

The flow really is gentle I have zoos, kenya, Stylaphora and pipe organ inches from it in my 76g.
I keep my frogspawn, and goni's further away since they don't seem to tolerate it at full speed.

Throw in a battery backup that will run your tank for 2 days.
you just can't beat it.

I'm actually kind of baffled as to why there is even any debate.

Oh and don't worry about heat given off by the dry side. Mine is 1/4 inch from the wall with no problems. It really isn't hot at all.

[Creetin]

I'd go with tunze, Just for the fact i can aim it and dont have to have a controller for every pump like the echo's.
The wide flow and undertow is there with a tunze as well.
So what less space in the tank, but ya takeup space outside of it with a unsightly hot running motor sitting there.
Plus i can controll my tunze's with an aquarium controller.

[Creetin]

Yes tunze's are debateable, You guys can keep the echos for the grand canyon. Lol

[t5Nitro]

Yes, you do need a controller for each VorTech, but putting them together 2 VorTechs and 2 controllers and 2 tunze and a controller cost the same anyway.

[Amphiprion]

I am partial to Tunze, myself. Adjustability was a deciding factor for me, as well.

[t5Nitro]

On tunze, do they need the magnets you have to buy for them to work nicely? Or get them to stay where you want I mean. Some people said the bracket thing it comes with isn't very good?

[drouner]

Vortech all the way...............

[Creetin]

The brackets are not very good,JMO The mags are 36 bucks each for the 1/2 inch ones.
Do you ever plan on getting an aquarium controller?? If not theres plenty of CHEAP used tunzi multicontrollers being sold in the B and S here lately.
Heres some tunze wave action (Wothout wave box) from my aquarium controller. 2 6100's on a standard 6 ft 180 gal

[t5Nitro]

Nice, the VorTech forum has someone showing their tank with the wave from 2 VorTech's also, with the controllers they come with.

PM sent by the way.

[t5Nitro]

Wow, votes are very close. I would guess if VorTech hadn't have their controllers out, all the votes would be going to Tunze yet.

Now my question: How many of you that voted VorTech, had tunze before and switched VorTech when the controllers came out, and liked them better or not?

[drouner]

I only had a Tunze Nano Stream in my tank before I converted. Of course the difference was night and day. So I only have a very limited experience with Tunze.

What I like about the Vortech is as you mentioned the wide flow. But on top of that the speed control. I can crank the Voretch up and get the tank stired up. But the new controlled is on top of my Christmas list.

[MJAnderson]

I'll post the same thing I did last time this came up.

Cost is identical, flow is similiar.

If you have viewable sides, to me the Vortechs are more of an eyesore since you need to run a cord down to the unit which will sit smack dab in the middle of your pane of glass. Tunzes can go on the back wall and be pointed.

If you don't have viewable sides, I'd go Vortech.

Not sure why the battery backup is such a selling point. If you don't have backup for the heaters/chiller/return pump everything will be dead before you need to worry about flow.

[IPT]

you actually need a seperate controller for each Vortech pump? I thought I read it could control up to 10 pumps or something like that?

[James77]

I tried vortech and was not all that impressed with the flow. Yes, there was a lot-wide and gentle- but it wasn't really making things move in my tank. I do have a fair amount of rock-200#'s in a 175- but Tunzes have no problem moving the water. The Vortech controller also was not out- I don't know if that would have helped or not.

I found the Vortech to be awkward looking sitting on the side of the tank, where the tunzes- although bigger in tank- can be aimed and hidden in the corners. The Vortech is also more audible than the Tunze.

If I had a shorter tank with non-viewable sides, I would probably give the Vortechs another try- other than that, I'm sticking with Tunze.

[nattydread]

My snails have an easier time cleaning my vortech.

Vortech.

[HBtank]

Originally posted by MJAnderson
I'll post the same thing I did last time this came up.

Not sure why the battery backup is such a selling point. If you don't have backup for the heaters/chiller/return pump everything will be dead before you need to worry about flow.

I have seen you say this before and I think you might be a little off in your understanding..

By far the most important thing in short power outages (1 -2 days) is oxygen levels and and flow/surface agitation is what keeps these elevated.

Once fish die, everything goes pretty quick after that...... The key is keeping your fish alive and they are the highest demand on our tanks in terms of oxygen. This is essential, and what battery backups do..

That has always been the recommendation, whether vortechs, tunze, MJ's, or even battery powerhead air-pumps.. This is an old and well covered topic.. flow is essential, end of story. Try searching it

It tanks much longer for a tank to cool down than lose oxygen, much longer at room temperature......... the sump is usually fishless and can be without flow for longer periods as the oxygen demand is much lower, so that means the return pump is not essential, and I don't see how you could possibly need a chiller with no pumps or lights heating the water???

Seriously, wheter it is a vortech or any other backup, it is always recommended to JUST have low wattage powerheads attached as they can be run for many hours. It will give you time to figure out solutions for the more long term problems like heat..

A tank with 40 fish could crash in a couple hours without flow, but could last days without the other equipment, and the 1 day or even hours of flow the battery backup gives is precious.

Everyday I leave for work for those 10 hours they give me confidence.