Try again: Is anybody running an algae scrubber as primary filter.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11271360#post11271360 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rbc1225
I am not sure if you are responding to me as far as thenks for the thread and the pics are gone, but look in the gallery and they are still there.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=147252&thumb=1

These look pretty good. It looks pretty simple. The water flows into the "bucket" that is mounted on a hinge. The water fills to a certain point and then it dumps out across the algae that is growing on the mesh and then drains out the other end. There are lights mounted over top that provide the necessary lighting and that is about it. Nothing fancy, but effective.
 
Actually in a way you are correct. If you look at it closely the front of the bucket is not straight up or down it is angled out away from the bucket. This allows the weight of that side of the bucket to increase as the water fills the bucket. As the weight gets large enough it tips the bucket. After the bucket is dumped the weight distribution is close to being equal again. It is not exactly equal due to the extra material on that side of the bucket but it is neglegable as it is the weight difference of the water on that side that dumps the bucket.
 
okay, but how does it right itself. Unless its not going all the way over, or if theres a spring in there somewhere that I'm missing...
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11273608#post11273608 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Swanwillow
okay, but how does it right itself. Unless its not going all the way over, or if theres a spring in there somewhere that I'm missing...

I don't know. Maybe just the force of the water flowing onto it. The force of the water holds the bucket upright until the point that the weight of the water in the bucket exceeds the force of the water flowing into it and then it dumps.

I have e-mailed the guy to see what he has come up with.
 
After the water is dumped, the water coming from the line is then hitting the back side and bottom of the bucket and I would think that would be enought to make it come back. It is a balancing act so to speak. The fulcrum has to be in the middle both from top to bottom and side to side, or at least that is what the instructions I have seen said. I would think it might have to be more towards the top just a little to make the bottom a little heavier than the top, thus turning it back upward.
 
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This is a good ATS thread.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=39531&highlight=ats

I dont know if Inland sells them any longer, because of patent issues or whatever it was. I still see the turf screen listed on their site though, which is good for starting the turf algae.

Mine is still sitting idle. Going to set it up on a friends 120, that has some red turf algae problems and see what happens. However unless we purchase a turf screen, it takes a fair bit of time to get some decent turf algae growing.
 
i found their webiste:

http://www.algalturfscrubber.com/


but correct me if i am seeing things...

here is a picture from their website:

home_pic_02b.jpg


Fig.2. Model coral reef closed to import for eight years and controlled solely by ATS. This microcosm coral reef had a carbonate production rate and a biodiversity level equal to the best wild coral reefs.


sorry, but their 'model' coral reef reef looks horrible...absolutely horrible even if it is eight years running with nothing but an ats.

imo, i think ats is a great supplement to other forms of filtration (skimming, carbon, water changes etc) for an aquarium but yikes, the 'reef' doesn't look too good to me unless the blurry picture is not doing it justice...but i think the picture would have to be realllllllly blurry to say it looks okay...
 
I found the guy that was on here trying to sell them, he's e-baying, for.. well, I think I can figure out a DIY myself, or something.

Thank you all for replying. I'm figuring out this whole thing slowly but surely. I may either invest in one, to add to my filtration, or not. We'll see. Since its going to be an in-wall tank, everything loud will have its own room, so I might get one just to see how it does.

eidt; not get one, MAKE one, and find the seeds for it...
 
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this is weird this thread popped up. I am currently playing with a salt bucket ATS design to add to my system to replace the fuge tank full of valonia rock and unfortunately my chaeto wad, that I had to cut off of the system..

after just stopping running with the fuge for so long.....
 
LOL, isn't it great when things just.. show up?

I was dreaming about these last night.. scary. I think I looked too far into them.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11277418#post11277418 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Frick-n-Frags
this is weird this thread popped up. I am currently playing with a salt bucket ATS design to add to my system to replace the fuge tank full of valonia rock and unfortunately my chaeto wad, that I had to cut off of the system..

after just stopping running with the fuge for so long.....

i would love to see the bucket ats!!!

i use bucket fuges exclusively now!!! :D :p :D

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1257307

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1258948
 
About half the cost of a skimmer that would be needed for the same size tank. I am not looking to get rid of my skimmer, but as an add on it would not be too bad.
 
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