Wave Maker Vs. Glass!

[mr_X]

You would never need that kind of wave action in a home aquarium, and chances are, you wouldn't be able to keep corals alive in it. that video is an example of how their single pump can create waves, but let's see the surface doing that with a bunch of coral in the tank. It would be blowing all over the place. Sand would be everywhere.

 

[jeffaquarius]

Of course the video is in exageration but it's just to demonstrate my point.

 

[Mebbid]

My only problem with this is, if there was any appreciable effect by the action of wave makers, we would be seeing some evidence of it. Yes, it's going to put extra force against an aquarium wall; but between 3 different reefing forums I've never heard of a person having a tank failure when there wasn't a cause such as abuse to the tank.

 

[mr_X]

But the bottom line is would the silicone withstand whatever you were throwing at the corals....and the answer is yes.

 

[Gregcoyote]

In my usual too detailed engineering response, I was agreeing that you would have to go to extreme measures to break the seals. And even then they may not fail. But silicone does have a lifespan.


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[jeffaquarius]

Is this not an evidence enough that the seal can fail?

Fish tank bursts inside Downtown Disney restaurant | News - Home

.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Nobody ever said the contrary. That was a acrylic tank anyway wasn't it?


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[Mebbid]

Is this not an evidence enough that the seal can fail?

Fish tank bursts inside Downtown Disney restaurant | News - Home

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Agreed, nobody said a seal couldn't fail, but there are precipitating factors such as a fault in the tank manufacturing in the case you linked.

 

[jeffaquarius]

That's what I have been saying all along that the possibility of sealant failure is its quality and its lifespan. The contributing factor is when it is subjected to stress like the wave maker.

 

[Gregcoyote]

If your tank is fragile enough a wave maker set to even its highest level, blowing the rocks around, could be broken, I wouldn't want that tank holding back all that water in the first place. The example you showed shows the effect a MP40 (I think) can start a standing wave, but nobody does that in reality. It's just a demonstration. I am unaware of any tank breach due to wave maker stresses on record. But anything is possible.


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[jeffaquarius]

That's what Murphy's Law says. So if the tank seams can fail without even using a wave maker, what makes you think that it will not happen when using one?

 

[Mebbid]

That's what Murphy's Law says. So if the tank seams can fail without even using a wave maker, what makes you think that it will not happen when using one?

Bottom line, there's not nearly enough information to form any sort of conclusion about this. With tank seal failures being a 1 in a million occurrence as it is, there's absolutely no chance of accurately gauging the point you're trying to make.

It's like saying "If I remove 1lb of weight from my car it will accelerate faster, get better gas mileage, and last longer." Sure it will, but the difference is so infinitesimal, what's the point of even saying it?

 

[jeffaquarius]

It's an "ounce of prevention" because I don't believe the wave maker is necessary at all. Ocean nutrients are delivered by ocean current which is in 1 direction and not by oscillating waves at the surface.

 

[Gregcoyote]

I disagree. The to and fro motion from the surge helps with gas exchange. Flow is one of the most important aspects of keeping most corals alive.


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[jeffaquarius]

Gas exchange can be achieved without a to and fro motion. Before reef keepers never have such wave makers but were still successful. It is about water circulation.

 

[Gregcoyote]

That's what I said Jeff, it's about flow and the type of flow. You are looking for an argument we aren't going to have.


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[jeffaquarius]

Actually Greg everything I said is being disagreed upon by everyone and I am just responding. The last one is about the flow which you specifically mentioned to be the swinging of the waves to be a to and fro. What I said about circulation is not necessarily a back and forth of water but a continuous slight turbulence of water.

 

[Gregcoyote]

That's okay Jeff.


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[Gregcoyote]

It's the critical thinkers like you, Dary and X that I enjoy discussions with. I am only sure of a few select things, everything else is up to debate.


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[jeffaquarius]

Does anyone knows where the rogue waves come from?