alasg001 Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 (edited) I am looking into purchasing a wavemaker for my 55 gallon tank. I was wondering if there are any reefers on the site that use one on the same sized tank as mine. I dont really want huge surface movement, but am interested more on movement all around the tank water beneath the surface and around the rocks and corals. Is that possible? The three companies I am looking into are the Koralia, Tunze, and Vortec, but am open to suggestions for other types of units. Any helpful advice would be appreciated from those who actually have seen them at work, or have hands on experience with them. The easier to use and setup the better. Thanks in advance. Edited March 22, 2009 by alasg001 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindside Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 I'm working towards getting myself a vortech, woo man, they are nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mcallahan Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 are you wanting a wave box - to make a standing wave in your tank, or a wave maker that turns on and off separate powerheads at set time intervals? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caferacermike Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 I've spent about $1,000 on different pumps from manufacturers like Tunze and Vortech. I will not buy anything other than the Tunze wavebox again. Period. It's that good. The continuous movement in the tank scrubs every surface clean and won't allow any detritus to settle in the back or under the rock work. It has even sifted all the old snail shells from the sand bed and caused them to rise to the surface and collect in one corner of the tank. I even had my Tunze 6060 pump running for about 2 weeks after adding the wavebox and removed it because the wavebox did a much better job by itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reeferRob Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Hey Mike, What length tank was that, I am looking to get more wave/flow in my 215g and I was considering the same 3 alasg001 was asking about, although I was considering 2 x 6105s GEN II on a wavemaker to replace my 2 x 6100s VS adding a wavebox. Was leaning toward the 2 x 6105s GEN II as to not have the HUGE wavebox in my tank. Pros? Cons? Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caferacermike Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Standard 75g. 48x18x20. Not only do I have 1 but 2 Waveboxes. I have another one for my 400g tank at 84x33x36. 1 wavebox on a 215 is killer because you can make a much nicer wave than I can on my 75g. On a 215 you might still want a couple of Streams pointed around just to up the amount of GPH of the flow. The wavebox will still do a killer job by itself. My Girl got me one for Xmas a couple of years back for the 400g and I then went straight back to Aquatek to buy another one. I wanted 2 waveboxes and 2 7200's on that tank. Bruce sent me home empty handed and swears that the one wavebox will do the job by itself. Someday when I get the foundation on our home repaired I will find out if he was right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reeferRob Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Cool thanks! I know the wavebox is what I need, I just don't like the idea of that big thing in my tank. But I may just have to bite the bullet - a new wavebox it is!! Thanks Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chark Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 If you get the new Nano Wavebox you should be able to put it on the back of the tank pointed forward. It is smaller than the regular wavebox and will not look so big in the back. Also the nano wavebox is cheaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caferacermike Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 It won't work pointed forward. The principal is set so that it works better the longer the tank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chark Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 On RC Tunze forum they post all the time about it facing front: Reef Central Tunze Forum Nano Wavebox Cecil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caferacermike Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 I did not read anywhere in that post were somebody was actually espousing the virtues of running it front to back, it was merely a suggestion to try it. I don't know. I mena I actually own a few of them and run them in my tanks, but hey what do I know right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GKarshens Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 I am running mine on the back glass pointing forward and the wave is just as big as when it was on the side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caferacermike Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 Interesting Gabe. The Tunze site explains all about the resonance concept and how the fact is that a longer tank produces a better wave. I've seen it first hand. The 8'' tank at Kingfish can produce about a 4-5" tall wave and on my 4' tank I can only produce a 1.5" wave. I was quoted that on my 7' tank I should be able to reproduce a 4" wave and if I'm not careful I could cause it to overflow right on out of the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caferacermike Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 On this page here, http://www.tunze.com/149.html?&L=1&...r_tunzeprod_pi1[predid]=-infoxunter016 Tunze recommends placing the wavebox in the longitudinal axis (length wise in normal speak). "Can the Wavebox be integrated in the decoration completely ? For perfect wave formation and circular current, we recommend positioning the water outlet in direction of the longitudinal axis of the aquarium. The decoration, such as corals, should be located at least 50 cm (19 in.) away from the water outlet." Not sure why the page does not open directly but you can find the information by clicking on "stream pumps" and then "waveboxes". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don duncan Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Does any one have any experience with the Ecotech Marine VorTech Propeller Pump with Wireless Wave Driver Gen2 . I have a tunze wave box and I am not impressed. I would like more flow. I have 2 korilla 4 and the wave box Some of my Milli is not fully extending, and I suspect water flow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caferacermike Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 I had an older Vortech, the kind that was in and out of the tank. I hated it. It kept falling apart and while the pump was still spinning it would blow dust everywhere. I hated having to fish it out about once every other day. It only lasted 3 weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GKarshens Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 I have never tried to get a 4" wave with mine. It would be splashing out of the tank. I was only getting about a 1.5-2" wave before with it on the long side. I heard about putting it on the back glass and tried it. It was a little harder to get the right frequency but I now have about a 1.5-2" wave with it on the back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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