DIY Wavebox Tutorial from start to finish!

[sfsuphysics]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12751498#post12751498 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NanoReefWanabe
so this can only be done with tunze power heads? will it work with seio's?

DC controllable pump needed, Seios are AC, and they need a really special controller for their "controllability". I wouldn't be surprised if you couldn't do this on a Vortech as well even though it supposedly has that feature built in, I can't get a wave with 2 on my tank for nothing, but the displacement of water might help matters. (although different design, might be worth a shot)

and also you need a controller for the power head aswell?

the list is then a PH, a controller (7091?), and your DIY controller, and the scrap acrylic..

He builds the controller himself.

i am thinking this is too big and ambitious a project for my 20G tank..

i did however stumble across a 6055 for $200 brand new..

That would be some wave you get on there

 

[stugray]

xtm,

with your electronics skills, you could have built the entire DC speed controller with only a few more components.

You can build a 555 based Pulse Width Modulator circuit which uses a IRF510 Power mosfet to controll the current to the powerhead. You would just add a 12Volt wall wart supply that can supply the PH.

I have one sitting in front of me that I intend to put in my hood to control the moon lights & fan speed. Since I have four channels & only using two, I could control two of those waveboxes. Oh, and my 4-channel PWM is accessible via ethernet & programmable.

Very good job!

Stu

 

[xinumaster]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12751479#post12751479 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by xinumaster
Your controller box has a LED how do you wire it?

Nevermind, I look at the data spec for 555 timer, already. I know now where to connect the LED.

 

[chrismunn]

ok, im officially "electronics stupid" here... if that controller controls the pump, why do you have to plug it into the tunze box thing you show there?

was this demonstration for people with prior skills, or for the regular joe jack like myself?

 

[xtm]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12752641#post12752641 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chrismunn
ok, im officially "electronics stupid" here... if that controller controls the pump, why do you have to plug it into the tunze box thing you show there?

was this demonstration for people with prior skills, or for the regular joe jack like myself?

When you buy a Tunze Stream, it comes with:

-Stream pump
-Controller box
-Transformer

The "controller box" is the driver for the Tunze stream. Without it, the stream pump will not run. It has speed control, alarm, etc. The stream pump will run at steady mode with just the driver box and transformer.

The function of my "controller" is to tell the Tunze driver box to turn ON and OFF rapidly. By doing so, it discharges the water from the box and lets it IN again - in a rapid way. This rapid In-OUT motion is what creates the wave in your tank.

Using the Pot (potentiometer, or variable resistor) in my controller, you can vary the frequency of the ON/OFF signal. You need to "find" your tank's resonant frequency to create a massive wave.

It should be noted that the presence of other powerheads/stream pumps will NOT affect the waves.

I hope that explains it. Has anyone started building theirs yet?

 

[xtm]

For what it's worth, this controller is practically the same as Tunze 6091 wave controller. The difference is that the 6091 has foodtimer and master/slave setting. If you don't want to build this controller, just buy the 6091 by itself... I think it's $90 online.

Btw, the 7091 (singlecontroller) and 7095 (multicontroller) cannot do the wave function. They are too slow for switching and are used primarily for regular stream applications.

 

[Bryan]

Hmm, I wonder if using a 555 timer with a 50% duty cycle is a good idea for the pump. Perhaps it's better to use a PWM signal. I think that is what the wavebox uses. easier on the pump.

Anybody have a wavebox who can connect a scope on the controller to see what it is doing?

 

[hyperfocal]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12758552#post12758552 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by xtm
Has anyone started building theirs yet?

I'm thinking about it, but I'm concerned about the real-estate the box will consume -- how critical is placement? Can the box be shoved into the back corner of the tank and still be effective, or does it need to be midpoint on the side? How much clearance from live rock is needed?

 

[Deuce67]

I built mine a couple of months ago. It took me forever to find the sweet spot but it worked great! I like the diy controller better than the Tunze 6091. The diy can pulse way faster than the 6091. I couldnt get use to the box so I took it off. I still control a 6100 with the diy controller and still get some good swaying action from my corals pe without the box. The wave is not as smooth as when I had the box but still pretty good. I just plug my 6100 to my Reefkeeper so I can have a food timer button lol.

 

[jgs107]

i can build the boxes if anyone needs them built but im not sure about the actual controller.i know nothing about computers.maybe if someone can make me one i can make the box for them.pm me if this sounds like an idea

 

[xtm]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12758622#post12758622 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bryan
Hmm, I wonder if using a 555 timer with a 50% duty cycle is a good idea for the pump. Perhaps it's better to use a PWM signal. I think that is what the wavebox uses. easier on the pump.

Anybody have a wavebox who can connect a scope on the controller to see what it is doing?

PWM would work, but unnecessary. The wavebox has been running non-stop since January through May (5 months). I recently just switched to a shallow reef tank so I took out the wavebox but now I'm thinking about putting it back on.

Deuce and hyperfocal: The space issue bugged me too. I couldn't stand looking at a huge black box that took a huge chunk of my tank. I was going to install it EXTERNALLY on my current tank but I got lazy. Maybe I'll do it one weekend...... but I have to empty the WHOLE tank. Too much work

 

[chrismunn]

thanks for the clarification xtm. i didnt know you needed all the special equipment to run a tunze pump. they must be good pumps because needing all the extra equipment sounds irritating, but people buy the crap out of them!

i guess it doesnt help that im equipment illiterate!

by the way, you must be friends with weatherson over there at CVR huh? i bet if you guys teamed up you could make just about anything a reefer ( or astronaut) could ever want or need!

 

[chrismunn]

nevermind i take that back. SFV is way far south huh? im form the SF bay and i dont know my way around south of pismo beach.

im location illiterate too

 

[xtm]

hey chrismunn,

San Fernando Valley is in Los Angeles county.. but "weatherson" sounds really familiar to me. I think I've seen him post here.

 

[Am4nn]

you should post a video on youtube so we can see it in action.

 

[NanoReefWanabe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12761243#post12761243 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Am4nn
you should post a video on youtube so we can see it in action.

HUH?

there is a you tube vid in the first post..

 

[EnderG60]

the other link posted(which ive seen before) has a course and fine control knob. Why did you use just one? Seems like it isnt that hard to wire up the second fine adjustment and it would make it much easier to tune the wave.

Either way good stuff. One of these days I will get off my butt and make one out of this resun pump I have.

 

[ClownReef®]

XTM,

PM sent!

 

[xtm]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12763367#post12763367 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by EnderG60
the other link posted(which ive seen before) has a course and fine control knob. Why did you use just one? Seems like it isnt that hard to wire up the second fine adjustment and it would make it much easier to tune the wave.

Either way good stuff. One of these days I will get off my butt and make one out of this resun pump I have.

Yes I thought about adding the 2nd fine adjustment control (one for ON duration and one for OFF duration). However, the original wavebox controller (6091) only has ONE knob so common sense tells me that the pulse it creates are "evenly spaced" so to speak, so I tried to make it a very simple circuit that works (KISS principle in full effect). However, I will continue working on improving this prototype to add more features later.

Thanks for the replies. Keep them coming!

 

[Deuce67]

xtm, I know that this is a wavebox thread but, do you have any ideas on a diy controller that can alternate the pulse of 2 pumps on and off?