Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
oops
Algae Scrubber Advanced
- Thread starter maglofster
- Start date
Brummie, i'm trying build somthg very similar. I have a couple of questions, if you dont mind.
1. You're not using any air stones right?
2. How much of mess does this setup make in the rest of your sump? I'm building one that would go in the chamber as my skimmer.
3. Where did you get your leds from? Do you think a couple of 20w/2700K CFLs would work as well?
4. As for flow, I was thinking of pointing a maxijet 600 underneath it for additional flow. What do you think?
The flow in the center is a calm 600 gallons per hr or so, but its not chaotic.
1. You're not using any air stones right?
2. How much of mess does this setup make in the rest of your sump? I'm building one that would go in the chamber as my skimmer.
3. Where did you get your leds from? Do you think a couple of 20w/2700K CFLs would work as well?
4. As for flow, I was thinking of pointing a maxijet 600 underneath it for additional flow. What do you think?
The flow in the center is a calm 600 gallons per hr or so, but its not chaotic.
I have an idea to run up the flag pole.
My thought is to build an up flow hong on glass scrubber for a 26 gallon that will go in the sump. . I will build a 4x6 acrylic box and glue crushed coral to the back wall and sides. I will make a baffle system that will house a small power head that will have an air line attached to it. The power head will blow water and bubbles and the baffles will direct the flow and bubbles up the back wall. Light will be provided by 4 Leds running at 350 ma.
Criticize, modify, and advise this plan!
My thought is to build an up flow hong on glass scrubber for a 26 gallon that will go in the sump. . I will build a 4x6 acrylic box and glue crushed coral to the back wall and sides. I will make a baffle system that will house a small power head that will have an air line attached to it. The power head will blow water and bubbles and the baffles will direct the flow and bubbles up the back wall. Light will be provided by 4 Leds running at 350 ma.
Criticize, modify, and advise this plan!
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
My UAS test unit that I started back in April of last year grows algae just fine with hardly any air bubbles. The bubble bar that I use (rigid tubing with holes poked in it) clogs up within days and bubbles only come out a few holes, yet the growth is everywhere. My unit sits on top of the tank and water is pumped into it with a Cobalt MJ pump. I question the need for bubbles at all. SM said for years that you couldn't grow algae submerged. Then it was you could but you need bubbles. Supposedly the bigger the bubbles the better, which does actually seem to make sense since the supposed purpose of the bubbles is to create random motion, so a skimmer type pump would not work as it would result in microbubbles. But Brummie's scrubber is a great example that no bubbles are needed, only light and water motion. I don't know if a vertical UAS would work w/o bubbles but I would think that flow trumps bubbles. That has always been my beef with the UAS, bubbles just don't create enough water exchange to equal a waterfall scrubber.
Addtionally, I have seen people put a vertical screen in a high flow chamber and get growth. Not enough data to draw any solid conclusions on any type of submerged scrubber, IMO
Addtionally, I have seen people put a vertical screen in a high flow chamber and get growth. Not enough data to draw any solid conclusions on any type of submerged scrubber, IMO
Brummie
Member
1. Correct, no bubbles
2. It is the ONLY thing in my sump (apart from a bit of old live rock)
3. CFLs do work (I used them on the prototype), but not as well as LEDs. Mine are cheap Chinese growlights.
4. If you can get random algae or wave type pulse movement, the mechanism is upto you. My pump just faces straight up to the surface from the bottom of the tank.
Brummie
Member
No ALK consumption. I've put this down to the fact that co2 gets liberated from the display, goes down the overflow pipe, sits on the sump, and then is reintroduced to the water flow by the wave "cascade" I've got going on, which produces the wave type pattern flow. May be total gobbledygook though, just fits my observations and research.
either way, mine is not using a disproportionate amount of ALK to cal and pH sits at about 8.2.
_shorty_
New member
I've also got a bubble lamp - copepod filter growing. That's 3 submerged screens out of 3, fancy that;
Devaji108
New member
I am also making a HOG style up flow ATS I also thought about CC but SM suggested crushed quarts....
Devaji108
New member
let me ask you ppl with experience with ATS some questions.
I am in the process of a 40br set up that will focus on LPS softies, sponges and Non photo. corals...
so my questions are:
anything i need to know about cycling the tank with ATS?
not sure if I should go with a 1/2 cube or full cube ATS? I do need some "goodies in the water so I am thinking the 1/2 cube would be good along with H2O changes when needed. thoughts?
if I do go with a 1/2 cube and need to upgrade anyone just glued more screen on the the already in use screen to make it bigger?
what is the best way to treat magnets that will be exposed to the water? epoxy silicone or some thing else?
I am in the process of a 40br set up that will focus on LPS softies, sponges and Non photo. corals...
so my questions are:
anything i need to know about cycling the tank with ATS?
not sure if I should go with a 1/2 cube or full cube ATS? I do need some "goodies in the water so I am thinking the 1/2 cube would be good along with H2O changes when needed. thoughts?
if I do go with a 1/2 cube and need to upgrade anyone just glued more screen on the the already in use screen to make it bigger?
what is the best way to treat magnets that will be exposed to the water? epoxy silicone or some thing else?
herring_fish
Crazy Designer
Why quarts?
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
I would go with the larger screen, you can change the photoperiod to adjust. IMO the cube rating isn't as accurate for upflow scrubbers. Go with double the size that you think you need.
As far as cycling a tank with a scrubber, if you mean starting a new tank with a new scrubber that has no growth, you might as well be cycling your tank like normal. If you have an existing/mature/cured scrubber and you put it on a new tank, then there will be no urea but there will probably be an ammonia and nitrite spike, which will be somewhat muted if not undetectable, but that wholly depends on the setup.
Regarding the cycle though, it still does happen even if you don't 'see' it. the bacterial process still needs to happen, and there is no shortcut to this process.
I have found that this is one of the best guidelines to follow for a new tank setup:
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-01/eb/
Go to #15
As far as cycling a tank with a scrubber, if you mean starting a new tank with a new scrubber that has no growth, you might as well be cycling your tank like normal. If you have an existing/mature/cured scrubber and you put it on a new tank, then there will be no urea but there will probably be an ammonia and nitrite spike, which will be somewhat muted if not undetectable, but that wholly depends on the setup.
Regarding the cycle though, it still does happen even if you don't 'see' it. the bacterial process still needs to happen, and there is no shortcut to this process.
I have found that this is one of the best guidelines to follow for a new tank setup:
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-01/eb/
Go to #15
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
Supposedly quartz is rougher, but I don't know why that is. Maybe that's what his green grabber stuff is and he's dropping a hint. Quartz is crystalline, so under a microscope I would think it would be smooth. Sharp, yes, but just in the manner that it is pointy.
I would think that aragonite would work fine, or maybe Marco Rocks Mortar spread out and then poked at with your finger to make a bunch of stalagtite-like structures for algae to bond to.
I've got a SURF2, and that Green Grabber stuff may indeed be crushed quartz. It looks and feels like it. Or something very similar.
If it is, and if anyone is thinking about using crushed quartz, be careful. That stuff is SHARP!
SM's instructions clearly state that you should use a paper towel to rub in any algae used for seeding the surface, and not your hands. But I seeded BEFORE I read the instructions, and wound up with lots and lots of micro cuts on my fingers - some a little deep. It took rubbing alcohol, Band-Aids, and more than a week's healing to fix that little mistake.
It appears to be so sharp that it cuts without you really realizing it. And since the cuts are generally pretty shallow, you really don't notice until it's too late - like me - and then you realize you've got a minor problem.So if it is quartz - and if you try it too - BE CAREFUL.
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Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
Nice.
I guess I should clarify that a bit...
If anyone tries crushed quartz, you don't have to be afraid of touching it. Just not rubbing stuff into it with your fingers. I'm not concerned about putting my hand in the SURF2. But grinding algae into the surface with your fingers is something completely different. THAT'S where you find out how sharp that stuff is.
IMO casual contact is no big deal.
If anyone tries crushed quartz, you don't have to be afraid of touching it. Just not rubbing stuff into it with your fingers. I'm not concerned about putting my hand in the SURF2. But grinding algae into the surface with your fingers is something completely different. THAT'S where you find out how sharp that stuff is.
IMO casual contact is no big deal.
Devaji108
New member
yeah it will be a new tank with new scrubber. but will have mature live rock form Florida with lots of life on it. i know it will still need to cycle just just wondering if anything is different in starting a tank this way...
so if i am understanding you, your saying go with a bigger screen or area to grow the turf and just not light as long. I would love to have some display macro in the tank too. but this just might be asking to much. so my thought was going with a 1/2 cube then have some macro's like dragon breath etc. as well.
but at the same time I dint want HA in the DT so if I cant have macro s in there so be it.
Devaji108
New member
maybe we should start using crush diamonds...ad a lil bling to reefing...haha no really its not a bad idea they sure are strong & would never need replacing . but i bet pricy...
I am gonna look in to it. i'll call it the BLING ATS...
