Algae Scrubber Basics

[Floyd R Turbo]

+1

An overflow feed relies on the pressure created from the water column in the drain pipe to prevent algae from growing into the slot. With an open drain, the water will eventually just run past the screen and it will stop flowing as there is little pressure.

Even with a gate valve you may have the same problem though. What happens is that you end up with the submerged line siphoning out the water anyways.

First thing I would do is make sure that your screen is properly sized per the feeding guidelines, then I would consider just getting a decent pump and feeding it directly. You can use a $33 Eheim Compact 1000 for a screen up to about 6" wide with a couple feet of head and then you don't have to worry about all that other stuff.

Also with the screen in the position you have it, you will want to protect against spray or else you may end up with water on the floor behind the sump. Just drape the entire screen in saran wrap and that should prevent it, or make en acrylic box to sit on top of the sump chamber (like and extension)

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Double Post

 

[srusso]

I agree with Dustin and Floyd, balancing an algae scrubber from the tank overflow is harder and requires much more fiddling...

That being said after almost two years I think I am very close... It should be stated my scrubber was build before and still is based off the old sizing requirements, and adjustments since have come in the form of getting more fish, feeding more,
and cutting the screen size down a little.

Will be changing the main pump soon, it's been in service way too long to still be trusted. So I may go through some trouble there... Also upgrading to LEDs, but all that depends on the UAS and how well it does...

 

[nbelohlav]

ok i took your advice and changed somethings... tell me what you think...

 

[mtrcyclefish]

On a side note... I wouldn't join the returns together with the T. That leaves only 1 opening for your entire tank to drain through. If it were to get plugged, even partially, your display could flood. You have 2 drains, use them.

 

[jacob.morgan78]

On a side note... I wouldn't join the returns together with the T. That leaves only 1 opening for your entire tank to drain through. If it were to get plugged, even partially, your display could flood. You have 2 drains, use them.

good point +1

I would leave the two drains and just add a small pump to feed your scrubber. Much easier to control and not as much to worry about. The energy consumption of some of these small pumps is minimal too. If you don't want to add a small pump, you could T off the return perhaps. HTH

 

[nbelohlav]

On a side note... I wouldn't join the returns together with the T. That leaves only 1 opening for your entire tank to drain through. If it were to get plugged, even partially, your display could flood. You have 2 drains, use them.

good point sir, didnt even think of that possibility... ill incorporate that into the drawing... thanks for all the input so far.

 

[nbelohlav]

alright took the advice given... whatcha think?

 

[Dustin1300]

That looks much better. Now your single point of failure is where the water enters skimmer section. Should algae or anything build up there you'd have slowed/blocked flow that could lead to a flood. I'd just make the left side of that ATS Box lower so water could escape below the rim of the sump rather than on the floor:thumbsup:

 

[ecomdesign]

Why not run one of the drains from the tank into the skimmer section? Seems like you have a lot of water running into the small ATS compartment and I'm not sure why? Why even run either of the 2 drains into that section at all?

 

[rad1687]

Would a screen that is 6 inches wide and 8 inches tall lit from one side be sufficient for a 90 gallon that is fed 1.5-2 cubes a day? Could this be powered by an eheim compact 1000? Thanks!

 

[fish clown]

How often are you sopsed to do water changes with a ATS. At the indmas frag swap they said to do a 5% water change with thier dump version but what about a regular ATS?

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Would a screen that is 6 inches wide and 8 inches tall lit from one side be sufficient for a 90 gallon that is fed 1.5-2 cubes a day? Could this be powered by an eheim compact 1000? Thanks!

You're mixing the sizing requirements. 12 sq inches per cube of food per day, that's all. I would go with 24 sq in screen, maybe 30 or 36 at the very most.

Pump size depends on width of screen and head loss. The EC1000 should do you great at 6" wide and less than 2' head, if it's now enough flow then make the screen narrower and longer so that you have enough flow per inch of width

How often are you sopsed to do water changes with a ATS. At the indmas frag swap they said to do a 5% water change with thier dump version but what about a regular ATS?

The only reason I do PWCs is to restore ionic balance thrown off by dosing BRS 2-part. I plan to switch to Kalkwasser and then not worry about PWCs, maybe 5%-10% every 4-5 months or something. As long as all your nutrients are in check and you feed a good quality food for trace, 5% PWC/month should be plenty if not less. Not counting tank moves, I haven't really done a PWC in over a year

 

[OkStudent]

Hey Turbo Floyd, I built a ATS on a quarantine tank last winter after reading most of the threads and it worked great now I need one for my 180 reef but I don't have a lot of time. I am training to do the Registers Great Bike Ride Across Iowa. Are you along that route this year? Anyways when the new one comes out or if it is already out I need to do it. Would be nice to buy a turn key setup althought I could probably find the time to do it. So my main question, is it out? If not when.
Thanks.

 

[rad1687]

Floyd, since I am lighting from only one side, it wouldn't be 48 square inches for 1.5-2 cubes? Sorry if I am confused, I appreciate the help.

So, just so we're 100% clear on this:

Vertical, lit from both sides: 12 square inches of screen material per cube of food per day, 12 watts of light split between each side.

Vertical, lit from only one side: 24 square inches of screen material per cube of food per day, 12 watts of light on one side.

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Hey Turbo Floyd, I built a ATS on a quarantine tank last winter after reading most of the threads and it worked great now I need one for my 180 reef but I don't have a lot of time. I am training to do the Registers Great Bike Ride Across Iowa. Are you along that route this year? Anyways when the new one comes out or if it is already out I need to do it. Would be nice to buy a turn key setup althought I could probably find the time to do it. So my main question, is it out? If not when.
Thanks.

The UAS is out, go back a few pages (beginning of May-ish)

Floyd, since I am lighting from only one side, it wouldn't be 48 square inches for 1.5-2 cubes? Sorry if I am confused, I appreciate the help.

Yes, my bad.

 

[PHensley]

Hey srusso,

Could you describe your bubble wand setup? What kind of air pump did you use and how long do you light the screen? Also, are there any guidelines on screen size? I have a 55 gallon that is very nutrient rich and I thought about trying this style. I was going to build a small waterfall type and hide it in the back of my hood. However, I would have to mess around with acrylic and pumps to make it work. This seems a little simpler and I could hide it behind a rock wall within a enclosure that looks like a overflow.

 

[nbelohlav]

That looks much better. Now your single point of failure is where the water enters skimmer section. Should algae or anything build up there you'd have slowed/blocked flow that could lead to a flood. I'd just make the left side of that ATS Box lower so water could escape below the rim of the sump rather than on the floor:thumbsup:

thats exactly what i plan on doing, going to make the side that is closest to the return side a few inches lower for that exact reason, if the entry way into the skimmer becomes blocked it will over flow into the return section and right back up into the tank...

Why not run one of the drains from the tank into the skimmer section? Seems like you have a lot of water running into the small ATS compartment and I'm not sure why? Why even run either of the 2 drains into that section at all?

im running them into that section because i want to use the flow from the drains to keep water moving around and more importantly out of that ATS box into the skimmer, i dont want it to become stagnant and it will keep everything in one central place instead of having a crap load of piping going every where... i was in the military and because of that i like uniformity and keeping things tidy...

 

[srusso]

Hey srusso,

Could you describe your bubble wand setup? What kind of air pump did you use and how long do you light the screen? Also, are there any guidelines on screen size? I have a 55 gallon that is very nutrient rich and I thought about trying this style. I was going to build a small waterfall type and hide it in the back of my hood. However, I would have to mess around with acrylic and pumps to make it work. This seems a little simpler and I could hide it behind a rock wall within a enclosure that looks like a overflow.

Its an "anchor bubbler" it's not made from a stone or sand. It's more like a hard sponge. I believe i posted a picture of the packaging in the first UAS post. I got it for a few bucks at a petco. The air pump is some no-name pump with very little info on the device it self. Right now I run the test lighting 12 on, 12 off... I doubt many will use this very basic design long term, we are really just proofing the concept. Time and collaboration will make this scrubber as good on the last one. So what I am saying is don't build something to "final" and expect the design to change as we progress.

Welcome to the scrubber club!

 

[shikhyung]

This is how it looks after week2, from pic it kinds of green but looks like brown to me during day time...