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Unread 06/01/2013, 01:21 AM   #1
TimeConsumer
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My Noisy Vortech

Of my two MP10s, I've had one get quite louder than the other over the past few months, nothing to write home about. I assumed some bearings in the dry side were going bad and I would have to take it apart and replace them at some point. Mind you, both of my MP10s were purchased used, so I'm not quite sure of their age and I am assuming the warranty is up.

Today I notice that it is really grinding away, much louder than before. Time to replace bearings already? Blah. But then I had an idea, what if I switched the wet sides? So I moved the left to the right and vice versa, and suddenly the right pump became the noisy pump! Well, that certainly was good news, that means I don't have to take apart my dry side, it's a problem with the wet side.

I know a lot of people replace the wet side on their MP10 every few years, but that's just not my style. So I take the thing apart. Other than being a little dirty (it had been a while since the last vinegar bath) there was nothing wrong I could see. I scrub everything down a little bit with a brush and put it back together and reinstalled it on the tank. What do you know? Silence. I don't know what I did, but now it's even quieter than the previous quiet side.

Moral of the story, if your Vortech is complaining, take it apart and clean it. It just may work.


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Unread 06/01/2013, 01:29 AM   #2
Dapg8gt
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I clean all of mine monthly just to be safe lol.. I had one website replaced by ecotech and haven't had one ever break on me I believe from just the monthly scrub down I only use vinegar if it's getting coralline on it.. My oldest is from 2010 ;-)

Good point though it's the little things that make these things last if you ask me. I have a friend who never cleans his Pumps and goes through all brands fast.. Maintenance is key :-P


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Unread 06/01/2013, 06:52 AM   #3
Breadman03
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dapg8gt View Post
I clean all of mine monthly just to be safe lol.. I had one website replaced by ecotech and haven't had one ever break on me I believe from just the monthly scrub down I only use vinegar if it's getting coralline on it.. My oldest is from 2010 ;-)

Good point though it's the little things that make these things last if you ask me. I have a friend who never cleans his Pumps and goes through all brands fast.. Maintenance is key :-P
Emphasis added. And it applies to all things.


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Unread 06/01/2013, 07:01 AM   #4
TimeConsumer
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Agreed. I usually do a vinegar bath every couple of months, I might bump it up to a month now. But it is quite clear to me now that I have to fully disassemble the wet side and scrub it down more often.

I hope people that have trouble with their Vortech's wet side read this to save themselves some money. Once you have it apart it becomes very obvious how easy it is to replace parts if something breaks, rather than buying a whole new wet side. Although I think the MP40 is the only one you can really buy all of the small pieces for.


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Unread 06/01/2013, 07:06 AM   #5
mikecc67548
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Moral of the story: Buying used=buying somebody elses problems.


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Unread 06/01/2013, 07:12 AM   #6
TimeConsumer
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mikecc67548 View Post
Moral of the story: Buying used=buying somebody elses problems.
Most of my setup was bought used, piece by piece. My favorite part about buying something used is that if I don't like it, I can usually sell it for the same amount I bought it for. Yes, you run a risk of buying damaged equipment, but I'm willing to take that risk in many cases, particularly with paypal's buyer protection program.


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Unread 06/01/2013, 08:20 AM   #7
ca1ore
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+1 on taking apart and cleaning the wet side regularly.


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Unread 06/01/2013, 09:40 AM   #8
TimeConsumer
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I need a CUC for my equipment. There's got to be impeller cleaning starfish somewhere in the ocean.


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Unread 06/01/2013, 09:43 AM   #9
Breadman03
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TimeConsumer View Post
I need a CUC for my equipment. There's got to be impeller cleaning starfish somewhere in the ocean.
I'd love to say, "No way!" But there's SO much we haven't explored it isn't even funny. I mean, there's critters that live on volcano vents. Compared to that, an impeller is no big deal.


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