VorTech MP10 Review (w/pics!)

Just Got today, after 10 min of use, failed. Complete hard reset, still failure.

Taking back tomorrow for exchange of another unit.

 

Replacement Unit working flawlessly.

Big Thanks to Tropic Isle in Natick Ma for the utmost in professional customer service!

Been spending last night and today playing with my new toy!

Review with pics and vid to come probably later tonight.

 

I have a mp40 and I love it! How big is your tank?

 

Well, my first unit crapped the bed after 10-15 minutes out of the box and playing with all the settings.

After exchanging that for another New Unit, I brought it home and fooled with the settings for an hour or so, before setting it to regular old 'constant flow' for the night more concerned with longevity and reliability of this motor (that and I didn't want a wave over the side of my tank @ midnight!!!).

The next morning I awoke to a fully functioning unit... Good to Go! I kicked up the 'speed' (Gallons Per Hour) before leaving for work.

After work, I toyed around with all the settings for another few hours.

For Reference - My tank is a 55 gallon Reef (LPS, NPS, Softies)



Here is my review thus far...





First off, the DESIGN is top notch. Well thought out and executed, and very aesthetically pleasing to my eyes. The 'controller' is a conveinient size, and fits well in my hands but also comes with multiple velcro patches to hang it anywhere you want. I keep mine typically hung on the wall next to the tank.

The Controller is very easy to manipulate, with only 3 'buttons' and 1 'dial' and a series of 12 LED's. The LED's function as a 'continuum' to let you adjust the Speed/GPH of the unit OR the Duration of the MP10's power pulses.

The 'Dial' on the controller also tells you what mode the MP10 is currently in by way of a changing color on the dial rim itself. The colors are subdued and are easy on the eyes, visible yet not too bright even at night (my tank is in my bedroom).



Color options include Green - a regular 'constant' mode. Definitely good to have, but why pay close to $300 for a unit to only use it as a regular $80 powerhead?

Next is Purple - a 'Tidal/Nutrient Transport' Mode. Tidal mode is a slowly increasing and decreasing pulse action, with Nutrient Transport mode being a quicker wave frequency... helpful for kicking up debris and detritus.

Then Yellow - Reef/Lagoonal Mode. These are more 'randomized' GPH spikes over either a larger peak/dip in power (Reef) OR a smaller peak/dip in power (Tidal). This is my favorite mode - I find I tend to leave my MP10 on 'Reef' mode @ about 70% peak power most of the time.

Then we have Blue - the famous 'Wave Mode'. Really cool to watch or brag about but in truth it seems too turbid for my corals. Not my tank, but see video below...

Vortech MP10 Wave - YouTube

Notice how low the unit is placed in the tank and how low the water level is to prevent tank overflow. Plus, to get good waves I had to turn the GPH up to 100% which was too much for my corals on that side of the tank... Also, I should mention that the first thing you see when you open the instructions is a big WARNING that they are not responsible if and when uneven pressure on the glass breaks your tank...

The final main color is Pink - Long Pulse Mode. Not useful for my applications, but you can program this mode for GPH and 'pulse frequency' between 2 seconds to 2 hours.

In addition there is a 'feed mode' which spins the motor low speed for 10 minutes, and 'night mode' which spins at 50% (your set) power.

On that 'Your set power' note, one of the things I love immensely about the MP10 is the ability to easily set the 'maximum power' of these different modes... meaning that you can use any mode at an appropriate flow rate for your corals and tank (I rarely run mine over 70% power i find). And this is done so quick by a twist of the 'dial' which corresponds to an increase in the LED continuum so you visually see just how much flow your setting. Awesome!

A final design note, one of the best things about the MP10 is the 'footprint' in the tank. The entire motor and electrical cords are on the 'outside-tank' portion of the unit, leaving ONLY the water 'turbine' itself in the tank. Below is an 'in-tank' size comparison between the MP10 and the previous Koralia Evo 1050...




PERFORMANCE wise, I was actually worried this smaller 'turbine' wouldn't be enough flow for my 55 gallon tank coming from a Koralia Evo 1050 GPH. How wrong I was! Quite the opposite... The VorTech MP10 has a flow rate between 200-1575 GPH!

I actually find that even though the 'turbine' is smaller then my previous Koralia, it is MORE than enough flow for my 55 tank! In fact, I find that I rarely run the unit over 70% power as I find it TOO MUCH FLOW for my multiple corals... my softies would start jumpin off their rocks! However if I grew SPS, That flow would be utilized...



Downsides or quarels are small - I spent the Extra $ for the Wireless thinkin the 'controller' would be wireless, but in actuality it is the same unit, only you can link 2ndary units to the first to have them operate in unison. Cool, but I thought $300 was a lot for flow, let alone spending over $600 to link multiple powerhead units. Next time, I would get the regular version and save myself the money.

Also, you can't angle the flow like you would a normal powerhead, the motor is affixed to your tank wall at a 90 degree angle. After designing my coral placement for an angled flow toward the front wall from the back corner... it will be interesting to see how the corals react to this different more direct flow. Overall these quarks are easily overlooked in my opinion.


To summarize, the VorTech MP10 gives you not only a smaller Turbine with a smaller tank footprint, but in addition also gives you crazy awesome variable flow rates and patterns which allow for a much more natural and frenzied flow akin to the actual Ocean. The Multiple Modes allow for so much flow variety, I can say this powerhead is definitely worth the $$! A must for a serious 'Aquarium Hobbiest' who also likes 'tech' stuff!



Great Purchase, but the true test of time will be how the Corals will respond over the next 2 weeks...

Follow up Review to Come!

 

Good write up, I one and it was still helpful