2008 ...... !!! I'm talking about dumb bucket scrubbers circa 1995 :lol: Maybe you 'popularized' it, dunno, but my reef buddy Garf (yeah, that was his name RIP) was using one 20 years ago. Regardless, much better design.
Algae Scrubber Advanced
- Thread starter maglofster
- Start date
2008 ...... !!! I'm talking about dumb bucket scrubbers circa 1995 :lol: Maybe you 'popularized' it, dunno, but my reef buddy Garf (yeah, that was his name RIP) was using one 20 years ago. Regardless, much better design.
Took a few nights of sleepy reading to scour these 25 pages to get caught up.
So i just built an ATS in my sump using a 1/4" acrylic drip plate i made many years back. I believe i am getting enough water flow on both sides of the acrylic (return from tank and small pump). The holes are about an inch apart and I did hit it lightly(by hand) with a 20 grit piece of sandpaper.
My question is should i have just brought a screen and not use the acrylic?
So i just built an ATS in my sump using a 1/4" acrylic drip plate i made many years back. I believe i am getting enough water flow on both sides of the acrylic (return from tank and small pump). The holes are about an inch apart and I did hit it lightly(by hand) with a 20 grit piece of sandpaper.
My question is should i have just brought a screen and not use the acrylic?
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
In short, yes. Acrylic is not a good substrate for an algae scrubber
herring_fish
Crazy Designer
Dawn and Dusk Feature for Counter Light Cycle and pH?
Dawn and Dusk Feature for Counter Light Cycle and pH?
I have been playing with automation for a while, mostly just for the fun of it. In that spirit of just for fun, I have a thought.
Most of us have read or been told that having a lights for the algae scrubber turn on when the tank lights are off, helps stabilize the pH in the display tank. In most cases, this switch to on or off is run by timers and is just a binary condition.
I'm was wondering, if you already had a controller that could dim the lights on the ATS, would controlling the speed of the ramping up of the lights to full blast and back down again, further smooth out the pH in the tank? A controller could even respond to a pH probe directly to adjust the dimming of the lights.
I know that it wouldn't be worth the expense if you didn't have everything already but if you did, would it even be worth the trouble of hooking it up?
Dawn and Dusk Feature for Counter Light Cycle and pH?
I have been playing with automation for a while, mostly just for the fun of it. In that spirit of just for fun, I have a thought.
Most of us have read or been told that having a lights for the algae scrubber turn on when the tank lights are off, helps stabilize the pH in the display tank. In most cases, this switch to on or off is run by timers and is just a binary condition.
I'm was wondering, if you already had a controller that could dim the lights on the ATS, would controlling the speed of the ramping up of the lights to full blast and back down again, further smooth out the pH in the tank? A controller could even respond to a pH probe directly to adjust the dimming of the lights.
I know that it wouldn't be worth the expense if you didn't have everything already but if you did, would it even be worth the trouble of hooking it up?
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
Check yer email HF 
herring_fish
Crazy Designer
Did I kill the thread?
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
Naw, this thread is only intermittently active.
You could do much more if you had a controller that was capable of monitoring and managing the growth of the algae screen.
Santa Monica submitted a patent application to this effect with WIPO but no idea if it is going anywhere since quite a bit of it was shot down.
https://patentscope.wipo.int/search...revFilter=&sortOption=Pub+Date+Desc&maxRec=28
However managing the scrubber via controller dependent on parameters such as pH, ORP, etc is outside of this...interesting idea
The first thing to do would be to monitor pH/etc before a scrubber was added, then after, and note the difference and the impact the scrubber has on these parameters.
You could do much more if you had a controller that was capable of monitoring and managing the growth of the algae screen.
Santa Monica submitted a patent application to this effect with WIPO but no idea if it is going anywhere since quite a bit of it was shot down.
https://patentscope.wipo.int/search...revFilter=&sortOption=Pub+Date+Desc&maxRec=28
However managing the scrubber via controller dependent on parameters such as pH, ORP, etc is outside of this...interesting idea
The first thing to do would be to monitor pH/etc before a scrubber was added, then after, and note the difference and the impact the scrubber has on these parameters.
herring_fish
Crazy Designer
Low pH and Algae Growth
Low pH and Algae Growth
I wrote the details on it below but am building a calcium reactor system that constantly puts 30 to 50 ml. per minute of CO2 rich water into the water column. That is why I thought that I could send the water into an area that is filled with cheato.
->The problem is that the water has a pH of 6.5 so I will probably send it through some calcium carbonate gravel first but what will low pH water do to algae growth?<-
A few Unimportant Details:
I found a thread on how to build a calcium reactor that will stay rock stable. It includes a dual stage regulator and a digital bubble regulator. The CO2 goes into a reactor with a standard recirculation pump but uses a peristaltic pump to push tank water through it at a constant speed. Despite being pricy, people report that once set up, it runs stably without tuning and tinkering. This is what I am building now.
Low pH and Algae Growth
I wrote the details on it below but am building a calcium reactor system that constantly puts 30 to 50 ml. per minute of CO2 rich water into the water column. That is why I thought that I could send the water into an area that is filled with cheato.
->The problem is that the water has a pH of 6.5 so I will probably send it through some calcium carbonate gravel first but what will low pH water do to algae growth?<-
A few Unimportant Details:
I found a thread on how to build a calcium reactor that will stay rock stable. It includes a dual stage regulator and a digital bubble regulator. The CO2 goes into a reactor with a standard recirculation pump but uses a peristaltic pump to push tank water through it at a constant speed. Despite being pricy, people report that once set up, it runs stably without tuning and tinkering. This is what I am building now.
salty joe
Active member
But doesn't the CO2 get stripped from the water as the PH rises?
herring_fish
Crazy Designer
DARN IT JIM! I'M A DESIGNER, NOT SCIENTIST!
Actually, I have no idea. Please school me. :fish1:
SantaMonica
Well-known member
I think algae will grow fine in pH 6.5
laverda
Well-known member
Is there any reason a ATS can not be built into an overflow box? I am surprised I have not seen any one do so.
I have a new to me 300 gallon 96x24x30" tank with the overflow in one end. Flow through the overflow will be about 2200 GPH, but could be reduced to around 1500GPH. This would enable me to have a screen approximately 22wide x 27tall", or possible a little wider, if I were to fold it in the middle. Only drawback is it would be lit from one side only. Is that too much flow?
Another option I am thinking about it removing the overflow from inside the tank and building an external one on the same end. Conceivably this could be taller then the 30" tank and be built to allow lighting on both sides of the ATS.
I was thinking a LED like this might be a good set up due to its thin size and being 12x12. http://www.dhgate.com/product/led-g...1#cppd-1-3|ff8080814a997d6b014a999266a23b5c:2 I am guessing the Red:Blue:Orange 7:1:1Ratio would be the best. Any and all feed back is appreciated.
I have a new to me 300 gallon 96x24x30" tank with the overflow in one end. Flow through the overflow will be about 2200 GPH, but could be reduced to around 1500GPH. This would enable me to have a screen approximately 22wide x 27tall", or possible a little wider, if I were to fold it in the middle. Only drawback is it would be lit from one side only. Is that too much flow?
Another option I am thinking about it removing the overflow from inside the tank and building an external one on the same end. Conceivably this could be taller then the 30" tank and be built to allow lighting on both sides of the ATS.
I was thinking a LED like this might be a good set up due to its thin size and being 12x12. http://www.dhgate.com/product/led-g...1#cppd-1-3|ff8080814a997d6b014a999266a23b5c:2 I am guessing the Red:Blue:Orange 7:1:1Ratio would be the best. Any and all feed back is appreciated.
Last edited:
JohnnyB in SD
New member
Overflows are typically setup to fill most of the way or they make a lot of noise. Appears that you know the screen would end up submerged in the internal one.
I'd test the external idea before actually removing what you have. Might end up being more effort to achieve something less effective than simply plumbing a screen to run off the drain line from the existing overflow. Is there a reason you don't want to do it that way?
I'd test the external idea before actually removing what you have. Might end up being more effort to achieve something less effective than simply plumbing a screen to run off the drain line from the existing overflow. Is there a reason you don't want to do it that way?
laverda
Well-known member
The overflow can have the water in it at any level depending on how I plumb it. one reasonvwould be to keep more room in the sumptuous available for other equipment. it could always be undone if it was to noisy or something. The only reasons I can think of not to do it would be access or too much flow. if it is not noisy in the sumptuous it should not be in the overflow.
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
It has been done and posted somewhere on RC. I would recommend giving it a 10 degree slant if possible, this tends to prevent the water from just flowing over the top of the algae. single sided scrubbers are more prone to die off at the base so keeping good water flow to the base growth is important. I would definitely use LED as CFL is not going to provide enough punch to get light to the base when the growth is thick (also due to single sided)
660nm primarily, with either 445 (RB) or violets to supplement
660nm primarily, with either 445 (RB) or violets to supplement
