Algae Scrubber Basics

here's the "overflow" 1" pipe cut

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/61169542-7D69-4DFA-A356-3C2043A9E317_zps3vh86v0t.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/61169542-7D69-4DFA-A356-3C2043A9E317_zps3vh86v0t.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 61169542-7D69-4DFA-A356-3C2043A9E317_zps3vh86v0t.jpg"/></a>

I used 1 1/2" PVC around the 1" pipe just before the 1" elbows to create a seal inside the 2" "slit" pipe. I used epoxy putty to hold it all together and create a seal.

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/01788DAA-DCF9-4554-A680-755D982E12C9_zpsz5pcu9l5.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/01788DAA-DCF9-4554-A680-755D982E12C9_zpsz5pcu9l5.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 01788DAA-DCF9-4554-A680-755D982E12C9_zpsz5pcu9l5.jpg"/></a>

and this is how they'll actually go together with the "overflow" 1" pointing up and the "slit" 2" pointing down.

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/5CDEB217-BA50-4F54-93E4-0BF5BB77C30F_zps4n14m6e8.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/5CDEB217-BA50-4F54-93E4-0BF5BB77C30F_zps4n14m6e8.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 5CDEB217-BA50-4F54-93E4-0BF5BB77C30F_zps4n14m6e8.jpg"/></a>

and assembly:

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/9188BC2A-41E2-41B8-8915-48E63373AC67_zps2yc4kexz.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/9188BC2A-41E2-41B8-8915-48E63373AC67_zps2yc4kexz.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 9188BC2A-41E2-41B8-8915-48E63373AC67_zps2yc4kexz.jpg"/></a>

here are the "sealed" ends

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/E87B89F9-960E-416A-AAEB-1721BFBF37DD_zpswfqvckjt.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/E87B89F9-960E-416A-AAEB-1721BFBF37DD_zpswfqvckjt.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo E87B89F9-960E-416A-AAEB-1721BFBF37DD_zpswfqvckjt.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/47663DC9-BA34-4C0D-9F94-D0193BAF2698_zpsyciqfvui.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/47663DC9-BA34-4C0D-9F94-D0193BAF2698_zpsyciqfvui.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 47663DC9-BA34-4C0D-9F94-D0193BAF2698_zpsyciqfvui.jpg"/></a>

I had to break the 2" PVC so I could get the 1" Tee inside it

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/F49ED252-C176-4981-A5E3-4E23D26E0894_zpsuthsru2b.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/F49ED252-C176-4981-A5E3-4E23D26E0894_zpsuthsru2b.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo F49ED252-C176-4981-A5E3-4E23D26E0894_zpsuthsru2b.jpg"/></a>

I also decided to add zip-tie streamers to guide the flow out of the slit

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/C76B0B7E-7167-44CA-8A0A-423086DC2DFE_zpspeyjvwiq.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/C76B0B7E-7167-44CA-8A0A-423086DC2DFE_zpspeyjvwiq.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo C76B0B7E-7167-44CA-8A0A-423086DC2DFE_zpspeyjvwiq.jpg"/></a>
 
and then epoxy to seal it all up

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/6702896E-8E06-4F9D-AAD5-8D16A96EA952_zpsymutkyw6.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/6702896E-8E06-4F9D-AAD5-8D16A96EA952_zpsymutkyw6.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 6702896E-8E06-4F9D-AAD5-8D16A96EA952_zpsymutkyw6.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/B8169399-BC7C-4E52-B50C-183A184F6549_zps9cviuh79.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/B8169399-BC7C-4E52-B50C-183A184F6549_zps9cviuh79.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo B8169399-BC7C-4E52-B50C-183A184F6549_zps9cviuh79.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/3655C3DD-F821-46EA-8C26-E993CF28817E_zpsm1bobadp.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/3655C3DD-F821-46EA-8C26-E993CF28817E_zpsm1bobadp.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 3655C3DD-F821-46EA-8C26-E993CF28817E_zpsm1bobadp.jpg"/></a>

I decided to use the epoxy gel mix to create a "coating". This works because none of this is under any real pressure.

and the fully sealed ends

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/5AB0F6BD-1CB1-41E4-84B8-B0DCFA7562E1_zpsinisay4s.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/5AB0F6BD-1CB1-41E4-84B8-B0DCFA7562E1_zpsinisay4s.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 5AB0F6BD-1CB1-41E4-84B8-B0DCFA7562E1_zpsinisay4s.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/D9383B1B-FA51-4F87-8AEC-06F8A715FFE5_zpscfm7jpwj.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/D9383B1B-FA51-4F87-8AEC-06F8A715FFE5_zpscfm7jpwj.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo D9383B1B-FA51-4F87-8AEC-06F8A715FFE5_zpscfm7jpwj.jpg"/></a>

and here's what it looks like for testing

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/B318FF61-9463-4A69-820A-0255601E4E95_zpssdnu71rv.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/B318FF61-9463-4A69-820A-0255601E4E95_zpssdnu71rv.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo B318FF61-9463-4A69-820A-0255601E4E95_zpssdnu71rv.jpg"/></a>
 
first trial shows that this actually moves the water to the ends, but leaves the middle empty.

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/F2BF7383-C3BA-4200-A271-C9D8DFEF4286_zpsy6szdfvz.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/F2BF7383-C3BA-4200-A271-C9D8DFEF4286_zpsy6szdfvz.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo F2BF7383-C3BA-4200-A271-C9D8DFEF4286_zpsy6szdfvz.jpg"/></a>

I realized that I can use zipties to modulate the slit width - so I added zipties to the ends to reduce flow there. I let the zipties hang down creating more "streamers"

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/56F9FB94-8D88-40CB-A2EA-B5B85E946D2E_zpsxnyhmwp7.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/56F9FB94-8D88-40CB-A2EA-B5B85E946D2E_zpsxnyhmwp7.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 56F9FB94-8D88-40CB-A2EA-B5B85E946D2E_zpsxnyhmwp7.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/67CDE0DF-7301-4360-A901-D190C60FDA53_zps3pdjj0n8.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/67CDE0DF-7301-4360-A901-D190C60FDA53_zps3pdjj0n8.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 67CDE0DF-7301-4360-A901-D190C60FDA53_zps3pdjj0n8.jpg"/></a>

that was pretty good

I decided to drill a couple of holes in the 1" pipe at the Tee since there's no "overflow" there and to compensate for the weak mid-path flow.

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/C53EC738-02BD-442E-8604-064EB96D98D6_zpscws3phqh.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/C53EC738-02BD-442E-8604-064EB96D98D6_zpscws3phqh.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo C53EC738-02BD-442E-8604-064EB96D98D6_zpscws3phqh.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/1BE43A49-319E-45AA-BCC3-031DDFA6B58F_zpsc0slj9yr.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/1BE43A49-319E-45AA-BCC3-031DDFA6B58F_zpsc0slj9yr.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 1BE43A49-319E-45AA-BCC3-031DDFA6B58F_zpsc0slj9yr.jpg"/></a>

That looks decent.

Then I cut back the streamers to prep for the sheet assembly

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/8A3F1B3B-75AD-45B3-A94E-99D46E45A48B_zpswqgds6fm.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/8A3F1B3B-75AD-45B3-A94E-99D46E45A48B_zpswqgds6fm.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 8A3F1B3B-75AD-45B3-A94E-99D46E45A48B_zpswqgds6fm.jpg"/></a>
 
By the way, my waterfall is especially hard because it's all gravity fed. Any clog would flood the tank above it, so the flow path has to be as open as possible but still uniform - double hard to do.
 
Well. I can start my own build thread :D

I figured that everyone was posting their pics and builds here for group help, so....

I'll pose the question to the OP and the oldest regular poster for reference...

srusso, Floyd, others - think I should start a separate thread? I'm good with it if it's a distraction
 
Or maybe we need a new "Basics" thread. I can't imagine someone new to ATS or the hobby being able to wade through 346 pages and pull out the "right" information.
 
Karim (just guessing at the name)

I posted the question about being hijacked, so let me explain.

I find the story of your battle with nutrients due to the location and the huge number of insects quite interesting and I am not really upset and have enjoyed, and learned a bit from, your posts.

I do think the intend of this thread, as I see it, to help the average reefer understand ATS and how to build, by comparison, a basic functioning ATS. I think some of the "little" guys may be getting lost in the many pages about you build and challenges.

I might have approached it with - "Hi I am ***, I have and unusual problem (explain) and will start my own thread and please find it, read it and help me". Actually, I am not sure any of us, including the OP or Floyd, have any idea how to help with your very unique situation (problem).

My suggestion, start your own thread as Dimini2 did with his reef tank build.
 
hmmm.. The middle path has saved many - so I'll split the difference. I'll start my own thread and then post a link here. I'll continue to post finished results and broad questions, but not the same level of detail.

By the way - many of the improvements have come through the recommendations made by posters on this thread - so I consider myself one of the "little" guys and I'm here to learn as well as share. When I fail, it should help someone else do better. :D

Karim
 
As promised - just the results

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Sj--MHlnyKQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
Can you achieve ulns with an upflow ats? Or would you be better off carbon dosing?
Click to expand...

Depends on what numbers you mean, and how good you build and run your scrubber, and if you have other filters. Any type of scrubber can get numbers to zero on regular test kits once the tank has cycled, if that is your goal. Algae is algae, and photosynthesis is photosynthesis. There just has to be enough of it at all times. Photosynthesis = Light x area x attachment x air/water interface turbulence.

If that is your goal, and if there are no other filters or water changes, then you'll want multiple scrubbers so that at least one is always filtering when you clean the other. When algae is the only filter, nutrients shoot up real quick when the filter stops. An advantage of an upflow is that it does not really mat down if you can't clean it on time, and it won't dry out if the power goes out. And placement and cleaning is easier. Some of the new waterfall designs I'll be posting solve some issues, but they are not viewable yet.

Adding carbon changes the control of what get the low numbers. The carbon will usually win if run strong enough, and will really slow down the algae. So they sort of fight each other. Same with GFO. The only carbon that gets into real reef water is from algae (glucose), so real reef water does not have to deal with extra carbon being added. All the filtering there is done by photosynthesis.

Many people have trouble using carbon, and try adding on a scrubber to fix it. It's better however if you just start with scrubber-only.
 
OllieNZ said:
I'll be following along.

Perhaps it's time for a locked sticky detailing the latest info? It would be much simpler for anyone new to ATS.
Click to expand...

I can agree with that. I'm new to ATS and as much as I'd like to get all the info 340+ pages would take days to read. As it is I've spent 5+ hours reading the first several pages and now the last 20ish. I have a few questions about them but don't want to be one of "those people" asking for the millionth time.

Floyd is very helpful giving post numbers in his signature with important information but even those seem a bit outdated to a degree, especially when it comes to lighting. From everything I'm seeing now there are LED units that work well and are not very expensive?
 
Thanks Turbo! Looking forward to getting this mortar screen on the Turbo L3 soon. Soaking it a few days first.

4be0cb9e4eda15c961b7b2facf43b815.jpg
 
karimwassef said:
Ok... Red and white PAR came in at 360 but I attribute that to better wiring (lower resistance) since it also consumed more current ~ 10A total.

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/677FD06A-EF56-4ABB-80BE-AAA00892A195_zpshhgpcfcn.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/677FD06A-EF56-4ABB-80BE-AAA00892A195_zpshhgpcfcn.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 677FD06A-EF56-4ABB-80BE-AAA00892A195_zpshhgpcfcn.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/8D8146E2-21A7-4AB1-93A9-88DC6C91289C_zpsctnmxdun.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/8D8146E2-21A7-4AB1-93A9-88DC6C91289C_zpsctnmxdun.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 8D8146E2-21A7-4AB1-93A9-88DC6C91289C_zpsctnmxdun.jpg"/></a>

The wiring needs some improvement, but both the blue and red sides are up and running.

The power is ~ 10A per side for a total of 240W

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/4A5AB208-A115-484F-B455-D69075B177A4_zpsa9qqjvbg.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/4A5AB208-A115-484F-B455-D69075B177A4_zpsa9qqjvbg.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 4A5AB208-A115-484F-B455-D69075B177A4_zpsa9qqjvbg.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/B1FA73B6-D67C-47E3-9751-8F46554E5097_zps0oq0iwoh.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/B1FA73B6-D67C-47E3-9751-8F46554E5097_zps0oq0iwoh.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo B1FA73B6-D67C-47E3-9751-8F46554E5097_zps0oq0iwoh.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/F849EB7E-B7ED-49DB-ABAB-4854DA8D43F8_zpsytdd7exs.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/F849EB7E-B7ED-49DB-ABAB-4854DA8D43F8_zpsytdd7exs.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo F849EB7E-B7ED-49DB-ABAB-4854DA8D43F8_zpsytdd7exs.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/FD0E2FC8-83B6-48FC-90DE-6732D89F9B70_zps59resqmd.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/FD0E2FC8-83B6-48FC-90DE-6732D89F9B70_zps59resqmd.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo FD0E2FC8-83B6-48FC-90DE-6732D89F9B70_zps59resqmd.jpg"/></a>
Click to expand...
You are using a lot less then 10 amps per side. It's actually 1 amp per side if you have 240w total. 240 \120 is is 2 amps
 
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