MP40 problems again

[Bobbofin]

I think a snail climbed inside my wetside and jammed it up during the night. The shaft snapped off inside the magnet. The magnet then spun around inside the wetside scoring the hell out of it and the wetside back cover until Eco-Smart controller finally shut it down and started blinking red and green. That's the state I found it in this morning.
The magnet and the wet-side maintenance kit cost $40 to repair. I think I'm going to be adding more grating to the front of it after it's fixed, maybe a 1-1/2" round plastic ring to make the openings half the size.
I'm also thinking I should have stuck with my Tunze 6055 and 7091 controller that ran for many years with zero issues.

 

[sumpmonkey]

That's a bummer you seem to have trouble with these sorry.I still like my old Hagen power heads ugly and bulky but damn near indestructible

 

[Technorch]

That sucks! I have the same problem every other day, a snail climbing into the wetside and making the propeller sound really loud because it's hitting the snail's shell. I was thinking of adding some of that top screen netting to the wetside to prevent the snails from climbing in there

 

[Bobbofin]

I'm not sure it was a snail that jammed it but whatelse could it be to just snap that shaft like a twig? I'm suprised we don't hear about this issue more.

 

[saltwaterB]

because no one else has these issues bobby...just you...

anyone with Vortechs does not have snails in thier tanks....



j/k

Usually the flow is up high on them so it is not common for snails to climb in to them. But I have heard of a few cases where this has happenend, so just to let you kow you are not alone.....

 

[Bobbofin]

Thanks B for the sarcastic tone! I needed a laugh and to let it go.

 

[JohnK]

I only keep turbo snails, that way the snails keep themselves busy bulldozing frags and even if they tried they couldn't fit into the MP40

 

[Bobbofin]

I only keep turbo snails, that way the snails keep themselves busy bulldozing frags and even if they tried they couldn't fit into the MP40

Are not those called "wrecking ball snails".....hee hee

 

[JohnK]

That sounds accurate, but hey, they don't mess up my vortech

 

[jrmx635]

I haven't owned any vortechs but man do I see alot of broken ones.
Is it just snails or are they not a reliable pump

 

[JayM]

on the two I've had, I've only needed to replace the drivers and the power supplies

I still like the flow, but I run maximods in sump/fuge/frag tanks.

once the 180 gets set up, 2 mp40's, 2 eductors on the return, and fill in flow with 2-4 modded nanostreams, depnding on aquascape

 

[stingythingy45]

For the price of Vortechs they should give you a lifetime supply of parts free.

 

[mchartier]

I would contact them, it looks like an older style wetside. They had a habit of locking up and breaking the shaft, I had that happen to mine and they replaced the wetside. I know keep a spare wetside on hand, I rotate my wetsides when I clean them I take one out and use the spare, then when thats clean I do the same to the other.

 

[Bobbofin]

they are replacing the wetside no charge

 

[mchartier]

Yes they did but I do not remember if it was within warranty or not. It would not hurt to call anyways they are very good with customer service

 

[dcforester1]

I had one jam and snap, no snail. I'm glad I won mine, because I have never really been happy with them. I have 2 and for the money they should require as much work as they do.


GoodLuck

 

[JohnK]

How long did it take before you guys started having problems with them?

 

[dcforester1]

I hated mine from the beginning, but a lot of it was my own fault. Once I got it adjusted the right way it ran fine for about 6mos? It just seems like when I try to clean them they make noise. I soak them in vinegar and they make all kind of noise for about a month, and then once every week or so I need to move the wet side a little to get the clicking to stop. For the money it should be set it and forget it.. Don't get me wrong, I hate them, but I am not trading them in for any Maxi-Jet yet.

 

[saltwaterB]

I have been running 4 of them for a long time (2 of them are over 2 years old, older style) and have had no issues with them. Now I have had to replace the Wet side on our MP10 twice, but that is not the pumps fault...we have it in a 8" tall Coral table, and it sucked up some of the coral substrate in there.

 

[JayM]

I updated both of my drivers, and also replaced both of my power supplies. I blame the very humid environment they were in. You cannot beat the flow, and the variability.

Along with penductor retirns, 2 are going to be part of the flow solution in my new tank.