About to buy some powerheads, and I would like some advice for a 55g.

[Xyres]

So I am very new to the hobby and being only 20 cash it in short supply but dispite that I am putting a lot of money into this tank. It is a 55g that I am planning to have fish in, some corals and some anemones, the last two will be later on down the road. So with all that info my next question is this:

Would I be better off with one mp40 or two Tunze 6045? Is the different setting for the flow really that important? Is it worth spending the 300~ plus difference to get one pump? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[ScubaSteve]

Well, first question is: what live stock are you planning on keeping (in terms of corals)?

Tunze and Vortechs are on opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of flow philosophy: tunze creates, more or less, strong laminar flow that can reach the opposite side of the tank where Vortechs create a wide turbulent field. Personally, I prefer the Vortechs not only for the flow patterns but for the overall product design and low profile.

[Xyres]

Honestly I have no idea. Like i said I am still rather new to this so I am really just looking to get my tank started on a strong foot right now. I don't want to do something in the future and be hindered by a past purchase that wasn't what I needed.

[gregzz4]

Personally, I prefer the Vortechs not only for the flow patterns but for the overall product design and low profile.
+1 for their vast programming modes / features, and easy to clean wet sides vs a whole power head removal / cleaning
Noisy if you have them turned up higher, although some don't care

I run Vortechs

Tunze have there benefits too, so hopefully others will chime in here

[ScubaSteve]

Honestly I have no idea. Like i said I am still rather new to this so I am really just looking to get my tank started on a strong foot right now. I don't want to do something in the future and be hindered by a past purchase that wasn't what I needed.

I understand but bare in mind it's better to plan for the future rather than front loading costs in the hopes of having everything you need for whatever may come. If you go softies, then you can aim for the lower end of the flow spectrum, if you go SPS you'll be in the upper end of the spectrum. The same applies to lighting (even more so). Take a look around the net for some tanks that you like the look of and see what they keep. Use that as a barometer for what you'll likely be keeping. Invariably you'll end up with a mixed reef but you need to be able to meet all the needs of your livestock. Don't be discouraged by the apparent difficulty of livestock like SPS. You can easily start with SPS (of the right kinds).

So, give it some thought as to what your future plan is and let us know. We'll be able to better help you once we know what your needs are.

On another note you don't NEED fancy power heads like tunze or Vortechs. I've gone for years using cheap hydors and have been successful... However I WANT Vortechs :razz:

[Xyres]

Well I do know that I want bubble coral, a toadstool and maybe a tree. TBH I think I would be leaning more towards softies but working my way up to a system that can have SPS but that might be a different tank all together. I'm not quite sure what a 55g can handle with salt.

[ScubaSteve]

Well I do know that I want bubble coral, a toadstool and maybe a tree. TBH I think I would be leaning more towards softies but working my way up to a system that can have SPS but that might be a different tank all together. I'm not quite sure what a 55g can handle with salt.

When it comes to coral, you can more or less keep any coral in any sized tank. I have a mixed reef that is dominated by SPS and it's only 50G.

If you are looking bubble coral, you'll want to stay at the medium to low end of the flow as they can be damaged by high direct flow. A Vortechs would be good as their flow is pretty diffuse but turbulent, so you won't have any strong direct flow at any one coral. And the fact they can be tuned down is a bonus.

[Xyres]

Hmm that is what is making me lean towards the vortech, although the price of two 6045's is really appealing. Would the ability to control the flow and having just one for a while until I make a bit more money make that much of a difference over two non-adjustable ones where I would start with two?

[gregzz4]

That's a good question ...

Cost wise ...
You have to weigh the cost of those 6045's against the future costs of whatever you want to upgrade to

Ya, it's a lot to pay now for the top end stuff, so, if you'd like to upgrade those 6045's later, look at what the resale value of those pumps is, and do some math ...

I'm not trying to push the Vortechs on you, and I'm sure Steve isn't either, but they do hold their value :lol:

Adjustability wise ...
I couldn't be happier with my pair of MP10wES
Best money I ever spent on prop pumps
I had a bit of a learning curve after I got them, but they are awesome, and I, after years of internal ugly powerheads, love the low profile

I'm still waiting to see if any Tunze users are going to chime in as they have their benifits too, such as better placement / angles of flow / low noise ...

[Xyres]

No, its all good and I am honestly trying to be sold on one of these and all the input is great. Also another question! Would two mp10's be better than one MP40 for a 55g no sump?

And I really do appreciate all the help guys, as it is getting a lot off my mind and helping me set up a great tank.

[gregzz4]

2 is better than 1
One left and one right

Cross-flow with one master and one slave
This will give you the back and forth flow your tank needs
If it wasn't a 55g long, I may say different, but your long tank needs the flow of 2 pumps, regardless of what you buy

If you get Vortechs, make sure you get ones that are wireless if you want the true Eco versions aka MP10wES is wireless and EcoSmart

This will give you the full abilities to create all kinds of flow patterns ... love these pumps :wink:

If this was a 55g cube, you could get away with one MP40

[gregzz4]

Keep in mind, either of these pump brands can be turned down to near nothing flow, so either is good for almost any tank setup, but ....

Nobody said you had to make your mind up right now :wink:

If you don't want to spend the money on them right now, and just get your tank running, go buy some el-cheapo koralias and make your mind up later :razz:

http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/hy-kor02a/Hydor+Koralia+Evolution+Powerhead+%28750+GPH%29.ht ml

http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/hy-kor03a/Hydor+Koralia+Evolution+Powerhead+%281050+GPH%29.h tml

[Xyres]

Haha... Alright thanks everyone. I have a lot of thinking to do now as I am thinking two MP10 wireless might be the way to go. I am going to go for now but I will be back later to ask more questions I am sure. Thanks everyone. :D

Sorry but after writing that I figured I would ask one last question, I am planning on just getting fish introduced first so do you think that it would be OK to get one mp10 and get another one later when I start adding coral? Thanks.

[gregzz4]

Sure, it would be fine, or some el-cheapo pump, or a Tunze, or whatever
Or one nice pump of your choice, and one cheapo for now .... whatever ...
Nobody said you had to decide on the pumps right now, did they ? :razz:

Small, cheap pumps will do the job, as long as you don't mind the look of them

They just don't create the random flow you'd like to have later in your reef ....

[fishytime]

Keep in mind, either of these pump brands can be turned down to near nothing flow, so either is good for almost any tank setup, but ....

The tunze that the op is considering are the non-adjustable ones.....


there are pros and cons for both brands......

the vortechs move massive amounts of water and not just the flow moving out of the pump, the create a substantial undertow as well........the programming is also far better than the tunzes...the low in tank profile is sweet too......the downsides to them are, you are limited to where you can place them in the tank as they are not point-able and the the "dryside" will limit you as well....the "wetsides" are the weak point and will likely at some point need replacing.....

tunzes move decent amounts of water, can be placed anywhere in the tank and the flow directed where you need it......when compared to the vortech, they are bulletproof.....the only downside to them is the in tank profile and the cord being in the tank.....

[Coralgurl]

I have an mp10 and 2 koralias on my 55 gl. I have not been successful with sps in this tank likely due to lighting more tank flow, but lps and softies do extremely well. The tank was started with 1 mp10 but this was not enough flow even when cranked up to full was getting no surface movement.

I can't say anything about the tunzes as I've never used them.

[mike31154]

I ran my 77 gal for almost a year with a single MP40 & added a second when finances allowed. Kept my eyes peeled for used 40s & now I have a third on the back pane of my 77 turned down to low flow. During the time I ran a single 40, I supplemented the flow with a canister filter & a couple of AquaClear powerheads that came with the tank when I purchased it used.

I haven't seen an MP10 in action, but my advice for a tank your size would be to go with a 40 initially instead of two 10s. The single 40 (along with a cheaper powerhead or two) will provide plenty of flow for a new tank & once it matures a little & you have the extra cash, the second MP40 will provide more flexibility & options down the road as far as livestock choices.

No clue about Tunze, never owned one or seen too many in action, but judging by info I've seen on various forums, they are a very good product.

[gregzz4]

I won't disagree with Mike's MP40 suggestion
Just make sure you can stomach the replacement parts costs :smile:

[Enigma]

Being that budget is a concern, I would recommend that you go with the Tunzes for now. Yes, the MP10s are nice (I have two of them in my 40B), but you don't need them. You can always upgrade down the road. You can count on spending $50 to $100 a gallon in setting up your tank.

At some point in time you may very well have another tank---quarantine, hospital, frag, etc---where the Tunzes would be useful if you replaced one (or both) with an MP10 down the road.