Wavemaker in Fish only tank ... is it essential ??

Wavemaker in Fish only tank ... is it essential ??
... can it be substituted with something else?
...... what is its role and how to adjust it after buying?

 

not essential, wave makers are for reef tanks that have coarl that feed off of currents, other than keeping strong swimmers happy they really dont "need" to be in a FO tank, that being said, it is nice because your fish will have teh illusion of swimming in the ocean, with variying currents and what not. if you dont want to spend the money on a "wave maker" just get a couple smaller powerheads and point them in random directions inside your tank.

 

Most of our 14 FOWLR setups have some type of current alternator running. The fish we keep eat foods that are fairly oily at times, and this oil can actually begin to form a "slick" on the water surface. The alternation breaks up this oil slick, which is then sucked into the sump and removed by the skimmer.

As mentioned, it also helps the fish with random flows as opposed to continuous laminar flow.

 

+1 to this!

 

another option to buying a wavemaker though is set up couple different powerheads and aim one of them to bounce off the glass, another in a different direction, etc. Make sure though that one of them is pointed to the surface of the water, causing a rippling effect. Will help with oxygenation and ph

 

i find wavemakes as a whole unnecessary. i usually just place a few powerheads in my tank at strategic places. especially for a fowlr a wavemaker is entirely unneeded.

 

Also the flow will help keep algae and ditritus from settling on the rocks and sand.

 

By adding "a few PH's" to your setup, you've for all intents and purposes added a "static" (laminar flow) wavemaker, so I wouldn't say "entirely unneeded". You obviously recognize the need for supplemental flow in many FOWLRs. My point is that random flow is better in general than laminar flow for pretty much any given system.

As schackmel pointed out, PH's can produce a somewhat randomized flow by aiming them into or across each other.

Is a wavemaker absolutely needed? Nope, but they do help.

 

Did he say 14 tanks!!!!????? and I thought I was addicted!!! LOL

 

We're trying to cut down...as some of our fish grow out, we'll be losing some setups. I have one fish I need to move as I type this.