ATS water doesn't sheet

[philosophile]

So I just set up a small ats in my fuge, and the water isn't sheeting quite right on he screen. The water tension is keeping it bunched up so I lose about an inch or inch and a half of water flow on my screen. Is there a way to cut the PVC so it doesn't do this?

 

[pskelton]

A new screen will screen will sometimes sheet funny like that. As long as your flow is good and your slot is cut remotely straight your sheeting should clear up as algae starts to grow. I think the screen material is slightly hydrophobic at first (Repels Water). My screen started out like that with a dry spot in the middle. After about a week the water flow evened out.

 

[philosophile]

Makes sense. Let he waiting begin!

 

[srusso]

a new screen will screen will sometimes sheet funny like that. As long as your flow is good and your slot is cut remotely straight your sheeting should clear up as algae starts to grow. I think the screen material is slightly hydrophobic at first (repels water). My screen started out like that with a dry spot in the middle. After about a week the water flow evened out.

+1

 

[philosophile]

Okay new problem... My ats screen keeps bending a little so the water misses the screen. The water hitting he screen tends to warp it a little so from the top it bends like a "c"
What can I do to stop this? I have to recenter the screen twice a day and takes forever to try to get it right.

 

[pskelton]

Is your screen inserted into the slot in the pipe? Can you post a picture of your setup?

 

[srusso]

Is your screen inserted into the slot in the pipe? Can you post a picture of your setup?

took the words from my mouth...

 

[philosophile]

Oh the plastic canvas is supposed to go inside the slot?
Things are a little tight in my sump, so I can't get a great picture of it.... But I have from my DT, a T split one to my skimmer section, one to the fuge. The fuge has the ATS now, which is on the Horizontal T. It makes a 90 degree turn down into the fuge, then another 90, and a length of pipe with the slit, and an endcap. I have the screen hanging from the slitted pipe with two zipties. So it just sort of hangs underneath the flow. The zipties are pretty loose. I wanted to be able to remove the screen relatively easily from the pipe. If it were tight, it would hit the end cap making removal difficult. I have about 1/2 an inch of space to work with... So I can use that half inch to remove the end cap if I needed to to take the screen off.

Right now the screen is longer than the slit, but I'll trim the screen and see if I can get it to fit in the slit better.

 

[srusso]

Oh the plastic canvas is supposed to go inside the slot?
Things are a little tight in my sump, so I can't get a great picture of it.... But I have from my DT, a T split one to my skimmer section, one to the fuge. The fuge has the ATS now, which is on the Horizontal T. It makes a 90 degree turn down into the fuge, then another 90, and a length of pipe with the slit, and an endcap. I have the screen hanging from the slitted pipe with two zipties. So it just sort of hangs underneath the flow. The zipties are pretty loose. I wanted to be able to remove the screen relatively easily from the pipe. If it were tight, it would hit the end cap making removal difficult. I have about 1/2 an inch of space to work with... So I can use that half inch to remove the end cap if I needed to to take the screen off.

Right now the screen is longer than the slit, but I'll trim the screen and see if I can get it to fit in the slit better.

You should go back and re-read the summery thread mentioned in my signature. Sounds like all your problems are related to build quality issues.

 

[philosophile]

I've read some of the write ups on the stickys. They're hundreds of posts so obviously I didn't read them all. But the build threads seem to gloss over how the screen is connected to the pipe and how it's removed.

So I'm assuming this is how it works: the holes in the screen for he zip ties need to be low on the screen so there can be some screen inserted into the slot, and the zip ties can cinch them against the pipe. I'll need to remove the end cap to take the screen off right?

Should I have the cut in the pipe to from end to end, with the end cap covering some of he cut? That way when cleaning the screen can slide out of that cut?

 

[BigAl2007]

Have you looked into the new UAS? I just installed one on my tank and it's still too early but it has a LOT of potential especially in "Tight" situations.....

 

[srusso]

I've read some of the write ups on the stickys. They're hundreds of posts so obviously I didn't read them all. But the build threads seem to gloss over how the screen is connected to the pipe and how it's removed.

So I'm assuming this is how it works: the holes in the screen for he zip ties need to be low on the screen so there can be some screen inserted into the slot, and the zip ties can cinch them against the pipe. I'll need to remove the end cap to take the screen off right?

Should I have the cut in the pipe to from end to end, with the end cap covering some of he cut? That way when cleaning the screen can slide out of that cut?

The end cap should not have to be removed, people cut and replace zip ties each time.

I cut the slot all the way to the end and put the cap on it, but it makes a small amount of sputtering... but it helped me cut the slot straighter, so you deside.

 

[OodleyBoodely]

A good way to attach the ATS screen to the pipe is to cut rings from the ends of PVC fittings and make C rings to slide into slots in the corners of the screen when it is fully inserted into the slot. Here is a pic of one I made. Just would recommend not using one in the middle as it causes too much flow disruption and really is not needed. Also, make the width of the rings as narrow as possible. Mine were 1/4" and could have been much narrower (less water disruption coming out of the slot). These rings make the removal and replacement of the screen easy - just turn the ring until it catches/releases the hole in the screen - and, they are re-usable. BTW, this was not my idea but from someone who posted it on one of the ATS threads...sorry forget who, but, it works well!

 

[srusso]

A good way to attach the ATS screen to the pipe is to cut rings from the ends of PVC fittings and make C rings to slide into slots in the corners of the screen when it is fully inserted into the slot. Here is a pic of one I made. Just would recommend not using one in the middle as it causes too much flow disruption and really is not needed. Also, make the width of the rings as narrow as possible. Mine were 1/4" and could have been much narrower (less water disruption coming out of the slot). These rings make the removal and replacement of the screen easy - just turn the ring until it catches/releases the hole in the screen - and, they are re-usable. BTW, this was not my idea but from someone who posted it on one of the ATS threads...sorry forget who, but, it works well!

Same method I use, I love it. I didn't invent it, but it works so much better then all the others.

 

[philosophile]

Wow, people cut the ties every time they clean? It might be easier that way, but I have strong reservations about wastE generated by it.

 

[srusso]

Wow, people cut the ties every time they clean? It might be easier that way, but I have strong reservations about wastE generated by it.

I guess, as I said... I use the PVC ring method. But you clean the screen 52 times a year, which is 104 zip ties a year. Most packs of zip ties come in 100 counts or more, $5 may buy you a years worth.

But I think the ring method is far better then the zip ties. I got a PVC "T" splitter for about 50cents. Cut two from it and that's about it. I don't really think about it. Lol I think it's a lot fast to remove the screen, then cutting and replacing ties!

 

[OwenReefin]

have you looked into the new uas? I just installed one on my tank and it's still too early but it has a lot of potential especially in "tight" situations.....

+1