Algae Scrubber Basics

[parrotchute]

It's hard to tell from the picture, but it goes around because there's no space the other way - I don't want it protruding from the back of the tank.

 

[parrotchute]

Here's a question - what are your thoughts on supplemental filtration? What sort of filtration goes best to supplement or enhance turf scrubbing? I was thinking about experimenting with biopellets, but I think it may hinder the operation of the ATS.

 

[srusso]

Here's a question - what are your thoughts on supplemental filtration? What sort of filtration goes best to supplement or enhance turf scrubbing? I was thinking about experimenting with biopellets, but I think it may hinder the operation of the ATS.

I always thought skimmers maybe the good ying/yang for scrubbers. I have no way of proving it but... One filter helps food stay in the water column the other helps remove it... So no filter is getting "it's way" at least not 100%.... To in effort strike a balance, that make sense? The extremely difficult part of all that is... What is the balance? Without a lot of controlled tests this maybe near impossible to discover.

Is the balance a normal sized scrubber with a undersized skimmer? Or the other way around... Are they both better if both are sized for bio load? Etc, etc...

It's not official in any sense but bio pellets directly compete with a scrubber for nitrates. And don't consume any phosphates... And since algae can only can consume N and P together you will limit the algae or bio pellets from performing as it should in the long run...

Carbon filtration or a standard canister filter could also be used, however I don't think it will do much in way of enhancing the scrubber.

 

[parrotchute]

Yeah, that's the dilemma I'm in - it seems every other form of filtration sort of competes with the scrubber.
Okay, another question...I'm now second guessing how roughed up my screen was. I took to it pretty good with a hole saw, but it wasn't exactly "prickly" - there were a lot of protuberances and it looked "messy", but it wasn't sharp. Is that okay? I'm assuming if not it will be patchy when it starts growing in.

 

[alaska clowns]

... 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

Thank you for the good tip.
My last scrubber was an absolute pain to get off!
This one is quite a bit simpler.
So I took it off just for kicks, and it's not hard to get off. And here's 2 days' worth of growth. It scrubs better on one edge than on the other... not sure if it isn't rough enough or if the lights aren't just right, but I guess I need to wait longer to see.

yup, ghetto setup:lmao:
hopefully it'll be functional, though.
At least until I can modify again (don't tell my husband I said that )

 

[parrotchute]

Alaska, how are you connecting yours? I put a union on mine, we'll see if that ends up being easy or not..

 

[SPotter]

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...

Which eshines fixture are those?

 

[parrotchute]

50 watt ones. I've seen decent results posted from them by SM on another forum, so I'm going to hope...!

 

[alaska clowns]

Alaska, how are you connecting yours? I put a union on mine, we'll see if that ends up being easy or not..

I used a union, also. Actually, it was a double union with a ball valve in the middle, I can't remember the technical name. I did that because it was a less expensive fitting than purchasing the union + ball valve fittings separately (and the ball valve works easier, too).

 

[JohnnyB in SD]

parrotchute-
Nice looking box. You fabricate that yourself?
You getting any noise from that center drain hole?
Union works good for me. You just need enough clear access to it, like it appears you have.

 

[parrotchute]

It's called a true union.

Thanks! Nope, I came up with the specs and a place I found online called TAP plastics made it for me. Not much noise from the drain hole, just a waterfall like sound. I could probably make it totally silent if I took some flex pvc and attached it to the bulkhead, and fed it to just underwater. The noise isn't bothering me, though, so I probably won't bother.

I am thinking about getting another screen and securing it to the current one, so that they're sandwiched together to get a more 3d growing surface. Any thoughts?

Alex

 

[parrotchute]

Any comments on the roughness question I asked?

 

[srusso]

It's called a true union.

Thanks! Nope, I came up with the specs and a place I found online called TAP plastics made it for me. Not much noise from the drain hole, just a waterfall like sound. I could probably make it totally silent if I took some flex pvc and attached it to the bulkhead, and fed it to just underwater. The noise isn't bothering me, though, so I probably won't bother.

I am thinking about getting another screen and securing it to the current one, so that they're sandwiched together to get a more 3d growing surface. Any thoughts?

Alex

The double screen idea has been tried and has negative effect on both growth and ease of cleaning. 3D growth happens rather naturally so long as the bio load will support it.

 

[srusso]

Any comments on the roughness question I asked?

Yes, that is what you want. It is not really sharp... I'd say feels like the hook side of Velcro.

 

[mess7777]

Maybe a stupid question?

Maybe a stupid question?

I am intrigued by this idea, as I am struggling with phosphates and nitrates....I have a not great skimmer and this seems a great alternative.

Has anyone ever tried simply "floating" this canvas sheet in a sump? Or does it sink? I realize this would only be a 1 sided setup, but then I could use the existing flow through my sump and the existing lighting I have to grow cheato.

The reason I am asking is because I have limited clearance space in my sump and would love to not have to build a contraption. Lighting fixtures are friggin expensive in Canada($20+ for the reflector ones), I would prefer to not spend yet another hundred bucks on equipment.

Thanks.

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

floating screens do not get enough laminar flow to be really that effective. It will likely grow some algae, but probably not enough to depend on for filtration.

If you have no headroom in the sump cabinet, a horizontal screen might be your only option, make a trough with a slant to it and pump the water across the top so it runs down and lay the screen in it, lights above.

Honestly though a horizontal screen need to be 4x as large as a double-lit vertical, and need 1.5x the light to be as effective. Size a screen based on the feeding method and you're much better off.

 

[JohnnyB in SD]

I am intrigued by this idea, as I am struggling with phosphates and nitrates....I have a not great skimmer and this seems a great alternative.

Has anyone ever tried simply "floating" this canvas sheet in a sump? Or does it sink? I realize this would only be a 1 sided setup, but then I could use the existing flow through my sump and the existing lighting I have to grow cheato.

The reason I am asking is because I have limited clearance space in my sump and would love to not have to build a contraption. Lighting fixtures are friggin expensive in Canada($20+ for the reflector ones), I would prefer to not spend yet another hundred bucks on equipment.

Thanks.

I had a similar situation, a skimmer that couldn't maintain Nitrates at an acceptable level and no room in the sump area to add more equipment.
My first version was a remote tub very similar to dominik2233's in post 2788. I put it on top of my canopy. Fortunately, I had an extra Eheim 1262 laying around to supply flow to it, which helped keep the build cost way down to probably $50. As you fear, lighting/electrical was the highest expense. Check out post 2005 for ideas on how to build CFL reflectors and save some money there.
I used 2 CFL's per side on an 18" x 12" screen. Was very effective filtration, but the downsides were the CFLs in an enclosed tub heated the system water up about 3 degrees, and it was a real challenge controlling noise and microbubbles back to the display.
I have since replaced it with a Santa Monica style scrubber with T5's like Floyds and resolved the negative issues.

 

[perpetual98]

Work smarter, not harder....

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Excellent! Is that using a roto-zip?

Same concept works with a router, except that PVC is supposedly hard on blades.

 

[perpetual98]

Excellent! Is that using a roto-zip?

Same concept works with a router, except that PVC is supposedly hard on blades.

Thanks Floyd. Yup, your trusty Menards knockoff Roto-Zip. Even used a broken off bit that I had. Total project cost me $0. I will try it with a new Roto-Zip bit and see if it cuts easier.

I'll have to measure, but I think I could cut probably a 20" slot if need be. The jig/fixture will probably reside in my basement now, never to be used again.