rain simulator in reef tank?

[billsreef]

not to mention (not thinking this would effect at all) but if it were to red tides are a phytoplankton bloom ...live pod/coral food

In the case of red tides, they are what is a called a Harmful Algae Bloom (HAB). Not something you want anyplace, tank or nature. That said, not all algae blooms are of harmful algae, and the red tide algae is not the only harmful algae. So lots of variability. The big key with rainwater induced algae blooms is not so much the fresh water input, but the nutrients that come along with it...runoff from the land and nitrogen in the rain itself.

 

[Biotopes]

I agree with Bill, it's not the freshwater (otherwise normal top offs would also induce a "red tide" or bad algal bloom.) but what it brings with it.

How would you guys go about it on a 38g innovative marine? Any ideas to still keep the clean look of the aio system?

I'd go with something prebuilt and proven to work, or if you have some time and a little money mess around with my idea!

 

[sh0ck]

And now who have lightning rod with some dragons cabled to display tank?

 

[crazzyreefer]

With a large algae bloom comes a sever decrease in oxygen.

 

[sellmecorals]

I dunno about y'all but that is awesome

 

[Sorry]

Maglife USA has a product called the Mag Jet mini. Looks like it could be used as a simple rain simulator.

based from the pictures i saw anyway

 

[afishionado]

Fish in the wild don't respond like that to rain drops

Certain freshwater fish definitely do

 

[AcroporAddict]

Certain freshwater fish definitely do

I don't know if it is the rain drops or the temperature change they bring about. I have a tank of adult discus, and when I do a water change on them, there is usually a few degrees difference in the water going in (cooler). It induces egg laying and courtship behavior in them more often than not.

 

[KafudaFish]

^ That is because spawning is often based upon temperature but light can influence it too. Normally it is with an increase but others are the reverse. Perhaps this would mean the start of the rainy season and additional habitat becomes available to young of year fish for survivorship.

 

[billsreef]

Certain freshwater fish definitely do

We're talking about marine fish on the reef

 

[sellmecorals]

Fresh water is refreshing to almost all life

 

[BigAl2007]

I have been simulating "Lightning" in my reef tanks for years and have often pondered the idea of having my ATO routine be pushed through some type of "sprinkler" system. As of yet I haven't been able to couple the lightning and the ATO of my GHL ProfiLux into one event due to hard coded safety conditions which I do NOT wish to over-ride. So on my next setup this is what I'm planning to do:

• A) Calculate (on average) how much fresh makeup water is needed in any given 24hr period. Once I know this I can calculate how long a "Rain Storm" can/should last depending on what pump I use to make rain.
  
• B) Have my ATO configured to only kick in when the daily "rainfall" amount doesn't allow for total replenishment of fresh water to the system.
  
• C) Set up a freshwater reservoir connected to a pump with a "rain maker" system (tubing with holes, possible misting outlets etc) and have this triggered with each "thunderstorm" created by the ProfiLux. Using the programming I can tell it what specific times to "storm" or have it storm a specific amount of time at random times throughout the day. I would have the storm trigger the lightning (already done) as well as turn on the outlet that drives the "Rain maker" pump. My next hurdle will be to incorporate some "thunder" into the equation.
  
  
• D) I will also configure my ProfiLux to kick the Vortech Pumps into random HIGH OUTPUT mode to help replicate storm action and to help remove settled nutrients within the tank (Nutrient Export Mode... CHECK).
  
• E) I would also incorporate a HIGH water level sensor so that if for some reason I have a few too many storms in a day it will disable future rain making until the high level situation is corrected. I know this is possible because I know from experience that anyone coming over to my house gets to see the current "lightning storm" and adding rain & sound will only enhance my desire to show it off.

For anyone who thinks that lightning causes fish to "freak out" or "panic" I can tell you 100% that with my existing "lightning system" my face are perfectly calm. Maybe it's because of the whole "storm routine" but my fish simply become very calm and slide off into their "night time" routine during a storm which comes on slowly and ramps up to full storm and then slowly ramps back down to the pre-storm state. No erratic behavior and actually it's just the opposite and has been for years now. I can't vouch for all fish from every aspect but I've yet to have the first fish appear to be panicked in any way from a lightning storm.

For anyone who is wondering or questioning the "why" on this project... it's plain and simple... because I want to and because it makes me happy. It may or may NOT help the biosystem in the tank but at the end of the day is makes Allen smile and it doesn't harm the tank. That's a Win-Win in my books.


living_waters I sincerely hope you proceed and you're able to satisfy your need to have a STORM in your small part of the ocean. I look forward to reading more and hopefully seeing some video of your storm in action.

 

[Hawke1974]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mh5pfP27VGE

Source: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/ridiculously-impressive-1-000-gallon-4-000-liter-lfs-display

 

[wrxreefer823]

I like this idea! Jumping on for the ride

 

[JuicyJ]

I vaguely recall that Profilux controllers have that option (or at least they did). As a diver, I can tell you that the effect is a rather pretty one, but unless you are using saltwater may crease a salinity issue.

http://youtu.be/PMqujhdQ7zc

 

[Maivortex]

U really need to simulate earthquales and tsunamis if you are serious about getting your fish to breed...............

 

[bbecher]

I love the iea of this, but I just can't imagine what it would look like (Besides the one video linked), especially over a clean open top or rimless, on a smaller scale. I was thinking perhaps just recycling saltwater through the rain, but then we run into the clogging of the holes with salt.

 

[Biotopes]

+1 on the discus comment. Happened to me too! :thumbsup:

U really need to simulate earthquales and tsunamis if you are serious about getting your fish to breed...............

I hope this is a joke, because there is no regularly timed geological activity that fish can use as triggers to breed. Fish use rainfall (not as much in reefs, but it does happen) as a "signal" to know spring is here. That corresponds with a rise in temperature, and the rainfall brings down more live food. When that all happens together over the course of a few days, fish know it's time to breed.

 

[Biotopes]

Aloha Living Waters, any updates?

 

[living_waters]

Oh man to be honest I keep blowing the cash and time for this project on corals �� I just been going through whether I want to setup my 75 or leave the 36 or buy a IM nano and call it a day, so I don't want to make the build for dimensions of one tank then set up another. I see the thread has caught some attention anybody out there want to take the plunge?