Algae Scrubber Basics

[JohnnyB in SD]

Is your screen roughed up good? Looks like algae is growing better in the bottom of the tub than on the screen.
Are those 2700k bulbs?
They changed out every 3 months, mid September?
The basics to look at are screen, flow, lighting.

 

[jcooler]

Trying the ATS with High hopes

Trying the ATS with High hopes

After reading this ENTIRE thread, I have slapped together an ATS. I'm on a very tight budget at the moment, so I did it as cheap as possible. I think I ended up spending 10$ on a screen, 2 23w 2700 CFLs and a few PVC fittings.
Phosphate and nuisance algae removal is my goal. I have DIY Coil Denitrator that does an excellent job at removing nitrates, but I currently don't have anything to battle phosphates.
I have a piece of crap, cheap skimmer, the Coil Denitrator and small fuge/sump.

I might ending removing all of it if the ATS does as good of a job as it has for others.
My tank is a 75 gal.
Screen is 7" wide X 10.5" tall (longer if you count the portion in the water and behind the splash/light guards.
Flow is ~250 GPH. (need to recheck it after plumping redo for the ATS)
Feeding the ATS from the overflow drain.

I have flow over the whole screen, but it is much heavier at the end. I need to cut a new slot pipe, as i think it is a little bitter wider at the end.
Pics to come for y'all experts to give feedback on.

 

[jcooler]

Light reflection

Light reflection

I'm wondering if painting my light reflectors flat white would be a good idea. I remember reading in this thread where someone else had done this, but I don't remember seeing any comments or results.
I'm using the standard clamp on light fixtures (the dome style) that many others here are using. They are aluminum and to me, don't look like they reflect very well.

I did a little Google searching. Funny thing is that the places where I found this discussed the most was on marijuana growing forums.

After reading through several of those threads, it seemed that the general consensus was that flat white paint was the best reflective material.

Anyone here experimented with that, or have any thoughts on it?

Thanks

 

[JohnnyB in SD]

I agree, those cone shaped reflectors that come with clamp on lights are not that reflective. Very dull really, nothing like the ones you can get for T5 lights.
I use white paint on surfaces where I want to increase light distribution but can't use good reflective metal, like the interior of my canopy.
Review post 2005 for tips on reflectors for CFLs. There's some good inexpensive DIY ideas there. You'll get better results from your CFLs by reflecting from the sides and not the end anyway.

 

[zhewitt04]

My coraline algae is dying. It just started happening after my scrubber started really scrubbing good. All my levels are 0 even nitrate. It might be calcium and alk issues also. Just wanted to see if anyone else had similar problems.

 

[markgm87]

I've got a kinda basic question. I've read a lot about this thread but can't find my answer. Can a turf scrubber be run along with a skimmer and a refugium?

 

[JohnnyB in SD]

My coralline algae has improved, and an ATS should keep the nuisance algae from interfering with the coralline's growth.

You can run an ATS with the skimmer & fuge, and it's probably a good idea to start with all three running simultaneously until your ATS gets established and the kinks are worked out of it.
You will likely find that the skimmers output decreases and the macroalgae in the fuge starts to decline depending upon what type it is and the lighting schedule. You should get to a point where you could run your skimmer fewer hours per day if at all, and the fuge is having a hard time competing with the ATS.
I personally run my skimmer wide open for 1 hr, my fuge lights on for 8 off 16, and my ATS 16 on and 8 off opposite the fuge schedule. I like to keep my fuge going just enough for pod production, is not for primary N&P reduction.
In the end, why consume more electricity than is really needed?

 

[alaska clowns]

Quick Question about slot width...

Quick Question about slot width...

If one must err...... would it be better to err on the side of a smidgen too wide of a slot or of a smidgen too narrow?

I cut the slot and it's real close to 1/8 of an inch, but on the narrow side. I can't fit a file that's 1/8 of an inch wide into the slot. So, should I try to make it just a little bigger?

This is for my new and modified scrubber in the works...

Thank you!

 

[markgm87]

I am in the process of building a new sump (40 breeder) trying to determine where to put my chambers. I want to have a skmmer and fuge section with the ats. Would I be better to have the fuge flow straight into the return section or flow into the skimmer section? I will have the ats above the fuge section. I'm thinking I want it to go straight into the return section to try and get pods straight to the tank instead o going through the skimmer. Anyone see any issues with this.

 

[JohnnyB in SD]

If one must err...... would it be better to err on the side of a smidgen too wide of a slot or of a smidgen too narrow?

I cut the slot and it's real close to 1/8 of an inch, but on the narrow side. I can't fit a file that's 1/8 of an inch wide into the slot. So, should I try to make it just a little bigger?

This is for my new and modified scrubber in the works...

Thank you!

I wouldn't make it too tight since you're gravity feeding from your HOB overflow, don't need the water backing up.
The screen should be snug but not tight in the slot.
Try folding a piece of sandpaper in half and running it in the slot to make it wider and straight. You might be able to squeeze the PVC together or sandwich some card stock in the sand paper so it makes contact with both edges of the slot.
Don't rough the part of your screen that goes into the slot and maybe the 1/4" to 1/2" below the slot, to help keep algae from growing up to and into the slot.

 

[JohnnyB in SD]

I am in the process of building a new sump (40 breeder) trying to determine where to put my chambers. I want to have a skmmer and fuge section with the ats. Would I be better to have the fuge flow straight into the return section or flow into the skimmer section? I will have the ats above the fuge section. I'm thinking I want it to go straight into the return section to try and get pods straight to the tank instead o going through the skimmer. Anyone see any issues with this.

No real issues, your choice. ATS over the fuge is a popular configuration. I agree with your pods after the skimmer idea.

 

[Gorgok]

Weeks 3 and 4 have come and gone for my scrubber. Still no real growth, except some coralline trying to grow on it (some pink and green) as well as all over the sump....

I think i can probably start to think about taking out the bio pellet reactor and open up the flow to the screen. I just wonder how much effect the reactor has on the water currently and how the numbers will react if its removed. But it has to come out some day, and i know no real way of 'slowing it down' or doing it gradually.

Pictures, week 3 on left, week 4 on right:

 

[dominik2233]

Is your screen roughed up good? Looks like algae is growing better in the bottom of the tub than on the screen.
Are those 2700k bulbs?
They changed out every 3 months, mid September?
The basics to look at are screen, flow, lighting.

yes you right about the algae growing better at the bottom of the tub.
i have roughen up more on the screens and also reduce the speed of the flow.
i will monitor for another 2 weeks to see if it gets better.

 

[TheFishMan65]

Gorgok, If I were you I would take out 1/4 of the pellets over the next four weeks/

$0.02

 

[extra3d]

Well guys, this is day 14, today i clean it again, im getting brown algae but im starting to see small spots of green..when should my nitrates start to go down?

heres my setup:
Tank:30g long with sump
Light: (2) CFl 23W 2700Kv, 18h on 6h off
Size: 8" x 12"
Flow:300hph
Nitrates: 20ppm

 

[srusso]

Well guys, this is day 14, today i clean it again, im getting brown algae but im starting to see small spots of green..when should my nitrates start to go down?

heres my setup:
Tank:30g long with sump
Light: (2) CFl 23W 2700Kv, 18h on 6h off
Size: 8" x 12"
Flow:300hph
Nitrates: 20ppm

Unless its just a very dark picture I would say you should be cleaning that screen more often then every 7 days. Do it every 4 days for now. It will drop the nitrates faster and get green growing faster. By the looks of it you have a lot of N and P.

What are your readings?

 

[alaska clowns]

Finally, here's a modification to my scrubber/sump.

Previously I only had 180GPH flowing through my HOB siphon overflow and through my scrubber. Also, the scrubber was 10 inches wide.

I increased the flow by reducing the number of fittings and 90 degree elbows (I replaced all but one with 45 degree elbows). I originally had about 10 fittings before the scrubber, and I was able to reduce that to 6. I also increased my plumbing size from 3/4" to 1" and reduced the number of fittings going from the return pump to the tank, and I cleaned the return pump.

Now I have...... 256GPH flow!

My new scrubber screen is 7" wide by 10" tall (plus an additional 2" or so that hangs into the sump water).

I roughed up the screen better this time, I think, than I did on my last screen.

I cut my old screen in half and zip tied it to the middle of each side of my new screen. The flow had been on for 2 days, and the lights for 1 day when the picture was taken. Already there's starting to be some brownish color to the white parts of the screen.

How long should I leave the pieces of old scrubber attached?

It looks like more, but the lights are exactly 4" from the screen. The bulbs are 23 watt CFL's (which is the equivalent to a 100 watt bulb- but we don't go by that, right?). And the reflectors may win cheapest parts prize. I'll let you know if they melt :uhoh3:

Is 23 watts enough....maybe if I move the lights closer to the screen?

Also - do I understand correctly that 70 square inches of scrubber means I can feed 7 frozen food cubes per day?

Thanks for the help! I'll do some water tests next week. Now I'm going to go clear off the tools that are covering the kitchen counter

 

[parrotchute]

Hey guys, thought I'd throw up a pic of my new scrubber. The screen is 10" x 14"; using some grow LEDs from eshine, we'll see how much growth I get. I'll keep you updated...

 

[srusso]

Finally, here's a modification to my scrubber/sump.

Previously I only had 180GPH flowing through my HOB siphon overflow and through my scrubber. Also, the scrubber was 10 inches wide.

I increased the flow by reducing the number of fittings and 90 degree elbows (I replaced all but one with 45 degree elbows). I originally had about 10 fittings before the scrubber, and I was able to reduce that to 6. I also increased my plumbing size from 3/4" to 1" and reduced the number of fittings going from the return pump to the tank, and I cleaned the return pump.

Now I have...... 256GPH flow!

Nice work!

My new scrubber screen is 7" wide by 10" tall (plus an additional 2" or so that hangs into the sump water).

I roughed up the screen better this time, I think, than I did on my last screen.

Yeah, its hard to get it right the first time, I have done a few myself...

I cut my old screen in half and zip tied it to the middle of each side of my new screen. The flow had been on for 2 days, and the lights for 1 day when the picture was taken. Already there's starting to be some brownish color to the white parts of the screen.

How long should I leave the pieces of old scrubber attached?

A couple of weeks should do it.

It looks like more, but the lights are exactly 4" from the screen. The bulbs are 23 watt CFL's (which is the equivalent to a 100 watt bulb- but we don't go by that, right?). And the reflectors may win cheapest parts prize. I'll let you know if they melt :uhoh3:

wow that is ghetto....

Is 23 watts enough....maybe if I move the lights closer to the screen?

Dont jump the gun, flow could have been your only problem

Also - do I understand correctly that 70 square inches of scrubber means I can feed 7 frozen food cubes per day?

Floyd is best to answer this, I dont use the new guidelines yet...

Thanks for the help! I'll do some water tests next week. Now I'm going to go clear off the tools that are covering the kitchen counter

:lolspin: do yourself a favor and abd before you put away the tools... make sure you can remove that screen easily... If you don't make that easy, most would find it a chore to clean it once a week if it's hard to get it out... Just my .02

 

[srusso]

Hey guys, thought I'd throw up a pic of my new scrubber. The screen is 10" x 14"; using some grow LEDs from eshine, we'll see how much growth I get. I'll keep you updated...

Any reason the PVC goes all the way around the scrubber? Looks like for easy access which is fine so long as you have enough flow...
Thanks for helping the scrubber community with your test.