Reef Central Online Community

Go Back   Reef Central Online Community > General Interest Forums > Advanced Topics
Blogs FAQ Calendar Mark Forums Read

Notices

User Tag List

Reply
Thread Tools
Unread 08/01/2018, 03:44 PM   #10026
Scrubber_steve
I'm really very likeable
 
Scrubber_steve's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Down Under
Posts: 676
Quote:
Originally Posted by MuscleFish View Post
It is good idea to use a wooden airstone (micro bubbles), or better to use a normal airstone with bigger bubbles?

Thanks
You need larger bubbles to move water over the screen


Scrubber_steve is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/01/2018, 09:54 PM   #10027
LeJeune981
Registered Member
 
LeJeune981's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 747
Quote:
Originally Posted by MuscleFish View Post
I did that and all air out from the first hole
Too big if holes..
I used a 1/32 drill bit for mine

Sent from my SM-G930VL using Tapatalk


LeJeune981 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/01/2018, 09:55 PM   #10028
LeJeune981
Registered Member
 
LeJeune981's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 747
[QUOTE=SantaMonica;25476396]Cladophora ("angel hair")




That stuff grows like wild!!!! You can almost watch it grow

Sent from my SM-G930VL using Tapatalk


LeJeune981 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/03/2018, 12:09 PM   #10029
SantaMonica
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Santa Monica, California, USA
Posts: 2,511
Quote:
But so you don't think it's time to up the air pump quite yet?
If you mean up the LEDs... no, wait until there is more growth.

Quote:
better to use a normal airstone with bigger bubbles?
Yes for scrubbers, bigger bubbles are better, because it create more air/water interface, which remove the boundary layer around the algae. also it creates larger openings for light to get in.


__________________
Inventor of the easy-to-DIY upflow scrubber, and also the waterfall scrubber that everyone loves to build:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1424843
SantaMonica is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/03/2018, 12:45 PM   #10030
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
 
Floyd R Turbo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: West Des Moines, IA
Posts: 4,265
Blog Entries: 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by hkgar View Post
What would you suggest as a diffuser?
something like this

https://www.lowes.com/pd/OPTIX-Commo...Panels/4777774

prismatic diffuser for ceiling light fixtures. Cut by scoring with a razor knife several times, you will eventually cut through it. It's brittle so it tends to shatter if you score & snap, so use eyewear


__________________
Algae Scrubber Basics!!! GOOGLE "algaescrubber zoho"
General Interest Forums --> Advanced Topics --> Algae Scrubber Basics (sticky)
--> POSTS #3251-64 (Basics), #5206 (Cleaning), #6884 (LEDs), #729
Floyd R Turbo is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/04/2018, 09:39 AM   #10031
hkgar
Registered Member
 
hkgar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Dewitt MI
Posts: 5,051
Quote:
Originally Posted by Floyd R Turbo View Post
something like this

https://www.lowes.com/pd/OPTIX-Commo...Panels/4777774

prismatic diffuser for ceiling light fixtures. Cut by scoring with a razor knife several times, you will eventually cut through it. It's brittle so it tends to shatter if you score & snap, so use eyewear
Thanks


__________________
Gary


180 gallon, 40 gallon sump, 3 250 W MH + 4 80W ATI T5's, MTC MVX 36 Skimmer, Apex controller Aquamaxx T-3 CaRx

Current Tank Info: A 2 Barred Rabbitfish, Red Head Salon, Yellow/Purple, McMaster Fairy, Possum, 2 Leopard Wrasses, Kole, & Atlantic Blue Tangs, 2 Percula Clown, 3 PJ and 1 Banggai Cardinalfish , Swallowtail, Bellus and Coral Beauty Angels
hkgar is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/24/2018, 09:37 PM   #10032
Scrubber_steve
I'm really very likeable
 
Scrubber_steve's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Down Under
Posts: 676
I have always had excellent algae growth on my scrubber screens using just 660nm spectrum, for salt water. But recently I did some testing on a fresh water test tank & haven't had good growth at all. I used water from my outdoor pond & added pellet food to let rot, rather than putting fish in.
Has anyone used a scrubber on fresh water? what spectrum did you use?


Scrubber_steve is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/27/2018, 02:52 AM   #10033
Scrubber_steve
I'm really very likeable
 
Scrubber_steve's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Down Under
Posts: 676
Quote:
Originally Posted by Twinfallz View Post
I have always had excellent algae growth on my scrubber screens using just 660nm spectrum, for salt water. But recently I did some testing on a fresh water test tank & haven't had good growth at all. I used water from my outdoor pond & added pellet food to let rot, rather than putting fish in.
Has anyone used a scrubber on fresh water? what spectrum did you use?
Doesn't Turbo or Santa bother this thread/forum nowdays?


Scrubber_steve is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/27/2018, 09:02 AM   #10034
_Mackus_
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 198
My ATS screen, which used to pick up a real good amount of green algae every week or two, has not been growing anything of significance for the past couple months. Just some light colored slime, no green growth.

I treated my tank with fluconazole, following the instructions as exactly as I could. I stopped running the ATS during the treatment, and didn't put the screen back in until after a week following the treatment and about a dozen or more small water changes (3-5%).

Is it possible that some of the medicine remained in the tank following my water changes and killed all the algae on the screen when I replaced it? If so, should I start a new screen? I've since added the ability to do larger water changes more frequently, so I've changed about 10-15% of my tank water a couple dozen times over the past 6 weeks or so.


_Mackus_ is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/27/2018, 01:43 PM   #10035
SantaMonica
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Santa Monica, California, USA
Posts: 2,511
Quote:
Has anyone used a scrubber on fresh water
Yes and they grow very easy and fast.

Quote:
Is it possible that some of the medicine remained in the tank following my water changes and killed all the algae on the screen when I replaced it?
Maybe, not sure how long it stays. Carbon would help remove it.

Quote:
Doesn't Turbo or Santa bother this thread/forum nowdays?
Here's a fun growth pic for you...


Attached Images
File Type: jpg UasLucky198717onPH84-1.jpg (24.9 KB, 34 views)
__________________
Inventor of the easy-to-DIY upflow scrubber, and also the waterfall scrubber that everyone loves to build:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1424843
SantaMonica is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/28/2018, 01:35 AM   #10036
Scrubber_steve
I'm really very likeable
 
Scrubber_steve's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Down Under
Posts: 676
Quote:
Originally Posted by SantaMonica View Post
Yes and they grow very easy and fast.
Ok then, what spectrum of light is used to get easy fast freshwater algae growth?


Scrubber_steve is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/28/2018, 03:14 AM   #10037
homer1475
Registered Member
 
homer1475's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 5,313
I always see SantaMonica posting these growth shots of nice thick lush GHA. My scrubber never gets nice and green or lush and thick. It's always slimy and very dark green.



While I'm certainly not complaining, it does keep the DT algae free, just seems odd I can never grow the thick GHA I see in these growth shots.


__________________
80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
homer1475 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/28/2018, 03:27 AM   #10038
SantaMonica
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Santa Monica, California, USA
Posts: 2,511
Red 660nm

And remember that dark green slime removes more nutrients from the water, per gram, than GHA. You just need to use a brush for cleaning, and do it more often.


__________________
Inventor of the easy-to-DIY upflow scrubber, and also the waterfall scrubber that everyone loves to build:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1424843
SantaMonica is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/28/2018, 03:47 AM   #10039
homer1475
Registered Member
 
homer1475's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 5,313
Quote:
Originally Posted by SantaMonica View Post
Red 660nm

And remember that dark green slime removes more nutrients from the water, per gram, than GHA. You just need to use a brush for cleaning, and do it more often.

Good to know, thanks Santamonica!


I do clean my screen about once a week, any longer and it starts to block the water flow through the slot pipe.



I scrape the screen with an old credit card. Should I not be cleaning it so well? I do have some GHA that has actually stuck to the screen, but the center where it's mostly light green and really slimy cleans off back to a clean screen.


__________________
80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
homer1475 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/28/2018, 04:15 AM   #10040
SantaMonica
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Santa Monica, California, USA
Posts: 2,511
A pic would help but the outer areas are probably filling the holes with slime, which don't pull out; they need brushing.


__________________
Inventor of the easy-to-DIY upflow scrubber, and also the waterfall scrubber that everyone loves to build:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1424843
SantaMonica is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/28/2018, 04:23 AM   #10041
homer1475
Registered Member
 
homer1475's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 5,313
A pic I will get then. I just cleaned my screen the other day, but the next time I pull it to clean it, I will get a pic.



Actually I hear it now. Must be blocking the slot pipe again and loading up on the end up the pipe.



Give me a couple minutes and I'll post a pic.


__________________
80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
homer1475 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/28/2018, 04:25 AM   #10042
Scrubber_steve
I'm really very likeable
 
Scrubber_steve's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Down Under
Posts: 676
When you say GHA are you meaning ulva?


Scrubber_steve is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/28/2018, 04:30 AM   #10043
homer1475
Registered Member
 
homer1475's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 5,313
Pics as promised. sorry for the extra post, it's just much easier to post photos from tapatalk.

Setup is just a black acrylic box with a gate valve in the outlet and a gate on the inlet to adjust flow, and 2 20W grow spot lights on separate timers.


Screen after a few days. The bottom part is where the nice thick algae resides and does not scrub off. You can see where the screen is white is where I don't get any growth that actually attaches.


Inside of the box with screen running.



Like I said I'm not super worried as I have no algae in my DT, just curious why mine is not lush and green like most pics you post. All I get is this slimy snotty algae. About a half cup once a week in an 85G total system volume where I feed roughly 1 cube a day.


Lol don't pick on my fabrication, it's the first time I ever worked with weldon and acrylic.


__________________
80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"

Last edited by homer1475; 08/28/2018 at 04:37 AM.
homer1475 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/28/2018, 04:38 AM   #10044
homer1475
Registered Member
 
homer1475's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 5,313
Quote:
Originally Posted by Twinfallz View Post
When you say GHA are you meaning ulva?



Ulva, GHA, whatever, it's algae and looks like hair to me. lol I don't care what type it is, as long as it grows on my screen and not in my display.


__________________
80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
homer1475 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/28/2018, 07:05 AM   #10045
metasyntactic
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 37
Quote:
Originally Posted by Twinfallz View Post
Looking at you photos it appears that your screen is growing at least one species of ulva, which is a macro. It's exactly what you want growing.
I assume the algae appeared naturally on your screen (not seeded)?
Do you use NSW or synthetic salt when you do water changes? And, have you ever added any proper live rock (the rock that has a variety of live stuff all over it) to your tank?,,, or dry rock only?
I've been building a waterfall scrubber and looking to seed it. Would you recommend Ulva over other types of algae? I have some tangs that would go wild over fresh lettuce algae every week. I know Ulva typically grows on rocks where it's constantly washed by the surf so it seems ideal for a waterfall scrubber.


metasyntactic is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/28/2018, 06:02 PM   #10046
SantaMonica
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Santa Monica, California, USA
Posts: 2,511
Quote:
When you say GHA are you meaning ulva?
I do, yes.

Quote:
All I get is this slimy snotty algae
Yep very high nutrients, sucking up lots out of the water, but forming dark slime quickly which is letting go. Increase light wattage, and hours up to 24, and brush clean more often. Also if you can paint the inside white it will make the light much stronger.

Quote:
Lol don't pick on my fabrication
Actually, do you mind if I use your photo for an LED safety article? I want to show how "not" to DIY

Quote:
I've been building a waterfall scrubber and looking to seed it
No need; it will grow based on conditions.


__________________
Inventor of the easy-to-DIY upflow scrubber, and also the waterfall scrubber that everyone loves to build:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1424843
SantaMonica is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/28/2018, 09:14 PM   #10047
Scrubber_steve
I'm really very likeable
 
Scrubber_steve's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Down Under
Posts: 676
Quote:
Originally Posted by metasyntactic View Post
I've been building a waterfall scrubber and looking to seed it. Would you recommend Ulva over other types of algae? I have some tangs that would go wild over fresh lettuce algae every week. I know Ulva typically grows on rocks where it's constantly washed by the surf so it seems ideal for a waterfall scrubber.
The ulva that typically grows on a scrubberscreen is stringy, not the lettuce type. Good to seed if you can - get quicker establishment - maturity.

I wouldn't refer to ulva as GHA. Pretty sure the GHA that grows in displays isn't ulva, & certainly not anything like what grows on my screen.


Scrubber_steve is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/29/2018, 06:24 AM   #10048
metasyntactic
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 37
Quote:
Originally Posted by Twinfallz View Post
The ulva that typically grows on a scrubberscreen is stringy, not the lettuce type. Good to seed if you can - get quicker establishment - maturity.

I wouldn't refer to ulva as GHA. Pretty sure the GHA that grows in displays isn't ulva, & certainly not anything like what grows on my screen.
Is it a different species and if so, do you know what type? The only ulva I've found is the lettuce macro like liveaquaria sells.

Also, I was wondering if you (or anyone else) had thoughts on using these as lighting. They say they're waterproof but I wanted to double check they're safe to use for this application.


metasyntactic is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/29/2018, 12:48 PM   #10049
homer1475
Registered Member
 
homer1475's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 5,313
Quote:
Originally Posted by SantaMonica View Post

Actually, do you mind if I use your photo for an LED safety article? I want to show how "not" to DIY

Not exactly sure whats wrong with my DIY, but sure. Go for it.



If you mean the lights and the black tape.... Those are actually soldered together with 3 pieces of shrink wrap on them, and the tape. Now they certainly are not waterproof, but will be fine for condensation. And the lights themselves are screwed into the box with nylon screws and wingnuts for easy removal.


__________________
80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
homer1475 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/29/2018, 01:03 PM   #10050
SantaMonica
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Santa Monica, California, USA
Posts: 2,511
Quote:
thoughts on using these as lighting
Those will work, but are weak and non-reliable (so you need a lot of them), and may crack thin acrylic if touching it. But most importantly, they are safer than metal bolt-on lights, as long as you keep the power supply far way, and dry. And preferrably it's UL listed.

Quote:
Not exactly sure whats wrong with my DIY
It's the metal bolt-on lights, which give a false security. I'll be posting in-depth info about it soon.


__________________
Inventor of the easy-to-DIY upflow scrubber, and also the waterfall scrubber that everyone loves to build:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1424843
SantaMonica is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
algae scrubber/heavy metals charles matthews Randy Holmes-Farley 6 11/03/2016 08:32 PM
xenia scrubber instead of algae scrubber? dolt SPS Keepers 40 04/07/2011 11:34 AM
Try again: Is anybody running an algae scrubber as primary filter. Frick-n-Frags Reef Discussion 166 08/03/2008 03:58 PM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 11:11 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Powered by Searchlight © 2024 Axivo Inc.
Use of this web site is subject to the terms and conditions described in the user agreement.
Reef CentralTM Reef Central, LLC. Copyright ©1999-2022
User Alert System provided by Advanced User Tagging v3.3.0 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.