How to create wave motion

[NL146]

I have two pumps, one of them a Koralia. Is it possible to set them up so that I come close to having some sort of variable water motion? Should I just put them on timers so that the water moves one way half the day and the other direction the rest of the day?

 

[DCG1286]

Koralias tend to blow out when you put them on timers ... i know some people that have them running on timers for 3+ years ... but they are far and few between.

 

[anthony27]

if you have a over flow and a return in your tank look up this thing called the octopuss think it is called it diverts the water both ways creating wave movement

 

[rewris]

Koralias tend to blow out when you put them on timers ... i know some people that have them running on timers for 3+ years ... but they are far and few between.

I've been looking into this over the last couple weeks, I've learned that not just koralias burn out, but most AC powered powerheads burn out cause they have a braking system.

The powerheads used are DC powered and frequency driven via controller boxes.

These systems are expensive


I have an azoo powerhead on a timer right now and its pretty horrible.

1. the timer sucks as the lowest frequency is ten seconds.
2. it makes a loud noise every now and then when restarting.

There's oceans motions, water diverting valves as well.

 

[Master Shake]

ok there are 2 kinds of koralia's: one can be pluged into the wall just like any other pump, and the other needs a synthesizer/wavemaker to work. The pumps die and burn out quickly because like car engines the worst thing you can do is start and stop it frequently. so regular timers and wavemakers are what kill pumps. The koralia synthsizer/wavemaker is different in the fact that the pumps only go off when you do a water change. the thing that makes it so cool is that they never turn off unless you do, you can program them that there is a power decrease in one and a increase in the others and then reverse to create a wave like motion. the only thing better than koralias on their synthesizer is a vortech. unfortunately both of them are a little out of my price range though.

 

[NL146]

ok there are 2 kinds of koralia's: one can be pluged into the wall just like any other pump, and the other needs a synthesizer/wavemaker to work. The pumps die and burn out quickly because like car engines the worst thing you can do is start and stop it frequently. so regular timers and wavemakers are what kill pumps. The koralia synthsizer/wavemaker is different in the fact that the pumps only go off when you do a water change. the thing that makes it so cool is that they never turn off unless you do, you can program them that there is a power decrease in one and a increase in the others and then reverse to create a wave like motion. the only thing better than koralias on their synthesizer is a vortech. unfortunately both of them are a little out of my price range though.

That's my prob too Master Shake. Perhaps a low cost option is a rotating powerhead, even though I hear they get clogged easily. How about Sea Swirl?

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

The Vortechs are well worth the money. I also have a Hydor Flo on my return which is a good alternative but it needs to be cleaned frequently or it will stop turning.

 

[gholtmeyer]

I have an Ocean Motion 4 way. It is not hooked up to my system at this time. I had a Mag 9.5 in the tank behind the rock work hooked up to it. But it was a pain in the arse, because it clogs up so easily. If one grain of sand gets into the drums that rotate, it will stop it. I am not kidding. I finally took it off. I will try it on a closed loop next time and pull the water from the top part of the tank and see if that works better. When it does work, it worked great. It just needs nice clean water, not sand, etc. in it.

 

[jerl77]

vortech vortech vortech

 

[PolandSpring]

vortech! best thing i bought for my tank..its soo eassyy

 

[NL146]

How about the sea swirl devices?

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Never had any experiences with them. I did have 2 Maxi Jet 1200's on a wavemaker mode for about 2 years with no troubles, except for routine cleaning. 20 mins on and 20 mins off alternating. They both had hydor flo's on them as well. But the Vortech is just plain awesome to work with.

 

[xlotus123x]

vortec is the way to go. :splitspin

 

[NL146]

I'm beginning to get the impression that vortech is the popular choice :splitspin, I guess the next step is to post on the wtb forum that anybody with a vortech who is into charity work should get in touch with me :tongue1:! I like the sea swirl concept though, where there is no footprint on the internal aq walls.

 

[SevTT]

I'm beginning to get the impression that vortech is the popular choice :splitspin, I guess the next step is to post on the wtb forum that anybody with a vortech who is into charity work should get in touch with me :tongue1:! I like the sea swirl concept though, where there is no footprint on the internal aq walls.

It's definitely a case of spending more money to get a better, more elegant solution to a problem. However, sea swirls or something are a decent, if higher-maintenance alternative, and better than messing around with timers and Koralias. I'd definitely save up for a Vortech though-- I know I am!

 

[bruma bull]

wave makers

you get what you pay for, some items you can be cheap with, and other you can't , your gonna pay for it in the end anyway

 

[SevTT]

you get what you pay for, some items you can be cheap with, and other you can't , your gonna pay for it in the end anyway

Yeah. It's a balance of paying less money now for more headaches later. In the case of wavemaking devices, let's face it, that's not absolutely critical. (Though good water circulation is.) So long as you cover the bases of the ways that the system could critically fail, the worst that happens is you lose your wavemaking function.

 

[NL146]

I was under the impression that variable water motion, and not just circulation, was important for coral growth, dead spot elimination, and general well being of fish

 

[SevTT]

I was under the impression that variable water motion, and not just circulation, was important for coral growth, dead spot elimination, and general well being of fish

It's definitely good for them. But there're any number of successful reef tanks which don't use SCWDs or wavemakers or anything but returns and powerheads. It's one of those things you want to have if you can swing it, but it isn't going to break you if you don't.

 

[cali_reef]

I guess I am the only one with not so stellar experience with Vortechs, i am on the third wet end since October.

True wave motion is different than variable flow in a fish tank, variable motion is more important than "wave". Wave does make the entire tank "dead spot-less"

Here is a video of waves in a 300g tank with a Tunze wavebox,