Algae Scrubber Basics

[Floyd R Turbo]

I've never tried any stock bulbs. So I guess I"m not the right person to ask. honestly, DIY 3W arrays do the best. You know exactly what color LED you're getting and what the quality of the LED is. Otherwise who knows what you're getting, and I think that's part of the problem.

But the PAR lamps with the removable faceplate and thus removable lenses seem to do well. You have to remove at least the blue lenses to allow the light to spread. Even then, you ave to deal with LED that are too close together and create a hot spot, so you have to back them off and then you lose intensity.

DIY unless that is just not an option, IMO.

 

[LiMaZoo]

Which ones are you recommending?

I am using these:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/E27-12W-LED...561?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53f37560d9

I got them after Floyd mentioned them, I dunno, 9 months ago briefly. I used 8 whole fixtures in a socket for my horizontal prototype. It grew algae real well. But vertical is better so I scrapped that and made the one from above. I then removed the LED panels and rewired everything to make it fit under my sump. In both cases, I removed the lenses. I'm no expert on LEDs by any means, but these have worked great for me so far. One day I will do the 3 watt LED DIY, but thats not on the schedule any time soon. They shipped to me in only a few days- packaging was terrible on all the bulbs, but they are tanks and didn't have any issues.

 

[LiMaZoo]

I noticed the first week I got more growth on the edges too. I thought it was from my light being to close, CFL not LED. By the second week it had filled in considerably.

I say give it another week and see

And yep, filling in real well, thanks!

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

yeah that's the one I should bookmark it LOL. Take from bezel off, remove lenses, replace bezel. Disco.

 

[degibson84]

I am using these:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/E27-12W-LED...561?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53f37560d9

I got them after Floyd mentioned them, I dunno, 9 months ago briefly. I used 8 whole fixtures in a socket for my horizontal prototype. It grew algae real well. But vertical is better so I scrapped that and made the one from above. I then removed the LED panels and rewired everything to make it fit under my sump. In both cases, I removed the lenses. I'm no expert on LEDs by any means, but these have worked great for me so far. One day I will do the 3 watt LED DIY, but thats not on the schedule any time soon. They shipped to me in only a few days- packaging was terrible on all the bulbs, but they are tanks and didn't have any issues.

Will this one just screw in to my clamp on?

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

It will screw into any standard socket

 

[EvMiBo]

I'm sure this has been mentioned already, I tried searching but this thread is just too big. I'm in the process of starting my scrubber and have a question regarding "roughing it up." Are you just using sandpaper? Is many very small imperfections best (high grit sandpaper) or does many large imperfections (low grit sandpaper) work best?

I'm guessing large imperfections (low grit sandpaper) would work best initially, and at the last 50% of the plastic mesh high grit sandpaper would work best. Maybe I'm over thinking this!

 

[_shorty_]

usually hole saw or another straight saw. Floyd has a great video on youtube about it using a straight saw blade. Youtube search 'rough up algae scrubber screen'.

I believe that first one that comes up is his.

 

[EvMiBo]

yup, that's it. Thanks!

here it is if anyone else is interested in how to "rough up" the plastic mesh.

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Now I do it in 2 stages. The first is with a wire brush drill bit (the one with only the center brushes) at a low-medium RPM to take the "shine" off the entire screen (this gets it rough deep down into the holes). Then I follow that up with the saw blade, which only takes about 1/2 as long and it much easier - less pressure.

Just the saw blade alone does not get the screen roughed up deep in the holes. Adding this additional first stage I have found makes a rather profound difference.

 

[salty joe]

Can you please poat a pic of your wire brush drill bit?

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

http://www.lowes.com/pd_445716-4824...uctId=4714705&Ntt=wire+brush+drill+attachment

 

[salty joe]

Thanks. It makes a lot of sense to knock the shine off before the rough up.

 

[degibson84]

I'm thinking my screen might not be roughed up enough is it safe to try and rough it up more or should I just start over with a fresh screen?

 

[lokii_37]

I'm thinking my screen might not be roughed up enough is it safe to try and rough it up more or should I just start over with a fresh screen?

I have been wondering the same thing. I was thinking worse case you just have to start over maturing your screen. I guess also depending on how much you roughed it up you my still have tiny bits of algae on the screen to speed up the maturing process

 

[degibson84]

I am using these:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/E27-12W-LED...561?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53f37560d9

I got them after Floyd mentioned them, I dunno, 9 months ago briefly. I used 8 whole fixtures in a socket for my horizontal prototype. It grew algae real well. But vertical is better so I scrapped that and made the one from above. I then removed the LED panels and rewired everything to make it fit under my sump. In both cases, I removed the lenses. I'm no expert on LEDs by any means, but these have worked great for me so far. One day I will do the 3 watt LED DIY, but thats not on the schedule any time soon. They shipped to me in only a few days- packaging was terrible on all the bulbs, but they are tanks and didn't have any issues.

are there any that dont come from china?

 

[sieldan]

Algae Scrubber issues, need some advice

Algae Scrubber issues, need some advice

Hey yall, Ive got a single sided scrubber being lit by a spiral type full spectrum 'grow' bulb in a clamp on reflector. Its just not putting out the growth that I think it should. Here is a pic of about a 10-13 days worth of growth. Had to clean it due to blockages causing the backup overflow to start flowing. I've also got a GHA issue in the tank along with bubble algae outbreak.

What do I need to do to get better growth on the scrubber? Thanks yall!

 

[daytek]

I would say better light like a LED grow lamp

 

[_shorty_]

How old is the screen?
How old is the system?
Is it lit from both sides?
How much flow are you getting?
Screen roughed up well?
Do you have a reflector on your bulb? How much watts vs surface area of screen?

Might be light... It might be flow... after it gets plugged up (see more good growth near the top... ) You might try to block light to the slotted area and see if that helps.

Possibly high PO4 in system too based on redish growth I'm seeing. Do you run any other filtration? Skimmer, GFO, etc?

what are your nutrient readings?

 

[N9BX]

Maybe I missed Something..What do you use or Buy to "SEED" the Algae? If you dont have Algae growing in your tank, and use dead rock and sand, how do you get the right type of Algae to Grow on the Scrubber? Thank you. Bruce