EcoTech Marine VorTech MP40QD Wavemaker

• Dry motor outside the glass – the electrical half never touches saltwater, removing the two things that kill conventional powerheads: corrosion and stray voltage.
• No heat into the display – a submerged 37 W motor dumps its waste heat in the tank. This one dumps it into the room, which matters through a Brisbane summer.
• Up to 19,000 L/h on 9–37 W – the large propeller moves a lot of water slowly, clearing dead spots without sandblasting the corals in front of it.
• Every flow mode lives on the driver – Reef Crest, Lagoon, Gyre, Tidal Swell, Nutrient Transport, plus Feed and Night, all without an app.
• Mounts through 4.76 to 19 mm glass – one of the widest thickness ranges of any magnet-mount pump.
• Battery backup ready – the 12 V DC input keeps flow going through an outage, which is the difference between a scare and a tank crash.

A wavemaker is bought on one number and run on another. The 19,000 L/h figure is the pump wide open, and almost nobody runs it there.

EcoTech publishes power draw across the full range and flow at maximum, but not flow at intermediate settings – so none is stated here rather than interpolated. The typical running range is our observation from installs, not a manufacturer figure.

The range is a ladder, and the deciding factor is usually glass thickness rather than tank volume – a pump that will not clamp through your glass is the wrong pump no matter how well the litres line up.

Glass thicker than 19 mm needs the MP60QD. Two MP40QDs at opposite ends of a long tank almost always beat one MP60QD in the middle – opposing flow instead of a single push.

Measure the glass before you order. The MP40QD ships with two plastic spacers and a gasket, and which one you use is set by thickness:

Below 4.76 mm the magnet has too little to grip; above 19 mm it will not hold at all. You also need clear, flat glass at the mounting point – a brace bar, external overflow box or stand upright behind that position will stop the dry side sitting flush.

All modes are set on the driver itself. Current EcoTech production is also Mobius-ready for app control and multi-pump syncing; if app control is the reason you are buying, confirm the driver revision with us before ordering.

• Wet side (propeller assembly and magnet)
• Dry side motor
• QuietDrive driver
• Power supply and power cord
• Foam guard
• Two plastic spacers and a gasket
• Four mounting tabs, two velcro strips and four zip ties

• Battery backup. The driver takes a 12 V DC backup input, but the EcoTech Battery Backup unit is a separate purchase.
• A second pump. Tanks over about 1.2 m generally want two for opposing flow.

Suitable for:

• Reef aquariums from 190 to 1,800 litres with glass between 4.76 and 19 mm
• SPS and mixed reefs needing broad, variable flow rather than a jet
• Large freshwater displays, including planted tanks run at low output
• Anyone who wants nothing electrical in the water

Not suitable for:

• Glass or acrylic outside 4.76–19 mm – step up to the MP60QD or down to the MP10QD.
• Small tanks. Below about 190 L even the minimum setting is too much water movement in too small a box.
• Flow-sensitive livestock. Bettas, fancy goldfish, axolotls and fry tanks do not want this pump at any setting.
• Tanks with no clear, flat external glass at a sensible mounting height.

At full output running continuously, the MP40QD uses about 324 kWh a year – roughly $97 at 30c per kWh. In the 15–25 W band where most reef tanks sit, expect 130–220 kWh and $40 to $65. The tile above shows the full-output figure, which is the worst case rather than the likely one.

QuietDrive is EcoTech's motor and driver redesign aimed at cutting running noise against the earlier wireless generation. EcoTech does not publish a decibel figure, so none is quoted here. In practice the audible noise from any VorTech is mostly propeller and magnet against glass – a clean wet side is the biggest part you control.

• Strip and clean the wet side every 3 to 6 months. Coralline under the magnet causes grinding, vibration and premature bearing wear.
• Soak it in a mild vinegar solution to lift coralline, rinse well, then re-lubricate the shaft and bearings before refitting.
• Keep the foam guard clear – a blocked guard makes the pump work harder for less flow.
• Keep the driver dry and mounted above any likely splash or drip line.

• Never put the dry side or the driver in the aquarium. Neither is waterproof and water damage is explicitly excluded from warranty.
• Run the power supply through an RCD-protected outlet and leave a drip loop in the cable.
• Wave-making places extra stress on tank glass and silicone joints. On an older or larger tank, check with the tank manufacturer before running sustained wave modes.
• The magnets pinch badly. Keep fingers clear when joining the halves, and keep them away from cards, drives and pacemakers.

• Power Supply for MP40QD, Vectra S1/S2 – 32V 1.875A – the replacement supply, and the part most likely to need replacing first.
• Molykote Lube 6g 3pk – the correct lubricant for the wet side at each service.
• Radion XR30 Gen6 BLUE – the matching EcoTech lighting side of a reef build.
• EcoTech Coral Glue – mount frags securely before you turn the flow up.

EcoTech Marine warrants the MP40QD for 12 months against defects in materials and workmanship. Registration within 30 days is required and the warranty is non-transferable. It excludes water damage to the dry side or driver, unauthorised repair, and operation outside the stated parameters.

This is in addition to your rights under the Australian Consumer Law, which cannot be excluded. Supplied for 240 V / 50 Hz with an Australian plug. Standard freight – no oversize or dangerous goods handling.

What size tank is the VorTech MP40QD for?

The MP40QD is rated for aquariums from 190 to 1,800 litres and moves up to 19,000 litres an hour. On tanks longer than about 1.2 metres, two units at opposite ends beat one unit run harder – opposing currents make turbulence rather than a single directional push.

How thick can my glass be?

The MP40QD mounts through glass or acrylic from 4.76 mm to 19 mm. Under 13 mm you fit one of the two supplied plastic spacers; over 13 mm, the gasket alone. At 16 mm and above the plastic spacers must not be used. Thicker than 19 mm needs the MP60QD.

How much power does it actually use?

Between 9 and 37 watts depending on speed – roughly $40 to $97 a year at 30c per kWh. Because the motor sits outside the glass, none of that power arrives in the tank as heat, which is a real advantage over submerged powerheads in a Queensland summer.

Why is my VorTech getting noisy?

Almost always coralline algae or grit built up under the wet-side magnet or on the shaft. Strip the wet side, soak it in a mild vinegar solution, rinse thoroughly and re-lubricate the bearings. A wet side serviced every three to six months stays quiet; one left a year does not.

What happens in a power cut?

Flow stops unless a battery backup is connected. The driver has a 12 V DC input for the EcoTech Battery Backup, sold separately, which keeps the pump turning over through an outage. Runtime depends on the backup unit and the speed the pump is set to.