I use to be just like you. There was no way I was going to buy Vortech. The price was just not worth it !!! So in my infinite wisdom I started cheaply and used e bay PH well that wasn't working so on to Korillia's then it just wasn't enough so I added a wave box then went to Tunze's and still didn't like what I was seeing. Then it dawned on me. Shear GPH and coverage was only part of the solution. It is just or even more important to create flow that keeps particulate matter and food suspended . Createing waves is good for your coral but if your peeling flesh off your defeating the purpose . So what am I am saying ?? Unfourtanetly for our pocket books nothing out there does all of this as well as Vortech's do. There I said it ! It hurt but It's just the truth. It is very easy to spend the cost of a vortech to try to accomplish the same thing. I drove the anti Vortech bus for a long time ! I now suggest to anyone who is trying to grow advanced coral like SPS to bite the bullet and spend the cash up front. You can easily spend more in dead coral and several brands of power heads to just at the end you end up buying one. It is also one of the few pieces of equipment that holds it's value. In the end the MP series is just worth the money tell someone makes something better and they will not give that away either. In this case you get what you pay for ! Just my .02 tho. .