Eco Tech MP10QD vs AI Nero 3

[JWHITESP88]

I am in the process of building a IM 25 lagoon. I have been away from some years now and have decided that I am ready to start a new build. I hate to admit that my previous tank was a never ending frustration for me, and while mostly self inflicted, I made a promise to myself that when I decided to build a new tank it would be done methodically and correctly with patience . A couple of things that were a must for me during this build were, quality components/equipment, equipment that simplifies the reefing process if possible, and the most aesthetically pleasing as possible within reason. With all that being said, I currently have Eco Tech MP10qd as well as a AI Nero 3 in front of me, both brand new still in the box and I need to choose between the two.

I am looking for some recommendations/opinions based on personal experience between the two. My plan is to return one of the two and buy another of which ever I choose for the other side of the tank.

So I should preface this next statement by stating that I don't have a unlimited build budget, but I don't want recommendations based on price alone. I want to know pro's and con's for each powerhead based on performance/maintenance/longevity etc of the product.

I should mention that while in the beginning stages of establishing the tank there will be mostly soft coral and fish. I would as some point like to try my hand at very basic SPS coral, but not in the foreseeable future.

The last thing thing that may be important for you to know in helping me make a decision is that I will be lighting the tank with a Radion XR15. I am not sure if the MP's are Mobius controlled or not as I have no experience with Eco Tech Power heads.

Thanks for the help

 

[blaxsun]

If you’re getting the “w” (newest) version of the MP10’s, yes - they can be controlled through Mobius. The Nero3’s work equally well through MyAI. Having owned a pair of IM Lagoon 25’s, I can tell you that either a single MP10 or Nero3 will be more than sufficient (and you’ll probably be running either at less than 30% max).

Unless you want everything to run through Mobius or need/want the ability to have a wet side head for ease of maintenance, I’m not sure that justifies twice the price of a Nero3. Note that EcoTech also owns AI, so you’re ultimately buying from the same company.

I ended up just running a Tunze 6015 in each tank as it seemed to give everything enough flow. Not programmable and you can’t vary the speed, but it’s easy to manually adjust the positioning and flow direction. And it was also only like $30. And in terms of reliability it was rock solid. I even used them temporarily in my 160-gallon when one of my new gyres failed while RedSea sent out a replacement.

The Radion XR15 G5 is a good choice (I used an XR30, which was way overkill), and you’ll be very happy with it. If you’re eventually thinking about SPS I might suggest the Blue over the Pro. Another possibility would be a pair of AI Prime 16HDs, as with what you save over the XR15/RMS mount you could almost pay for a Nero3. And then you could control everything from the single MyAI app.

I invested in EcoTech for my IM Lagoon 25’s as I was always planning to upgrade to a much larger tank. But if I was just sticking with a single IM Lagoon 25, I’d have gone with the AI Prime 16HD and a Nero3, as it would’ve saved me a lot of money and made things stupid simple to control.

 

[JWHITESP88]

If you’re getting the “w” (newest) version of the MP10’s, yes - they can be controlled through Mobius. The Nero3’s work equally well through MyAI. Having owned a pair of IM Lagoon 25’s, I can tell you that either a single MP10 or Nero3 will be more than sufficient (and you’ll probably be running either at less than 30% max).

Unless you want everything to run through Mobius or need/want the ability to have a wet side head for ease of maintenance, I’m not sure that justifies twice the price of a Nero3. Note that EcoTech also owns AI, so you’re ultimately buying from the same company.

I ended up just running a Tunze 6015 in each tank as it seemed to give everything enough flow. Not programmable and you can’t vary the speed, but it’s easy to manually adjust the positioning and flow direction. And it was also only like $30. And in terms of reliability it was rock solid. I even used them temporarily in my 160-gallon when one of my new gyres failed while RedSea sent out a replacement.

The Radion XR15 G5 is a good choice (I used an XR30, which was way overkill), and you’ll be very happy with it. If you’re eventually thinking about SPS I might suggest the Blue over the Pro. Another possibility would be a pair of AI Prime 16HDs, as with what you save over the XR15/RMS mount you could almost pay for a Nero3. And then you could control everything from the single MyAI app.

I invested in EcoTech for my IM Lagoon 25’s as i was always planning to upgrade to a much larger tank. But if I was just sticking with a single IM Lagoon 25, I’d have gone with the AI Prime 16HD and a Nero3, as it would’ve saved me a lot of money and made things stupid simple to control.

This is great information here. In my previous tank I ran the Jebao RW series and while I have not a bad word to say about them mechanically, the wires inside the tank drove me crazy aesthetically. I know that seems crazy but it's honest and I am looking to make that better on this build.

The most interesting point that you brought to my attention was the fact that AI in owned by EcoTech. I did not know that.If there is no significant difference between the two then absolutely there is no way to justify the Mp10 and will be sending it back.

My XR15 G5 is the blue and I cant wait to get it up and running. I ran the Primes on my last tank and they were great. I found the MyAI app to be somewhat finicky but the lights were great. I have been told that EcoTech software is a little more user friendly so that was one of the reasons I bought it.

 

[Spieg]

You may want to research the Mobius app a little more. I think they've improved it some since it was released, but you still hear a lot of complaints about it losing the schedule from time to time. MyAi has been pretty rock solid for me at least. May be a little more work to get setup, but has never failed me once up and running.

If you absolutely can't deal with cords in the tank then the MP10 is probably your best bet although the Nero has a very thin cord and I can barely see it against a black background in the tank. Personally I don't really like a big thick cord on the outside of tank either, not to mention a large dry side looking like a wall wort stuck to the outside of the tank. As you probably already have noticed the entire Nero 3 is about the same size as the MP10 wet side.

I believe the Nero has a slightly wider flow area than the MP10, so depending on what you need, you should keep that in mind. Also, the Nero pumps come with a plastic snail guard that to me looks better than the sponge ring that are typically used on the MP pumps (and they don't need to be cleaned as often as the sponge).

 

[Little c big D]

I run a Nero 5 in a 200xl, So far its a fantastic pump and I love the MyAI ap and the controllability. I know it's not the Nero 3, however my experience with its sister pump is great. And outside of 100% power it's extremely quiet

 

[blaxsun]

The most interesting point that you brought to my attention was the fact that AI in owned by EcoTech. I did not know that.If there is no significant difference between the two then absolutely there is no way to justify the Mp10 and will be sending it back.

The advantages of the MP10 is that the cord remains outside the tank and that you can simply remove the head for maintenance and cleaning. You can also buy a spare wet side head to immediately swap-in while you clean the other one.

Performance-wise I don’t think you see a huge difference between the the MP10 and Nero3, especially considering you won’t be running either anywhere near approaching 100%.

The snail guard on the Nero3 is an advantage, although to be perfectly honest I routinely have fish, snails and crabs all crawl over my gyres without incident (and I don’t use them). If you plan to have any bubble tip anemones, that’s where the guards come in most handy.

So it really comes down to price, aesthetics and convenience (whether having one app vs. two and the ability to just plop the heads off without having to remove the whole powerhead and cable is worth the added price).

My RedSea ReefWave45’s have cords, but I went with them because they have a breakout point on the power cable that you can detach for maintenance (so you don’t have to unwire the whole thing). And a pair of the ReefWave45’s is half the price of the four MP40’s I’d need instead.

 

[The_Skrimp]

I actually have both running in my tank right now.
It’s really hard to pick which one wins out as a better pump.

The nero 3 makes quite a bit more noise than the mp10 which is virtually silent. It’s just a buzz but it’s loud enough to hear if you’re in front of the tank.

The nero 3 has a ton of flow and it definitely pushes water further with a wider stream than the mp10.

The motor and chord is outside of the tank with the mp10 giving it a clean look on the back wall and when it heats up, it keeps the heat out of the water. That said, the nero3 doesn’t really heat up at all.

As for cleaning, the fact that you can remove and walk away with the mp10 wet side makes it so much easier to clean, especially if you have to sort through a rats nest of chords to unplug the Nero 3.

once you open up each pump there’s a big difference in what they each have inside. The mp10 has a tiny ceramic shaft that breaks very easily if you’re not super careful while the Nero3 has a larger heavy ceramic shaft. My mp10 wet side has already had to be replaced because the ceramic cracked. On the upside, mp10 wet sides are replaceable. In fact most components on an mp10 are replaceable which is a huge bonus.

The apps to run both are practically the same thing. That said, you do get more control with the mp10 and a handful of other wave patterns and settings. Since they’re both owned by eco tech I hope they just come out with one app to run them both soon.

all in all, the power and the fact that it’s built like a tank might make the Nero 3 a slightly better pump in my opinion but it’s really a close one.

 

[JWHITESP88]

You may want to research the Mobius app a little more. I think they've improved it some since it was released, but you still hear a lot of complaints about it losing the schedule from time to time. MyAi has been pretty rock solid for me at least. May be a little more work to get setup, but has never failed me once up and running.

If you absolutely can't deal with cords in the tank then the MP10 is probably your best bet although the Nero has a very thin cord and I can barely see it against a black background in the tank. Personally I don't really like a big thick cord on the outside of tank either, not to mention a large dry side looking like a wall wort stuck to the outside of the tank. As you probably already have noticed the entire Nero 3 is about the same size as the MP10 wet side.

I believe the Nero has a slightly wider flow area than the MP10, so depending on what you need, you should keep that in mind. Also, the Nero pumps come with a plastic snail guard that to me looks better than the sponge ring that are typically used on the MP pumps (and they don't need to be cleaned as often as the sponge).

Thanks a bunch for the info. I will look into the Mobius app some more. Having used the MyAi app I found it to be effective but somewhat tedious to navigate. Most of that was probably the operator and no fault of the app.

 

[JWHITESP88]

I run a Nero 5 in a 200xl, So far its a fantastic pump and I love the MyAI ap and the controllability. I know it's not the Nero 3, however my experience with its sister pump is great. And outside of 100% power it's extremely quiet

Thanks for the insight, its nice to hear a perspective of someone who is currently running a Nero. Thanks for the reply.

 

[Operator Wrasse]

I completely agree with @blaxsun . I just switched to 2 Nero 3s in a 75G softie tank. I'll also be switching to 2 16HDs when I have the spare cash. I'm totally happy with AI as a brand and will gladly pay half compared to the Vortecs. The Neros also have a much smaller profile, which will be nice in such a small tank. I'll definitely switch to Ecotech when I build my 225G in the next few years, but AI has worked great so far.

 

[Billldg]

The Nero is a great pump, and I will never talk bad about it. Way to many reefers love it. I will pick a MP pump over any other pump for one simple reason...The motor is outside the tank. If anything goes wrong with the motor, it will not fry the tank or pollute the tank. Another reason is the ease of cleaning. I simply remove the wetsides of my MP40's and replace them with clean ones, then I clean the dirty ones and store them until I need to clean them again. The truth is, they are both great flow pumps and they each have their strong points.

 

[JWHITESP88]

The advantages of the MP10 is that the cord remains outside the tank and that you can simply remove the head for maintenance and cleaning. You can also buy a spare wet side head to immediately swap-in while you clean the other one.

Performance-wise I don’t think you see a huge difference between the the MP10 and Nero3, especially considering you won’t be running either anywhere near approaching 100%.

The snail guard on the Nero3 is an advantage, although to be perfectly honest I routinely have fish, snails and crabs all crawl over my gyres without incident (and I don’t use them). If you plan to have any bubble tip anemones, that’s where the guards come in most handy.

So it really comes down to price, aesthetics and convenience (whether having one app vs. two and the ability to just plop the heads off without having to remove the whole powerhead and cable is worth the added price).

My RedSea ReefWave45’s have cords, but I went with them because they have a breakout point on the power cable that you can detach for maintenance (so you don’t have to unwire the whole thing). And a pair of the ReefWave45’s is half the price of the four MP40’s I’d need instead.

I do believe that convenience and aesthetics will outweigh the price of the unit especially now that I know that know that it may be possible that I can get away with one unit.

 

[JWHITESP88]

I completely agree with @blaxsun . I just switched to 2 Nero 3s in a 75G softie tank. I'll also be switching to 2 16HDs when I have the spare cash. I'm totally happy with AI as a brand and will gladly pay half compared to the Vortecs. The Neros also have a much smaller profile, which will be nice in such a small tank. I'll definitely switch to Ecotech when I build my 225G in the next few years, but AI has worked great so far.

I have had AI products in the past and I will agree with you, They are very good products with very few con's. One of the best pro's for the brand is the price point in my opinion.

 

[JWHITESP88]

The Nero is a great pump, and I will never talk bad about it. Way to many reefers love it. I will pick a MP pump over any other pump for one simple reason...The motor is outside the tank. If anything goes wrong with the motor, it will not fry the tank or pollute the tank. Another reason is the ease of cleaning. I simply remove the wetsides of my MP40's and replace them with clean ones, then I clean the dirty ones and store them until I need to clean them again. The truth is, they are both great flow pumps and they each have their strong points.

Most of the things that you mentioned here are reasons that I do believe I will stick with the MP and give it a shot. I have told myself a few time in the past that I would give them a shot when the time was right.

 

[Billldg]

Most of the things that you mentioned here are reasons that I do believe I will stick with the MP and give it a shot. I have told myself a few time in the past that I would give them a shot when the time was right.

I will pick a MP pump over anything, BUT, the AI Nero pump is an AWESOME pump in itself. Decisions...Decisions...LOL!!!

I have 2 MP40's and 2 Gyre 350's in my 225 gal tank. As much as I love the Gyre 350's, I will likely replace them with 2 MP60's.

 

[a.t.t.r]

I was torn between the two as well but my Nero 3 is coming tomorrow. On a smaller tank the space needed outside of it along with the wires on the outside glass was a no go for me(either move my tank away from wall to make room behind tank or stick it exposed to the sides) so I ultimately decided on the Nero.
The only ups to the mp10 I see are heat outside tank and the controls are better. But I hear a lot of issues with the mp10 bearings and I owned an mp40 when they came out and can say it was loud dryside after about two years of use

 

[malacoda]

Another thing to consider...

While it is not 'offcially sanctioned', it appears that you can place the 'dry side' magnet of a nero inside the rear chambers of an AIO ... giving you the ability to mount a nero on the back wall.

I recently inquired with AI about it when I was considering a Nero 3 for my new 10g setup, and this was their response:

Thank you for contacting AquaIllumination. The outside magnet on all Nero models was not designed to be submerged in the aquarium. That said, we have had several users report they are using the outside magnet submerged in the aquarium without issue. Obviously, we are unable to guarantee this will work long term without issue but it is unlikely that you would experience any problems.

FWIW, I did end up getting a nero 3.

My initial thought was to coat the dryside magnet in silicon or putting it in a small ziploc before mounting it in my return chamber. But, based on AI's response ... and seeing others here on R2R post about using it wet ... I just stuck in my return chamber au natural.

 

[a.t.t.r]

Another thing to consider...

While it is not 'offcially sanctioned', it appears that you can place the 'dry side' magnet of a nero inside the rear chambers of an AIO ... giving you the ability to mount a nero on the back wall.

I recently inquired with AI about it when I was considering a Nero 3 for my new 10g setup, and this was their response:

Thank you for contacting AquaIllumination. The outside magnet on all Nero models was not designed to be submerged in the aquarium. That said, we have had several users report they are using the outside magnet submerged in the aquarium without issue. Obviously, we are unable to guarantee this will work long term without issue but it is unlikely that you would experience any problems.

FWIW, I did end up getting a nero 3.

My initial thought was to coat the dryside magnet in silicon or putting it in a small ziploc before mounting it in my return chamber. But, based on AI's response ... and seeing others here on R2R post about using it wet ... I just stuck in my return chamber au natural.

I have coated many things in silicon like my temp probe. It isn’t a bad idea if you keep the layer thin

 

[Oceanavekid]

Another thing to consider...

While it is not 'offcially sanctioned', it appears that you can place the 'dry side' magnet of a nero inside the rear chambers of an AIO ... giving you the ability to mount a nero on the back wall.

I recently inquired with AI about it when I was considering a Nero 3 for my new 10g setup, and this was their response:

Thank you for contacting AquaIllumination. The outside magnet on all Nero models was not designed to be submerged in the aquarium. That said, we have had several users report they are using the outside magnet submerged in the aquarium without issue. Obviously, we are unable to guarantee this will work long term without issue but it is unlikely that you would experience any problems.

FWIW, I did end up getting a nero 3.

My initial thought was to coat the dryside magnet in silicon or putting it in a small ziploc before mounting it in my return chamber. But, based on AI's response ... and seeing others here on R2R post about using it wet ... I just stuck in my return chamber au natural.

How’s it working out? I just got a Nero 7 and orbit 4

I wanted to put them on the back wall