Algae Scrubber Basics

Scuba_Steve said:
Im new to Ats, but your math is correct. I have used similar lights growing pepper plants. They work well. May i suggest you change it to 6x5 instead. This will give you 2.5 cubes like you originally wanted

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Click to expand...



I will. Thanks for the advise Steve


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I have 2 ATS in my 460g dt,
one is 2 cube and the other one is 4 cube.
the design of both are exactly identical, they only differ in size.
both proce a good amount of GHA, but the algae in the 4 cube is much more softer, more easier to dettach and easier to desintegrade when you rub it agains the fingers.

why can this be and what does it mean?

time of leds on is exactly the same in both ATS

thanks
 
Preference of reds? Yes just reds.

I'd put a skimmer before, so pods from the scrubber are not removed.

Larger scrubber sounds like it has weaker lights, causing darker growth in the deeper sections.
 
This is how thick my algea is on my scrubber.. And this is normal.. But usually, it doesn't have that cyano on it(it's avidly usually thicker where the cyano is, but I'm thinking it isn't taking hold because of the cyano in these spots)..

I think I need to cut my light hours down a bit since I have areas where it's light on the scrubber, and I'm reading no nitrate on the test kit once more?
43760d049cfadecb43d2c2c631b98c91.jpg
82566b9e29863ae0c84a444a726fa1ed.jpg


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I have a 1" drain coming from a 50 gall. Thinking of just plumbing the ATS from there with a ball valve to control flow. The circulation pump I will be using is the Tunze 1073.02 630 gph.

Advice appreciated.


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The light spots at the top are probably just low-nutrient portions of growth, after the darker growth before it took the nutrients away.

1" drain is fine, can go right to a 1 or 3/4" waterfall pipe. Measure the flow first, into a bucket, and figure the length of your pipe at 35 gph per inch length.
 
So I'm just starting to dig into this....

If my reading comprehensions skills are up to snuff. I feed roughly 2 cubes per day and have a flow rate of 70GPH. So for my ATS I would want a roughed up screen dimension of 2"x12" lit on both sides by 2 14W ip65 LED grow fixtures(one on each side).?

I do plan on making an acrylic box to contain the ATS and just have it fed by my drain and just dump back into the sump.

These are the lights I'm looking at
http://www.tomtop.com/led-grow-lights-360/p-l0133eu.html

Or would these be better?
http://www.tomtop.com/floodlights-4...USD&aid=gpla&gclid=COnp6uTuxNMCFVOBswodoxYGxQ
 
Last edited:
After doing a couple hours of reading, I decided on these lights off ebay - http://www.ebay.com/itm/10W-20W-30W...F0-/331821354395?_trksid=p2385738.m2548.l4275

These are 112V instead of 12V ones I posted above, and seem to be the same as everyone else is using. I did opt for the 20W ones instead of the 10W as I read they are typically under driven.

Still curious as to whether I have the correct screen size though?

2 cubes a day = 24 square inches of screen material lit on both sides with 12W each side
70gph flow rate
is a 2 inch x 12 inch screen?
 
homer1475 said:
After doing a couple hours of reading, I decided on these lights off ebay - http://www.ebay.com/itm/10W-20W-30W...F0-/331821354395?_trksid=p2385738.m2548.l4275

These are 112V instead of 12V ones I posted above, and seem to be the same as everyone else is using. I did opt for the 20W ones instead of the 10W as I read they are typically under driven.

Still curious as to whether I have the correct screen size though?

2 cubes a day = 24 square inches of screen material lit on both sides with 12W each side
70gph flow rate
is a 2 inch x 12 inch screen?
Click to expand...
You should be correct.

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So some feedback on recycling... fish really prefer hair to bubble caulerpa. They'll still eat the caulerpa but it's low on their list:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6avb0Nc17NY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

So I had to export 1/2 of the caulerpa and it was massive. - I struggled to remove the pods and life in it

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/037261AD-4FE6-4545-86F9-022DBC69B5A4_zpspxfvdhv4.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/037261AD-4FE6-4545-86F9-022DBC69B5A4_zpspxfvdhv4.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 037261AD-4FE6-4545-86F9-022DBC69B5A4_zpspxfvdhv4.jpg"></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/64D0B5FA-C8D1-4DD8-A28B-588CD72B2904_zpsfjj9auyj.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/64D0B5FA-C8D1-4DD8-A28B-588CD72B2904_zpsfjj9auyj.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 64D0B5FA-C8D1-4DD8-A28B-588CD72B2904_zpsfjj9auyj.jpg"></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/3DF68965-2A63-4C94-818C-0E07097A5131_zpsdnvigwzi.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/3DF68965-2A63-4C94-818C-0E07097A5131_zpsdnvigwzi.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 3DF68965-2A63-4C94-818C-0E07097A5131_zpsdnvigwzi.jpg"></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/45DCE672-0763-423C-B055-43724B7E7292_zps6gnvylzb.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/45DCE672-0763-423C-B055-43724B7E7292_zps6gnvylzb.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 45DCE672-0763-423C-B055-43724B7E7292_zps6gnvylzb.jpg"></a>

And extracted a jarful of pods, worms, starfish, etc...

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/C73FEE5B-FC83-41EA-B539-B0CF4B203132_zpst8hd4rff.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/C73FEE5B-FC83-41EA-B539-B0CF4B203132_zpst8hd4rff.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo C73FEE5B-FC83-41EA-B539-B0CF4B203132_zpst8hd4rff.jpg"></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/C6A71912-9109-4903-ABAE-6E83EAD84BD7_zpsich5iyk8.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/C6A71912-9109-4903-ABAE-6E83EAD84BD7_zpsich5iyk8.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo C6A71912-9109-4903-ABAE-6E83EAD84BD7_zpsich5iyk8.jpg"></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/83C73793-1945-4ED5-AA42-753E00AA4606_zpssdkry3uv.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/83C73793-1945-4ED5-AA42-753E00AA4606_zpssdkry3uv.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 83C73793-1945-4ED5-AA42-753E00AA4606_zpssdkry3uv.jpg"></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/53D9206B-C86D-499B-82F2-C03063266AD5_zpsdudzkw9s.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/53D9206B-C86D-499B-82F2-C03063266AD5_zpsdudzkw9s.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 53D9206B-C86D-499B-82F2-C03063266AD5_zpsdudzkw9s.jpg"></a>

Life soup

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/0324CF0C-DAF5-4242-9E7D-5F71BE5463A9_zpsodabkcfg.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/0324CF0C-DAF5-4242-9E7D-5F71BE5463A9_zpsodabkcfg.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 0324CF0C-DAF5-4242-9E7D-5F71BE5463A9_zpsodabkcfg.jpg"></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/6D21F9E7-9A6E-42CA-9E12-98D8143094B9_zpsqtgqrrti.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/6D21F9E7-9A6E-42CA-9E12-98D8143094B9_zpsqtgqrrti.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 6D21F9E7-9A6E-42CA-9E12-98D8143094B9_zpsqtgqrrti.jpg"></a>
 
Last edited:
homer1475 said:
After doing a couple hours of reading, I decided on these lights off ebay - http://www.ebay.com/itm/10W-20W-30W...F0-/331821354395?_trksid=p2385738.m2548.l4275

These are 112V instead of 12V ones I posted above, and seem to be the same as everyone else is using. I did opt for the 20W ones instead of the 10W as I read they are typically under driven.

Still curious as to whether I have the correct screen size though?

2 cubes a day = 24 square inches of screen material lit on both sides with 12W each side
70gph flow rate
is a 2 inch x 12 inch screen?
Click to expand...
I have those same lights although the 10w version. They illuminate about a 6" square surface 3" away. You would need 4 of them to hit a 2x12 screen on both sides. You would only need 2 to hit a 6x4 or a 5x5 screen. I can foresee that a 2x12 screen would be difficult to get an even water cascade all the way down on such a skinny long screen. Just my 2 cents, I am new to ATS.

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Also, the side screws and the wire ferule start rusting very quickly. Mine is just a few weeks old and already forming rust.

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Lots of spaghetti and bristleworms and one very nasty fireworm. Hands in a vinegar cup for a day

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/2704CE3B-EED5-496B-80DC-B8EF3C6EB8DC_zpsku1bvbi6.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/2704CE3B-EED5-496B-80DC-B8EF3C6EB8DC_zpsku1bvbi6.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 2704CE3B-EED5-496B-80DC-B8EF3C6EB8DC_zpsku1bvbi6.jpg"></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/BD31D721-6789-4E12-ACD3-AE2C0B3793EF_zps8bjbblh7.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/BD31D721-6789-4E12-ACD3-AE2C0B3793EF_zps8bjbblh7.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo BD31D721-6789-4E12-ACD3-AE2C0B3793EF_zps8bjbblh7.jpg"></a>
 
2 cubes a day = 24 square inches of screen material lit on both sides with 12W each side 70gph flow rate is a 2 inch x 12 inch screen?
Click to expand...

Sound about right. And the lights you got are good, although a lot of light will not hit the screen.

So I had to export
Click to expand...

Why export? How about trying to equalize pod-consumption-of-algae, with growth-of-algae ?
 
Algae Scrubber Basics

Made a waterfall version was just too loud for me. So started over with a DIY upstream bubble model. If this works I'm likely going to purchase a small Santa Monica drop for my 20 gallon IM fusion.

989589ba0d35d405e0063a76f81ccf49.jpg



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why cant i get green hair algae to grow?

im in my 2nd week and all i get is brown algae

i have a 7 by 10 screem lit by 3 23 watt 2700k bulbs in reflectors. flow covers screen evenly.
the only other thing i can think of is if my screen isnt roughd up enough. anyone with ideas?
 
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