Waveboxes

[tonep]

Just wondering what peoples opinion is of the Tunze wavebox or a DIY version.

 

[ClosetFishGeek]

This may interest you.....:splitspin

http://wave2k.com/reviews.htm

 

[tonep]

Has anyone used the wave2K?
It seams very interesting.

 

[cali_reef]

This may interest you.....:splitspin

http://wave2k.com/reviews.htm

I think that article has to be about 6 or 7 years old..

Tunze Wavebox is a pretty cool concept and device. I've used one for almost 4 years on a 150 gallon tank, only did a cleaning once in that time.

I have played with a Wave2K and seen about 4-5 of them in various tanks, poeple always complained about the belt slipping after a few months or the jack screw slipping.. I have not met a happy user.

There are other ways to get a 'wave action" in a tank now, Tunze Streams on a aquacontroller and Vortecs can do a better job without the box.

 

[albano]

I have played with a Wave2K and seen about 4-5 of them in various tanks, poeple always complained about the belt slipping after a few months or the jack screw slipping.. I have not met a happy user.

meet another Unhappy user...had 2, sold 1, 1 still available (not in use), belt slips, gears bind, motor is noisy, and for the record this was returned and rebuilt/updated by manufacturer, NOT worth it, also have tunze wavebox available,good unit, but I'm sticking with 3 vortecs in my 450g !

 

[E.intheC]

I saw the Tunze wavebox in action on a 180 gallon.. it was great. It was a bit loud, and took up too much real estate for me personally, but it's definitely a cool device.

If I were given $400 to spend on powerheads only; I'd buy a Vortech MP40. Just my 2 cents.

 

[cali_reef]

I saw the Tunze wavebox in action on a 180 gallon.. it was great. It was a bit loud, and took up too much real estate for me personally, but it's definitely a cool device.

If I were given $400 to spend on powerheads only; I'd buy a Vortech MP40. Just my 2 cents.

Wave maker is not simply a powerhead, nor does one replace the need to have a pump for circulation of water in a tank.

 

[dickenscd]

Wavebox takes too much space even in my 225G tank. Meanwhile, any corals within 6" of the pump will be blasted to death. There is a pump in the wavebox, you are inviting problems if you don't clean it once a year.

Ocean Motion + wavysea + 1/4" lockline nozzle without powerhead or Tunze Stream will be my favorate setup.

James

 

[pecan2phat]

Wavebox will create a wave/swaying motion easier then 2 tunzes on an Aquasurf or 2 Vortechs on alternating pulse mode.
But with a wavebox, you still need either Tunzes, Vortechs or other powerheads to achieve laminar water movement.

 

[cali_reef]

Wavebox takes too much space even in my 225G tank. Meanwhile, any corals within 6" of the pump will be blasted to death. There is a pump in the wavebox, you are inviting problems if you don't clean it once a year.

Ocean Motion + wavysea + 1/4" lockline nozzle without powerhead or Tunze Stream will be my favorate setup.

James

I had it in a 150g tank, few people did not know it was even in there when they first visit. Maybe you did a poor job of camouflaging it. Why would you put any coral 6 inch in front of a running pump ? Do you have any coral 6 inch away from your OM outlets?

Again, I had one running for almost 4 years and I cleaned it ONCE, that was due to the fact I wanted to redo the tank and everything came out for a cleaning.

Here is a video of a wavebox on a 300g tank, can your Ocean Motion + wavysea + 1/4" lockline produce the same back and forward motion?

Wave Box in a 300G

BTW, OM with a sand bottom tank is truly "problem inviting".

 

[dickenscd]

Since Wavebox has to be on top of the tank, regardless how hard I tried to hide or camouflage, you still can see it. Can't you see part of the black box on the left top corner of the following picture?

The life of pump in the wavebox will be shortened if you do not clean it periodically. Actually, I found a lot of stuff growing inside the pump and box when I clean it once very 6 month.

Yes, I have quite a few corals within 6" of the OM outlets which consists of eight 1/4" lockline nozzles with different directions. Because it is only 1/4" and I can adjust directions, it is not as damaging as the huge outlets from Wavebox or Tunze Stream powerhead.

OM can generate similar but not exactly the same type of wave created by Wavebox.

I have both OM and Wavebox in the same tank, you may attend the next LIRA meeting and compare them by yourself.


James

 

[pecan2phat]

you may attend the next LIRA meeting and compare them by yourself.
James

Don't think this will happen anytime soon, ask emelton :lol2:

 

[Bob 1000]

I have manage to hold off on getting a tunze wave box for a while but I think I might add a new toy to my system,lol.. ????????????????????????????
Can a aqua controller 3 control the wavebox to the point where I can get that kind of wave? If I decide to get one I'll just make some my rock to cover the box.. Glue some frags to it and call it a day..

 

[pecan2phat]

AC3 alone cannot control Tunzes without the Aqua Surf module. Waveboxes come standard with the controller so why would you want to use your AC3 with it?

 

[Bob 1000]

Oh okay, thanks Warren.. Do you think my piano tank would work out with a box..

 

[NYreefNoob]

albano has a tunze wavebox, i messed with it in a tub, it does produce a nice wave to it. for me id rather spend 400 on a vortech, but then again i have a smaller tank, the tunze wasnt loud at all,

 

[Bob 1000]

ty Rick,lol.. I'm close to getting one just don't want to destroy my tank.. I did just resilicone it.. Will that help out the life of the tank guys??

 

[albano]

albano has a tunze wavebox, i messed with it in a tub

THANKS, it took me hours to clean out the bubble bath residue!:tub:

 

[NYreefNoob]

lol wrong tub, bob i dont have a tank long enough to get the wave going only reason it wasnt for me

 

[cali_reef]

Since Wavebox has to be on top of the tank, regardless how hard I tried to hide or camouflage, you still can see it. Can't you see part of the black box on the left top corner of the following picture?

The life of pump in the wavebox will be shortened if you do not clean it periodically. Actually, I found a lot of stuff growing inside the pump and box when I clean it once very 6 month.

Yes, I have quite a few corals within 6" of the OM outlets which consists of eight 1/4" lockline nozzles with different directions. Because it is only 1/4" and I can adjust directions, it is not as damaging as the huge outlets from Wavebox or Tunze Stream powerhead.

OM can generate similar but not exactly the same type of wave created by Wavebox.

I have both OM and Wavebox in the same tank, you may attend the next LIRA meeting and compare them by yourself.


James

How does your overflow boxes look like? those bother you too? I would Imagen 8 lockline outlets on the surface of the tank should be an announce in your standards as well.

I have seen custom tanks where the use of external overflow box also incorporates a space for the wave box, everything is hidden. You should look into that if you don't want to see any mechanical devices in a "glass box".

Sponges and feather duster grows great inside the dark wave box, a pretty natural fit. I hardly think those critters would shorten the life of a pump, when compared to a normal Tunze. The pump in the Wavebox operates on full speed to 0 speed cycle, unlike most Tunzes used as a powerhead, hence it has a better cooling characteristic and less calcification of the magnet rotor. My observation is based on running 6 regular tunzes and few wave boxs in the last 3 years. I only clean the Tunze pumps when the alarm comes on, so I have seen the maximum calcification before each cleaning.

I like the part about "not as damaging".. You said any coral in front of the wave box will be blasted to death.. You mean you are not putting corals directly in front of the locline nozzles? The outlet of the wavebox is 2.5" circle, I can't see any reason you can't avoid placing corals 6" in front of it while you have no problem moving loclines around. BTW, what kind of pump is used with the OM and 1/4" nozzles? 1/4" does not provide much flow, even eight of them.

I have never seen a standard OM equipped tank making a significant wave motion, maybe your tank is special and you should shot some videos of that to share.
In any case, I don't need to attend a LIRA meeting to see your tank, as I own a few tanks which uses multiple Tunzes, OM, sea swirls, wave2K, and other water movement devices to form my own opinions.


And LIRA board is a bunch fame (in some cases, money) grabbing individuals, the worst club I have ever got involved with.