New Surge Method

OK I am building (and have been buidling for about 2 years now) a 48" square plywood tank. And I am planning on incorporating a surge device. The problem is that the bubbles are an issue and for various reasons I don't want to use the flapper.... So utilizing a Carlson surge, and coupling it with an idea from someone elses (Dan Willistein) I've come up with this:

The carlson surge empties in to a larger tube with a wider diameter, slowing the flow enough to allow the bubbles to dissapate. The flow is further slowed by the fact that the larger tube is constricted at the bottom. This double surge should be relatively failsafe, and eliminate or reduce bubbles to acceptable levels. Or thats the theory.

Please let me know if there's something I haven't thought of, or you can forsee a problem. Also feel free to give this a try if you'd like!

 

That is very interesting, I have never even begun to conceive of anything like that. After trying to visualize how it works I can't see how you can have a micro bubble problem with it, however I'm no expert. That is cool though. k+

 

have you made carlson style devices before?
i only ask because they're easy to screw up and i learned the hardway,for something so "simple" they can be aggravating..
i'm interested in your plywood tank! i would be worried a surge device would weaken it?
one of my favorite local restaraunts has a 900 ish gallon reef and all the flow is from an overhead 30 gallon surge that drains through a 3'' pipe, half the diameter is out of the water and other than the initial kick in and siphon break theres no bubbles that make they're way into the water column, i think you're design will keep the bubbles out but the flow is going to be severely limited and might even defeat the purpose,the rushing out of the air and backpressure is what makes such a powerful surge{siphon}work if i understand you're design it would be more like a drain than a surge?

 

I am going to tag along here. I like surges.

 

OK- sorry I've been gone for the holiday...

Yeah the surge will be less strong with the double chamber design, but I believe that all of the energy will be transferred effectively. I think it will be a slower start, but due to the restriction (smaller pipe) at the bottom of the "bubble settling chamber) a full siphon will develop and still be pushing the 18 gallons (my first design will use an 18 gallon surge) out into the display in a matter of seconds...

And, No I haven't built a carlson surge yet, but I believe I can get it right through my own research and a few friends that have them running now. As I have seen the most common poblem is people underestimating (actually overestimating) the pump needs... Here a smaller pump is better. It won't fire as often, but you won't have as many problem with equalization either... Basically the water running out through the carlson has to be MUCH faster than the water flowing in from the pump. In fact my first set up wil utilize only a mag 2.

Oh, additionally I feel far safer in a plywood tank, than an all glass tank. Plywood is infinitely more stong than glass. Deflection is better, elasticity is better, and even the way a PW tank is sealed a (compression seal) is far better for a surge than a glass tank....

 

i dug this up, matt hope you dont mind

http://www.3reef.com/forums/filters-etc/ultimate-wave-maker-29692.html
HowStuffWorks "How Wave Pools Work"

 

Glad to see you back posting Jason. How is the 1k tank doing??

 

Thanks Otty! Up and running with 2-35 gallon surges! Of course it's on a friends tank, but it's great! Mine will be much smaller, and I am not as partial to the bubbles as he is... He was going for the reef crest type theme, mine is more bommie reef patch reef type set up...

 

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