Round algae scrubber with CFL in the center???

[turbinejoe109]

I will be building an algae scrubber in the next week or two for my biocube 29 HQI. Right now 2/3 of my liverock is covered by hair algae, and I want to try the scrubber idea.

My current idea is to use maybe a 6" pvc pipe (vertically). Inside, I can use plastic canvas material around the sides. and in the center, hang a cfl light.

With this design, I don't have to worry about side spray, reflectors, ect... And since most of the light comes from the sides of a cfl bulb, I think this will utilize the light the best.

Also, if I make the top removable (not glued or use threaded fittings, I can slide the screen out easily through the top, roll it flat, and clean it.


What do y'all think of this idea?

 

[Rybren]

How would you keep the bulb dry?

 

[turbinejoe109]

Maybe put it in a jar???

 

[Rybren]

It might work, I image that getting an even flow could prove to be challenging.

 

[turbinejoe109]

... Or I can use a T5 bulb in a tube, and seal the bottom of the tube, with the wires coming out of the top???

Another idea??

 

[turbinejoe109]

A 6" pipe would use a canvas sheet about 15" long to go around the perimeter. So if I had 4 inches in height, this will give me 60 sq/in of surface area, perfect for a boicube 29, and seeing that the cfl is about 4" long, this seems to be perfect.

Am I missing something here, that would make this idea fail?

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

I think keeping the light protected will be the hardest part. The heat from a CFL or T5HO tube is pretty decent. Any kind of plastic jar would get too warm I would think, especially if any part of it comes close to the container.

They make "vaportight" light fixtures for use in damp locations ("jar lights"), but I think a scrubber application might be pushing it.

If you can find a grow-LED lamp with that same profile (long & thin with LEDs all around) that might be better, but you still need to dissipate the heat.

Then there is the problem of trying to get the flow just right so that it "skins" the pipe w/screen in it.

Interesting idea though, I seem to recall seeing someone trying something like it once.

Back to your screen size though, if you size it based on feeding instead of tank volume, you can do a smaller screen. 60 sq in single-sided is the old volume-sized method. Using feeding, I would be surprised if you fed more than a cube/day in a 29, which would be a 24 sq in single-sided screen, or 12 sq in double-sided.

 

[GroktheCube]

I've always wondered about the feasibility of using waterproof LEDs for an ATS. Might yield space savings.

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Well, you can also get a piece of square steel tubing, mount the LEDs directly to that, and spray the entire thing with LED Seal. Just thought about that.

 

[thejuggernaut]

Interesting idea, my question is what would be the benefit over a standard waterfall style?

 

[2_zoa]

So...I was gonna do something similar a good while ago. I was gonna use a 4" PVC and I setup a glass jar/vase in the center to keep the light dry. I was then gonna make it a flood and drain system. That way I didn't need to worry about even flow across the screen. It never went into use as I never finished it. I may still have it though........

As turbo mentioned. Screen size today is much smaller then in the beginning of the scrubbers.

 

[5thChorseman]

There is a company that is making something similar to what you guys have in mind, but using chaeto.
You can see a picture of their reactor here:

http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/pax-bellum-llc/157340-what-arid-how-does-work.html

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Nice!!!!

 

[thejuggernaut]

Sweet, did anyone look at the other thread they have with the 2000 gallon tank. 6 of these things all run in parallel with a closed loop water cooling system for the LEDS. lol

 

[5thChorseman]

Yes. I read trhough that thread. I wonder how one of those compare to a double sided waterfall scrubber in terms of efficiency.

 

[thejuggernaut]

I don't know, but it would need to be pretty good in order to justify the added expense and complication.

 

[MorganAtlanta]

I tried the round waterfall with the light in the center once-- I've tried a lot of scrubber variations... I couldn't get the flow to distribute well. I gave up. I'm sure you could do it with a little experimentation. The chaeto thing would be easier if it works. I'd try wrapping flexible LED strips around the outside though instead of putting the light in the middle.

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

A way to make the water flow even would be to notch the top of the pip like an overflow box, then take a large funnel and cut it to slide over the top. Seal the funnel to the tube, and pump the water into the top of the funnel. The water will pool up and then spill into the pipe via the notches.

 

[pneumaticbetta]

This sounds like a good idea. Look into underwater lighting. The ones they use for fishing

 

[OnceTrueFalseBr]

I think keeping the light protected will be the hardest part. The heat from a CFL or T5HO tube is pretty decent. Any kind of plastic jar would get too warm I would think, especially if any part of it comes close to the container.

They make "vaportight" light fixtures for use in damp locations ("jar lights"), but I think a scrubber application might be pushing it.

If you can find a grow-LED lamp with that same profile (long & thin with LEDs all around) that might be better, but you still need to dissipate the heat.

Then there is the problem of trying to get the flow just right so that it "skins" the pipe w/screen in it.

Interesting idea though, I seem to recall seeing someone trying something like it once.

Back to your screen size though, if you size it based on feeding instead of tank volume, you can do a smaller screen. 60 sq in single-sided is the old volume-sized method. Using feeding, I would be surprised if you fed more than a cube/day in a 29, which would be a 24 sq in single-sided screen, or 12 sq in double-sided.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD6kA3xDPaM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yazI0DsdhdA