Wave box or close loop

[badbones]

I am going to have built a 96 x 36wide x 26or28H out of glass and eurobraced. The tank will also have a 4' external overflow on the back panel centered.

I was initially planning on using a closed loop with the returns on the side of the tank and hooked to an acuated ball valve. I just dont like the idea of holes in the side of the tank. And now with higher energy rates I am considering the wave box.

The questions for the box are?

1) Will I need just two boxes and a multi controller.

2) Its going to be a heavily occupied sps tank so what will provide the best flow/circulation. I really dont want any powerheads in the tank.

3) I heard/read about how they creat a wave. Is this a problem with euro tanks and how much clearance do I need to function properly. That is do I have to have the tank built even higher and or the overflow lowered.

I really want whats best and pay now instead of later.

Thanks
Tony

 

[rvitko]

1) The waveboxe includes a controller, you would need one wavebox and one wavebox extension.

2)The best in my opinion is to get the waveboxes and a couple Streams. I don't think the waveboxes alone will cut it for SPS.

3)With the added extension expect a wave of nearly 2", without, you may get a 3/4" wave. You need to have room to accomodate such a wave.

 

[badbones]

Roger

If I go with the regular wavebox and decide to add the extension, what am I going to need and what pricing would I expect to pay for the extension.

I am planning on having 3 1" seaswirls mounted to the front of the tank for the sump return. These will blow onto the rock and keep things random. Incase you are thinking, I will have a refuge in my sump and a bypass to allow for more water flow. It will have slower flow thru the refuge, this way I can have a bigger return pump. make any sense?

With this, do you think I need streams. I really just dont want powerheads in the tank. Will make an exception for the wave box. Just want a very natural looking tank. I know you will see the seaswirls, but I had to make a sacrafice.

Thanks
Tony

 

[rvitko]

If you have the seaswirls running with more or less there max capacity they should be sufficient. The extension is just a wavebox without a controller and they run about $450, you just slave it off the controller that came with the wavebox.