Algae Scrubber Basics

[papagimp]

It's a good start, great splash guard.
What size tank is this for? You will need a second lamp.

The tank is a 58g, w/ 20g sump. Screens a little small for the volume, I'm hoping the larger skimmer may help curb that, and if not there is always the 'upgrade' option lol.

papaG,
10x12 lit on one side is supposed to be good for 60gl worth of filtering. Looks like you could light it from both sides if you moved it?...

The jury is still out on the double sided option right now, waiting for my skimmer to show up in the mail and then the entire sumps being rebaffled, If I can make it work double sided, I will. The lamp light is strictly a "cheap" option for the moment, I'm thinking may LED's since I'll be getting a DIY kit anyways for the DT lights. I did pick up a better bulb and 10" reflector that running on it right now.

 

[srusso]

...My first one also broke some basic rules in the interest of doing something quick & cheap to see what this ATS business is really all about. Still worked good enough to convince me of the value of ATS filtering, I'm working on improved version now.

Take it from me, if your not careful you may always be working on an improved design in your head! Lol

 

[srusso]

Thanks although i take no credit for the build as i bought it from another reefer who stopped using it... I simply modified the lighting. Heres a vid of it in action from the original owner

Wow that's great, I need to go back and look at that design! I really like that!

 

[srusso]

The tank is a 58g, w/ 20g sump. Screens a little small for the volume, I'm hoping the larger skimmer may help curb that, and if not there is always the 'upgrade' option lol.

Yes in theory, the skimmer will allow you to undersize the scrubber.
Hang two drop lights facing your scrubber. Ditch the clip light, DIY reflectors for the drop lights and hang them like my setup. It will work best for your space limitations. It's important you get intense light covering the entire screen. Your current setup will create a "hot spot" in the growth pattern.

 

[JohnnyB in SD]

Take it from me, if your not careful you may always be working on an improved design in your head! Lol

After seeing all the positive and negative aspects of my quick & cheap build, reading this thread pretty thoroughly, and considering all the different problems & solutions presented by all the fine people participating in this discussion, I hope version 2 will be the final.
At least until I'm done improving other issues with my system.

 

[JohnnyB in SD]

Huh. I thought seeded just meant rubbing algae on it. But I guess it actually means using a screen that has algae growing on it? Okay. I guess I was asking about whether or not it would help to rub it with some algae.



Ditto to above. Thanks for the advice. What does IIRC stand for? The light is about 4 inches on one side and about 6 inches on the other. I'd move it closer on the 6 inch side, except the handle from my gate valve is in the way.

Here's a question about roughing the screen. I purposely left the bottom 5 inches of a 13x10" screen unroughed, because an 8x10" screen is plenty for what I've got in there and is suited to my lighting, but I wanted the end of the screen to sit in the water to avoid the waterfall effect. Tell me, is what I have the equivalent of an 8x10? I mean, I'm sure the smooth bottom part will grow some algae eventually, but not the way the rough top will. Thoughts?

I thought you were referring to buying one of those seeded screens from, I believe, Inland Aquatics. Rubbing algae instead can't hurt.

I roughed my whole screen up but the bottom couple of inches submerged in water doesn't really grow anything.

 

[aquaenthusiast]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fLgaSEFppE

I found this on you tube, and I would love to know the kelvin temperature of the led this guy is using. Plus it doesn't burn the algae if it gets too close. He is obviously using a high powered led with a heatsink. If I can found out where he got his led's from I will build something like this myself. I really like the idea of ats

 

[rysher]

how close to the screen can you go with led's?

 

[JohnnyB in SD]

srusso- I guess V3 might be LEDs.

Question to toss out there: I will be plumbing my ATS with water fed through a chiller. Is there any experience or thoughts on feeding an ATS with cold water from a chiller?

 

[srusso]

srusso- I guess V3 might be LEDs.

Question to toss out there: I will be plumbing my ATS with water fed through a chiller. Is there any experience or thoughts on feeding an ATS with cold water from a chiller?

None, have at it... Just be sure your getting the flow you need through your chiller. The cold water is fine its the flow that has pervented others from doing that.

 

[srusso]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fLgaSEFppE

I found this on you tube, and I would love to know the kelvin temperature of the led this guy is using. Plus it doesn't burn the algae if it gets too close. He is obviously using a high powered led with a heatsink. If I can found out where he got his led's from I will build something like this myself. I really like the idea of ats

This design you linked has several problems. One, is that the screen is not removed for cleanings... Two, it's light coverage is poor at best. Three, the screen is not mesh and not rough...

 

[aquaenthusiast]

I was merely showing how led's can grow algae. Is all that algae not good enough? Maybe the guy who designed it hasn't worked out all the kinks yet? Maybe it actually is removable for cleaning, I don't see how you can automatically assume that. This kind of stuff is a work in progress just as when you started building your first ats. But a lot of people have problems with the lamps being to close and too hot and creating burn spots, so maybe this might solve that issue. Believe me "your" design works great, but maybe you could improve it with lower electricity cost, broader coverage with different lens, higher powered leds etc.

 

[TheFishMan65]

What does IIRC stand for?

If I remember/recall correctly

If in doubt check here

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Hard to say on that LED build, the algae does look very green so it is definitely filtering. If you look close, he has a huge round mat of green right in front of the light, then it drops off. I'm guessing he's using a single very high watt LED (like 20W) or something along those lines. That's an interesting build...

 

[SPotter]

My led ats has been running for about a month now. I am using five 3w (3 warm white and 2 red) on each side for a total of 30 watts on a screen that is 10x10. So far I am happy with the results of the growth and what this has done for my n's and p's. But I am thinking that its not enough light and I am considering adding three more on each side since I am getting the 3d growth that others are getting. I will give it a little more time before making the adjustments.

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Try switching to all red. Your WW aren't doing much. Throw in 660nm reds too.

 

[SPotter]

I think I will add 3 red on each side.

 

[srusso]

I was merely showing how led's can grow algae. Is all that algae not good enough? Maybe the guy who designed it hasn't worked out all the kinks yet? Maybe it actually is removable for cleaning, I don't see how you can automatically assume that. This kind of stuff is a work in progress just as when you started building your first ats. But a lot of people have problems with the lamps being to close and too hot and creating burn spots, so maybe this might solve that issue. Believe me "your" design works great, but maybe you could improve it with lower electricity cost, broader coverage with different lens, higher powered leds etc.

Yeah I understand you where referring to the LEDs, however many people viewing this thread haven't read the entire thing and dont understand the finer details. I was simply that pointing out.

I base my information on the capition of his video.

Where he says "I don't remove the screen, just take out the algae..." as he shows in the video.

I take no design credit for algae scrubbers, and my design is nothing more than my version of what others before me have built. Yes I tweak that design all the time.

 

[JohnnyB in SD]

I think I will add 3 red on each side.

I sure appreciate these guys that are spending the resources to develop LEDs for ATS. Hope it leads to something worthwhile.

 

[papagimp]

anybody try out one of these? http://www.atlantalightbulbs.com/ecart/nw012104/28968RPTCP.htm
things freakin' huge compared to other sprial cf bulbs, I'm racking my brain now trying to think how i can diy a decent enough reflector around it.