My biggest concern before purchasing and running was if it was going to move enough water in the hard to get to places, especially for the price and the fact that you can't aim them, but with the undertow it creates there are no problems. I admit, I am cycling and haven't seen how it performs with corals, but after watching movement of bubbles and food (generating ammonia) I have no worries. If these are in your price range I don't think you can really go wrong. Oh! And much more silent than I have read concerns about too.

The VorTech MP40w ES was the first adjustable flow water pump I have purchased. Admitedly there were two concerns I had prior to the purchase, even after considerable research. The first was the price and the second was many reviews that referenced how loud it operated.

The MP40w ES was purchased to go on my 55g soft coral tank and replace my existing water pumps, a Hydor Koralia Evolution 600 and Hydor Koralia Evolution 1050 (that's right 1050).

I left the Koralia 600 in place. When facing the tank, it is mounted on the upper left hand side of the tank, toward the back, pointed behind about 50lbs of liverock. This is to keep deadspots at a minimum. The MP40 is mounted where the Koralia 1050 was, on the right side of the tank facing the opposite direction, toward the front and about 4" from the water line.

First off, READ THE DIRECTIONS. I wanted to see this thing in action immediately and it took great restraint not to just hook this thing up and turn it on. Remember the second concern I had with this pump...the noise level? Well, if you don't follow the directions and set the pump up properly I believe this is where many (not all) folks went wrong when they complained about high noise levels.

In my opinion this pump is very quiet. When the MP40 is turned up past 75% max output, it is not as quiet as the Koralia Evolutions. However, it when set to 75% or higher, it only emits a mild hum. For my size tank anything past 50% is too much flow and when you max any piece of equipment out it won't last as long. When set to 50% and below the MP40 is very quiet. To add context to what I define as very quiet....put it this way....I do not want to hear my tank buzzing, huming or splashing. It has to be as quiet as one of those rock fountains. The kind that when you turn it on it sounds like water trickling.

This pump does a great job. When I turned it on it started without any trouble, immediately stired up ditritus, and kept it suspended until it went down the overflow. When the MP40 is set to a constant speed it still seems to have random flow. I watched my soft corals nonstop for about 20 minutes and was very impressed at how their movement was random. This is common sense but one thing to keep in mind if you have corals. Start out slow and see how they react. Changing a powerhead is like changing the lighting. The animals in your tank will need time to adjust. One common problem I have read about is an unsuspecting anenome getting too close to the powerhead and getting chopped up. The MP40 comes with a foam cover so if you have anything that may get caught in it I suggest using the foam initially and see how your critters react.

The bottom line is this pump is expensive but worth the extra money. There are a lot of the MP40 reviews online. Check multiple sources before making a decision to purchase any piece of equipment. This hobby is expensive enough without wasting extra money. Good luck!

It'a an expensive pump! Thought it would make a difference in my mixed reef 150. I have a two 1600gph on opposite sides before I added this pump. No major change noted. My corals actually closed up more when I install this pump. Tried different modes and intensity that the corals will respond to. Finally settled at reef crest mode and lagoon at night. The only difference is this pump can change speed
But still a linear pump. I'll probably keep it and see how it goes .

These pumps are simply the best pumps on the market. I now have 7 of different sizes for different tanks.

These are fantastic pumps i have. 2 on my 72 bowfront an they make a diffrence 2 of theses replaced all 4 Hydor 1400's. i have to say there $$$$$$$. But. Way. Worth it. A little tricky to set up and get use to but once you do u will love them

I installed this product per mfr recommendations and it rattled, vibrated, and made noise like crazy. I called their service people who spent an hour on the phone with me before concluding the wet side part was defective. They sent me a replacement and it worked great, but still was a tad on the noisy side for my taste.

These are truly great pumps, I have two on a 120 gallon marine land corner overflow tank. There are no dead spots now and it's not a overpowering jet stream that would damage corals like frog spawn. These pumps are very powerful though, when setup to be. I truly believe I could make waves crash over the top of the tank if I wanted to. Over all these are great pumps with the ability to create any kind of flow your tank requires. If you love your corals the way I do it's a great investment.

I had 2 koralia's 1400 and a sicce voyager 3 and this pump blew those away. Just one in a 75g and its doing great, now I got 2 on a 150g

I've had mine hooked up for a few days and can't believe how much flow I've got. I haven't had any problems with noise even on the highest setting. Definitely getting another one

Love the powerhead. It moves the water in my tank like no other powerhead has. However when you pay almost 500 per powerhead. I think it should definite include control features like radion lights have. But you must buy a controller if you want the powerhead to change modes at another time without you manually doing so.

On its own the VorTech pump is programmable and moves water like no other pump. Connect the Neptune Apex controller and now the water movement options throughout the day are changing. Awesome products.

This thing can really move some water! It's really nice to replace bulky power heads with one of these.

Was easy to install and the controller looks cool on the outside of the tank. Great product.

Bought this to keep the detritus moving in the tank. It has done the job better than anything else I've used. Mounting is a bit cumbersome, but it is a very nice product. Hard to swallow the pricing, but it's the only one that moves water that well.

Truely get what you pay for. Was hesitant because of the price before getting my first one, but it wasnt long before I was getting a second one. VERY powerful water movers but flow is wide and gentle. Running 2 MP40's on a 120g at about 60% reefcrest anti-sync for LPS/softies.

Replaced 3 Koralia's in my tank with a MP10 and MP40. Expensive but what a great pump. The various modes are great. They communicate wirelessly with my Radion lights for sleep mode. No heat transfer and no power running into the tank. Which I always thought was a little weird considering water and power don't mix.

Overall great pump an well worth the money.

Note: They can be a little noisy until the break in and/or if you don't have the pin setting correct. EcoTech Support is top notch and one of the best in the aquatic industry.

I bought two of these for my 250 Mixed Reef, not only have my Xenia taken off but my acro and acans love it too. well worth the money if you intend on keeping picky corals because these things are extremely customizable!

I have both a mp40 and an mp10 on my 75 and they work wonders. I also like the fact that they can be hooked up to a controller. Great purchase. Ecotech also has great customer service.

Having been in the reef hobby for more than 15 years and trying every powerhead under the sun I can honestly say that these are second to none. I have 2 of these on my 150 tall and since installing them about a year ago, my corals are happy happy.

The added benifit of the battery backup ability is icing on the cake.

These pumps are expensive but worth it. I have two of these in my 6 foot 125 gal. tank. They can really move water. I have it set at half power and it still produces a nice wave. There are many diffferent modes to choose from and they are easy to set up. The pumps come with a quick start guide and Echotech has videos online showing step by step intructions. Very nice product.

I just got first Vortech MP40 today and i cant wait till i can afford another to add it to my tank. even tough i only have one in my 120 gallon tank and i removed my 3 other powerheads this little machine outperforms them all. the short pulse mode is the best and as soon as i can i will get another one.

this is a must for any large aquarium. it is fully customizable and worth every penny of the hefty price tag

EcoTech Marine is a great company with excellent support and craftsmanship. As a resident of PA, I can say they are nearly in my back yard! The low profile of the MP40(s) replaced my aging Tunze Stream pump. I am very pleased with the low noise, low heat, low profile and HIGH flow of the MP40. Adding the wireless module to my Neptune Systems controller makes the pump very easy to control and program in an infinite combinations of flow.

The vortech was appealing because of its features and the small in tank foot print, But the price was scary! I cant say at almost $500 its a value and it sure did add a bunch of extra cords but over all i am happy. People seemed to have 2 issues with there pumps, that they were loud and too powerful. My pump did quite down after a day or 2 of running but its not what I would call quite, but at lower speeds it blends into the back round. I have a 75 gal tank (48x18x18) and when at one end of the tank even at full blast it doesnt move around the sand or blow water out of the tank. If the pump was 1/2 as much it would be a 5 star buy all the way.

I will admit that I was a little skeptical about what this pump could do but now i'm convinced it was worth all the money. I couldn't believe my eyes when I turned it on for the first time on max speed. The amount of detritus that was pushed off my rocks was shocking. This is a must have.

Great product, works exactly as listed and exceeds my expectations.

The mp40 works very well, they put flow out to about 3 feet in the aquarium which is quite a bit. The features are nice when you have two of them as they work best in at least a pair. Only downside is they cost a ton of cash just to add flow to the tank.

I received this product in top condition if I ever upgrade I will buy more of these revoloutionary pumps.

I have both the mp40w, and the 10w in my 110 i get great flow no dead spots I just love them. I would also like to thank BRS for the awesome service.

I have been impressed with the pair of MP40's that I purchased. Only down side is they can be tricky to configure. But, besides that, I have been pleased.

This is the best pump hands down. I was worried when I decided to buy it because I had heard that they were loud. I can tell you that mine is quiet!! Noticed a big difference in the polups on my acros the first 5 hours.

The MP40w ES was one of the best purchases I have made. I have 2 running on my 90 callon.

Great pump, actually FUN to use. With all the work we have to do for our tanks, it's nice to have a toy every once in awhile that is a joy to use. Can't wait to buy a second and have them work together

The flow is amazing but it comes at a huge price(the noise). The pump has been broken in and setup correctly but the noise is still unbearable. I will be returning the pump and getting a Tunze.

If noise is not a concern, this is the pump to get. I did noticed a difference in my tank within 2 days.

It does move water, but it's flimsy, inflexible and over-priced. Having the motor outside the tank is a gimmick IMO and just looks ugly on the outside of the tank and creates potential for the pump "wet side" to be knocked (torqued) off into your corals or rocks if the pump jams for any reason. Don't skimp on the sticky pads to hold the cord on the outside of the tank for the same reason.
This pump will flow an area about 2' x 3' depending on your rock and coral layout.

All in all this is a very nice piece of equipment to invest in. Plenty of movement when its not on full power. An it looks so much cleaner in the tank the other poweheads

I love this thing wish i had money for another one. I have it in a 120 gal with 2 other small power heads and if i run it over 50% i have a sand storm, It moves alot of water. highly recomend but i think they are overpriced but they run excellent.

THIS IS A GREAT POWER-HEAD like its advertised small footprint fully controllable great flow and under flow little to no noise ect... I like the fact that it can be sync with radion led fixtures and an option of a backup battery in case of power fails. My only gripe is the cost, but I am a firm believer of you get what you pay for, so worth the investment...

I bought 2 of these pumps 1 year ago and had not any problems. They are a bit noisy, and also have many features such as wave maker, feed mode, which offset the slight noise they produce.

I bought 2 mp40s & an mp 10 for my 95 gallon build (per Vortech rep recommendation), a nd had to return 1 mp40. I would have had to run all pumps at 25% to prevent everything from blowing all over the place! Still, great pumps.

I use the MP40w and two MP10w VorTech's in my 90 gallon reef tank. I can get the water flowing anyway I want. I prefer the tidal surge mode on two pumps and a constant fast mode on the MP10w positioned at the bottom of my tank. I have owned them for a year without any issues.

this pump is cheeply made crap so mad i spent 460 on it its so loud i hate to hear it and everytime im in bed its all i can hear and think about im gonna take it out to the range and use it sor taget practice and then ship it back DONT wast ur money !!!!

With its endless features and unmistakable performance, this pump is by far the best thing on the market.... So I bought TWO!! Although one can be run on a system, I'd recommend getting at least two, one at each end to tak full advantage that the programmed modes have to offer. The sleek look of only the wetside being exposed in the tank is great, no bulk or wires in your display, and the ingenious power transfer through the glass is nothing short of a breakthrough. A+ Ecotech!

The unit gets out of balance and then noisy. In my opinion after using this and tunze top unit the taam Polario is way better if you have a large tank. The water is pushed everywhere and no noise at the top of a center overflow it is hardly seen.
Only 170.00 ! But it is a large soda can size so under 150 gallon mabe too big.

The pump is well made and makes the tank look great. it moves so much water around in my 75g.

These pumps are by far the most amazing pump on the market. The ability to adjust the flow and the variety of flow programs is outstanding. They are well worth every penny you spend for them. They are well styled and do not take up a lot of space inside the tank. I give my highest reccomendation for these pumps.

Even though this wireless pump is not wireless (except apparently with one exception that's useless unless you have more than one), is kind of noisy at its highest settings, and is obviously expensive, I love it. I have never seen a product have such a pronounced effect on livestock in the tank. Even the freaking fish are enjoying the "reef crest" flow mode, and the elegance in the middle of my tank has expanded impressively within a few hours. It's a snap to install and use. Looks like I can remove the other clunky powerheads I was using and eliminate the clutter without any problem. And while I can hear it whirring at the higher flow rates, it does not bother me at all. I think the MP40 is a better choice for a 75 reef compared to a single MP10. Even at full blast in reef crest mode, it's not overpowering. I have it dialed back to about 70% and that seems to do the trick.

1st this pump is to much 400 would be much better (which is why i gave it a 4 in value) with that said i still bought 2 with battery back up and absolutely will never buy anything else. you can do so much with this pump, and the peace of mind you get if the power goes out is very nice.i have heard of a few people complain about the noise but i must say it isn't that bad, don't get me wrong they are far from silent but what do you expect the motor is on the outside of the tank