An Open Letter to EcoTech Marine

Dear EcoTech Marine -

While you enjoy the success of your third generation of Radion LED aquarium lights, I would like to extend my congratulations and take the opportunity to ask you to cast your attention on your old bread and butter, your MP series of Vortech pumps. While revolutionary and arguably without equal for flow and control in our aquariums, surely they could benefit from another look from your capable and renown engineers.

I’ve owned a couple MP10s for years now and would like to share my observations and suggestions to make these fine pumps even better.



Buttons From Hell

Stated here for emphasis, the buttons on the Vortech controllers are from hell. They mock me and laugh as I exert hundreds of pounds per square inch of pressure in a vain attempt to enter programming mode. Am I pressing mode and set at the same time? I have no idea as these putty derelicts are without feedback. It often takes several attempts and often ends with removing the controller from the velcro mount and placing it horizontally on a hard surface to achieve success. It should not be this hard to press a button. I swear I’ve seen buttons on other things, there must be some good ones out there. Hey these keys on my Macbook are pretty nice! Use those. Seriously, these buttons must be replaced.


Maintenance Is Complicated


MP40


MP10

While I’ve noticed that the wet-side of the bigger MP series fully disassemble, my MP10s do not. The frame cover between the rotor and the magnet cannot be removed. This prevents easy cleaning of the underside of the cover and the topside of the magnet. Most pumps out there have impellers that come apart for cleaning. This is a big oversight in my opinion.


Furthermore, it could be easier to get in there to clean all the parts. Some wet-side MP assemblies turn clockwise to loosen, others turn counter-clockwise depending on model. In my case, it’s clockwise. But remembering this doesn’t make it easy, especially if a little kalkwasser is involved. I often have to place mine on the kitchen counter and exert a lot of pressure to get the right grip.

Recently this happened when the bushing fused to the ceramic washer and the shaft was calcified preventing the magnet from being removed easily:



To be fair, soaking the whole thing in vinegar may have prevented it.

Regardless, if you address ease of maintenance, many will thank you.


Noise

Some with in wall aquariums may be spared, but for others like me with the dry-side of the Vortech pumps exposed to my living room, they can get loud. Particularly with my favorite mode - reef crest. The first time I put them on this mode, the ‘vert’ ‘vert’ ‘vert’ sounds provoked my family to wonder if the washing machine was on. Anything you can do to lower the noise would be greatly appreciated.


I Still Love These Pumps

Don’t get me wrong, I still love my Vortech pumps, they could just be made even better by addressing these three areas of contention. And I am just getting a little jealous of all the attention that the Radions are getting. It is long overdue to give another look at your Vortechs. They deserve your attention.

Sincerely,

Matt Rogers

 

I agree with your points, but would like to point out they're not still 1st gen (the driver, at least).

Remember these?:

 

Oh my, yes I do now. Did something improve? ;D

Anyway, glad you agree. I was pretty sure these 3 points would carry with a lot of people out there.

 

Definately +1 from me on the buttons.

 

+11111
Those buttons stink.

About the noise I agree. Although "shirley" they are working on that.
I'm sure they're aware. I have considered trying out Tunze for that reason alone.
If it wasn't such an expensive unknown to try out the Tunze I would. Having said that.. I love my MP40s.

 

Nice letter- I like the humor to it. I love my Mp10's but tend to agree they are quite noisy and can be a pain to get apart.

I rarely touch my controller other than the occasional feed mode, so I can't say I have a say on the buttons, but I do remember it was unnecessarily complicated to set up different modes or link two units (push these 2 buttons, then this one for exactly 3 seconds then, hold this button while pushing these in the following sequence, then spin around 3 times, stand on your head and pray it worked).

Honestly, for the cost they should just put a little screen on there- my $20 autofeeder has a better set-up function.

 

The buttons....I don't even bother trying to change settings, it's not worth the battle. If anything I'll just ramp the speed down to 1 when I feed.

+1 for improvement needed

 

+1 love it.....

 

+7 hit the main cons right on the head

 

Thanks all. Glad to see I am not the only one. Occasionally I call their tech support and share my 'pitch.' I hope that hearing it from others or reading your comments here will lead to change.

matt