Ecotech Marine Mobius and Versa Pump vs. Neptune Apex and DOS

[ca1ore]

Versa can be used as a peristaltic calcium reactor pump???? Hmmm

Maybe. It’s rated for continuous use BUT the tubing is significantly narrower than the LS17 most per folks use in the venerable MasterFlex. I’ve a very large tank so it remains to be seen whether the versa can push enough volume. Probably for most sized tanks it will be fine. Just had my versa delivered so will play around with it this weekend.

 

[Bpb]

Maybe. It’s rated for continuous use BUT the tubing is significantly narrower than the LS17 most per folks use in the venerable MasterFlex. I’ve a very large tank so it remains to be seen whether the versa can push enough volume. Probably for most sized tanks it will be fine. Just had my versa delivered so will play around with it this weekend.

You’d have to likely run the 4 pack like jake Adams does where he has them all 4 pulling from the same source, except all 4 dripping to the same source too. But...at $600+ you’re entering brushless masterflex territory

 

[ca1ore]

Yeah, not a slam dunk winner for me out of the box. It’s actually noisier than one of my MasterFlex pumps given the speed I’d have to run it at to match the MasterFlex.

Is there a möbius tutorial around I wonder. I’m not great with automation and could not, for example, figure out how to actually stop the pump short of unplugging it. Probably just have to play around with it.

 

[Bpb]

Yeah, not a slam dunk winner for me out of the box. It’s actually noisier than one of my MasterFlex pumps given the speed I’d have to run it at to match the MasterFlex.

Is there a möbius tutorial around I wonder. I’m not great with automation and could not, for example, figure out how to actually stop the pump short of unplugging it. Probably just have to play around with it.

What speed are you running it/your masterflex at? Do you have a brushless masterflex ?

 

[ross0201]

Yeah, not a slam dunk winner for me out of the box. It’s actually noisier than one of my MasterFlex pumps given the speed I’d have to run it at to match the MasterFlex.

Is there a möbius tutorial around I wonder. I’m not great with automation and could not, for example, figure out how to actually stop the pump short of unplugging it. Probably just have to play around with it.

Have you heard/own a Dos? Hopefully quieter than that?

 

[ksed]

Are Kamoer and Versa brushless?

I’m not worried about the size of the masterflex, it’s just so loud. Been wanting a quality replacement that makes a lot less noise (namely the 60 hz AC hum of the brush Motor. I haven’t been real convinced the kamoer is a worthy replacement, but the ecotech one on the other hand. I would get behind that one.

 

[ca1ore]

Have you heard/own a Dos? Hopefully quieter than that?

Two of them. Versa is quieter, particularly at higher speeds. Not a massive difference though.

 

[ross0201]

Two of them. Versa is quieter, particularly at higher speeds. Not a massive difference though.

Too bad it's not much quieter. The place I think it could fit would be for water changes where you need more than 3 gallons/day. Otherwise for apex users the Dos just makes more sense to me.

 

[Bpb]

Two of them. Versa is quieter, particularly at higher speeds. Not a massive difference though.

How is the noise level at about 60-70 ml/min

 

[Bpb]

Are Kamoer and Versa brushless?

They’re brushless stepper motors, but not all are created equally. Some use very high quality cold rolled steel and nice machined parts with very reliable controller hardware. Others function the same with cheaper materials. That’s the biggest difference between a kamoer and a masterflex. Same basic principle, but quality of construction is quite different. That’s why one costs under $300, and the other costs $2000. The versa is created using proprietary pieces but it is a brushless stepper motor as well I believe.

 

[ca1ore]

How is the noise level at about 60-70 ml/min

Here’s 70 ml/min so you can decide for yourself LOL. There’s the typical whirring sounds but also some gear ‘grinding’ noises. Perhaps those will decline as the unit breaks in.

 

[TheHarold]

Here’s 70 ml/min so you can decide for yourself LOL ....

Jeeze. Thats not defective?

 

[ca1ore]

Jeeze. Thats not defective?

Dunno, I’ve no standard to compare it to. I also tried it with fluid through the tubes in addition to running it dry. There’s no documentation, that ive found, to give me a sense of what constitutes proper operation. At much lower dosing rates it’s essentially silent ..... but so is the DOS, MasterFlex, etc.

 

[TheHarold]

Dunno, I’ve no standard to compare it to. I also tried it with fluid through the tubes in addition to running it dry. There’s no documentation, that’s ive found, to give me a sense of what constitutes proper operation. At much lower dosing rates it’s essentially silent ..... but so is the DOS, MasterFlex, etc.

I don’t really understand where the noise is coming from. Not the shaft, and the roller exterior should have grease. From the roller bushings I guess?

 

[ca1ore]

I’m reluctant to pull it apart quite yet. Not that I don’t enjoy pulling kit apart to see how it works; it’s the getting it back together that’s the challenge, There’s this thing they call a planetary gear that I recall seeing on the original video. Almost as if that’s slipping. I’ll have a chat with ETM on Tuesday to see if that’s normal or not. Maybe I got a duff unit. The perils of buying day one I suppose (which i don’t usually do).

 

[Bpb]

Here’s 70 ml/min so you can decide for yourself LOL. There’s the typical whirring sounds but also some gear ‘grinding’ noises. Perhaps those will decline as the unit breaks in.

Interesting. It sounds like some plastic pieces are rubbing or something. I’d be curious if some other users can post samples of theirs in operation as well

 

[Bpb]

I’m reluctant to pull it apart quite yet. Not that I don’t enjoy pulling kit apart to see how it works; it’s the getting it back together that’s the challenge, There’s this thing they call a planetary gear that I recall seeing on the original video. Almost as if that’s slipping. I’ll have a chat with ETM on Tuesday to see if that’s normal or not. Maybe I got a duff unit. The perils of buying day one I suppose (which i don’t usually do).

Please keep us posted. The info leading up to the release was quite exciting. A good friend of mine (and huge ETM fanboy) strongly urged me to wait at least a year before buying one, reminding me of all the problems that the original vectra releases had. It’s been hard to show self restraint, but I’ve got a good year or so worth masterflex tubing left to use up

 

[ca1ore]

Will do. Some products live up to the advance hype, others do not. I’ve a bad habit of buying new ETM stuff on day 1. QD vortechs, Vectra and now this. First two worked out hopefully this will also.

 

[xiaoxiy]

Here’s 70 ml/min so you can decide for yourself LOL. There’s the typical whirring sounds but also some gear ‘grinding’ noises. Perhaps those will decline as the unit breaks in.

@Sisterlimonpot's sounds much quieter in his video.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

Jeeze. Thats not defective?

That sound is not normal. sounds like a vibrating roller. I have 2 ideas that would make it quieter. I've never ran the pump dry (without fluid being pushed through the tube). perhaps a roller is vibrating on it's axis and needs fluid in the tube in order to provide some resistance on the tube.

AS for taking the rotor off, you can't, the lower bearing is pressed in and will not come off without damaging it.

Try pumping fluid through it and see if it quiets down....