Vortech lifespan

[Wildreefs]

My LFS has a pair of original Vortech, a 60 and a 40, that have been in use since 2012. Never even cleans them.

I have gotten 2 mp40s in the past 3 years, quiet drives, and the most I get out of them is 2 years.

Was the price drop years back indicative of more than just a price drop? (Quality drop?) 40s used to be about 450, now 370, but did the quality suffer?

I almost want to search around and find new, non quiet drives (older models) to use

 

[ndrwater]

They last a LOONG time.. trick is never use Vinegar to clean them. Vinegar seems to shorten their life considerably.
Citric acid is a much better choice. It's not as "Hot" of an acid.
I have had vinegar actually cause the plastic weld on the wetside to fail.

 

[Wildreefs]

Thanks, where does 1 get Citric acid
From?

 

[ndrwater]

Many sources actually. You can get it at some grocery stores, BRS, Marine Deoot, Amazon, etc.
It's used in canning and candy making.
Last batch I got was via Amazon. Think I paid about $10 for 5# Which will last a VERY long time

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

I have a few older mp10wes from 2010 that were recently upgraded to the QD drivers, one of them is has an issue with loud bearings but other than that they are going strong.

Can you elaborate what fails after 2 years?

 

[Phycodurus]

same story here guys. my first mp40 also has problem just recently ... wet side pad has a tear in it much to my surprise ... barely two years old. never had any kind of heavy coralline buildup on it.

the replacement wet side assembly is like $80 off the ecotech website.

 

[kevin_e]

5 years on my mp10s. Not a single issue.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

I have a Jebao and it last 2 years now, never intentionally clean it.

 

[madreefer11]

You can buy the wet side only if there are problems. The dry side is usually ok but I don’t know if you run short pulse 24/7. Gets really hot.

 

[Mhart032]

I have 2 MP10s Ws since they came out in the mid 2000s when they were released they still work perfect, at one point i lost the wetside and replaced one.

 

[ca1ore]

I’ve had a bunch of vortechs. Retired a couple from 2012 and replaced them with QD models. None of the QD models (mostly bought in 2016) have had any driver or dryside issues. The wetsides will wear out over time. Just replaced my first MP60 wetside after about four years. I have never used vinegar on them.

 

[Reefpharmer]

So if you don’t use vinegar, how do you clean them? I never heard of anyone using citric acid (not saying it’s not doable or right, just haven’t heard it)

 

[Radman73]

I have a love/hate relationship with my Vortech's. I've had several MP10's over the years and an MP40 now. They used to make a parts kit to rebuild your wetside. That went away when the QD's came out. Just so happened at the same time my wetside went out lol! So yeah, $75 2.5 years later was a bummer. Maybe it was the vinegar.

Otherwise, they're my favorite power head. I'll be ordering another MP40 once I unload the left over gear from my involuntary downsize .

Just had my first experience with citric acid and it was a very pleasant one. Cleaned the gear up from my 220 extremely well. Smells better than vinegar.

 

[SandJ]

I have an MP10 wet side that just stopped working. The magnet swelled to the point it would
no longer turn. I have never used vinegar to clean it, only tap water and a tooth brush (or even just a dry towel to wipe it clean).
Vinegar may shorten the lifespan of them, but it is not the sole case of failure.

 

[watdachuck]

I have 2 MP60's (3 years) and used to have a pair of 40's (2 years) and 10's (4 years) on my smaller tank. Mine of them ever had an issue I sold them off after upgrading.

My cleaning method is to simply disassemble the wet side housing and use a tooth brush to clear any algae or debris. I don't see why you would soak them in any acid unless you just hated the coralline build up.

 

[dadnjesse]

I have lost many Vortech's from using Vinegar, I used to let them sit in it for a few day's. I switched to Citric acid and haven't had a problem since. I think the Citrus acid actually cleans them better.

 

[Albertan22]

I’m still running a pair of Vortech MP40s from ~2009/2010. Both have had the wet side replaced once. I never clean with vinegar, just a toothbrush and hot water.

 

[robbyg]

My oldest MP-40 is from about 2012 and it is still running fine. Luckily I never cleaned it with Vinegar, I just found it easy enough to use rodi water and a brush. I cannot say the same for my Sedra pump which I did clean in Vinegar and later had the rotor swell up and get stuck. I now use citric acid for that pump.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

I have 2 mp40 8 years old Been running 24/7 at 45% on short pulse mode the whole time and I have never cleaned them and never had a problem. Yes they are covered in coraline and I expect them to fail anytime but 8 years and never cleaned these have to be the best darn power heads ever on the market one of th em is little noisy could use new wet side but ehhh

 

[Wildreefs]

That’s my whole point in all of this. The tanks I know that have the older style Vortechs seem to last forever. The quiet drives conk out after a year or two max.