REAL benefits of a WAVE machine?

[snowmansnow]

OK. here is what I know about the Tunze 6212 besides the fact that it is kinda big.

1- They make cool "looking" waves in the tank

2- Stuff sways in the movement

3- Polyp extension MAY be better

4- fish look cool in it

OK.. IMO these things are VERY minor as it pertains to helping the tank function better in any way.

What are some other benefits?

I have a chance to pick up a Tunze 6212 (the big one) with 2 Tunze magnet holders for $400 shipped. Its a great deal, but I don't want it if its just for looks.

What do you guys think?

B

 

[snowmansnow]

ya i could see even less benefit WITHOUT corals in there

 

[weaglereefer]

While it's not used for the regular flow of the tank, it does help keep detrius in suspension so it can be filtered out.

 

[smoothie]

It helps eliminate dead spots, causes a more natural reef flow, and keeps the detritus suspended in the water column longer giving it more time to get filtered out

 

[snowmansnow]

hmm i may bite on this deal then

 

[weaglereefer]

What size tank is it for? I think the nano wavebox is good for like 140 gallons, so you may not need the big one.

Or you could get the stream pump separately and DIY a controller, and come out around $200.

 

[mojo]

It makes you feel seasick while watching it... I guess that could be considered a benefit, depending on what you're trying to get out of doing....

 

[weaglereefer]

Haha, I don't get seasick, and my canopy comes down below the top trimline, plenty low enough to hide any of the water's surface at the bottom of the wave.

 

[smoothie]

agentgreen;412377 wrote: Not to hijack thread, but, if you had one of these wave devices and a closed loop, would you need any other pumps in the tank?

Depends on the position of the returns and the power of the closed loop.
Oceansmotions makes a great product for this on a multi return setup

 

[weaglereefer]

If your closed loop provides enough flow, I don't know why you'd need other powerheads.

If you have an acrylic tank, you can even have the wave box built on the outside of it so it's not in the tank, all you'd see is the circular holes for the pumps. I'd imagine if your tank was wide you'd need multiple waveboxes.

 

[james s_]

andregarcia_73;412289 wrote: My new tank has 2 tunze's built in and I don't even know if I will use them. It may not work for my application. FOWLR and to add to that its a shark tank so it may not even be compatible but either way just tagging along.

They work great and add alot of flow to the tank.. I can tell you that just two of them will move all the water volume in your tank, as it does in mine, so it is a cheap way (efficiently) of getting some water movement in large tanks.. You dont have to run them as a wave either, just turn the dial a bit and they will produce whichever type of flow you prefer..

I would get your closed loop running first and the return pump flowing and see where your at with flow...

 

[ichthyoid]

SnowManSnow;412281 wrote: OK. here is what I know about the Tunze 6212 besides the fact that it is kinda big.

1- They make cool "looking" waves in the tank

2- Stuff sways in the movement

3- Polyp extension MAY be better

4- fish look cool in it

OK.. IMO these things are VERY minor as it pertains to helping the tank function better in any way.

What are some other benefits?

I have a chance to pick up a Tunze 6212 (the big one) with 2 Tunze magnet holders for $400 shipped. Its a great deal, but I don't want it if its just for looks.

What do you guys think?

B

Don't forget the importance also of -
-increased water circulation around tissues which directly affects gas/nutrient exchanges, and availability of planktors which may not by themselves sustain corals, but have shown they 'male the difference' in nature, and
-decreases sedimentation, perhaps the most important contribution, as this allows the zooplankton continued access to sunlight.

for more on this, the links below are of interest...

http://www.swandiving.com/swanblog/coralreefs.html">http://www.swandiving.com/swanblog/coralreefs.html</a>

[IMG]http://www.aslo.org/lo/toc/vol_15/issue_4/0579.pdf">http://www.aslo.org/lo/toc/vol_15/issue_4/0579.pdf</a>

 

[ichthyoid]

that should read..."makes the difference"