Salt Water Fish Tank Wave Controller
For Use with Tunze Pumps
This project came by when I was asked if I could build a controller shown on ReefCentral.com. After looking at all the diagrams that were shown I decided to get started in making a more elaborate controller. The controllers shown were good for one or more pumps but they would all be turned on and off at the same time. I wanted to change this so you could use two pumps that would be located on opposite sides of the fish tank to get a large wave. In doing this I came up with making two separate 555 timer circuits and then tune them into each other to make the waves needed. Once thinking about this I then came up with the idea to add a switch to the controller to allow more control of pump 2. Any one that has tried to tune in two pumps separately and make them work opposite of each other would tell you that that could be very difficult. So I included a cross-over control circuit. The made pump two operate in two different formats. One would be independent from pump one's controller, the other would make is controlled by pump one's controller but just opposite timing. By this I mean that when selected by the switch, pump two would turn on when pump one was off. Since the controller is made to have an equal time on and off this was perfect. In turn this would make them work together but opposite timing.
Please note that this is a work in progress. I have one small bug in the circuit. Pump two does not completely turn off during its normal cycle. Testing shows that it works fine though and have produced 2.5 + inch waves. I believe I know what the problem is and will note it once I verify. Thanks
I will give as much data as possible to make this project easy for replication. Most of the parts you can get easily from local stores. I have also included many pictures as I find this to be very helpful when I am building.
The Schematic
Click on the image for a printable copy.
The parts list
Tunze Pump Controller Parts List
Part #
Description
Amount Needed
Radio Shack
Resistors
10
1
Purchase
22
1
271-312
47
1
for all
82
1
resistors
150
1
needed
10k
2
1k
4
1M
1
1M Potentiometer
2
271-0211
4.7k
3
Capacitor
.1 uF
2
272-1069
.47 uF
2
10 uF
2
272-1025
Diode
1N4001
1
276-1101
Transistors
2N4403
2
2N2222
1
Chips
555 Timer
2
276-1718
4N25
Opto Coupler
1
Misc.
Green LED
2
276-304
PC Board
1
276-148
Project Box
1
270-1805
Knobs for Pots.
2
274-415
Din Cable
2
42-2151
Stereo Jack
2
274-0249
Stereo Plug
2
274-0284
Switch
2 pole switch
1
275-403
Click Here to download the PDF file of this for printing.
Most of these parts are generic and can be interchanged. There are 2 transistors used and they need to have a rating of at least 600mA. If you go to Radio shack and purchase the package listed as 2n2222 you are not actually getting 2n2222's. They are all the same type NPN, but they have different ratings for the current draw. Would be better to get 2n2222 and 2n4403 that are the actual thing and not a replacement with different values.
Construction Pictures
For pictures and a diagram of the cable click here.
Here is one of the two boards used inside the controller for the pumps.
This image is for general use. Your sent up may look different than this on the bottom. As you can see I prefer to make my own traces using solder.
Here is one of the two boards mounted inside the controller box. The three connectors you see on the right are the stereo jacks that are used to connect the controller to the pumps with the cables that I used.
Here is the complete look inside the box with both control circuits installed. One thing that I did use that is optional is the sockets for the 555 timer chips. This way if one goes bad you can replace it without unsoldering your connections. They are inexpensive and very handy.
Here is just another view.
This is the back side of the lid to the controller. The two silver disks are the bottoms of the potentiometers. Below them in the picture is the two leds used to indicate the timing of the circuits. Now in the center of the lid you can see a small chip. This is the 4N25 chip, this is an opto coupler. This is what links the two controllers together so they can work as one. In this chip is a small light and sensor. When electricity is applied to the side with the led, it turns the led on and the sensor then closes the connection on the other side. This is used to keep both pumps on separate power supplies. This will keep it that if one pump goes band the other should not be damaged since light is the only link between.
This is another angle of the top. There is a small transistor also used with the chip on the right. This is on the output of the chip to amplify the signal more to pump two.
Here is the final project completed.
If you have any questions about this please email me or log onto www.reefcentral.com and join the discussion group.