matrixnyc
12-18-2002, 11:24 PM
Poor Man's Wave Maker
Speaking of timers, if you like gadgets that are truly helpful, but not the expensive ones, then here's a "poor man's" wave maker: You can make an easy wave maker substitute by using appliance timers on your power heads. For example, on a 75 gallon tank you could use MaxiJet 1000 power heads in both back corners shooting water rapidly across the surface almost at the front center of your reef. These two power heads would be connected to $8 appliance timers. Intermatic makes this timer (sold at Home Depot and other hardware stores) which has 48 gray pins around the outer edge of the dial. Set the two timers to come on for a half hour then off for a half hour. Set them on partially overlapping cycles to create 4 variations in aquarium water flow! One motion is when both are on and one then both are off and the other two when each has a short time when it is on by itself.
A third power head could be positioned in one back corner and shooting water across the back surface of the aquarium. This third power head may or may not be put on a timer. Be sure to use good power heads like MaxiJets that can stand up to constant on and off cycles. Some power heads can take this and some can't put up with wave maker cycles. These cheaper timers have also been reported by some to not hold up for very long and others have had good luck with them. Intermatic also has a better timer that is electronic and has a digital display. It costs about $25 and has more on and off settings and is very durable.
By: Tom Miller
Speaking of timers, if you like gadgets that are truly helpful, but not the expensive ones, then here's a "poor man's" wave maker: You can make an easy wave maker substitute by using appliance timers on your power heads. For example, on a 75 gallon tank you could use MaxiJet 1000 power heads in both back corners shooting water rapidly across the surface almost at the front center of your reef. These two power heads would be connected to $8 appliance timers. Intermatic makes this timer (sold at Home Depot and other hardware stores) which has 48 gray pins around the outer edge of the dial. Set the two timers to come on for a half hour then off for a half hour. Set them on partially overlapping cycles to create 4 variations in aquarium water flow! One motion is when both are on and one then both are off and the other two when each has a short time when it is on by itself.
A third power head could be positioned in one back corner and shooting water across the back surface of the aquarium. This third power head may or may not be put on a timer. Be sure to use good power heads like MaxiJets that can stand up to constant on and off cycles. Some power heads can take this and some can't put up with wave maker cycles. These cheaper timers have also been reported by some to not hold up for very long and others have had good luck with them. Intermatic also has a better timer that is electronic and has a digital display. It costs about $25 and has more on and off settings and is very durable.
By: Tom Miller