Tide Simulator?

Wow! You got it all the way down to the cent! Cant wait to see how this contraption works!

 

IMHO the tub will not look good. I think you should go with something clear. Maybe glass, maybe plastic...?
But that is just my opinion.

 

hmmm...the tub is plastic. It's the same idea as those big tubs you get from Tractor Supply Co. that people use as frag tanks.

You won't see the bus tub except from above. The sides of the cabinet are going to cover the sides of the tub. There will be a top faceplate for the cabinet as well...

Though, I had thought about possibly having a front viewing panel.

 

I'm going to go with a mag 1.9 for the return pump. I should get some good flow from that. It's $36 new, but I will see if I can find one, used.

 

Btw..this is just going to be a look-down tank. It was inspired by my LFS's stock/ coral frag tank.

 

Hi, Sean--

Not to burst your balloon, but you're planning a shallow, top-down-view-only tide pool with lots of tide and wave action, correct? As exotic as it sounds, you might never see anything besides foam and water ripples. :-/

If you plan to continue and overcome that issue (or if I'm somewhere in left field), perhaps a float switch would help. That would allow for one pump to be controlled by the water level in the reserve tank (or sump). You'd just have to get the adjustment right for the on/off levels to match the low/high tide levels in the display pool.

 

Interesting concept. Subscribed.

 

I plan to use the Danner Mag Drive 1.9 return pump in my 10g sump. It will be the only pump for this tank. The high turnover rate (about 30x) compared to the total water volume (about 5 gallons after rock and sand are in tank) should give me some turbulence in the water.

Like Bama suggested, the sprinkler valve (if on a timer to open or close) will actually control the water/tide level.

When the sprinkler valve is closed, the tank will 'cycle' to the sump like a normal tank. When the valve is opened water will drain to the sump until the water in the DT (bus tub) reaches the level of the lower bulkhead. At this point water continues to cycle at this level until switched back...once valve is closed again, the return pump pumps water to the display tank until water level reached 'high tide' bulk head. From there water will cycle like a 'normal' tank again.

That's all fine and dandy. I do see a problem now with salinity level, as my ATO would be in the sump. If I take water from the sump, it will be topped off with freshwater (no salt). It sounds like I will need a conductivity meter...rather than a float switch for auto top off water.

Thanks.

 

Would there be some type of hose or nozzle I should connect to the return line that would best create the wave effect when tide rises?

Originally I was thinking about a spray bar. Now I think a flare nozzle would be better.

 

Ima have to agree with everyone on the smell factor haha. When you do water changes, it smells BAD. I don't think I could take that odor in my room daily, but hey you may not.