Algae Scrubber Basics

[TheAquatect]

A) Thank you ;-)

Sounds interesting... I don't think anything like that has ever been tested. I would love to see what you come up with.

However, I would say that despite it being a design no one has tested, a horizontal is expected to run with about the same capacity as other horizontal designs. Needing to be about 4x the size as a vertical.

Not sure I follow about the self powered part. How do you mean?

Welcome to the scrubber club!

Yeah, I was wondering if the waves might have any effect on the size vs just running water over a horizontal trough.

The self powered part would be the power needed to turn the paddles to create the waves in the water. I'm working on a basic 3d model right now to share and discuss. Wont be perfect but it should get the idea across.

 

[TheAquatect]

OK, I spent some time last night giving my idea some life. Now its just a rough model and I know there are some things i would do slightly different with water flow in and out of the unit. I also did not size this based on any of the guidelines, so i think it could be smaller. And of course the side and top have been removed for ease of viewing.

Now, I got on this track to see if this was an effective design, was easy to maintain and clean and was possibly better than a typical horizontal ATS. Im in the process of plumbing my tank so I have time to refine this and test if it seems viable. So have a look and tell me what you think.

How it works
So the idea is that water will travel down from the tank overflow/drain and enter via the bulkhead near the water wheel. This water movement, thanks to gravity, would spin the wheel and the attached paddles. The water would collect in the box and the paddles would push the water up the inclined ATS pad, simulating waves and stimulating algal growth. (I also theorize this would stimulate stronger root growth and density which I have read is one of the cons for horizontal ATS)

The rear bulkhead would allow for the continued flow of the water. I would imagine a ball valve after this bulkhead would help control the flow of water so that you could maintain a certain volume of water in the case.

 

[Devaji108]

ok read alot of this thread but still have some questions for you ATS gurus
1) lighting:
I might go with LEDs will the cheaper 1W RED work?
should I ad 1 blue?
2) I don't have a dremel tool can i drill small holes the file them out?
3) the size of the screen:
i only feed .5 cube right now but will increase as i stock the tank should I make it for the intended feeding? I am thinking 10X10" double sided.

I would like to use a maxijet 1200 pump would that be the right GHP?
so for all the questions I read for 3-4 hrs and now my brain is fried...

 

[Devaji108]

dbl post

 

[srusso]

OK, I spent some time last night giving my idea some life. Now its just a rough model and I know there are some things i would do slightly different with water flow in and out of the unit. I also did not size this based on any of the guidelines, so i think it could be smaller. And of course the side and top have been removed for ease of viewing.

Now, I got on this track to see if this was an effective design, was easy to maintain and clean and was possibly better than a typical horizontal ATS. Im in the process of plumbing my tank so I have time to refine this and test if it seems viable. So have a look and tell me what you think.

How it works
So the idea is that water will travel down from the tank overflow/drain and enter via the bulkhead near the water wheel. This water movement, thanks to gravity, would spin the wheel and the attached paddles. The water would collect in the box and the paddles would push the water up the inclined ATS pad, simulating waves and stimulating algal growth. (I also theorize this would stimulate stronger root growth and density which I have read is one of the cons for horizontal ATS)

The rear bulkhead would allow for the continued flow of the water. I would imagine a ball valve after this bulkhead would help control the flow of water so that you could maintain a certain volume of water in the case.

Very cool, I believe you may have reinvented the original 70's dump bucket design, without the "dump bucket"!!! Please build one! It's would be an amazing addition to the thread, thank you for sharing.

I do believe it will be a true "ATS" meaning, it should grow true "Turf" algae.

 

[shroutk3]

Help me design my ATS

Help me design my ATS

I definitely have GHA in my tank to seed a screen- been battling it for several months now. I have it under control with algae fix, but as soon as I stop dosing it returns.

My chaeto hadn't been cutting it for awhile now, so I'm thinking about setting up a scrubber.

Here are some pics of my setup

40 Breeder, 20 sump, 15 gal frag tank.

I probably feed 1 cube per day.

I'm going for simplicity- I don't want another pump, so feel that I have 2 options:
1. Use my return (theres a piece of 1/2 inch running hirzontally from right to left currently. Not being utilized- could install a scrubber here.
2. Somehow T off my overflow return and run one there. This is the mor crowded side of the tank, so more difficult.

I'd also like to run this with lit from one side only- hoping to use just i or 2 lights (preferably 1 if possible)- cfl
What's your vote?
What size do I need for the screen?


Thanks for the help,

Tim

 

[srusso]

ok read alot of this thread but still have some questions for you ATS gurus
1) lighting:
I might go with LEDs will the cheaper 1W RED work?
should I ad 1 blue?
2) I don't have a dremel tool can i drill small holes the file them out?
3) the size of the screen:
i only feed .5 cube right now but will increase as i stock the tank should I make it for the intended feeding? I am thinking 10X10" double sided.

I would like to use a maxijet 1200 pump would that be the right GHP?
so for all the questions I read for 3-4 hrs and now my brain is fried...

Check my signature for the post number of the latest build summery. There is a pic the raps another piece of plastic mech around the PVC, this design allows a waterfall scrubber to use drilled holes rather than a slot.

Go with 3w ~660nm LEDs the growth is unmatched and you dont need to change bulbs! Cant beat the LEDs right now... I have a small order of reds to play around with coming in the mail. The blue (~450nm) is believed to help, I think it's 5:1 or 6:1.

 

[dryworm]

hi y'all, i seen all these cool designs of the new uas and thought i would give it a

shot to design one. i am a newbie and havent set up an aquarium yet and just

doing research until i am able to build my tank. so i might not know what the hell

im talking about. i have the drain pipe going into the refugium first so the DSB,

rock, macro, pods, filter feeders have first chance at the nutrient water from the

display tank. the water then goes over the baffle into the UAS section. the

return pipe to the external pump is drilled at the bottom of the sump. the

airstone is positioned higher than the return pipe so the bubbles dont get

sucked in. feel free to criticize and let me know of any flaws in the design.

 

[srusso]

I definitely have GHA in my tank to seed a screen- been battling it for several months now. I have it under control with algae fix, but as soon as I stop dosing it returns.

My chaeto hadn't been cutting it for awhile now, so I'm thinking about setting up a scrubber.

Here are some pics of my setup

40 Breeder, 20 sump, 15 gal frag tank.

I probably feed 1 cube per day.

I'm going for simplicity- I don't want another pump, so feel that I have 2 options:
1. Use my return (theres a piece of 1/2 inch running hirzontally from right to left currently. Not being utilized- could install a scrubber here.
2. Somehow T off my overflow return and run one there. This is the mor crowded side of the tank, so more difficult.

I'd also like to run this with lit from one side only- hoping to use just i or 2 lights (preferably 1 if possible)- cfl
What's your vote?
What size do I need for the screen?


Thanks for the help,

Tim

Going off only what I can see, if it where my tank. Or I had been given the job of servicing that setup. (Without knowing the water chems. post those if you can please)

First I would clean the main pump, and put it back in the tank.

Remove the filter sock and measure the flow coming out of the drain.
(Floyd posted a good tutorial on how to do that.)

Once you have the actual GPH with a cleaned pump, minus 1/3 for the reduced GPH as the pump runs. Divide that reduced flow number by 35. That will give you the number of inches wide your scrubber should be.

For example
Cleaned pump = 300GPH
- 1/3 = 200GPH
divide by 35 = ~5.7"

(Once the tank was free of algae, I would feed more food based on screen size. Tangs can always eat more...)

Next, after having removed the filter sock/s and the set of baffles next to the sock/s, I would remove most of the live rock from the sump.

Move the skimmer as far over to the right as I could.

Setup the ATS so its fed directly coming off the drain into the sump.

Double sided, you should have room to get to lights on both sides after that.

Go with LED if you can, it will save space, you don't have to change bulbs, the growth is better then CFL.

Do a large water change.... Algaeflex + Algae scrubber = no grow... lol

And wait.... for the green to grow. Clean the screen every seven days, every 3 to 4 if you get black/dark growth.

and make an appointment for next week... lol jk

 

[Devaji108]

Check my signature for the post number of the latest build summery. There is a pic the raps another piece of plastic mech around the PVC, this design allows a waterfall scrubber to use drilled holes rather than a slot.

Go with 3w ~660nm LEDs the growth is unmatched and you dont need to change bulbs! Cant beat the LEDs right now... I have a small order of reds to play around with coming in the mail. The blue (~450nm) is believed to help, I think it's 5:1 or 6:1.

Hey Srusso thanks for taking the time to answer all my questions, boy was my brain fried last night overloaded on ATS info :reading:

ok so this is what I am thinking as of this morning:
DIY LED ATS with the fallowing:
screen size ( right now only feed .5 cube per day but still stocking tank will mostly likely feed 2 per day) 2 cubes = 24 Sq inches both sides.
so how about 5"x5" that = 25 sq inches. or should I go smaller?

flow not sure if I want to mess with my drain pimp or not. but on the other hand not sure if I want to buy another pump...haha but what I was thinking is a maxi-jet 1200 @295 GPH with just a bit of head maybe .5' using 3/4" hose. that seams like a descent amount of flow over 5" of screen.

LIGHTING
thinking about DIY LED using 3W cree or aquastyle stars...
now if I have a 5x5" screen would I need 1 or 2 on each side?
and how long should I run them?
should I use lenses or leave them with the 120 angle?

here is a video of my system just you give you give any idea what we are working with + it will serve as documentation of the ATS.
<embed width="600" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullscreen="true" allowNetworking="all" wmode="transparent" src="http://static.photobucket.com/player.swf" flashvars="file=http%3A%2F%2Fvid1103.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fg480%2Fdevaji108%2FIMG_0001.mp4">

 

[Devaji108]

oh and can someone point me to LED ATS threads?
cheers
Deva

 

[srusso]

Hey Srusso thanks for taking the time to answer all my questions, boy was my brain fried last night overloaded on ATS info :reading:

ok so this is what I am thinking as of this morning:
DIY LED ATS with the fallowing:
screen size ( right now only feed .5 cube per day but still stocking tank will mostly likely feed 2 per day) 2 cubes = 24 Sq inches both sides.
so how about 5"x5" that = 25 sq inches. or should I go smaller?

flow not sure if I want to mess with my drain pimp or not. but on the other hand not sure if I want to buy another pump...haha but what I was thinking is a maxi-jet 1200 @295 GPH with just a bit of head maybe .5' using 3/4" hose. that seams like a descent amount of flow over 5" of screen.

LIGHTING
thinking about DIY LED using 3W cree or aquastyle stars...
now if I have a 5x5" screen would I need 1 or 2 on each side?
and how long should I run them?
should I use lenses or leave them with the 120 angle?

here is a video of my system just you give you give any idea what we are working with + it will serve as documentation of the ATS.
<embed width="600" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullscreen="true" allowNetworking="all" wmode="transparent" src="http://static.photobucket.com/player.swf" flashvars="file=http%3A%2F%2Fvid1103.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fg480%2Fdevaji108%2FIMG_0001.mp4">

Just got a chance to watch your video, thank you for that! Very helpful!
The waterfall design has a clear track record and the road is well traveled. So for the best results lets go with stuff we know works well. LEDs are the way to go, looks you go that part down... I am not a fan of maxijets for algae scrubbers, in a perfect world they would be great... but they normally fall short for most peoples builds. Its not the maxijets and more so builders underestimating the true flow requirements having not measured. I generally like to use the overflow, and I would set it up in the center of the sump. Read a few posts back I gave the info on on using your how to setup a scrubber off your overflow.

 

[Devaji108]

ok i'll read a few pages back and reread some of that info. I hesitate to cut into my drain pipe b/c one i get the marco tank up and running i may need to take the ATS off line to grow the marco. i least that is my understanding is that marco and ATS really don't mix well.

anyway so does that screen size and lighting seam right? I hope to get some supplies tomorrow as I am "going over the mountain" to a home depo
thanks for your time

 

[shikhyung]

Would it be OK to run water from the chiller return?
Actually, my chiller is hardly to turn on, because I use LED for lighting. Thx.

 

[srusso]

Would it be OK to run water from the chiller return?
Actually, my chiller is hardly to turn on, because I use LED for lighting. Thx.

So long as it meets flow requirements, yes.

 

[dougie]

what size scrubber is needed for 180g, and 240g. how many watts of light for both please.

 

[6Speed]

I want to build a scrubber but I am very limited with space. Here is the space I'm working with:

The chamber on far left is my ato reservoir so can't use that. I've got basically 10"x12" area to work with but my skimmer takes up some of that space. I would probably remove teh skimmer if the scrubber starts doing well.

I'm trying to figure a way to hang it from the side on the inside of the sump so that my overflow can drain right into the ATS.

I'd like to build an acrylic box that the overflow drains into and then the ats screen hangs below the box and lets the water drain down into the sump from there. I would have to have it hanging below the top of the sump so in case it overflowed it would still end up in sump.

I would have to use LED's mounted to a thin (1" thick if possible) heatsink so that it could be hung on the other side of the sump glass. There isn't enough room for a cfl with reflector.

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

what size scrubber is needed for 180g, and 240g. how many watts of light for both please.

Scrubbers are no longer sized based on tank volume, they are sized based on feeding. See my sig for the basics thread that covers this

 

[dougie]

thank you

 

[srusso]

So my LED test project is complete.
Total cost was about $30 dollars.



I used two electrical boxes as my heat sinks, light blocker, reflector, and it comes with screws that would normally be used to screw in the faceplate. Can't beat that! Let's see how well it does with the heat from the LEDs... Used some old nuts and bolts to sandwich the 5 LED driver between the boxes.

Got a $1 dollar piece of acrylic and made a cover for the boxes.

- Some old wire I had to connect everything up, cut an old power cord for the plug.






Mounted it to the inside door.