A small AC motor is located inside a black acrylic box that measures 5.5" long, 3" wide, 2.5" tall. This box is attached to the frame of the aquarium by means of an acrylic bracket and is held in place with 4 nylon screws. A powerhead is attached to an acrylic paddle with 2 plastic cable ties. The paddle is positioned on a 4.5" nylon shaft with a nylon thumbscrew. This shaft extends from the black box and is immersed in the aquarium water. Once plugged in, the device, almost silently, sweeps the powerhead in an arc of approx. 90 degrees every 30 seconds.

It's a well-known fact amongst reef and plant aquarists that sufficient water flow, dependent on the animal/plant being kept, is necessary for the health of the organism. Good water flow within the aquarium brings nourishment, sweeps away debris, increases gas exchange and dissolved oxygen levels so vital to the health of sessile invertebrates and plants. Creating these currents has troubled hobbyists for years. Wavemakers were a great step forward in achieving that goal but the cost and the problems associated with switching water pumps on and off created a love/hate relationship between these devices and aquarists. Some swore by them....some swore at them.

I've been using an Osci-Wave for about 4 months now with a variety of powerheads on a 135-gallon (72"l x 18"w x 24"h) reef tank. The manufacturer recommends using an Aquarium Systems Maxi-Jet (MJ) 1000 due to its small size and high velocity output. I found that the MJ 1000 produced too much current for the soft and large polyped stony corals in my aquarium. I also noticed that in aquariums with a width less than 24", the MJ 1000, when placed on the shaft of the device in the front corner of the tank, produced enough velocity to actually push water over the side of the aquarium. This may not be a problem for those aquarists that can lower the water level in their aquarium by manipulating the height of the internal or external overflow. I'm not able to do that due to the design of the external overflow box on my system.

After trying a couple of other powerheads, I finally settled on the Maxi-Jet 750. The combination of the Osci-Wave with this particular powerhead and a wavemaker controlling two MJ 1000's on the other end of the tank, produce strong, variable currents that stimulate full polyp extension of the corals and is visually, very appealing. I've had a stubborn leather coral (Cladellia australis) in my aquarium for approximately 6 months. Though it opened on occasion, it has never fully opened until the day after I installed the Osci-Wave. It has remained opened and healthy ever since. Other corals such as various species of gorgonians (Plexaurella spp., Erythropodium caribaeorum), bubble coral (Plerogyra sinuosa), frogspawn coral (Euphyllia divisa), Tridacna sp. clams, zooanthids (Zooanthus pulchellus and Z. maritoni), Actinodiscus sp. mushroom anemones and color variations of Ricordia florida have all responded favorably to the addition of this device. Though the wavemaker I was using to control 4 powerheads (MJ 1000's, 2 on each end of the tank) also produced strong, variable currents, the response from the corals has been much greater with the Osci-Wave.

I am presently considering mounting another Osci-Wave on the opposite end of the tank and eliminating the powerheads and the wavemaker that controls them. I think the Osci-Wave is a great alternative to wavemakers and since it does not turn the pumps on and off, the powerhead used should live a much longer life.