Designing a monster
- Thread starter Harleyguy
- Start date
jnarowe
New member
Skip the Tunze skimmer dude. You can get better skimmers made in the US for less money and much better performance. You already have the best 2 or 3 mentioned above. I would never by the DOC over a Volcano or an ATB. And that skimmer with the red plastic is over-rated and over-priced, IMO.
As far as the Tunze pumps go, I have been talking to Roger about this for the last few days. For your size tank, I would seriously consider the 6301 or building in wave boxes. He said something interesting the other day. He said that the stock Tunze wavebox, on a 96" tank, would provide 15,000 gph in net flow. That's a lot of flow for very little electricity. In my discussions with him regarding a "wave tank", he also mentioned 2 other things.
1. The tank should be built oout of panes that are one size up from standard acceptable sizes. So instead of 1.25", it would be 1.5" etc.
2. He also stated explicitly that they do not recommend wave boxes as the sole flow producers due to the fact that they don't neccessarily move detritus to the overflows. The best way for me to describe this, is that the water in the center of the tank doesn't move very much.
I would think that in your case, using the built-in wave box, much like Hahn is describing, plus a pressure rated pump on a CL with Penductors would be the best combination. Maybe a couple of strategically placed Tunze rocks too.
I would shy away from the OM units. I know many people use them, but I have seen a lot of discussion about them jambing etc. and I personally don't trust moving parts like that. try to think about things from a maint. standpoint...I like to limit the work I have to do. One other area to investigate would be the WavySeas.
As far as the Tunze pumps go, I have been talking to Roger about this for the last few days. For your size tank, I would seriously consider the 6301 or building in wave boxes. He said something interesting the other day. He said that the stock Tunze wavebox, on a 96" tank, would provide 15,000 gph in net flow. That's a lot of flow for very little electricity. In my discussions with him regarding a "wave tank", he also mentioned 2 other things.
1. The tank should be built oout of panes that are one size up from standard acceptable sizes. So instead of 1.25", it would be 1.5" etc.
2. He also stated explicitly that they do not recommend wave boxes as the sole flow producers due to the fact that they don't neccessarily move detritus to the overflows. The best way for me to describe this, is that the water in the center of the tank doesn't move very much.
I would think that in your case, using the built-in wave box, much like Hahn is describing, plus a pressure rated pump on a CL with Penductors would be the best combination. Maybe a couple of strategically placed Tunze rocks too.
I would shy away from the OM units. I know many people use them, but I have seen a lot of discussion about them jambing etc. and I personally don't trust moving parts like that. try to think about things from a maint. standpoint...I like to limit the work I have to do. One other area to investigate would be the WavySeas.
Harleyguy
Premium Member
Thanks for all the info. The reason I was looking at the Tunze skimmer was because of the cost. This tank is going to cost me a mint and if I can save a couple of grand on the skimmer then why not. The Tunze biggest Tunze skimmer costs about $2200. That's a lot cheaper than a custom Volcano (almost half), although I would rather have the Volcano skimmer.
As far as wav boxes go there are 2 factors here.
1. I don't like the way they look; there is just something wrong with having a big bulky box sitting in our tank (although I do like the idea of a wave making system)
2. I asked my builder about going with 1" thick glass for my tank, and the price is way out of my range (it went up by almost 50%) and as you know tanks like this aren’t cheap to start with.
I have also heard about some OM units locking up, but I really like the idea of the unit. On my last tank (much smaller at 220 Gallons) I had Penductors and never cold get the flow right, in some places the flow was so great that if a fish swam in front of it the fish would be blown over (it was kind of funny) and in other areas of the tank the flow was almost non existent. I think you may be right though, maybe the perfect combo would be 4 or 8 Tunzes and 6 or 8 Penductors.
As for the WavySeas, like I said before I want to hide as much as I can, so the thought of a WavySea hanging down with a Tunze on it is really not idea, at least for me. It might be the best solution, but this time I think form will win over function.
On a side not I will be ordering my tank on the 5th, so I really need to figure out what it is I am going to do. Thanks for all your input I really do appreciate it.
I don't know anything about these skimmers, who makes them?
jnarowe
New member
I don't know anything about glass. Look at the standard wave box and then picture something similar scabbed onto the side of the tank. here's a couple of quickie drawings:
View from viewing pane sans aquascape:
Cut-away view from back:
These can be on the sides or wherever you want based on your aquascape plan.
View from viewing pane sans aquascape:
Cut-away view from back:
These can be on the sides or wherever you want based on your aquascape plan.
Harleyguy
Premium Member
As if you couldn't already tell, I have really played off your design. It's your fault that my tank is going to be so big and I think my wife wants to have a word with you.... So on that note I am also planning on having a full length overflow across the back of the tank. So for this I would add another overflow to the side? This, I guess, would give me the best and longest waves. Also in you picture you show 3 boxes.... Is that what I'll need? I thought it would be one box with 2 extensions. If you use 3 boxes how do you get them to all work together? Also, with the boxes in the overflow, what do you do, just have a hole cut in the glass for the return flow? I assume that this would not need to be sealed, or would it? Also could this "overflow" be just for the waveboxes? Thus keeping the drains in a different overflow?
Harleyguy
Premium Member
I am ordering 800 pounds of rocks from Macro Rocks, I know that it is really early, but I'm getting a good deal and Marc from Macro Rocks said he would hand pick large and interesting rocks for my tank and send me picture for my approval. I also plan on getting about 400 pounds of liverock when I get home and we will see how much I need from there.
jnarowe
New member
that "design" is just a mockup. In my situation, I would have 3 on the back an two on the front side corners. Overflows are built in different manners so that is just a representation of how I like mine. I do not like deep overflows and the one on my current tank only has about 4 - 6 inches of water in it. Makes it much easier to keep clean.
You don't need an "overflow" to build a wave box, so no, you wouldn't need that on the sides.
The wave boxes I have seen are open topped but I have to imagine that flow throught th etank wall at the top would be needed. All you have to do is contact Roger @ Tunze and ask him about it. I will be doing the same.
The design mockup has not been evaluated yet. I am planning on scabbing one onto my current tank for testing purposes within a couple months, so I should be able to better answer questions about it then. But, there are already some wave tanks around.
You don't need an "overflow" to build a wave box, so no, you wouldn't need that on the sides.
The wave boxes I have seen are open topped but I have to imagine that flow throught th etank wall at the top would be needed. All you have to do is contact Roger @ Tunze and ask him about it. I will be doing the same.
The design mockup has not been evaluated yet. I am planning on scabbing one onto my current tank for testing purposes within a couple months, so I should be able to better answer questions about it then. But, there are already some wave tanks around.
)I am with you on no exposed equipment in the tank, but as stated you can hide the wave boxes pretty easily. And the wave box extentions are simply another wavebox without a controller. You just hook them all into one controller and go.
And you can hide a tunze on a waveysea as well. Two ways Ive done this are to get a tunze rock(or just zip tie a few rocks around your tunze) and glue some frags to it and go. It actually is pretty neat seeing a rock covered in zoo's rotate about.
The other way is to use a PVC pipe to extend the waveysea output down into your rocks and just stack your rocks around it with a ledge overtop. Trust me unless your looking for it you wont see it. I do this with most powerheads anyway.
And just a note the waveysea/seaswirl does not have to be hooked to any return or anything. In a few cases they are simply used to rotate the power head.
Its all a matter of placement and spending some time with your rocks. Trust me on this one, if you just get a basic idea of what you want, then place your flow devices, then work the rock around it, it will work out. If it doesnt take it apart and start over. Spending a whole day...or two...or three even..on your rockwork will pay off.
And dont just give up and go, thats what happens and people get a wall of rock at best and that looks like crap and there is alot of it:rolleye1:
And you can hide a tunze on a waveysea as well. Two ways Ive done this are to get a tunze rock(or just zip tie a few rocks around your tunze) and glue some frags to it and go. It actually is pretty neat seeing a rock covered in zoo's rotate about.
The other way is to use a PVC pipe to extend the waveysea output down into your rocks and just stack your rocks around it with a ledge overtop. Trust me unless your looking for it you wont see it. I do this with most powerheads anyway.
And just a note the waveysea/seaswirl does not have to be hooked to any return or anything. In a few cases they are simply used to rotate the power head.
Its all a matter of placement and spending some time with your rocks. Trust me on this one, if you just get a basic idea of what you want, then place your flow devices, then work the rock around it, it will work out. If it doesnt take it apart and start over. Spending a whole day...or two...or three even..on your rockwork will pay off.
And dont just give up and go, thats what happens and people get a wall of rock at best and that looks like crap and there is alot of it:rolleye1:
reefgeek31
New member
Red leg
Red leg
Well Harley guy I have to say i miss artillery so much. I have been out since 2001 and i still have dream of shooting and the true friends i made while i was enlisted. Thank you very much for keeping are families safe. Be proud and stand tall for the rest of us! Send one down range for me please!
SSG Braham
1/7 FA
THANK YOU
Red leg
Well Harley guy I have to say i miss artillery so much. I have been out since 2001 and i still have dream of shooting and the true friends i made while i was enlisted. Thank you very much for keeping are families safe. Be proud and stand tall for the rest of us! Send one down range for me please!
SSG Braham
1/7 FA
THANK YOU
