MP10 or Nero 5

[Jens_Reef]

Hello,

 

Next week I am setting up a Nuvo Fusion 20.

I am not sure on which streaming pump I am gonna use.

 

I really like the Ai Nero 5 because it is dead silent and the wider flow, but I am worried that is it gonna be to much flow even on the low setting.

The other option would be the Vortech MP 10 but I saw videos and it sounds kind of noisy.

 

Can anyone help me whit my decision?

 

Jens

[Reefscape]

Wait a few weeks till the Nero 3 launches 😉✌️

[mfield16]

1 hour ago, TheonlyDaan said:

Wait a few weeks till the Nero 3 launches 😉✌️

I wish I had known that! I just got a Nero 5 for the Fusion 20. It's running 25% max most of the day and the flow is great. The issue really is that even on low settings (I have random flow set at night, max 9%) the flow is 1000 GPH, nowhere near what 9% should be. If you accidentally have it on max, watch out! It knocked corals right off the frag rack, and almost sent a wave out of the tank. 

 

It's pretty big in the tank too, proportionally.  I had a KPS and that was miniature compared to the Nero 5. 

 

BUT, I'd still choose this over the MP10. Even the QD isn't as silent as the Nero 5. 

[jservedio]

They are both great powerheads, but I wouldn't worry too much about how loud the MP10 is. I've had 3 of them over the last 10 years and while the extremely old blue-box MP10 was obscenely loud, they've been getting quieter and quieter over the years with each new generation. The newest one is nearly dead silent. I have a "half upgraded" last-generation MP10, a white-box using the new QD wet side and it's quieter than the cooling fan on my Radions when it's under 75% power.

 

The only time you will hear it is when it's running at 100%, otherwise it's pretty silent. You should get whichever pump fits your goals better and whichever one you think looks better for your particular setup. With an AIO, if you are planning to put the powerhead on the back wall, you can't use an MP10 for that. If the tank is against a wall or only visible on 2 sides like my tank, the MP10 is pretty much as good as it gets visually.

 

For a 20g, if you are going with the Nero, I agree with everyone else to wait for the 3 to come out.

[Break]

7 hours ago, Jens_Reef said:

Hello,

 

Next week I am setting up a Nuvo Fusion 20.

I am not sure on which streaming pump I am gonna use.

 

I really like the Ai Nero 5 because it is dead silent and the wider flow, but I am worried that is it gonna be to much flow even on the low setting.

The other option would be the Vortech MP 10 but I saw videos and it sounds kind of noisy.

 

Can anyone help me whit my decision?

 

Jens

Given the way sound recording works (frequency cut-offs, compression, EQ normalization, etc), you really shouldn't rely on videos to tell how quiet or loud something is. Unless that video involves the use of a decibel meter.

 

The VorTech MP10 is really not that loud - I am very picky about noise since my pico has been on a desk about 6 feet from my bed (studio apartment 😒) for the last 5 years - both the return pump and my AI Prime are louder than the MP10. Then again, I don't have need to run mine at a very high power and, like jservedio said, you really only hear the MP10 if it's running near 100%.

 

The Nero pump is great - sleek design, quiet, wide flow, and easy set-up with a smartphone out of the box. If I were in the market for a pump, I would wait for the Nero 3 like others have said here. Here's a video of the Nero 3 prototype next to a Nero 5.

[Matteo]

Nero 5 all the way. I have both and have had many wave pumps over the 15 years in the Hobby. 

 

The Nero 5 is truly a great pump for the price, control, output, and low profile. Silent as hell too. WTF is this Nero 3?????? I need to google... 

 

Edit: Okay cool so the Nero 3 is basically for smaller tanks it looks like? 

[Elizabeth94]

Having used both, I would say Nero 5 no question. I liked my mp10s, but they required more cleaning, and I lost quite a few wet sides from rust. Idk if they foxed that yet, but the nero 5 has been solid. Very very quiet, really great wide flow. App is super easy to use. Idk. Im just impressed with them. Have two in my Waterbox 70.3. 

[mfield16]

Sounds like Nero 3 will be 2000 gph. The smaller footprint has me sold already. Patiently waiting...

[Matteo]

1 minute ago, Elizabeth94 said:

Having used both, I would say Nero 5 no question. I liked my mp10s, but they required more cleaning, and I lost quite a few wet sides from rust. Idk if they foxed that yet, but the nero 5 has been solid. Very very quiet, really great wide flow. App is super easy to use. Idk. Im just impressed with them. Have two in my Waterbox 70.3. 

Right? very impressed for what they are. I couldn't care less about the little wire in the tank. The Nero 5 offers basically the same wide flow as a Mp40 but about 1000gph less at max.

 

I also have an MP40 on my FW setup and it does the job but if a reef tank then Neros all the way. 

 

Funny fact about the name Nero is he was a horrible evil emperor who burned half of Rome down for his own park back in like 40AD. Does the name mean anything else? 🤣

Just now, mfield16 said:

Sounds like Nero 3 will be 2000 gph. The smaller footprint has me sold already. Patiently waiting...

nice! it'll be perfect. You can even put on the false wall if you want. The magnet is totally fine. 

[mfield16]

Kinda wish the blades weren't blue. Looks great, doesn't hide well. 

[Matteo]

6 minutes ago, mfield16 said:

Kinda wish the blades weren't blue. Looks great, doesn't hide well. 

True but I think it looks kinda cool.... I like gear tho... 

[Jens_Reef]

4 hours ago, mfield16 said:

I wish I had known that! I just got a Nero 5 for the Fusion 20. It's running 25% max most of the day and the flow is great. The issue really is that even on low settings (I have random flow set at night, max 9%) the flow is 1000 GPH, nowhere near what 9% should be. If you accidentally have it on max, watch out! It knocked corals right off the frag rack, and almost sent a wave out of the tank. 

 

It's pretty big in the tank too, proportionally.  I had a KPS and that was miniature compared to the Nero 5. 

 

BUT, I'd still choose this over the MP10. Even the QD isn't as silent as the Nero 5. 

I was thinking about the Nero 3, but all the video’s and information is from months ago and still no information from AI about a release or something. So i don’t expect the Nero 3 in the next months. Otherwhise it would be an easy decision.

 

U run the Nero 5 in a Fusion 20. Only sps or also lps? 

 

Thank you everyone for the helpfull information! :) 

[Break]

52 minutes ago, Matteo said:

Funny fact about the name Nero is he was a horrible evil emperor who burned half of Rome down for his own park back in like 40AD. Does the name mean anything else? 🤣

 

Apparently, it was originally an ancient Sabine name meaning "strong, vigorous, energetic" which was later absorbed into Roman culture when they conquered central Italy.

 

In Italy/Italian, they generally refer to Emperor Nero as Nerone. Since "nero" literally means "black" (masculine form) in Italian, it's not a name you commonly see.

 

The pump is both black and strong, so maybe that's why?

[jservedio]

17 minutes ago, Jens_Reef said:

I was thinking about the Nero 3, but all the video’s and information is from months ago and still no information from AI about a release or something. So i don’t expect the Nero 3 in the next months. Otherwhise it would be an easy decision.

 

U run the Nero 5 in a Fusion 20. Only sps or also lps? 

 

Thank you everyone for the helpfull information! 🙂

You can turn them way down to almost nothing - the only drawback in a tiny tank is it's size. In a smaller tank you can also look at the KPS if you think the Nero is too big. I prefer the MP10 in a smaller tank due to size, but think the Nero is the better overall powerhead and better priced. For a bigger nano (like 40+ gallons), the Nero is hands-down the better choice. In a smaller tank, it's much closer due to size. Nothing beats the form factor of the MP10 inside the tank - it takes up the least amount of space.

[Break]

4 minutes ago, jservedio said:

You can turn them way down to almost nothing - the only drawback in a tiny tank is it's size. In a smaller tank you can also look at the KPS if you think the Nero is too big. I prefer the MP10 in a smaller tank due to size, but think the Nero is the better overall powerhead and better priced. For a bigger nano (like 40+ gallons), the Nero is hands-down the better choice. In a smaller tank, it's much closer due to size. Nothing beats the form factor of the MP10 inside the tank - it takes up the least amount of space.

This is exactly why I use a VorTech in my pico. Would probably get a Nero in a bigger tank though.

[Jens_Reef]

4 minutes ago, jservedio said:

You can turn them way down to almost nothing - the only drawback in a tiny tank is it's size. In a smaller tank you can also look at the KPS if you think the Nero is too big. I prefer the MP10 in a smaller tank due to size, but think the Nero is the better overall powerhead and better priced. For a bigger nano (like 40+ gallons), the Nero is hands-down the better choice. In a smaller tank, it's much closer due to size. Nothing beats the form factor of the MP10 inside the tank - it takes up the least amount of space.

I don’t think the size of the nero 5 will bother me. But i also like how clean the mp10 looks in a tank. i can get the nero 5 from a dealer in Germany for 70 euro’s cheaper then the mp10, so right now leaning more to the nero 5.

 

 

[jservedio]

Just now, Jens_Reef said:

I don’t think the size of the nero 5 will bother me. But i also like how clean the mp10 looks in a tank. i can get the nero 5 from a dealer in Germany for 70 euro’s cheaper then the mp10, so right now leaning more to the nero 5.

 

 

They are both fantastic powerheads and both are both more than enough flow for a 20g tank regardless of what you stock it with. Which one you choose is entirely personal preference and the factors to consider are:

• Which one will work better with your intended scape and placement
• Do you plan on upgrading to a larger tank in the near-term
• Budget

There is no wrong answer - it's not like one is a piece of crap and the other is great. They are both super popular and fantastic pumps that will last you many, many years.

[Elizabeth94]

I forgot to mention this too, but I agree the wire of the nero 5 had me worried. I thought I would be looking at it all the time. But I can hardly notice them. They are thin wires.
 

Same with the blue blades. Why didn’t they just do black? Kind of silly imo.  But I don’t notice it either. I thought those two things would make me return them asap. But I don’t notice it. 
 

I haven’t heard of the nero 3, ill be checking it out! 

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

I've never used the Nero's, so I can't speak to them... I've used MP's on just about every tank, and really enjoy their sleekness, and form factor. They basically disappear inside the tank, but I personally don't like seeing wires inside the tank. Personal preference, but it's what has kept me with MP's. 

 

One other thing to consider, is what fish do you plan to keep? I've seen a lot more people talk about losing fish to a Nero, than to a MP, all though I'm sure people have lost fish to both. 

[mfield16]

I run mine on a Nuvo Fusion 20, yes. 25% max most of the day. 

[Matteo]

1 hour ago, Break said:

Apparently, it was originally an ancient Sabine name meaning "strong, vigorous, energetic" which was later absorbed into Roman culture when they conquered central Italy.

 

In Italy/Italian, they generally refer to Emperor Nero as Nerone. Since "nero" literally means "black" (masculine form) in Italian, it's not a name you commonly see.

 

The pump is both black and strong, so maybe that's why?

Thanks dude! probably!

[Cencalfishguy56]

I’ll take a Nero 3 please! Jesus Christ those are legit, the small footprint and controllability with ease and power would blow my MP10 out the water! Literally...

[DAHNIC561]

Why would I want to run the smaller Nero 3 at 100% vs the larger 5 at 50% to move the same amount of water at the cost of wearing the motor down sooner? Never understood that theory but, depending on the price point maybe two Nero 3's vs one 5?...

 

[Cencalfishguy56]

28 minutes ago, DAHNIC561 said:

Why would I want to run the smaller Nero 3 at 100% vs the larger 5 at 50% to move the same amount of water at the cost of wearing the motor down sooner? Never understood that theory but, depending on the price point maybe two Nero 3's vs one 5?...

 

Depends on the tank 😉 and price point, I know Nero 3 on my tank would be plenty, hell I run an Mp10 and run it maybe 30%? My return accounts for the flow on the opposite side

[mcarroll]

On 7/2/2020 at 6:02 AM, Jens_Reef said:

Nuvo Fusion 20

I think that tank is 23x12x13"....(would be cool if that was included with the opening info so I don't have to guess and be wrong 😉 )

 

I dunno if one of those super wide flow pumps make a lot of sense in a long, low tank like this.  Just made a post on a similar situation in another thread....