How to make wave?

[gordon2726]

Hi,

I just purchased 2 MP40w for my new 82g (36"x22"x24"). How do I configure them to make wave? My new 82g tank will arrive tomorrow so I was testing one out in my 20g and I have tried all difference mode but it just look the same (lots of flows but no wave) as my tunze 6025 modded. Is there a step by step direction on how to make wave? Thank you.

 

[TulsaReefer]

I'm not sure if this is the right answer, there may be a better way to do this. I just got my Vortech yesterday so I've been playing around with it. I only have one, so I'm not sure what would be better with two, but here are two options I can think of:

Put them both on the same side of the tank, set them to sync, mode and then on the master pump put it in short pulse mode. Then start adjusting the pulse time, doing it slowly (adjust it up a bit and wait a while to see what it does), and you can find the correct amount of time that the water will begin to push back and forth in the tank.

Or put them on opposite sides of the tank, and then put the slave pump in "anti-sync" mode. Then do the same thing, setting the master pump to rapid pulse and play around to find the correct interval to get a wave going.

Be careful, I can imagine in a tank that size you could get quite a big wave going pretty quickly. My 110G (60x24x18) was beginning to slosh pretty well from a single pump. Two on a shorter tank and you could get some swells going pretty nicely.

 

[EcoTech Marine]

Lee's got it right. Follow his directions and you'll have no problem getting a wave on that size tank.

-Tim

 

[intenseimage]

For my 75g (with 1 pump) I setup the pump on one end and dialed in the max speed at which I wanted to pump first (basically any higher and sand was blowing due to the undertow) ... then went into the short pulse mode and made it the longest pulse time available and SLOWLY started to back it down to faster pulses. You will see the wave start to happen and you can adjust from there

 

[gordon2726]

Thank you guys. More question... How many inches of wave is optimal for SPS tank? Is bigger the wave the better? Thank you.

 

[gordon2726]

What do you guys suggest on the placement for 2x MP40w in a 82g (36"x22"x24"tall)? Right now, I am thinking about placing them on the opposite side of the tank towards the center top of both side. Also, I will be having sand in my new tank and prabably getting bigger grain of sand to avoid sand storm. Do you guys have any suggestion on what size/kind of sand to use? Thank you.

 

[TulsaReefer]

I've been snorkeling on a few shallow reefs and the water is really moving around as waves come in. The wave action basically pushes all the water up to a few feet at a time to one direction in and back again, as seen by the fish drifting back and forth as they hover over the reef. And this is during a regular day, not a storm or high seas conditions. For shallow water reef crest corals, they can take just about anything we can throw at them, for deeper water or lagoon corals, they can easily handle swells, but not quite so energetic.

So in the end we'll probably never be able to get to that level just because the tank would have to be twice as high as the water level to support waves and swells that high. So to answer your question in my mind, as high as you can make them without having water fly out of your tank! And it's really not the height of the wave, it's the swaying motion (which tends to drive the wave) that is what makes it simulate a reef environment. Look for the corals moving back and forth, or polyps on SPS gently swinging back and forth as the water shifts from the wave action.

 

[will16]

I've had my mp40's on my 90 gal for a while but only recently started playing with the wave mode. Basically what was already said here, I set master/slave in anti sync (pumps on opposite ends), turn up to max and set the pulse as short as possilble. I then slowly decrease the frequency until the wave starts developing. You have to play around a little to find that sweet spot.

Here is a video I just did...

http://s43.photobucket.com/albums/e384/willgtp/?action=view&current=P1000662MOV-1.flv

One thing though... When I set it up this way, it will only run for about an hour. After that, the pumps come to complete stop and controller flashes red. Pumps are very hot. I assume it is an overheat condition? But the flashing red is not an overheat code. Has anyone else had this happen? It has happened to both of my pumps. I have contacted support and they suggested sending the pumps in. I can't leave my tank without flow for that long. Would need to get something as a replacement first. Just wanted to see if anyone else is having this problem.

 

[Mike31154]

+1 for Tulsareefer's info. He's seen the action first hand. Seems to me many folks get hung up on seeing a wave at the surface of their tank when they really should be looking at what the livestock is doing as a result of the pump setting. I tried the short pulses to get a surface wave and found the Vortech ran hot that way and the constant quick ramping up made more noise. I now run my pump for the longest interval between pulses at about 85% speed (75 gal). The pump is about 3 inches below the surface and this does not create a wave on the surface, simply some turbulence at the top of the tank. However, halfway down the tank there is a nice, slow random back & forth action which I monitor by watching the tentacles on my GBTA. There's also a substantial undertow along the top of the substrate without stirring it up into a cloud. I think the slower pulses create a more realistic motion. Sure you can create a surface wave with quick pulses of the Vortech, but that also creates a fairly quick back & forth motion in your tank, which to me is not at all like what happens in the ocean.

 

[TulsaReefer]

And in reference to the "undertow" that everyone talks about, it's very realistic to what you see on a reef. Even in deeper water of 30+ feet the detritus was moving gently back and forth across the bottom from the action of the surges and swells. My goal is not to have water motion at the surface of the tank, but bulk of the water column itself. While seeing a wave is interesting, having the mass water movement that a reef has is the goal. And the fish and corals don't care about the surface motion at all, since none of the fish we typically keep in a reef tank live in the surface area. And I already have to deal with enough salt spray and splash from one of my fish that has decided it's fun to kick water out, without having a wave on the surface adding to the fun.

 

[gordon2726]

I followed the direction and I was waving~~. Thank you guys.