Demonstrating the complex fluid dynamics that occur when water flow moves in an aquarium is a tall order. Not many have tried to explain it, let alone demonstrate how water moves in real time, but we think MaxSpect has taken a really good crack at it with their specialty flow demonstration tank.
For the first time this year MaxSpect had their very own MACNA booth where they could focus on and really highlight what makes their products really great for aquariums. The flow demonstration tank that MaxSpect set up basically consists of a central sheet of plastic that is studded with pins, each outfitted with a little ‘water vane’.
The water vane points in a particular direction to show the direction of the flow, although the arrow shape of each vane actually ‘points’ to where the water is coming from. The idea is also repeated on the bottom of the tank although those water vanes also had tiny little propellers to help indicate the relative speed of the water flow to the viewer.
It goes without saying that they very act of placing the dividing sheet of acrylic, and the vanes, and the propellers greatly affects how the flow actually moves. But the additive effect of all of those little pointers and indicators helping to show how the water is moving is one of the best and most creative ways that we’ve ever seen mass water movement demonstrated to a general audience, and especially in real time.