In the last month, Jebao/Jecod released a new line of pumps inspired by EcoTech Marine’s VorTech line. While it has been heavily debated if EcoTech’s patent was up or if Jebao/Jecod overstepped, one thing is for sure – the DMP line is making its way to U.S. shores and into people’s systems. Since I do not have legal expertise, I will not comment on the patent situation. But, I will pose several questions that this situation brings to my mind and that I feel should be at the forefront of discussion in the industry.
1. In the current economic climate, do consumers truly “get what they pay for”?
2. Is offshoring/foreign manufacturing a threat to the formation and or continuation of existing domestic companies?
3. Are generic products of lower quality?
4. How do changing economic factors affect pricing?
5. If consumers knew livestock was illegally collected most would not purchase it – if a product is illegally manufactured should the same ethical principles apply?
6. What do you care about as a consumer more – the price or the quality of a product?
Because I have yet to evaluate a DMP pump, I contacted someone I knew who did receive one and asked him to provide his initial impressions of it for this article. He has asked to remain anonymous, here are his thoughts.
“For the past week, I have had the opportunity to fully examine and extensively test an iteration of the Jecod DMP-20 wavemaker by Jebao/Jecod. I pursued the product out of curiosity, as it is the first competing wavemaker to enter the American market that utilizes a similar design hallmark of the widely-acclaimed VorTech wavemakers by EcoTech Marine: an electrified “dryside” that houses the motor, with a companion “wetside” that houses the impeller, allowing water to be set into motion through the use of magnetic coupling.
Upon receiving the product, which had to be purchased through a large Chinese retailer and shipped overseas to America, I noted a good amount of scuffing, compression, and other damage to the product box. This is commonplace, in my experience, for products shipped overseas. However, Jebao/Jecod seems to compensate for this expected rough journey by encasing the components of the product in relatively thick internal foam packaging. The components themselves were entirely undamaged. In the box, one will find a product manual, quality check card, power adapter, Bluetooth-capable control box with physical control buttons and a small unlit LCD screen, wavemaker dryside (with around 6 feet of cordage), wavemaker wetside, and adhesive-backed clamps and zip-ties for securing cords.
At first glance, the core product appears physically identical to a VorTech wavemaker. The aesthetics are incredibly similar. The wetside is constructed largely of black, smooth plastic. The dryside is constructed of black plastic with a very fine sandpaper-like texture applied to the surround and a circular plate on the back end emblazoned with the “Jecod” brand name. The dryside of the Jecod DMP even contains similar stylistic depressions as the VorTech’s dryside, and the cage structure around the wetside is a “dead ringer,” as well. However, the control box and power adapter leave something to be desired. They feel cheaper than the components utilized by EcoTech Marine, with less overall fit and finish.
Despite many aesthetic similarities, one critical difference in construction and function exists. Jebao/Jecod chose to add heavy-duty composite suction cup “caps” to both the dryside and wetside of the wavemaker. The suction cups are injection-molded into the soft, pliable cap and sport exceptionally firm gripping ability. For what it is worth, it should be noted that the suction cup cap on the dryside is adhered to the dryside itself for added stability. It will be interesting to see how this departure in design holds up long term. Could it degrade due to heat exchange from the system? Could it lead to increased “strength” of connection compared to the VorTech design?
On the software side of the equation, we again see some critical differences. The interface of the Jebao Aqua app, which is used to control the Jecod DMP wavemaker via Bluetooth connection, is certainly less intuitive, on the whole, than EcoTech Marine’s Mobius app interface. While connecting a pump is a simpler process than with Mobius, both companies’ reliance on bluetooth can be the cause for issues due to its unreliability.
Buttons within the app must be long-pressed to enter various functions and programming architecture, which decreases the chance of accidental presses but makes navigation a bit slow and cumbersome. The DMP wavemaker can largely be programmed with different flow modes and intensities, but again, due to the slow navigation, this is a more tedious process than what I am used to with Mobius. It is also worth noting that for some reason, Jebao/Jecod chose to not include intensity control with one critically important mode: random flow. The random flow mode’s intensity cannot be controlled, as it can in “classic mode,” “constant mode,” and “sine mode.” This is quite disappointing, as many reefkeepers would prefer to have the option to limit the highest possible intensity during random flow mode operation to prevent their delicate corals from being unnecessarily battered. Hopefully, this can be amended with a simple software update, though communicating the need for this adjustment to the software might be a challenge. Additionally as of now the software has yet to receive an update thus only time will tell how often the app will/if ever receive support.
Despite these software challenges Jebao/Jecod has on their plate, the operation of the DMP wavemaker in the tank is very smooth. All wavemakers produce sound when in active electrified operation—some whisper along, some buzz, some whine, etc. In my experience, a user will not hear the DMP-20, even at 100% intensity, unless they are within 2-3 feet of the tank glass.
Despite this good experience, it would be appropriate to remember that this represents one use case. Product lines contain variance from unit to unit. I have ordered a second DMP wavemaker to see if this slightly quieter operation is a genuine improvement or if I was just fortunate on this first go-round.
After examining and testing out everything I could think of outside of the core requirement of any wavemaker, I turned my attention to that core requirement: flow. The Jecod DMP-20 falls on the lower end of the “flow power” lineup for this wavemaker series. The DMP-10 is the weakest, and then increasing in strength, Jebao/Jecod offers the DMP-20, DMP-30, and finishes with the strongest iteration – the DMP-40. The DMP-20’s flow capabilities fall in line with the VorTech MP10QD (around 2400GPH). The DMP-40, meanwhile, falls in line with the VorTech MP-40 (around 5000GPH). To test the flow strength of the DMP-20, I deactivated all wavemakers in my tank, allowing the coral to come to a standstill. I then activated the DMP-20 at 100% intensity, allowing it to fire flow across my 4-foot-long reef tank. It was indeed capable of causing low-to-medium water movement across all of my coral in the tank. All polyps received enough flow to move, which was encouraging and generally in keeping with the flow capability of the MP10QD for me. I have no doubt that the folks on the 3D printing side of the hobby will have a field day creating components to retrofit onto the wavemaker to adjust its flow and enhance its capabilities, just as they have done for popular wavemakers in the past.
All in all, Jebao/Jecod seems to have produced a physically solid “clone” of the VorTech wavemaker introduced by EcoTech Marine some 20 years ago. While the fit and finish of the electrical components and control box do not match that of the VorTech, and the Jebao Aqua app presents a weaker offering than what is found with Mobius, the pricing of the DMP wavemaker line is less than comparable VorTech models, and will likely prove a compelling route for budget-conscious reefkeepers in America. The remaining question, beyond whether we will see future app interface and programming improvement, is that of longevity. I imagine that many reefkeepers will wait a year or two prior to pursuing the Jecod DMP wavemakers, with an eye on the long-term operability of the product, before choosing to invest in this alternative. Much is to be seen such as the availability of replacement parts, spare wetsides, and the ease of future service and support. Regardless of the widespread adoption, it is undeniably interesting to see another dryside-wetside style of wavemaker enter the market in a significant way, for the first time in roughly two full decades.”
– reef_gladiator
Currently in the U.S. the Jebao/Jecod DMP-10 is available for $108.23 + shipping and tax while the VorTech MP10 is available for $379.99.
What are your thoughts on this product line? Stay tuned for more on these products from Reef Builders soon.
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