single wave maker set up properly

[homegrowncichlid]

I used the Rw4 from Jebao
one full wavelength/cycle

https://youtu.be/YpB-vc95kME
There are plenty of reviews for wave makers out there, but none of them seem to show how the water should be moving when set up properly.
Here, resonance is set at one wave length, for maximum water movement using the smallest sized pump. (Wave height approximately 1/4") Note the gentle swaying of everything, which moves water evenly though out the entire area for feeding, oxygenation and waste removal from the polyps, while maintaining full polyp extension. The higher model RW8 would be over kill for this size tank. The pump is located on the right side wall, dead center, underneath the mid-level platform and is set perpendicular to the wall.
Max flow (~1000 gal/hr speed), W1 setting. Because the pump is pulsing water at a set on/off interval, the output is much less than 1000, however the total water displacement is higher than a non-wave making pump can do, without causing a sand storm.

 

[BKLYNREEF123]

I run 2 RW8's an mp10 and a wp25 on my 65g. I think acceptable flow depends on the setup, scape, sand used, and corals kept, as well as preference. If you look at successful sps tanks they usually have very high flow.

 

[homegrowncichlid]

Its hard to measure how much flow there is with a wave maker, since the water is moving left to right about half an inch, every second, imitating the rhythmic, natural environment.
I guess if we calculate it at 0.5" per second, that comes to an inch every 2 seconds or a foot every 24 seconds, which would be very, very slow compared to SPS tanks which moves at over 10 inches per second, unidirectionally. To create a 5" left to right movement, would require a much bigger pump, which would create a standing wave over (I'm guessing) 3" high. It can be done.

When I use the RW8 (~2000 gal/hr) which is double my video demo, in my 65 gal tank, I can only create a half inch wave height, with water moving left to right about 1 or 1.5" per second, which puts it at a foot every 8 to 12 seconds, still very slow.

Anyway, the unique characteristic of the wave maker, when set up to resonate with the tank is to move the entire water volume, not just a unidirectional, jet stream or circular current a traditional powerhead can do, of which all the demo videos I find on youtube do. In that sense, the RW4 is moving the entire 30 gallons half an inch per second, so if this was a pipe, the entire tank would empty out to the side in (0.5" water movement x 36" length of tank = 30 gallons in 72 seconds) damn it let me break out the calculator, where there are 60 x 60 = 3600 seconds per hour:
30..... 72
--- = ----- = 1500 gallons per hour?
x ..... 3600


Wait a minute, let me go back to water moving a foot every 24 seconds, that means at 10 gallons per foot, tank is going to empty out in 72 seconds.

OK, so if I did my math right the RW4 which is rated at 1000 gal/hr if set up to resonate, is then actually moving an extra 500 gallons, or 50% more total water movement.