I need a timer that can be set to turn off and on about every 10 seconds. Anyone know of anything? Im trying to make a DIY wave box and if I can figure out the timer I will be able to do it and can post it on here! Ive searched and found nothing. Maybe someone can help me out. I found some scemeatics online for some but Im not smart enough to figure them out. Here it is and if your electronically inclined ill pay you to help me make it.

http://ealex.aqua-web.org/wavebox/circuit.htm

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=4793&N=2004+113782

...and I happen to have one for sale if you'd like to take it off my hands.

I dont know how long it would take for the wave box to empty, I need to do some calculations and figure that out. How much you want for it? I might get it just to play with.....

So I did some calculations and I need a timer that will be right around 7 seconds..........any thoughts?

I found this one also which makes more sense but I would have to use a Tunze. Let me know if anyone can make sense of the wiring diagram.

http://www.arofanatics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=250715

...and I happen to have one for sale if you'd like to take it off my hands.


How much would take it off your hands Tony? PM me please.

ahh... I just went and checked the box:
"Timing patterns from 20 seconds to 3 minutes"

Yeah, this is the MAJOR reason more people cant have a wavebox. Ive done alot of research and I just need to find someone with experience with circuits and that kinda stuff.

I built exactly what you are looking for a while back. You could actually hook it up to a laptop to set the intervals and stuff, but I scrapped it for parts already since i took down my 72G.

I could build a little box to do it, and it could be mass produced and sold if someone were inclined to. How much do you think a timer with some nice software to set it up with would go for?

===>DavidC

I can also build the boxes for very cheap and I think that you could sell them for a good amount IF you could set up a timer they didnt have to have hooked up to a laptop. Im very intrigued tho, what kind of setup are you talking about with the laptop? I have an extra one sittin around......

The Encore cycle timer (http://www.nationalgardenwholesale.com/detail.php?id=04_TI&prod=1663) may work for you? It has a 5 second (up to 30 min.) on cycle with a 5 minute (up to 8 hrs) off gap.

There is a strong possibility that will work........I just have heard you need to be able to time it down to milliseconds....Anyone have any experience with this who can help out?

look into DJ electronics equipment (not sure of brand names off the top of my head)... there's alot of timers and whatnot they use that are commonly finding their way into the aquarium hobby

Great Idea Tony, Thanks.

Why do you need such a short interval? So long as you time the wave one side and back, you can multiply the number and wave on that time frame. If it is 7 seconds, you can do 14, 21, etc. Probably a difused wave time in there, but can't imagine it is more than a second or two. Also keep in mind if you want that kind of precision, you will also need a motor that is that precise as well. DC motors running off of AC or AC motors don't have very fine control of when they stop and start back up some can be off by seconds. A DC motor running off AC with the timer between the converter would be best. That way the motor is instant on/off rather than having to spool up the capacitors of the invertor.

What I meant about the laptop is you plug it in to configure it, and then you don't need the laptop until next time you configure it. You can even have microsecond resolution if you want, it's easy, but there's really no point in sub-second timing.

I could also very easily do a small LCD screen attached to the timer, but it raises the cost. It would need a more complex microcontroller, more connectors, bigger circuit board, buttons to change the settings with, bigger power supply (if backlit), and finally an LCD that is $10 or more. The case would be more expensive too.

I can also do ethernet enabled, and probably even wireless network enabled timers. The main cost in there is development time. I have the equipment to develop just about any hardware/firmware you can imagine.

BUT

I think to get the system you are after, you should have a control mechanism that is not based on a timer. You should have feedback about the water level at the end of the tank where the wavebox is, and control the motor based on that.

It just so happens that I am currently testing my idea for monitoring water level that is safe and *practical* for the saltwater aquarium, unlike float switches in my opinion. I went on vacation for two weeks and used my idea to control a top-off pump with no problems other than running out of water :(

I can't tell how it works just yet, I might see if I can patent it in the context of aquarium use. Either way, I'll be selling them before long.