What a let down from Koralia - Page 5

dahcmed · 11/26/2008, 07:38 AM

Anyone successful in making control circuit for the 12V koralias?
I've recently purchased the K1 12V, and had it running off a step-down transformer on a 12VAC. Seems the flow is at minimum at this setting.
I'm thinking of using a dc-to-ac converter and churn up the frequency beyond 60Hz but am afraid to damage the pump, and somebody here also mentioned about adjusting the amplitude not just frequency.

jm82792 · 09/17/2009, 03:55 PM

Sorry to ask but.
I bought a arduino and am hoping to utilize PWM to control them.
People have tried it on full duty AC and DC,
I think there might be some smarts to the pump and it needs PWM to work, kind off a feature to keep people like us from not buying the controller/easy DIY.
So from what I've concluded from reading this whole thread is PWM will work right ?

I'm 17 and would much rather control koralias then spend $400 on a vortech since when ti's done once it can be done again if you will.

NeveSSL · 09/17/2009, 06:34 PM

I would imagine you may be happier with the time you WOULDN'T have to spend on Vortechs, though. Its up to you, but I'm now planning on buying Vortechs.

Brandon

Stanley-Reefer · 09/17/2009, 06:41 PM

Why don't you get the magnum pumps and a Red Sea Wavemaster....

jm82792 · 09/17/2009, 08:00 PM

Basically I'm younger(17, I've kept a reef since I was 15),
I'm pretty smart (I have many other shortfalls Lol) and want a fun project and the arduino as a wavemaker sounds great.
If I could simply buy a wave makerand use koralias without them breaking down, and have such control that I can counter sync with two of them to make vortech waves I wouldn't be asking but that isn't the case.

I could easily just add a relay to the arduino($30) and do on and off applications like the red sea wavemaker but I want to do more with it.

The biggest practicalities involved with the implementation of using say arduino is that you can use relatively cheap controllable koralias,
and get vortech features while spending $120(LCD, potentiometer dials) project box, power supply etc) tops for the controller, power supply and stuff for a simple FET circuit to control the pumps while isolating the power from the controller.

I have never coded but after looking at some example I
think I can learn it, arduino's programing language is supposedly one of the easiest to learn plus I'm only doing a few tasks.

NeveSSL · 09/17/2009, 08:05 PM

I understand. I build tube guitar amps.

I'm just getting older and time is becoming more scarce, so DIY is sometimes taking a back-burner.

Have fun! And document the crap out of whatever you do!

Brandon

jm82792 · 09/17/2009, 08:21 PM

Yea I know what you mean,
been chopping things down since college is coming and such.

Well best case I get it working,
have a few dials like pulses per minute,
length, transistion smoothness from off to full power to back off(or something),
maximum pulse peak power,2 pump syc and maybe a graph showing how much power is being put into the pumps.
Then you'd follow a pretty simple schematic,
solder it then load the code onto the arduino.

First off I'll use LEDs and use them as pumps,
using PWM to dim them and do the timing tests on them.

yaksaredabomb · 03/25/2014, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jm82792

Yea I know what you mean,
been chopping things down since college is coming and such.

Well best case I get it working,
have a few dials like pulses per minute,
length, transistion smoothness from off to full power to back off(or something),
maximum pulse peak power,2 pump syc and maybe a graph showing how much power is being put into the pumps.
Then you'd follow a pretty simple schematic,
solder it then load the code onto the arduino.

First off I'll use LEDs and use them as pumps,
using PWM to dim them and do the timing tests on them.

Hi jm82792, did you ever get something up and running or experiment with this any more?

Did anyone else?

Thanks!

Jacob

odwyerpw · 10/08/2020, 06:02 PM

Hi folks. I'm resurrecting this thread.
I have 5 of these Koralia Nano 12v Controllable Pumps. I intend to use 4 of them, however, not as you would imagine. They will go into 4 aquariums (1 ea in a 20L planted aquarium).

What I would like to do is simply Turn them on for 5 minutes once a week prior to automatic water changes just to drive any detritus off of the sand/gravel into the water column so that it is more likely to get flushed with the outgoing water (about a 30% water change).

I don't need speed control. I don't need rapid on/off performance. My thought is can I just run them off of a doorbell transformer (16v AC) and switch that via a relay.

I had wanted to run them constantly at a slower speed to create a little more water movement as the water from my sump enters at the far end and travels accross the 30" length before exiting out of drilled bulkheads at that top. I thought running one of these pumps might help eliminate potential deadspots... Then just prior and during water changes, I wanted to really kick them up to a high speed for a few minutesto slightly stir things up...

I've given up on speed control and will settle for on/off once a week (I already own them, so I might as well use them).

Any thoughts?

09/17/2009, 06:34 PM	#103
NeveSSL Got tubes? Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 6,759	I would imagine you may be happier with the time you WOULDN'T have to spend on Vortechs, though. Its up to you, but I'm now planning on buying Vortechs. Brandon __________________ I am proof that post count is not directly proportional to "reef IQ". Zip Ties = Reef Duck Tape Geek it till it MHz!!! Current Tank Info: 180g Build in Process

09/17/2009, 08:00 PM	#105
jm82792 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Big Island Hawaii Posts: 81	Basically I'm younger(17, I've kept a reef since I was 15), I'm pretty smart (I have many other shortfalls Lol) and want a fun project and the arduino as a wavemaker sounds great. If I could simply buy a wave makerand use koralias without them breaking down, and have such control that I can counter sync with two of them to make vortech waves I wouldn't be asking but that isn't the case. I could easily just add a relay to the arduino($30) and do on and off applications like the red sea wavemaker but I want to do more with it. The biggest practicalities involved with the implementation of using say arduino is that you can use relatively cheap controllable koralias, and get vortech features while spending $120(LCD, potentiometer dials) project box, power supply etc) tops for the controller, power supply and stuff for a simple FET circuit to control the pumps while isolating the power from the controller. I have never coded but after looking at some example I think I can learn it, arduino's programing language is supposedly one of the easiest to learn plus I'm only doing a few tasks. Last edited by jm82792; 09/17/2009 at 08:07 PM.

09/17/2009, 08:05 PM	#106
NeveSSL Got tubes? Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 6,759	I understand. I build tube guitar amps. I'm just getting older and time is becoming more scarce, so DIY is sometimes taking a back-burner. Have fun! And document the crap out of whatever you do! Brandon __________________ I am proof that post count is not directly proportional to "reef IQ". Zip Ties = Reef Duck Tape Geek it till it MHz!!! Current Tank Info: 180g Build in Process

11/26/2008, 07:38 AM	#101
dahcmed Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Philippines Posts: 1	Anyone successful in making control circuit for the 12V koralias? I've recently purchased the K1 12V, and had it running off a step-down transformer on a 12VAC. Seems the flow is at minimum at this setting. I'm thinking of using a dc-to-ac converter and churn up the frequency beyond 60Hz but am afraid to damage the pump, and somebody here also mentioned about adjusting the amplitude not just frequency.

09/17/2009, 03:55 PM	#102
jm82792 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Big Island Hawaii Posts: 81	Sorry to ask but. I bought a arduino and am hoping to utilize PWM to control them. People have tried it on full duty AC and DC, I think there might be some smarts to the pump and it needs PWM to work, kind off a feature to keep people like us from not buying the controller/easy DIY. So from what I've concluded from reading this whole thread is PWM will work right ? I'm 17 and would much rather control koralias then spend $400 on a vortech since when ti's done once it can be done again if you will.

09/17/2009, 06:41 PM	#104
Stanley-Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Stanley, NC Posts: 1,933	Why don't you get the magnum pumps and a Red Sea Wavemaster....

09/17/2009, 08:21 PM	#107
jm82792 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Big Island Hawaii Posts: 81	Yea I know what you mean, been chopping things down since college is coming and such. Well best case I get it working, have a few dials like pulses per minute, length, transistion smoothness from off to full power to back off(or something), maximum pulse peak power,2 pump syc and maybe a graph showing how much power is being put into the pumps. Then you'd follow a pretty simple schematic, solder it then load the code onto the arduino. First off I'll use LEDs and use them as pumps, using PWM to dim them and do the timing tests on them.

10/08/2020, 06:02 PM	#109
odwyerpw Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2020 Posts: 2	Hi folks. I'm resurrecting this thread. I have 5 of these Koralia Nano 12v Controllable Pumps. I intend to use 4 of them, however, not as you would imagine. They will go into 4 aquariums (1 ea in a 20L planted aquarium). What I would like to do is simply Turn them on for 5 minutes once a week prior to automatic water changes just to drive any detritus off of the sand/gravel into the water column so that it is more likely to get flushed with the outgoing water (about a 30% water change). I don't need speed control. I don't need rapid on/off performance. My thought is can I just run them off of a doorbell transformer (16v AC) and switch that via a relay. I had wanted to run them constantly at a slower speed to create a little more water movement as the water from my sump enters at the far end and travels accross the 30" length before exiting out of drilled bulkheads at that top. I thought running one of these pumps might help eliminate potential deadspots... Then just prior and during water changes, I wanted to really kick them up to a high speed for a few minutesto slightly stir things up... I've given up on speed control and will settle for on/off once a week (I already own them, so I might as well use them). Any thoughts?