BigWave Idea?

[Scooterman]

Ok I had this idea!
A wave producing soft flow, single sided design.

We take the end of a tank, layout big bulkheads like 1 1/2" across in three rows, enough to cover top, mid and lower sections of a tank. The idea here is to produce Smooth heavy waves across your tank, no pressure here, just large volume pumps, two rather big pumps enough to push the large volume. The pumps would both run together, on some sort of electronic controller or timer. They would both blast full volume say 10 seconds then completely shut down, they again on a timing frequency full volume. This is sorta a steal from the Tunze stream with the controller but in a more realistic amount of flow. The critical elements here would be sizing of plumbing & pumps to tweak it out according to tank size. Ok attached is the simple plumbing design, a wall of flow outlets all at once moving across the tank!

Ok just an Idea, is it practicable, can it work, who knows, though I'd throw it to the wolves and let everyone have at it!

 

[Scooterman]

BUMP my idea!

 

[reedman]

I think you would have to use a motorized ball valve to switch flow side to side. Most pumps large enough to do what you want don't like to be cycled on and off.

The other concern I would have is all of those holes drilled on the ends of the tank. I would think this would weaken the structural integrity of the tank.

Keep at it. There's a new idea to be developed in this.

 

[Scooterman]

I can get pumps that can cycle, & I wouldn't be switching with valves, it would be stright up CL. I agree the acrylic would have to be thick in that area maybe. I would use a commercial relay with a built in timer switching power on and off to an outlet, simple & reliable.

 

[mojoreef]

Hmm.. I like the concept but I dont know if it would work all being on one side? On my tank I pretty much have a 4700 blowing through four outputs on one end, just 4 times 3/4 with some lock line. With this I get a decent sized tsunami that goes the full 8 feet across the tank when the mbv switches over to that side.
I think thier are a couple of cons here Scott, one is that your committed to the flow coming all from one side, the second would be no matter how you did it the flow would be the heavist on the plumbing end, which would eliminate area's for coral placement.
The idea seem sound, I think we just need to tweek it a bit the idffuse the flow and randomise it a bit more.

Mike

 

[highlands]

concern I would have is all of those holes drilled on the ends of the tank. I would think this would weaken the structural integrity of the tank.

The structural integrity of the tank should be fine. Consider it like a beam. You can remove about 1/3rd of the inner volume of a beam without significantly affecting it's loading capacity.

However, I still would hesitate to drill all those holes as I like leak proof boxes. I flinch at the idea of hundreds of gallons dumping on the floor, fish dying, corals drying, ugh... And of course, it will happen when you're away for the weekend.

Plus, more holes make more connection point and increase the complexity of the system. Complexity leads to failure.

There is an easier way from what I see of your design. How about having the source pipes go over the top? Then no holes are necessary.

 

[Scooterman]

I'm using the idea TUNZE uses for their wave maker, It is one big push and makes a huge wave across the tank. My idea is similar. For one it could be only 8 holes and Mike I would not be reducing down to 3/4" loc line, instead I'd stick to the soft flow idea, the outlets would pretty much be 1.5" or 2" thus reducing pressure as much as I can, whatever the pump outlet is, I'd almost have to double that size in total. I agree I need to do it on a smaller scale and test this idea, I was thinking of getting a long tank used and practice some glass drilling. Also Mike one other thing, this makes waves, you could put it on each end with a MBV., also there isn't no law stating you can't have your regular CL with all the ports in the back as you already have but maybe not as many. I want to make a tank with flow making waves & experiment with it for some time just to see how well it will work, plumbing is cheap, a pump is cheap all I need is to locate a used tank or any sorts.