Any noise issues with MP40?

[reefkush]

So I have been searching around for day's now on threads about Vortechs and see the noise issue coming up often, but all of these threads are years old. Do any of you that have vortechs experience a lot of noise with your MP40's? And if so, in what situations does the noise appear? Will I be able to hear it if I run it at 50% or below? Now, I read they get loud when the motor ramps up and down that's why if I decide to purchase one I will use it at a very low and constant speed so that hopefully it will run silent. I hate to ask because it's a PITA, but if someone is willing to post a video of it running at different speeds, it would be appreciated. I am really hoping that the 2011 models have the quiet bearings installed in them as opposed to the 2010 or below.

[SkullV]

No new bearings have been installed since the Gen 2 wet side came out. Mine are not too loud, but noise is a very personal issue. if I can remember I'll shoot a video for you tonight going from 0-100.

[James77]

As SkullV said, noise is very subjective.

It is the dryside motor that makes the noise, it is unavoidable since there is no water dampening it. It is not by any means "loud", but it is not silent either. I'd describe it as a whirring or buzzing sound. I would call it quiet to quite quiet. If there is nothing else making "white noise" on your tank like skimmers, pumps, fans, gurgling water....you will hear the pump, especially on 100% or when it pulses. I have a dead silent tank and could hear it easily in the adjacent rooms. I should also say I have very sensitive hearing and have very low tolerance for noise. I have owned 3....when they first came out, about a year-ish afterwards, and a Gen2 as well.

The noise is defintely most pronounced at 80-100%...I don't recall exactly what it sounded like at 50% or so since I was interested in running max speed, but it was much more tolerable.

[solitude127]

If you going to run them constant, then why not save a whole lot of money and just buy Koralias or something along that line. If you looking for silent, vortechs are not. I feel mine are pretty quiet though. I usually hear the TV, street noise, and kids before the vortechs. But at night, when it's all quiet, I can hear them. It doesn't bother me none.

[Felixc395]

It always makes noise. For mine I have it on a 75 gallon. I've gotten used to it, and it's even in my bedroom. However, when I put the pump in a wave mode like Eco nutrient transport, I could never sleep through the noise. Honestly, the noise is always there, but with other things like skimmers and such the noise gets droned out. But at that point noise is always there. So, IME, yes they do make a lot of noise, but it is manageable.

[sirreal63]

If you are concerned about noise at all, it is not a smart purchase. If you have to run it 50% or lower to keep from be bothered by the noise, then that is not the water mover you should be looking at. Some people don't notice the noise, some people do. If noise is part of the criteria of the purchase, then you should go listen to a couple in person. Video's do not always tell the whole story, mic sensitivities, ambient noise and the differences in the actual noise from one unit to the next is all part of it.

If you have three 7 year old kids in the house, you might never hear the Vortech, except at night, or if your home is usually quiet, like mine, it can drive you bonkers. :-)

The only way to decide if the noise is acceptable is to listen to several different one with your own ears. Any LFS's or local fish clubs near you?

[Roblox84]

Thanks everyone for their responses. There are a couple of reef stores around that I will end up checking out. The only reason why it's such a though decision right now is because I read a lot where the tank is and don't want distracting noises. But I will be making my tank in wall in a year so i was hoping that it would make the vortech much quieter. I just don't know if I want to live with the noise for a year but at the same time I don't want to upgrade my power heads now and after a year upgrade to vortechs and lose all that money. And I can't wait another year to upgrade my current power heads because they are basically falling apart.

Sent from my VM670

[James77]

Tunze are dead silent, mine cannot be heard at any speed more than a couple inches from where they are. However with that comes their downside of being more obtrusive in the tank.

[Saltwatercoral2]

If its going to be an in wall tank,. you shouldnt be able to hear them at all.. I got a couple friends with in wall tanks, with mp40s cranked to the max, and you cant hear them at all.

[Roblox84]

Oops I was under a different user name, thats still me though.

[NYCBOB]

i have mine at 60% max. very very little noise. a lot of lfs use it on their bigger tanks. u can see and hear it in person.

[Roblox84]

Originally Posted by Saltwatercoral2

If its going to be an in wall tank,. you shouldnt be able to hear them at all.. I got a couple friends with in wall tanks, with mp40s cranked to the max, and you cant hear them at all.

If you were in my situation what would you do? Buy the vortechs, keep them at a lower speed for a year and just wait it out until I put the tank into a wall? Or just go with a quieter pump like the tunze? Also keep in mind that these will be going into a 55 gallon right now. Im still working on my 125 but it will be a long while before thats done.

Sent from my VM670

[Roblox84]

Has anyone had any problems with their vortechs at all?

Sent from my VM670

[Saltwatercoral2]

well what size tank are you wanting to put them on if you buy them right now?

[Roblox84]

Originally Posted by Saltwatercoral2

well what size tank are you wanting to put them on if you buy them right now?

55 gallon

[SkullV]

Originally Posted by Roblox84

55 gallon

In a 55g you will have them turned down so low that they will be silent. I couldn't even imagine 2 mp40s turned all the way up in a 55.

[Saltwatercoral2]

you will never hear them in a 55 gallon, if you turned them things full blast in the 55 you will have a sand storm and corals blowing everywhere lol.

[Roblox84]

How is the reliability of the vortech? I've heard that it requires a lot of maintenance. Would this power head be fine for someone thats not home very much.

[Caesra]

Can't speak on reliability, as I have only had mine a few months, but noise..they can be heard...but I can hear my skimmer too, and they are no louder. The skimmer is in the cabinet, i can hear my overflows, I can hear my Mp40s, the MP40s are no louder than any of the other, quite frankly even fully ramped up are quieter. But i can hear them.

I bought one because I had lots of questions too, but I was sold and ordered another. Interestingly enough, I can't hear the second one at all. Actually curious if I shut off the first one how loud the second would be. In anycase, so posts suggesting that each unit is unique in it's noise level is correct IMO. I hear a very quite whirring sound in my living room where the fish tanks are, especially if I have on reef crest mode. If I set to constant, I can't hear them at all, honestly. Maybe I am just deaf from all that loud music. =)

So I will agree if you are looking for 100% dead slient tank, MP40s are not for you. Then again, that means you are running an air skimmer and have really put alot of effort into quieting your overflows. I have never heard a skimmer that is pump driven that is quiet.

I have a tunze in another tank and it is great, especially for constant flow, but IMO they are not even in the same ball park in terms of what they do. Tunze is very different from a Vortech.

[Roblox84]

I will probably be picking up a pump over the 4th of July, whoever has the best sale. I really want a vortech but I am just nervous want to be sure about it first because sometimes I am gone a week or two at a time and sometimes up to a month, so I want to be sure I am getting a great piece of equipment that won't need my attention. I do have my tank checked up on during those times, but by someone that probably wont be able to repair a vortech or put in new powerheads if the vortech would fail. And it seems as though usually when i'm gone is when something goes wrong. For this reason I purchased my Koralia's thinking they were reliable, but of course after 4 months of use I come home after being gone 3 day's and none of them are working. Luckily it was only 3 day's.

[Roblox84]

Because of the replies I am pretty sold on the vortech. But I do have one question regarding flow. I have two rock towers at each end of the tank that would be directly in front of the vortech. Now, would the water flow sort of just wrap itself around the rock structure and still make it to the middle of the tank, or would the flow be disrupted and would make a huge area in the middle of very low flow?

Sent from my VM670

[NYCBOB]

the flow is very wide from the vortech. u can always adjust the position of the vortech so u shouldnt worry about it.

[chilwil84]

i only can hear mine when i hit 80% ramping up to 100% than after a couple seconds it goes quiet. I was running it at 70% constant and i couldnt hear it with my ear next to it.