Algae Scrubber Basics

[Mrs. Music]

Not when using LEDs on a brand new screen

Staggering the cycle between the 2 sides seems to have helped, but it's almost like something else is going on here...strange that your screen is starting up so slowly. You might go to the extreme here on the light cycle and alternate sides with shorter bursts and a dark period inbetween. If you have one of those Hamilton timers with the tabs that allow you to control in 15 minute increments, try this: side A on 30 minutes, then off 45, repeat. Side B the same, but try to adjust the dial so that the 30 minutes of "on" falls in the middle of the side A's 45 minutes off. Then run that such that each side gets ~6 hours.



Are you referring to plumbing the drain from the DT to the sump such that it directly feeds the scrubber (instead of using a dedicated pump or tapping off the return supply line)?

yes sir I am.

 

[Mrs. Music]

Thats how i do it. The tank overflow to the sump, through the scrubber.
As long as the flow rate is correct for your screen width - 25 to 50 gallons per hour per inch of screen width.

do you have any images of your set up?

 

[Scrubber_steve]

do you have any images of your set up?

Its simply a 1 1/2" overflow pipe going into the scrubber, which sits on top of the sump.

 

[SantaMonica]

50 gallons per hour per inch of screen width

That's a very large amount, for a regular plastic canvas screen. Probably not needed that high because it would detach slime and therefore maybe delay startup.

 

[homer1475]

Staggering the cycle between the 2 sides seems to have helped, but it's almost like something else is going on here...strange that your screen is starting up so slowly. You might go to the extreme here on the light cycle and alternate sides with shorter bursts and a dark period inbetween. If you have one of those Hamilton timers with the tabs that allow you to control in 15 minute increments, try this: side A on 30 minutes, then off 45, repeat. Side B the same, but try to adjust the dial so that the 30 minutes of "on" falls in the middle of the side A's 45 minutes off. Then run that such that each side gets ~6 hours.

I'm running them off an apex, so I can program them anyway I want.

I'll give this lighting scheme a shot. Thanks for the help Floyd. :thumbsup:

PS.
The screen might look weird because I took some algae from the display and ground it into the screen in hopes to kick start it.

 

[sensei]

Can anyone tell me how can you boost an algae filter??
I have 2 ATS in my 600g system and they grow but the ATS in my oldest 150g growth more that double of what I get in the 600g system.
I wonder if there is a way to boost the ATS in the 600g

thanks for your answers

 

[biecacka]

3 weeks of my set up and no growth. maybe i am not feeding enough? or lights on too long or not long enough.
nutrients have remained stable though.

corey

 

[Scrubber_steve]

3 weeks of my set up and no growth. maybe i am not feeding enough? or lights on too long or not long enough.
nutrients have remained stable though.

corey

Nothing,,,, at all?

 

[SantaMonica]

Without pics:

Sensei's sounds like growth has not attached yet. Or something else.

Biecacka's sound over-illuminated.

 

[karimwassef]

I'm going to experiment with these lights...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017GX6USY

just 5 of them ~ 500W

 

[karimwassef]

as far as why I'm experimenting. The 12V 500W LED fixture I DIY'ed is still working, but the refurbished 900W power supplies I've been using (~$20 each) burn up every 6 months.

Even when I isolate them from any water, the fact that they're air cooled and my tank generates a salty mist = internal salt-mist powder buildup.

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/920FAA26-64AC-45FF-AEF4-28AE07D1B0AD_zpsllx2lclc.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/920FAA26-64AC-45FF-AEF4-28AE07D1B0AD_zpsllx2lclc.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 920FAA26-64AC-45FF-AEF4-28AE07D1B0AD_zpsllx2lclc.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/AC47364D-719B-4850-8E39-B56FDEF81D36_zpsggajfzns.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/AC47364D-719B-4850-8E39-B56FDEF81D36_zpsggajfzns.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo AC47364D-719B-4850-8E39-B56FDEF81D36_zpsggajfzns.jpg"/></a>

I would have to put them into an externally ventilated safe-box to work (next project).

 

[karimwassef]

only 4 lights came in... so

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/223CF2E7-D5F1-4A98-9A40-B9141E7CF7B9_zpsfkbodqhf.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/223CF2E7-D5F1-4A98-9A40-B9141E7CF7B9_zpsfkbodqhf.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 223CF2E7-D5F1-4A98-9A40-B9141E7CF7B9_zpsfkbodqhf.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/AB06DA11-B91E-4BE7-BC11-0D862DEDFE4B_zpsnyaq7frd.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/AB06DA11-B91E-4BE7-BC11-0D862DEDFE4B_zpsnyaq7frd.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo AB06DA11-B91E-4BE7-BC11-0D862DEDFE4B_zpsnyaq7frd.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/DD9E7CC4-9E27-41A6-8551-EFC310ED5081_zpsi1kwhxiu.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/DD9E7CC4-9E27-41A6-8551-EFC310ED5081_zpsi1kwhxiu.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DD9E7CC4-9E27-41A6-8551-EFC310ED5081_zpsi1kwhxiu.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/BDAD2289-AB95-4DC5-A7CB-BF4214F0E450_zpsznspzsid.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/BDAD2289-AB95-4DC5-A7CB-BF4214F0E450_zpsznspzsid.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo BDAD2289-AB95-4DC5-A7CB-BF4214F0E450_zpsznspzsid.jpg"/></a>

 

[karimwassef]

why so much light? my scrubber needs to process the output of my fish at 4 bananas a day

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/5909E4B4-8908-474A-955B-71EC0FAA7E2F_zpsvimisjjo.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/5909E4B4-8908-474A-955B-71EC0FAA7E2F_zpsvimisjjo.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 5909E4B4-8908-474A-955B-71EC0FAA7E2F_zpsvimisjjo.jpg"/></a>

 

[karimwassef]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_pKM0f45APA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[SantaMonica]

Weekend growth pics

 

[homer1475]

Just a couple pics on my 3 week old scrubber.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[homer1475]

Sorry for the double post, Tapatalk hates me sometimes.

Anywho, this is my screen after 3 weeks. I did not realize I should have been cleaning it every week regardless of the amount of algae on the screen. Of course it helps when you actually read the thread and not just skim it.

The screen seems to have taken off since I switched to the opposite light schedule Floyd had me try. Now do I go to a normal light cycle, or leave it be until the screen fills in better?

And this is the screen after just scrubbing it a bit with my fingernails and running it under tap water.

Is this appropriate or should I clean it less or more?

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Looks like a good start. Just don't over-clean. I.E. no brushing, no scraping - rub with fingertips while rinsing. You only want to loosen the diatoms & any slime growth to allow GHA to get a good foothold.

Go 10 days minimum to next cleaning (probably 14 or more). If you do feel the need to clean before them, rub & rinse & let it grow.

You can really follow the no-brush/no-scrape concept for several months...

 

[catman78]

What do you guys think of this design?

http://www.fish-street.com/ats_algae_turf_scrubber_filter_system

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Junk