Reef-Rat 1.0 DIY Oscillating Return

[ReefVan]

Thanks to all for the warm welcome,

Picked up a 2 rpm gear-motor today for trials. Hope to get a 4 rpm gear-motor in 2 weeks for the qual-test unit. Already have a 8 rpm unit, but I'm not willing yet to hack a huge hole in my case just for this oversize motor.

Want to accelerate the wear of 1 year of service down to a matter of a few months so as to keep ahead of you guys with mods if anything pops up in the short term.

[reefburnaby]

Reefvan,

After looking at my notes from last year, I think there is another way around the Sea Swirl patent. Yah...I am trying to build a motorized revolving water spout for aquarium applications

The patent is really split in to two parts : one part is for the linkage and motor and the other is for the rotating column with perpendicular inputs/outputs. I am try to kill the second part...the first part is kind of lame.

The proposal is to replace the o-ring/teflon/revolving column with multiple silicon tubing. This alone will break the patent...but its not quite strong enough to hold up in court.

Next step....unbend the 90 degree elbows. So, the output nozel still rotates like the original, but the water source does not go through two elbows (which I hated). The silicon tubing handles the difference in the height and the coupling between the inlet tubing and revolving nozel. Of course, the limitation is the range the nozel can rotate at and the bi-annual replacement of silicon tubing. The pluses are the reduced mechanical friction(good for motor) and replacement of two hard 90 degree elbows with one gradual flexible elbow (low head loss).

I am going to build one of these in the future, but I figured I should share. So, what do you think ?

- Victor.

[ReefVan]

Hi reefburnaby,

As far as the linkage and motor goes, all the major car manufacturers already had that one figured out long ago. Its a typical wiper motor mechanism array with gear-motor and linkages. :P

So lets strike that patent infringement off the list.

For the rotating outer tube, it may be more challenging. As for the 90 degree inlet and outlet, give me a break! You can't patent that.

You can't patent a function, only an implementation. As long as no one challenges it in court the patent stands, in the U.S that is.

The challenge is the outer tube oscillating around the fixed inner tube, neat idea but not entirely the biggest innovation ever. Hose reel, lawn sprinkler, irrigation spouts, etc, etc, etc.

I think your approach has great potential, albeit lots of wear problems and maintenance. If you wish, please sketch out your design and e-mail it to me, we'll take it from there.

Van

[stephane]

Hey Van nice to see you here budy!

[ReefVan]

Update time,

Had some spare time on my hands this weekend so I finished up this project to 99.9%. The only thing left is to get a better linkage at an RC hobby shop, no that doesn't mean Reef Central, and run it in the test bin for a few weeks.

Pics for your enjoyment...

Finished Unit - Side


Finished Unit - Frontal


Drive Mechanism - 1


Drive Mechanism - 2


Drive Mechanism -3


Nice cheap Rotating Returns...

Van 8)

[ReefVan]

Hi again,

Thought I'd let you see some of the close-up pics to further peak your curiousity...

This one has all fixed plumbing and use a swivel-action jet nozzle to divert the flow. Got the idea from some jet-boats I'd seen, figured why shouldn't it work in an aquarium with a good high flow pump.

This project gathered dust until my reef-buddies wouldn't stop bugging me for one of their own.

Should cost about $40 to build if you use a surplus motor and got some spare parts laying about, and $75-100 if you go out and buy a retail gear-motor and a few things. Beats paying $200 for a you know what...

Design Details
- Reef-Rat 1.0 sweeps through a full 90° arc
- It has a 1.0" pvc piping configuration with no reducers
- Contained in a versatile Serpac S-Series Model #273 electronic enclosure
- The only external moving parts are Jet-nozzle and associated Drive shaft assembly
- There are no O-rings or seals to leak or wear inside the enclosure
- A universal, low profile male threaded adapter is installed on top to accept your desired fitting configuration
- Included is an on/off power switch to stop jet-nozzle in any position for feeding or service
- Any length of Jet-nozzle feed pipe, (vertical pipe) approx 3"-10", can be custom fit to suit your application
- Unit can easily be adapted to acrylic tanks as well as all glass tanks
- Optional use of a 1, 2, or 4 rpm syncronous gear-motor in the drive design allows user defined flexibility



Frontal view of unit with Jet-Nozzle at 0 degree position



Side view of unit with Jet-Nozzle at 0 degree position



Angle view of unit with Jet-Nozzle at 0 degree position



Side view of unit with Jet-Nozzle at 45 degree position



Bottom view of unit with Jet-Nozzle at 45 degree position



Reef-Rat with cousin Sea-Squirrel of RC fame, also my avatar!

[stephane]

Hey Van!

Can I be you first customer! call me I need some for my new farm

[dbdavid]

Hi Reefvan, great looking DIY.

I have a question, if the oscillating nozzle was a little larger in diameter while keeping the internal pipe the same size do you think you would get more flow (i.e. an eductor effect)?

Keep up the great work!

[ReefVan]

dbdavid,

Good deduction about the eduction, hehe!!

Seriously, it did cross my mind the other day but I thought that the exiting flow pressure was probably too low to have any effect.

Would make for a great discussion though.

Van

[StirCrazy]

Hey Van I was going to e-mail you and ask how the testing was going, or if it is done yet, but I figured I might as well just ask here

Steve