MP60 Pulling Air

[urbaneks]

I have an MP60 mounted on on the viewable end of my peninsula aquarium. The tank is 72x36x22. I run in Reef Crest mode and can't for the life of me find the sweet spot of speed and depth to prevent the mp 60 from sucking air.

If I run it at 70% plus it will suck air in with a loud sucking sound followed by over spray on my light. If I run it between 40-70%, it will still pull air in but without the loud noises and over spray but I still end up with in wanted bubbles in the tank. If I run at 30% or less, I can prevent air from being pulled in but I'm not getting as much flow as I'd like.

I've changed speeds and moved the MP60 at depths between 2-5 inches below the water.

Appreciate any tips folk have.

 

[gojk]

I just wanted to say nice tank! Sorry I don't have any advice for your issue.

 

[whatchamacallit]

Way too close to the surface for an mp60. Those are powerhouses. Go a few inches lower if you can, and if you can't I'd get an mp40 instead.

 

[WilRams]

Ditto.

 

[Salty1962]

Lower pump or turn down speed more, IMO. They are strong pumps and create vortexes.

 

[urbaneks]

All, I really appreciate the input, as I mentioned, I've moved the pump both up and down and varied the speed without much luck. I've lowered the pump enough that the surface of the water is no longer moving which imo is worse than the vortex.

I'm really looking for some specific data from people who are running mp60s without a vortex. What speed do you run it on and how far below the water level are you running the pump.

Thanks.

 

[ApocalyptiCoral]

I've never owned an Mp60 nor as beautiful of a tank as yours but my suggestion would be since you are running a shallower large reef to either try and move the mp60 down two to three more inches and move your return line up to get the desired ripple effects on the surface of it will stretch to that end of the peninsula or sell your mp60 and get two Mp40s
It looks like you have a large quantity of SPS and the best mode for these corals in my opinion is the purple wave mode and if you have two mp I run half a week in sync and other half before a water change in anti sync and my SPS reef love those functions
Hope you find a solution to this issue you could also try putting the little mesh thing Eco tech gives you in the box that may at least break up your vortex of air I have no idea

 

[charleslotz]

I use the intake guard , .. Anemone guard ... Not sure what they call it ... This stopped the vortex.

 

[DereksReef77]

I have 2 mp60wes and 2 mp40wes in my 210 gallon. Standard 72x24x29. I was getting the same thing, mp60wes were pulling air into them. I was running them at 80%. So obviously I needed to lower them some more in the tank so that's what I did. No more air being pulled in. I will have to check how far below the water line they are when I get home from work. I'm not running them with the foam guards either.

 

[urbaneks]

I have 2 mp60wes and 2 mp40wes in my 210 gallon. Standard 72x24x29. I was getting the same thing, mp60wes were pulling air into them. I was running them at 80%. So obviously I needed to lower them some more in the tank so that's what I did. No more air being pulled in. I will have to check how far below the water line they are when I get home from work. I'm not running them with the foam guards either.

Thanks for the update. Look greats to hearing how deep they are in your tank. I'm running mine 4" below the water at 50% and I still pull a vortex every 5 mins or so.

 

[DereksReef77]

Yeah mine are probably at least 6-8 inches under the water line but I will confirm when I get home from work. It's gonna be a while tho I still have 7 hours to go. Ughhhhh

 

[eg8r210]

It is odd that you are getting air pulled in when you move the pump lower. That is the best recommendation is to move it down lower. 4" is definitely too high, you can also put the guard on it which should cut down some of the air being pulled in.

 

[monkiboy]

why not use one of those acrylic hoods they sell to snap in above your mp60 so it cannot suck water from above your pump and avoids the vortex?

 

[urbaneks]

why not use one of those acrylic hoods they sell to snap in above your mp60 so it cannot suck water from above your pump and avoids the vortex?

I have to believe that after spending $675 on a pump that I can get it running vortex free without spending more money.

I'm still looking for MP60 owners who have found that sweet spot to provide their settings and depth below the water.

Thanks in advance.

 

[monkiboy]

I have to believe that after spending $675 on a pump that I can get it running vortex free without spending more money.

I'm still looking for MP60 owners who have found that sweet spot to provide their settings and depth below the water.

Thanks in advance.

it seems like simple physics not that I understand it but I do get that I have a tremendous amount of flow from my mp60s when ramped up. if I move them closer to the water liner, one should expect vortices unless there is intervention per my and other's suggestions.

 

[DereksReef77]

Ok I just measured and it is exactly 6" below the water line. The top of the mp60. Btw I have mp60qd's in that tank my mistake. I have like 6 mp60wes that I will be using in future builds. Im sure there is no difference between the two pumps except for quietness. Sorry it took so long but I ordered a bunch of pods and they came today.

 

[urbaneks]

Ok I just measured and it is exactly 6" below the water line. The top of the mp60. Btw I have mp60qd's in that tank my mistake. I have like 6 mp60wes that I will be using in future builds. Im sure there is no difference between the two pumps except for quietness. Sorry it took so long but I ordered a bunch of pods and they came today.

Thanks for the info. What mode and percent are you running at? Do you pull any air in?

 

[DereksReef77]

Right now I have them on the green setting. I was running them at almost full power in my fowler setup. Big angels and a lot a poop lol. Currently I am running them at 50% and no air at all at either speed. I also have two mp40qd's in there also. They are all on the back of the tank.

 

[hybridazn]

Even in the ecotech manual it states to keep the pump low enough so it does not pull in air. Recommended depth is 4"-8" but obviously varies from tank to tank.

For things like this it's trial and error for what's best on your tank. What works for one person might not work for you.

 

[eg8r210]

I have to believe that after spending $675 on a pump that I can get it running vortex free without spending more money.

I'm still looking for MP60 owners who have found that sweet spot to provide their settings and depth below the water.

Thanks in advance.

I just measured my mp60 and it is 8" from water line to center of the pump. No vortech, occasional sucking of air if my gyre on the other end is in pulse mode and creating a wave. When gyre is in constant mode and mp60 (always in reef crest) at 8" down (to center of powerhead) I have no instances of air being sucked in. I would think with your tank being only 22" high you will have an issue with sand getting blown around underneath the powerhead if it is placed as low as I have mine but my tank is 30" tall so I don't have that problem.

The amount of money you spent on a pump has nothing to do with whether it will work in the environment you are forcing it in. I sure hope this works out for you but sometimes a different pump will work best. Let us know how it goes.