Wave makers, but actual waves

[Hybridfish7]

I personally feel like the motorized "wave makers" don't quite cut it in terms of making realistic waves. I'm also aware of surge devices but don't want to have a shelf with a bucket looming a few feet above the tank (for aesthetic reasons). Obviously I don't want choppy waves that are going to splash out of the tank, but I do want to have that swaying wave effect in the (reef) tank... Any ideas how I could pull this off?

My first/foremost thought is trying to scale down the kind of systems they use in those big wave pools at water parks. I've found 3 different systems so far. One is where they have a big piston that goes up and down, like when you jump up and down to make waves in a(n obviously smaller swimming pool). Another is where water is sucked up into a reservoir and dropped, sort of a backwards version of the previous one. The last is where there is just big panels that flap to create waves.

I'm not entirely sure what mechanisms I could use to create any of those, but I feel like the first and last would be easiest to pull off-- especially the last. With the last one I could probably just figure out a way to attach a (semi) free swinging panel of plexiglass in front of a powerhead and have the powerhead blow it up and down, going off the same principles of how they get fishing lures to swim. With the first, I'd have to figure out some thing I could use to bounce up and down in the tank. The whole piston concept is what stumps me as I don't know where I'd get something like that. I feel like the suction one is also doable if I hide everything under a hood but again I'm not sure how I could make it suck up water into a reasonably sized reservoir and then break suction by itself.

Again, any ideas?

 

[Milingu]

In my opinion, the easiest way to create waves is with a pulsating pump that moves the water against a slope. The water is pushed up the slope while the pump is running and flows back down while the pump is switched off.
The pump must be appropriately large in relation to the amount of water and should be continuously adjustable via software or an appropriate control so that the pulses are not too abrupt and a natural wave pattern is created.

Another possibility would be a surge device that sits directly above the aquarium and compensates for the lack of height difference with a magnet controlled large flap that allows all the water to fall into the tank at once.
I saw this example myself in the store. It creates relatively natural surf, but is relatively loud (surf in nature is also loud). Another disadvantage is the price of the pump required.

 

[Kayden]

Have you looked into gyre wave makers? I have had good luck with those and getting realistic wave action through proper timing. Using a few pump style wave makers to replicate current.

depending on the environment replicating a true wave may not be in the best interest of the tank inhabitants. If you are creating a Full reef crest with 1000+ par and only hardy acroporas and pocis with a minimal number of fish, or a surf zone with only sand and a few sand sifting fish and invertebrates would be the only two situations that recieve wave actions.

Other environments on the reef are subject to only a small amount of the energy from a wave, most of the water movement results from the currents. And many of the corals we keep in Aquariua are found 20-30+ feet under the water where they recieve almost no wave action. And would possible succumb to such violent force of water.

just something to think about for the goals of your tank.

 

[duanes]

I used an above tank sump (40 gal), where the out flow would be tempariily capped by a heavy PVC cap., creating a sort of dump system
As water was added to the sump, pressure would raise the PVC cap, and when raised high enough,water would pour down the stand pipe that moved the PVC cap up and down, creating a surge and wave in the main tank below.

 

[Backfromthedead]

Gyre pump=oversized wavemaker.

 

[Sassafras]

Remember that if/when you achieve a true, swaying back and forth wave, it does put extra stress on the tank and stand. In fact, Tunze, maker of the Wavebox surge device, which does produce a 2-3" standing wave, includes the following detailed and rather lengthy warning in its Instruction manual:

Warning !
TUNZE® Nano Wavebox and Wavebox is not a conventional flow-producing device for aquariums.
Misuse or faulty operation may cause a hazard for the aquarium. Under certain circumstances, Nano
Wavebox and Wavebox may constitute a risk for unsuitable tanks and may lead to water damage.
Please observe the following warnings: Nano Wavebox and Wavebox operate according to the
resonance principle and produce large water movements at a very low energy consumption (1).
For such low electric power, the water circulation produced should never be underestimated !
The aquarium should be high enough to hold the water variations (2) !
The glass bonding adhesive should be especially strong and stable. The load on the bonding adhesive
of the aquarium panes and on the aquarium pane itself is higher than without wave operation (3).
The aquarium has to be produced on the basis of the Timoshenko formula (see http://de.saint-gobainglass.com)
(4). Most aquariums are produced according to this formula (glass thickness and bonding adhesion).
The cabinet or the aquarium furniture, if and when applicable, should be especially stable and should
be able to withstand dynamic weights. Risk of breakage in case of weak constructions !

I have always coveted that swaying motion in my tank that you are after. I experience the awesome energy each time I dive as my entire body is pulled back an forth with the surge. As I watch the soft corals, sea fans and fish move with the flow, I realize how far short we fall of replicating natural flow with our typical pumps, powerheads and other "wave making" devices. The Tunze Wavebox achieves that surging motion with a pump and reservoir that fills and empties, much like the displacement systems you describe at water park pools that use a piston to move the water. Concern over wear and tear on the aquarium itself has so far kept me from giving one a try. My tanks are all over 15 years old. I have talked to custom aquarium builders about a tank design that was beefed up to handle the stress, which they say they can do, but no guarantees if a Wavebox is used. Maybe on my next tank?

 

[Hybridfish7]

Have you looked into gyre wave makers? I have had good luck with those and getting realistic wave action through proper timing. Using a few pump style wave makers to replicate current.

depending on the environment replicating a true wave may not be in the best interest of the tank inhabitants. If you are creating a Full reef crest with 1000+ par and only hardy acroporas and pocis with a minimal number of fish, or a surf zone with only sand and a few sand sifting fish and invertebrates would be the only two situations that recieve wave actions.

Other environments on the reef are subject to only a small amount of the energy from a wave, most of the water movement results from the currents. And many of the corals we keep in Aquariua are found 20-30+ feet under the water where they recieve almost no wave action. And would possible succumb to such violent force of water.

just something to think about for the goals of your tank.

The only species I intend to put in the tank are hammers, acans, zoas, xenia, star polyps, leathers, monti spongodes, blastos, and MAYBE a trachy+/scoly, if that helps specify my intentions... Just want things that will grow in, I want to eventually see more coral than rock

To my knowledge all (except the monti, which I couldn't find info on regarding that specific species) are found in intertidal reefs, so the movement shouldn't be TOO much of an issue, but also in hindsight I also should've specified don't think I'd want surf levels of waves, just the kind of sway that comes from waves passing a few meters overhead, like in this video

Anemone

youtube.com

My only thing with the gyre is the cost... I know there's knockoffs but the only thing I'm willing to go all out on at this point is the light, since going cheap on that's been my main issue with attempting to grow coral.

What I'm thinking at this point is scaping it in a sort of slope to promote some wash back down, having the wavemaker face up said slope, and then having a smaller powerhead to create a constant/light flow. However I may not even need the latter as I'm hooking the whole thing up to a sump, so the return flow will probably cover the "light flow" part.

If I were to go cheap on wavemakers though I'd be interested in the whole "multiple cheap wavemakers hooked up to a timer" thing but I'm not sure about the what/how with the timer itself... Not sure what timer I can get that I can code to go on and off every few seconds. With all of this technology I'd obviously be testing it out before I put animals in the tank though.

 

[Hybridfish7]

Remember that if/when you achieve a true, swaying back and forth wave, it does put extra stress on the tank and stand. In fact, Tunze, maker of the Wavebox surge device, which does produce a 2-3" standing wave, includes the following detailed and rather lengthy warning in its Instruction manual:

Warning !
TUNZE® Nano Wavebox and Wavebox is not a conventional flow-producing device for aquariums.
Misuse or faulty operation may cause a hazard for the aquarium. Under certain circumstances, Nano
Wavebox and Wavebox may constitute a risk for unsuitable tanks and may lead to water damage.
Please observe the following warnings: Nano Wavebox and Wavebox operate according to the
resonance principle and produce large water movements at a very low energy consumption (1).
For such low electric power, the water circulation produced should never be underestimated !
The aquarium should be high enough to hold the water variations (2) !
The glass bonding adhesive should be especially strong and stable. The load on the bonding adhesive
of the aquarium panes and on the aquarium pane itself is higher than without wave operation (3).
The aquarium has to be produced on the basis of the Timoshenko formula (see http://de.saint-gobainglass.com)
(4). Most aquariums are produced according to this formula (glass thickness and bonding adhesion).
The cabinet or the aquarium furniture, if and when applicable, should be especially stable and should
be able to withstand dynamic weights. Risk of breakage in case of weak constructions !

I have always coveted that swaying motion in my tank that you are after. I experience the awesome energy each time I dive as my entire body is pulled back an forth with the surge. As I watch the soft corals, sea fans and fish move with the flow, I realize how far short we fall of replicating natural flow with our typical pumps, powerheads and other "wave making" devices. The Tunze Wavebox achieves that surging motion with a pump and reservoir that fills and empties, much like the displacement systems you describe at water park pools that use a piston to move the water. Concern over wear and tear on the aquarium itself has so far kept me from giving one a try. My tanks are all over 15 years old. I have talked to custom aquarium builders about a tank design that was beefed up to handle the stress, which they say they can do, but no guarantees if a Wavebox is used. Maybe on my next tank?

Yeah I don't think I'll go that strong with waves... However I will say, not for my situation, but do you think a plywood tank might do better with stronger waves like that? Additional shot in the dark but would that finally call for a stand built with nails ?

 

[Sassafras]

Yeah, I've thought about that. I believe that a well constructed, reinforced and sealed plywood tank probably would stand up better to the motion. If you are trying to be fugal, you can cross the Wavebox off the list, it is pretty pricey. But, don't think violent water movement. The motion is the same smooth back and forth movement you see on the reef, a large amount of water moving, but fairly gentle. What causes the stress on tank and stand isn't the speed or force of the water, it is the constant shifting of weight back and forth. Hundreds of pounds, left-right-left-right-left-right, over and over. It can rack a stand or pop silicone over enough time.

The example below is a fairly short tank, so the wave frequency is too fast to look natural, but it gives you an idea of the general motion that makes everything movable in the tank sway back and forth. Looks more natural in a long tank where it takes the wave longer to move from one side to the other.

 

[Hybridfish7]

Yeah, I've thought about that. I believe that a well constructed, reinforced and sealed plywood tank probably would stand up better to the motion. If you are trying to be fugal, you can cross the Wavebox off the list, it is pretty pricey. But, don't think violent water movement. The motion is the same smooth back and forth movement you see on the reef, a large amount of water moving, but fairly gentle. What causes the stress on tank and stand isn't the speed or force of the water, it is the constant shifting of weight back and forth. Hundreds of pounds, left-right-left-right-left-right, over and over. It can rack a stand or pop silicone over enough time.

The example below is a fairly short tank, so the wave frequency is too fast to look natural, but it gives you an idea of the general motion that makes everything movable in the tank sway back and forth. Looks more natural in a long tank where it takes the wave longer to move from one side to the other.

Yeah that don't look right that just looks like they're recording their tank during an earthquake wave mode more like "shockwave before a tsunami" mode