Algae Scrubber Basics

Hey Chrissu,

Why are you going to start another domain about a scrubber when there are plenty of places like here or on the SM site that are more commonly known. Posting on those sites may get you more hits since people regularly visit them.
 
Personally I think the one thing holding up scrubbers at this point is the lack available options to purchase one. SM tried for some time to get someone to build his designs and sell them. He only started selling them when no one would build them. SM's are very very nice but expensive and only really sized for 100 gallons.

Someone needs to start cranking these out so that the economy of scale can take over. It would be nice to see additional size offerings such as 75, 100, 150, 200 gallon, etc.

Of course DIY is an option, but in order for wider acceptance, it needs to not be the only option.
 
I thought that someone was making them and not just him. Since I purchased a table saw and router table partially for the purpose of making ATS boxes for myself and customer tanks, I eventually will plan to custom make them for others also.

I agree SM's are expensive and limited to one size (except for the Nano) but the problem with making 'standard' sizes is that due to people's existing sump configurations, a standard box may not work for everyone. So a custom box would have to be an option. Plus shipping pre-manufactured acrylic boxes is difficult.

However, once I take (and hopefully pass) my PE exam, then it will be warmer and I will be setting up my workshop in my garage (and putting the car outside again) and will hopefully have time to start building boxes. At that time I may be open to building boxes for others and looking at making larger and/or alternate designs.
 
Well reducing the flow has had little effect on performance but had a huge impact on the noise. Worked great. Here's 4 days of growth in the scrubber.

4daysofgrowth.jpg


Cheers,
Aaron
 
Thank you Johnny C!!! I voted, all please go vote for algae scrubber basics thread for "thread of the month"!!!!! :D :D
 
Salt creep really doesn't become much of an issue, since you have to clean the system once a week. I guess it depends on your individual setup, but as long as you don't have spray going everywhere it should be pretty minimal. I to get a little salt creep on the union that I have to disconnect the slot tube.
 
This too...

srusso said:
Keeping with the theme of history, the Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce has used algae scrubbers as the "most important life support" of their tanks.

Here is a quote from the link below.
http://www.sms.si.edu/smee/behindthescenes.htm

"Biological Filtration
The most important life support system employed at the exhibit is the one used to control the buildup of inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus, which is excreted by all aquatic animals. In the small controlled environments of our model ecosystems, inorganic nitrogen in the form of ammonia and nitrites can quickly reach toxic levels, while elevated nitrates (which can also reach toxic levels) and phosphates are often associated with algae blooms. In natural waters, these nutrients are maintained at nearly undetectable levels by organisms like seagrasses, phytoplankton, algae, and to a lesser extent certain specialized bacteria.

Over 20 years ago, Smithsonian scientists led by Dr. Walter Adey, developed a biological process which utilizes naturally occurring turf or hair algae to control nitrogen and phosphorus levels. The process called algal turf scrubbers or ATS, takes advantage of the photosynthetic capabilities of algae which need nitrogen and phosphorus to grow. Water from the Harvestingaquarium is constantly circulated over brightly illuminated shallow trays of fast growing turf algae grown in the absence of herbivores. Excess nutrients are removed from the system by routinely harvesting the excess algae, as seen in the photograph to the right. In addition to maintaining naturally low levels of nitrogen and phosphorus, other advantages of using ATS filtration include the night-time production of oxygen and the removal of carbon dioxide. In keeping with the Exhibit's philosophy of modeling nature, ATS are the primary means of removing excess nutrients."
Click to expand...
 
Finally moved the tank and everything is settled.

It has been a week after the move, and ive had quite a bit of die-off in the tank. A lot of coraline has died, and the scrubber had a bit of a rough new break-in period.

Water was tested yesterday @ LFS -

N03 - Zero ....YAY!

N04 - 0.30... BOO-OO!


Not too bad considering the 3 day ordeal to move the tank from one second story apartment to another second story apartment. Had 2 of my acro's die in the move, other than that everybody is doing great an accounted for!

btw...for those of you wondering why my back wall is bare, it used to be covered in beautiful coraline before the move. I knew it would die in the proces of moving the tank, and I couldnt stand the thought of staring at a white back wall, so I scraped it clean before it died to give it a chance of survival in the water column :D I hate the white overflow right now :p, and a lot of the die-off I had on the rocks ( my fault and totally preventable, it was just a very hectic move...)

3-02-2011-2.jpg


3-02-2011.jpg


DSCF6116.jpg



I am also upgrading the scrubber pump to a mag 9.5 soon for more flow
 
horizontal style scrubber

horizontal style scrubber

any input on the trough style scrubber pictured a few pages back, is it as effective a vertical, i dont have enough room to hang screen and lights in sump, thought i could do trough next to sump and have it drain into it.
 
bmullikin1 said:
any input on the trough style scrubber pictured a few pages back, is it as effective a vertical, i dont have enough room to hang screen and lights in sump, thought i could do trough next to sump and have it drain into it.
Click to expand...

This is a very good question.

I too want to do something similar. I was hoping to still use the canvas material and possibly use eggcrate under it.

I just have question's about algae length after a week etc. but don't want to jack the thread.
 
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