elviraveloz
New member
You got it Floyd! I'm a middle age woman and DIY projects are confusing for me, so finding the right LED shelf lamp is on my quest. Now I'm trying the E27 PAR 46 12W from lightinthebox.com. So far so good, but too soon to say.
Algae Scrubber Basics
- Thread starter srusso
- Start date
So I have been running a waterfall scrubber for almost 2 years now and I love it. I have been using CFL bulbs all along and I think it is time to go LED. I have a 7 x 8 screen and I am feeding about a tea spoon of pellet food each day. Given that what is the recommendation on LED per screen size / feeding.
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
The range I recommend is 1 660nm Deep Red LED on each side of every 4-8 square inches of material, at 2" distance from the screen. Run 9 hours/day initially and adjust from there as needed. I use a diffuser at 1" until there is enough growth to fill in the holes.
If you are using an existing screen, then you can probably skip the diffuser. Or, you could move the LEDs back an inch or two.
For a 7x8 screen = 56 sq in, then 56/8=7 LEDs, 56/4=14 LEDs, or you can go somewhere in between and throw in a few blues (either running at 1/2 current by wiring in parallel, or just by using 1W blues)
If you go for the minimum of 7 per side, you can use one meanwell-LPC-35-700 which will run 14 LEDs. Otherwise you need multiple drivers (or a different one)
HTH
Bud
If you are using an existing screen, then you can probably skip the diffuser. Or, you could move the LEDs back an inch or two.
For a 7x8 screen = 56 sq in, then 56/8=7 LEDs, 56/4=14 LEDs, or you can go somewhere in between and throw in a few blues (either running at 1/2 current by wiring in parallel, or just by using 1W blues)
If you go for the minimum of 7 per side, you can use one meanwell-LPC-35-700 which will run 14 LEDs. Otherwise you need multiple drivers (or a different one)
HTH
Bud
degibson84
New member
just got mine in and man this thing is very heavy duty will let you guys know how well it starts growing
degibson84
New member
So i took off the front and removed the lenses i did not replace the front just running it with the LEDs and no bezel on the front is this the best way to run it?
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
What size screen?
If your screen has some kind of spray protection, you can put the LEDs very close - like 1-2". They are 1W LEDs though, so I usually tell people to leave the red lenses on and put the bezel back on, then put it 2-3" away. I might have to get a few of these myself so I can see it in person and write it up.
If your screen has some kind of spray protection, you can put the LEDs very close - like 1-2". They are 1W LEDs though, so I usually tell people to leave the red lenses on and put the bezel back on, then put it 2-3" away. I might have to get a few of these myself so I can see it in person and write it up.
degibson84
New member
screen is 12x12
also have a saran wrap over the screen for spray protection
also have a saran wrap over the screen for spray protection
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
Yeah that is way too big for those lamps. Most floodlight type lamps, CFL or LED, are good for about 6x6.
Why is your screen so big? Forgive me if I asked you this before....
Why is your screen so big? Forgive me if I asked you this before....
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
Also I just ordered 2 of those floodlight LED lamps...just to play with 
degibson84
New member
When i setup my system i just went with a full 12x12 sheet. My system is approximately 250g so i just thought the large screen wouldn't hurt any
degibson84
New member
these things are very heavy duty. i was shocked at how solid they were.Also I just ordered 2 of those floodlight LED lamps...just to play with
SantaMonica
Well-known member
I'm testing some ready-to-use waterproof 1w red led's with mounting holes; if they work out, I'll be reselling them.
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
Maybe someone did but didn't post here. But who are "you guys"?
_shorty_
New member
I'm using two 36W 8Red + 4Blue on one side. I have my 27 x 1W DIY 5ish:1 Red:Blue on the other side (of a ~11x5" screen).
I took off the optics, and am running about 3 - 3.5 inches away from screen without any reflector and it seems to do the trick. I wouldn't say it's any better than my 30W on the other side.. but it's hard to tell, really. One light may produce slightly better than the other, but I always get mixed up on which side was which, once I pull the screen out for cleaning.
I ran them for a while at a 90 vertical to the screen (with the optics on) using a mirror reflector that I'd made at a 45 degree that directed most of the light to the screen, but it turned out being a hassle and took up too much room.
_shorty_
New member
Sorry, just too many other things have been changing to give a concise answer to your question. I seem to have issue after issue - unrelated to the scrubber.
My take so far (4+ months) is that it's as good or better as any other lighting I've used. There are so many variables that go into how much algae is produced, it's hard to give a definitive answer or comparison without doing true testing/comparisons with as many other factors being equal as possible (which I haven't done). But I believe the light is definitely sufficient for running an algae scrubber. Lights i've used are 2700K CFLs, DIY 1W LEDs, and now these. I always thought the CFLs did a good job, I just didn't like replacing them. SO, maybe i'm not the best person to provide your answer..
My scrubber keeps up, though, and since my latest big disruption of a bad RO membrane with no TDS meter, my NO3 is back down to 0.5 - 0.75ppm (red sea) and my PO4 (with partial/timed usage of GFO) is 0.07ppm (hanna chkr). I also run a skimmer now (which I only added about a month ago). My Ca reactor effluent also feeds directly into the waterfall scrubber which has eliminated ALK consumption via the scrubber and has completely stabalized Ca and Alk and I love it! I've seen the difference in happy coral frags too. My plan is to tweak things to get more of a 16:1 ratio NO3
O4. And ultimately, I'd LOVE to stop using chemical filtration (GFO) completely.. but I am not at that point yet. Any advice/suggestions welcome.In addition, I'm not convinced that the perfect light source is the answer. Maybe I'm wrong... I have not done a ton of work to 'optimize' the scrubber yet either. I'd like to, but it's not a priority since my levels continually improve as I run it. Since my scrubber is adjustable, I've considered lowering it down into the water to reduce its functional size, but again, I've just not done much with this yet. Also, I'm thinking that I should wait until conditions and external factors stabalize a bit more so I can get more conclusive assumptions/results.
degibson84
New member
Anyone have a link to the 36w bulbs?
Sorry, just too many other things have been changing to give a concise answer to your question. I seem to have issue after issue - unrelated to the scrubber.
My take so far (4+ months) is that it's as good or better as any other lighting I've used. There are so many variables that go into how much algae is produced, it's hard to give a definitive answer or comparison without doing true testing/comparisons with as many other factors being equal as possible (which I haven't done). But I believe the light is definitely sufficient for running an algae scrubber. Lights i've used are 2700K CFLs, DIY 1W LEDs, and now these. I always thought the CFLs did a good job, I just didn't like replacing them. SO, maybe i'm not the best person to provide your answer..
My scrubber keeps up, though, and since my latest big disruption of a bad RO membrane with no TDS meter, my NO3 is back down to 0.5 - 0.75ppm (red sea) and my PO4 (with partial/timed usage of GFO) is 0.07ppm (hanna chkr). I also run a skimmer now (which I only added about a month ago). My Ca reactor effluent also feeds directly into the waterfall scrubber which has eliminated ALK consumption via the scrubber and has completely stabalized Ca and Alk and I love it! I've seen the difference in happy coral frags too. My plan is to tweak things to get more of a 16:1 ratio NO3
In addition, I'm not convinced that the perfect light source is the answer. Maybe I'm wrong... I have not done a ton of work to 'optimize' the scrubber yet either. I'd like to, but it's not a priority since my levels continually improve as I run it. Since my scrubber is adjustable, I've considered lowering it down into the water to reduce its functional size, but again, I've just not done much with this yet. Also, I'm thinking that I should wait until conditions and external factors stabalize a bit more so I can get more conclusive assumptions/results.
Thanks for that, Are your Led's the Bridgelux ones
