DIY Wavebox! (With modded MJ)

[hahnmeister]

Why alot of tedious math calcs? No 1/10ths of a second involved here. The only thing you have to be sure of is that the valve doesnt run so slow that the pump can run dry when the inlet valve is shut... but that takes some time! Even with a MJ1200, a 1 gallon box box would take over 12 seconds to clear the whole box!! A time that is much longer than any interval would be if this thing is going to pulse like a wavebox.

Putting the MJ1200 on a timer with a stopper... I doubt you can get the timing you want with that. For many tanks, a wavebox will pulse in the 1 second range, and I doubt you can get a MJ to even turn on and off that fast (sometimes they take a few seconds to start, even with a stopper).

The valve idea can run that fast... just need about a 30 rpm DC motor and a belt pulley.

 

[acrankshaw]

this thing is really cool. I think that the aquarium in san diego has something similar on their tide pools but on a huge scale. keep up the good work

 

[celebrityovernight]

didn't smcnally get the maxi-jet to work w/ an on off timer?

 

[smcnally]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9661802#post9661802 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hahnmeister
Why alot of tedious math calcs? No 1/10ths of a second involved here. The only thing you have to be sure of is that the valve doesnt run so slow that the pump can run dry when the inlet valve is shut... but that takes some time! Even with a MJ1200, a 1 gallon box box would take over 12 seconds to clear the whole box!! A time that is much longer than any interval would be if this thing is going to pulse like a wavebox.

Hahn, timing is everything when creating waves. If your timing it off you will have waves hitting each other and screwing up the momentum. The waves in my tank were twice as large when I timed them at 9/10 of a second on and 9/10 of a second off when compared to 1 second on and 1 second off. The modded MJ I used in mine empties 1/2 of my box (which is about a gallon) in 9/10 of a second.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9661802#post9661802 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hahnmeister
Putting the MJ1200 on a timer with a stopper... I doubt you can get the timing you want with that. For many tanks, a wavebox will pulse in the 1 second range, and I doubt you can get a MJ to even turn on and off that fast (sometimes they take a few seconds to start, even with a stopper).

Did you watch my video? I had it going at 9/10 sec on and 9/10 sec off.

I still haven't had time to work on this project, but I'm not sure a modded maxi is the best pump for this. I have a feeling I will work on this again for fun, but will eventually just build a wavebox with a Tunze pump in the end. It would still be less money than their wavebox...especially if I built my own timer.

I'm all for trying something more mechanical too though.

 

[Green Thumb]

Ive been thinking Im going to build my next tank with exterior waveboxes built using glass and silicone... I will use tunze pumps and use the controller for the wave boxes.

smcnally, I like what youve done, kind of demistified the whole wave box thing for me. Youve made me realize how simple it is. Using tunze equipment will just cut down on all the experimenting. I dont own tunze pumps but Ive seen them and all I can say is they are pricey but are a HUGE step above all the powerheads Ive ever seen...

 

[sfsuphysics]

How about simply using the pump on a variable speed controller, now you might say "but it'll still empty the box" solution, put some holes in the box such that when it cranks down to the lowest speed water rushes in faster than it can push out. This is the most simple solution for a wavebox, the issue is that you won't get as dramatic of an effect because water will always be coming in, might be worth a shot with already made equipment however.

 

[hahnmeister]

Sure... a variable speed controller... why didnt we think of that?!?!? If you can think of one that would work on an A/C pump, please show us.

 

[celebrityovernight]

hahaha... btw, a while back, i noticed there was a dc powerhead in the mj mods forum by dhnguyen. anything done w/ that powerhead?

 

[hahnmeister]

Yeah... you are right. I wonder what ever happened with that pump/ where to get one.

 

[aninjaatemyshoe]

We need to find that DC powerhead and get someone who is good with EE to rig up a controller that can control timing and variable speed.

BTW, I don't know why people think that a pump will empty the box at any speed. The speed of the pump determines the output pressure. If you slow it down enough (don't need to stop it) the box will refill with water. This method should put less wear on the motor than if you had it starting and stopping all the time.

 

[hahnmeister]

Im EE... controls and VLSI mostly, but that kind of stuff wouldnt be hard to pull off.

 

[L98-Z]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9681219#post9681219 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by aninjaatemyshoe
We need to find that DC powerhead and get someone who is good with EE to rig up a controller that can control timing and variable speed.

BTW, I don't know why people think that a pump will empty the box at any speed. The speed of the pump determines the output pressure. If you slow it down enough (don't need to stop it) the box will refill with water. This method should put less wear on the motor than if you had it starting and stopping all the time.

I'm a senior student EE, and I'd agree with hahnmeister, the controller shouldn't be too hard to figure out. I'm not familar with an affordable (read cheap) DC powerhead though.

 

[Covey]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9680344#post9680344 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hahnmeister
Yeah... you are right. I wonder what ever happened with that pump/ where to get one.

It is the resun waver
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1021862

I am going to order 2 of them and carve one up to see if it is usable for this purpose. I was going to check the voltage on the output going to the pump. It shouldn't be figure out a DC controller after that.

Next payday (1.5weeks) and direct shipping from China I'll give you guys the heads up.

Its down to $70 now don't feel so bad moding it.

 

[celebrityovernight]

yeah i saw that pump. but the pump i was talking about isn't that. its a regular dc powerhead. i think it was going for 50?

 

[hahnmeister]

Thats what I remember too... looked like one of those Sicce pond pumps, but black, and with a DC adapter.

 

[ReefForBrains]

Howdy all, I read the thread and it really got me thinking, Ill try to be consice so I dont litter the thread.

Why not have an external resevoir simply plumbed direct to machanically driven bellow resevior? Similar to reversing the method of lowering a a truck via airbags.

I really like the idea but I think it is getting overly complex. Ill fart around the shop and take some pics. Hard to explain I guess, But simple math. If I want to make a 1.25 inch wave in my 190 then the area of my footprint will be my displacement of my bellow chamber and gravity will be my timing helped along to push it through the plumbing

Powered by a cam driven electric motor. Around 75RPM should not be difficult to find with that sort of torque. The DIY world is put up or shut up so thanks guys for putting this damn idea in my head, pics will follow.

-RFB

 

[OnlyCrimson]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9689521#post9689521 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ReefForBrains
Howdy all, I read the thread and it really got me thinking, Ill try to be consice so I dont litter the thread.

Why not have an external resevoir simply plumbed direct to machanically driven bellow resevior? Similar to reversing the method of lowering a a truck via airbags.

I really like the idea but I think it is getting overly complex. Ill fart around the shop and take some pics. Hard to explain I guess, But simple math. If I want to make a 1.25 inch wave in my 190 then the area of my footprint will be my displacement of my bellow chamber and gravity will be my timing helped along to push it through the plumbing

Powered by a cam driven electric motor. Around 75RPM should not be difficult to find with that sort of torque. The DIY world is put up or shut up so thanks guys for putting this damn idea in my head, pics will follow.

-RFB

That sounds insane! So insane it just might work... pics soon plz!

 

[celebrityovernight]

i don't know much about electronics, but wouldn't one of those softstart timers work for this type of application if you wanted to use the mj mod?

 

[fload]

Still would be noisy and still would decrease the life of the mj

 

[celebrityovernight]

but by how much would the life decrease? as seen earlier in the thread, quangtam created a stopper that creates virtually no noise and he claims that it starts in the right direction all the time.