Algae Scrubber Basics

[SantaMonica]

What is a 3D box?

[Fuel Doodle]

So I'm trying a different lighting cycle. I turn on the left lamp 5 minutes after the display light goes off at 7:05pm, then I turn on the right lamp at 11pm, then I turn off of the left lamp at 5 am, then I turn off the right lamp 5 minutes before the display light turns on at 10:55. Has anyone ever tried mimicking the sun like this? I'm getting dark brown algae doing this, but my tank is brand new and I don't have any fish inside yet. Also,$ believe I have the wrong kelvin lamps at 6500k and need to change those over.

Thanks!


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[SantaMonica]

Dark just means not enough light for the amount of nutrients in the water. If the tank is new, you probably have nutrients in the rock.

And yes 6500k could be a lot lower like 2700k or red 600nm LED.

[Floyd R Turbo]

Originally Posted by SantaMonica

What is a 3D box?

Strange question...since you invented it? Not being snarky, IIRC you are the one that put a containment box around a waterfall screen and showed that this causes the 3D growth to occur as long as the box width is appropriate, which was essentially the precursor to the UAS concept.

[Fuel Doodle]

Originally Posted by Floyd R Turbo

Strange question...since you invented it? Not being snarky, IIRC you are the one that put a containment box around a waterfall screen and showed that this causes the 3D growth to occur as long as the box width is appropriate, which was essentially the precursor to the UAS concept.

When you say 3D growth, is that a good thing?


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[Fuel Doodle]

Originally Posted by SantaMonica

Dark just means not enough light for the amount of nutrients in the water. If the tank is new, you probably have nutrients in the rock.

And yes 6500k could be a lot lower like 2700k or red 600nm LED.

So "more light" means I need brighter bulbs or the correct kelvin lighting?

What do you think of my light cycle?


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[Floyd R Turbo]

Originally Posted by Fuel Doodle

When you say 3D growth, is that a good thing?

Yes. 3D growth (on a waterfall) is where the screen is in an enclosure (with a closed bottom with drains usually) where once the growth gets thick enough, it traps water and slightly suspends, enough to where light can reach the base of growth (screen) and this helps to keep that area both lit and receiving adequate flow so that it doesn't die off = you can let the scrubber grow longer inbetween harvests. The longer you can let it grow (without partial die-off) the better, because when you have more algae present your growth increases at a more exponential rate (within reasonable limits)

[ravi197699]

Here is my 40 dollars algae scrubber that is wroking beautifully, Heavy harverst every 2 weeks, Made out of Wood and wood sealed with epoxy resin, size is 12" x 26" high and it is lit by 4 plant grow SMD light fixtures. Fixtures were upgraded 2 weeks before and growth has been better and even faster..

[SantaMonica]

Nice one. If you have the room and don't mind the light and water, they work good.

[karimwassef]

I'm still growing my ATS out of control, but I'm starting to recycle my turf... I know it's not export, but I see no ill effects. I just feed less and the corals are still growing out of control..

please don't judge

[Floyd R Turbo]

My wife thought I was watching something inappropriate just now...bow chica wow wow...she has a dirty mind, which is why I love her

[Fuel Doodle]

Better lights?

Current growth with old lights




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[vikinglord13]

Originally Posted by karimwassef

I'm still growing my ATS out of control, but I'm starting to recycle my turf... I know it's not export, but I see no ill effects. I just feed less and the corals are still growing out of control..

please don't judge

The fish can be fed either Nori or ATS growth. Either way, nutrients are going in the tank, might as well save $$$

[SFish]

ATS seems a bit loud any suggestions? Is the drain pipe to big? The feed is 3/4 and the drain is 1". The screen is 5x5 with a flow rate of 175gph.

[Floyd R Turbo]

Originally Posted by Fuel Doodle

Better lights?

yup

Originally Posted by SFish

ATS seems a bit loud any suggestions? Is the drain pipe to big? The feed is 3/4 and the drain is 1". The screen is 5x5 with a flow rate of 175gph.

1) remove all but 2 zip ties, you don't need that many - just the 2

2) the only way to silence a drain is to put a valve on it. Ball valve is fine, just a bit trickier to adjust. If you can get a single-union 1" valve that will do, or a dual-union one from Lowes (American valve) which usually allows you to loosen the nut that tightens down on the ball, adjust to sweet spot, then tighten nut. Or a gate valve. Tuning the drain like this will also actually increase the max flow rate, but at the rate you are running it this isn't an issue, you just want to 'back up' the drain enough to cause it to fill up and run as a siphon. Also you need to make sure the pipe ends below the waterline or it won't siphon/go silent

[SFish]

Thanks Floyd

As always you been a big help

[DamonG]

One question.. Increasing flow over the scrubber, what effect does that have? I'm asking because I was going to run my uv, but the bulb blew. In order to run the size I have,I had to upgrade from a 500gph pump to a 1100gph pump.. I plumbed the scrubber in after the uv. But the bulb blew, and I was just going to keep the scrubber and pump attached, because it eliminates the need for two pumps.. On top of that, I may end up buying a new bulb. So I'm just wondering what the affect may be?

Thanks

From note 5.. rip note 7

[Floyd R Turbo]

It seems that in many cases there is a point of diminishing returns after about 50GPH/in, or thereabouts. Trying to stay in the 30-35 GPH/in, maybe +/- 5 GPH is good. Higher flow can benefit if your scrubber is undersized for your bioload, but it doesn't always work better to just crank up the flow. Depends on the design. Sometimes water will just go over the top of the growth and not really benefit anything. If it's in a growth chamber and the algae is going 3D, then higher flow must go through the growth, it can't go over it (it can go around it to an extent though) so that is better for higher flow, generally.

[DamonG]

Originally Posted by Floyd R Turbo

It seems that in many cases there is a point of diminishing returns after about 50GPH/in, or thereabouts. Trying to stay in the 30-35 GPH/in, maybe +/- 5 GPH is good. Higher flow can benefit if your scrubber is undersized for your bioload, but it doesn't always work better to just crank up the flow. Depends on the design. Sometimes water will just go over the top of the growth and not really benefit anything. If it's in a growth chamber and the algae is going 3D, then higher flow must go through the growth, it can't go over it (it can go around it to an extent though) so that is better for higher flow, generally.

Ok understood.. Let me see how it goes over the next couple days. That should tell me exactly what it is going to do..

From note 5.. rip note 7

[Alma Knack]

Can someone comment on the santa monica Rain2 waterfall ATS?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uo0kOIns0GE

I am looking for an ATS and I like how this product is not large, as I have a small cabinet. I am concerned that the LED's. will not last long if they are not cooled and the Rain 2 "Gem 5" lights are sealed. I am not sure if the LED's wil be sufficiently cooed if they are sealed. Another concern is the noise of the Rain2, its algae growing ability, and product support/ customer service. Thank you.

[sde1500]

Originally Posted by Alma Knack

Can someone comment on the santa monica Rain2 waterfall ATS?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uo0kOIns0GE

I am looking for an ATS and I like how this product is not large, as I have a small cabinet. I am concerned that the LED's. will not last long if they are not cooled and the Rain 2 "Gem 5" lights are sealed. I am not sure if the LED's wil be sufficiently cooed if they are sealed. Another concern is the noise of the Rain2, its algae growing ability, and product support/ customer service. Thank you.

Those are brand new. I don't think may, or any, people have them yet. Looks nice though.

[Floyd R Turbo]

Originally Posted by sde1500

Those are brand new. I don't think may, or any, people have them yet. Looks nice though.

About 3% of people who purchase equipment talk about it online, at least that's what I've figured out. So if I sell 500 units, maybe 10-15 people will post about it online, or less. Apparently there are not as many forum and social media junkees as there need to be haha

[jason2459]

Originally Posted by Alma Knack

Can someone comment on the santa monica Rain2 waterfall ATS?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uo0kOIns0GE

I am looking for an ATS and I like how this product is not large, as I have a small cabinet. I am concerned that the LED's. will not last long if they are not cooled and the Rain 2 "Gem 5" lights are sealed. I am not sure if the LED's wil be sufficiently cooed if they are sealed. Another concern is the noise of the Rain2, its algae growing ability, and product support/ customer service. Thank you.

I would make sure it fits in your sump. Potential for water going out the sides is high.

[Slim18]

I hope I am worthy enough to join the scrubber club, you let me know.

The goal of this project was mainly eliminate the hair algae in my display. I have been battling with hair algae for about 6+ or so months now and I’m just getting tired of going into the display with a toothbrush and a siphon to get it all out every 3 or so weeks.

Other requirements are that is must be silent. The tank is in my bedroom and the trickling water noise really bothers me at night. The pump noise is much less of an issue but still needs to be quite.

Right now I have Vertex Omega 130 for a skimmer and it creates the most noise out of the entire system so if I could eliminate the skimmer that would be great but it is not a requirement. Originally the skimmer was meant for a 45 gallon tank not the 80 gallon tank it is currently filtering. I think this undersized piece of equipment is one of the main factors that lead to the nuisance algae in the tank.

So anyway my scrubber needed to fit over a 30 gallon breeder tank that I have as a sump. After doing a ton of research on turf scrubbers (mostly on this 350+ page thread) I decided on going with a 7”x7” screen and lit with 660nm and 445nm LED’s. This size should be good enough for my 80 gallon and support around 4 cubes of food per day.

I decided to make the scrubber out of wood since I already have the correct tools for the job. I would seal the wood with 4 coats of polyurethane to protect it. It started with the base and it was cut to size to fit on the plastic rim of the sump.



An acrylic chimney (as I call it) was built and fitted inside the base. The slot pipe would hang from this so no water would be in direct contact with the wood.



The total size of the screen was about 13”x7” but it I made it this long because I wanted the screen to contact the water in the sump. This was to keep the scrubber as quiet as possible and worked out ok. Only a 7”x7” section was ruffed up with a hole saw (not shown in the picture) and would receive direct light from the LED’s



The plumbing consisted of a bulkhead that was inserted into the wood so that when I removed the slot pipe for cleaning it would not fall over. Also a ball valve was added so I can dictate how much flow the screen receives.



The lighting was done with 8 660nm (red) LED’s and 1 445nm (blue) LED. The 8 around the outside are red and the one in the center is blue. The LED’s are powered by a 700mA constant current Meanwell driver and the LED’s are rated at 3 watts each (around 1.5 actual watts). All of the LED’s were wired in series including the blue one. Currently I am using an acrylic diffusion plate that I made with a palm sander and some spare 1/8th inch acrylic. This plate is most likely going to be removed as the screen matures.





The LED’s were mounted to a 1/8th inch aluminum plate and aluminum U stock was added to each side to help with head dissipation. This might not be the most ideal heat sink but it seems to be working well enough.





After 8 days of running the scrubber this is what I got for a result. I took the screen out and cleaned it in salt water lightly scrubbing it with my finger tips just to dislodge any loose algae that was growing on it. You can also see where the screen was ruffed up and receiving direct light.





Some of the problems that I am facing is I don’t think I have enough flow going through the screen however if I turn it up the flow anymore it creates to much noise. I never measured the actual gallons per hour that I am getting from the pump at the current setting but I don’t think its anywhere close to 35 gallons per hour per inch of screen. We will see in time how it does.

Constructive criticism is encouraged so please let me know if I went wrong somewhere and how to correct the problem. I have to thank everyone for posting the information on the thread (even if it took me a week to read). Without the community posting their results I would not have build this to help me create a better reef tank.

If you have any questions let me know, however i cannot reply to PM's. Just an FYI.

Thanks Again

[SantaMonica]

Good build. The aluminum plate is fine, and your flow is good. You have very high nutrients in the water and it's going to start out very dark growth. Scrape it often.