Clam Man
x reefer
anybody try one of these wave makers yet.
DIY Wavebox!
- Thread starter smcnally
- Start date
anybody try one of these wave makers yet.
joefitz
Non-member
Wow, great stuff Steve!
As soon as I saw this thread I was thinking along the same lines as Greg...could I build a wavebox and hide the bulk of it in my overflow. My tank is a room divider so my overflow is one of the 'short' ends of the tank (the 3' width of my 6x3x2.5' tank) which means the pumps would be running the length of the tank, so I don't have the same challenge Greg would have.
I already have two 3/4" holes through the bottom portion of the glass partition separating the display from the overflow; I wish they were bigger now but maybe they would be sufficient. I haven't really seen the pumps you are using (or the other ones people are starting to talk about now) so I'm not sure how I would be able to 'configure' the system.
I am assuming that the 3/4" hole will not be sufficient as an output for the pump, but can you think of any reason I couldn't use it as the inlet for the pump? I'd still end up with the ugly pump in the display but at least the way box/water container would only be in the overflow (I'd just have to add in a new glass partition to the existing overflow).
Anyway, thanks for sharing your experiment with us all!
As soon as I saw this thread I was thinking along the same lines as Greg...could I build a wavebox and hide the bulk of it in my overflow. My tank is a room divider so my overflow is one of the 'short' ends of the tank (the 3' width of my 6x3x2.5' tank) which means the pumps would be running the length of the tank, so I don't have the same challenge Greg would have.
I already have two 3/4" holes through the bottom portion of the glass partition separating the display from the overflow; I wish they were bigger now but maybe they would be sufficient. I haven't really seen the pumps you are using (or the other ones people are starting to talk about now) so I'm not sure how I would be able to 'configure' the system.
I am assuming that the 3/4" hole will not be sufficient as an output for the pump, but can you think of any reason I couldn't use it as the inlet for the pump? I'd still end up with the ugly pump in the display but at least the way box/water container would only be in the overflow (I'd just have to add in a new glass partition to the existing overflow).
Anyway, thanks for sharing your experiment with us all!
joefitz
Non-member
Right, right, right...I forgot about that. Hmn. That sucks. I actually have four 3/4" holes and could use two (or even potentially all four) to fill (one with the pump, the others without) but it still isn't going to work now that I looked things over a bit more. The lower holes would be too close to the sand, possibly even under the sand so no way I'm going to be able to put a pump there. The upper holes are so high they wouldn't likely provide enough water capacity for the pump to push.
Darn. Guess I'll have to stick with surges. I'll certainly keep my eyes peeled on this thread either way -- good luck with your future version(s)!
Darn. Guess I'll have to stick with surges. I'll certainly keep my eyes peeled on this thread either way -- good luck with your future version(s)!
JBendel
Well-Known Member
No video yet ... right now I can get a low level wave going, but every 5 to 10cycles ... the maxijet "misfires" ... jams or goes backwards, so I need to tweak the stopper or the distance the prop. can travel.
The timer works, but there is not a lot of fine adjustment .. everything is set just a hair above minimum, but it was possible to adjust min/max water levels to just "above the pump" to "box 90% full" ... so it should be possible to hit the resonant of the tank.
Once the maximod is adjusted, I 'll see about posting a video. There is also another timer that might have a finer adjust and I see if I can dig out that link.
The timer works, but there is not a lot of fine adjustment .. everything is set just a hair above minimum, but it was possible to adjust min/max water levels to just "above the pump" to "box 90% full" ... so it should be possible to hit the resonant of the tank.
Once the maximod is adjusted, I 'll see about posting a video. There is also another timer that might have a finer adjust and I see if I can dig out that link.
wow, that give me an idea I need to try for my little DIY nano. If I put my primary maxi-1200 on a timer with a relay that turns it on and off quickly like that, I think I already have it built into my design.
Heck, If I run my main pump right to my auto-top off float switches, that could be used to turn the pump on and off. I would have to raise the floats, but I think that would work perfectly.
I'll have to give it a shot a little later and see what my results are.
Lou
Heck, If I run my main pump right to my auto-top off float switches, that could be used to turn the pump on and off. I would have to raise the floats, but I think that would work perfectly.
I'll have to give it a shot a little later and see what my results are.
Lou
Shenlung
Tankless Wonder
seems to me that a wavemaker box might also help those of use with microbubble issues....build a small chamber in the side of the wavemaker box with 1/2 the sump return into it, and the bubbles should settle out a little before being launched into the tank with the rest of the wavemaker's water.
itz216
Non-member
FYI on DIY
Here's a guy on Youtube that quotes Tunze. The Youtuber removed the wave maker from his 72 Bowfront because of the increased chance of tank failure do to stress on a bowfront design.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=an1WsbjRn40&feature=related
I bet reducing the frequency of the surge would greatly diminish the stress ...but who knows
Here's a guy on Youtube that quotes Tunze. The Youtuber removed the wave maker from his 72 Bowfront because of the increased chance of tank failure do to stress on a bowfront design.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=an1WsbjRn40&feature=related
I bet reducing the frequency of the surge would greatly diminish the stress ...but who knows
nicks387
Non-member
wavebox controller
Here is a link that shows how to make a cheap controllerfor the wavebox
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1411393
Here is a link that shows how to make a cheap controllerfor the wavebox
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1411393
