Wavemaker idea

[coraline79]

The other day I had my hand in the tank and I noticed how much turbulence I made with slight movements, and I thought I might try to build a seudo wavemaker.

I started researching the current versions on the market, but I can't bring myself to invest $500 for this, and when they have come up cheaper here on Maast, I always seem to be out of money!!!:(

Most of the options out there involve many points of failure as they are usually pump driven or water driven mechanical devices. I thought if I make something that worked like my hand(shallow paddle moving back and forth), I could get a lot of movement without a lot of force. I have actually seen something similar somewhere, where a bar slides down the length of the tank creating waves, but that would be too intrusive.

My idea would be to get an intermittent windsheild wiper motor, and configure a paddle that spanned the depth(front to back) of the tank. It would be mountable and the depth would be adjustable. I found that even 1 inch in the water my hand could make some serious currents.

Has this been tried, or is there something out there that works like this?

Parts would be less than $100, and the arm would be a solid piece. This would make the motors gears which look to be worm driven(fairly strong) the point of failure, and it wouldn't be in direct contact with the water.

Give me some input if you like. It's just a thought at this point.

Thanks

[hobogato]

it sounds like a great idea, just make sure you have a way to fine tune the speed which will determine the frequency of the wave.

[ErikH]

It sounds like a feasible idea, but you would have to be able to fine tune it to the right frequency/pattern.

[hobogato]

:lauging:

[ErikH]

it sounds like a great idea, just make sure you have a way to fine tune the speed which will determine the frequency of the wave.


It sounds like a feasible idea, but you would have to be able to fine tune it to the right frequency/pattern.


...enter the twilight zone music....:bigsmile:

[Jarob]

i just use a scwd with a mag 9.5 on my 20L and it creates amazing waves and current along with a HOB fuge. there are so many turbulent currents you can visibly see its crazy. Let me know how this works for you

[Texreefer]

I used to use a surge bucket,, I have a great new design that does not require any piping in your tank. the bucket would still have to sit above the tank and the tank would have to be able to handle up to 1 to 5 gals dumped into it all at once.. if anyone is interested I can find someone thats good with acyrlic :innocent2:and we can build a prototype and maybe use a local shop to show how it works

[Texreefer]

sorry , not trying to steal the thread... just make sure your device is rust proof and easily removable if you need to access the tank from that area

[hobogato]

i wonder who would be interested in that.....


I used to use a surge bucket,, I have a great new design that does not require any piping in your tank. the bucket would still have to sit above the tank and the tank would have to be able to handle up to 1 to 5 gals dumped into it all at once.. if anyone is interested I can find someone thats good with acyrlic :innocent2:and we can build a prototype and maybe use a local shop to show how it works

[coraline79]

i just use a scwd with a mag 9.5 on my 20L and it creates amazing waves and current along with a HOB fuge. there are so many turbulent currents you can visibly see its crazy. Let me know how this works for you

I don't have a mag 9.5 hooked up to mine, but I have it T'd off of my 1500gph iwaki 70rlt, and it is not worth the time it took to plumb it in. junk!

[coraline79]

how much fine tuning do you think I would need? I have about 9 settings on my wipers in my car, so there should be a way to set it up with a time of some sort right?

[texmex]

maybe you could a dimmer switch like the ones used on a regular light for house. Just a thought Good luck I will be following this.

[hobogato]

i know that in tuning the wavebox to the right frequency, it has to be the correct frequency down to the 1/10 of a sec to make a wave and more precised than that to get the perfect resonance to get the largest wave possible. i was turning the potmeter on the controller so slightly that i couldnt even feel it move.

[ErikH]

I don't have a mag 9.5 hooked up to mine, but I have it T'd off of my 1500gph iwaki 70rlt, and it is not worth the time it took to plumb it in. junk!


I've heard very mixed reviews on the SWCD. Is it a new design, or the old one? I hear the new ones are nice...

[coraline79]

I've heard very mixed reviews on the SWCD. Is it a new design, or the old one? I hear the new ones are nice...

it is the old one.

[Jarob]

I dn I just bought mine and I love it! Easy simple plumbing, NO NOISE at all, and amazing flow

[ratboy]

Ive seen pictures of large public aquariums using paddles to simulate waves so its definately do-able.

Ive used the SQWD before and for smaller tanks - you cant beat the switching current and price (~40$). Mine ran continuosly for several year before it stopped switching. I ran mine on mag 9/12's with excellent results.

Ive also used surge tanks before and helped install one on the giant reef tank at Westlake Medical Ctr ( I think I still have a nice 8 gallon acrylic one - i'll look for it and post it cheap if so). They work great but you will have lots of microbubbles which drive some people and corals nuts. Tolerable on big tanks but smaller tanks probably cant realistically handle a 8 gallon change in volume without exposing corals...

[coraline79]

Ive seen pictures of large public aquariums using paddles to simulate waves so its definately do-able.

Ive used the SQWD before and for smaller tanks - you cant beat the switching current and price (~40$). Mine ran continuosly for several year before it stopped switching. I ran mine on mag 9/12's with excellent results.

Ive also used surge tanks before and helped install one on the giant reef tank at Westlake Medical Ctr ( I think I still have a nice 8 gallon acrylic one - i'll look for it and post it cheap if so). They work great but you will have lots of microbubbles which drive some people and corals nuts. Tolerable on big tanks but smaller tanks probably cant realistically handle a 8 gallon change in volume without exposing corals...

I think my auto topoff might be going crazy if I was pulling and dumping 8 gallons of water. my display is only 125gallons. I would think more like a 1 or 2 gallon one would suffice. How does the dump box work? Is it spring hinged and as it fills up it dumps out and springs back up? Or does it "flush" with a bulb and flapper?

[Texreefer]

How does the dump box work? Is it spring hinged and as it fills up it dumps out and springs back up? Or does it "flush" with a bulb and flapper?

Both of those are options but there is a design that has no moving parts. I have a simple drawing on here somewhere to show what the basic design looks like,, do a search and you should find it

[SaltyJim]

Here is a video of one I found from RC. It looks to have no moving parts too.

Link (http://www.vimeo.com/2888396)