Algae Scrubber Basics

[SantaMonica]

The flow will even-out after growth starts.

First growth in SW is always brown; in FW it's usually green.

[outy]

Originally Posted by bheron

What am I doing wrong here? Or will this adjust over time?

Yours is like mine.


Cut a hair to wide.


It takes practice to get the perfect flow, as Floyd points out in his tutorials.


They do adjust a little with time, but I would say minor at first, and then more with growth as santamonica states. mine after 2 weeks is still identical and I'm getting uneven growth because I'm to lazy to cut another one.

[hkgar]

Originally Posted by bheron

Ok just got mine up and running (without lights) and have some pics. Also need feedback on my flow issue (last pic and video).

First, I used a table saw to cut my slot. Really simple albeit a bit dangerous so really was careful and took my time. Removed the protector plate and slowly lowered the 1" pipe down onto the blade. Using the guide it seemed to cut a perfectly straight hole. Except...at the ends of the cut its not clean from the round blade. I cleaned them up with a small hand saw:



If you can add it, I would add a ball valve. My set up is similar to yours and runs off the return pump. With the ball valve I can shut down flow for cleaning or other maintenance, and do not have to worry about dialing the flow back in with the gate valve. The ball valve is like an on/off switch and the flow never varies.



Next roughed up the screen with a hole saw/bit things as recommended. Spent about 10 mins in total, seemed very easy. Couldnt get a close up pic but I think its good




Attached it using zip ties. I know there's other ways but this works for now.





Here's the ATS assembled. Tee-ing it off my main pump using a gate valve and union. Should get about 180GPH if needed.



So fired it up, opened the valve and water started flowing, but not as evenly as I hoped:



It seems like right at where the zip ties connect to the screen it blocks the flow. What am I doing wrong here? Or will this adjust over time?





Here's a 10 second video showing the problem. Also does this seem like too little flow?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9B9Tykfdz8E


thoughts? feedback?

[wildwilly1]

I have my waterfall scruber built need some lights screen is 12 inches wide and 10 inches tall would these lights work

http://www.amazon.com/GLW-Hydroponic...led+grow+light

[SantaMonica]

12 x 10 = 120 sq inches = 120 total real CFL watts both sides max = 60 total LED watts both sides max.

Since those lights say 50w and are probably only 30 real watts, they should be good for one on each side. Smaller lights would probably work too if your nutrients are not too high or the tank is new.

[wildwilly1]

yeah I figured either the 30 or 50 watt .the 50 watt is a little bigger light 12x9.5 so should cover screen pretty good thx

[hkgar]

Originally Posted by SantaMonica

12 x 10 = 120 sq inches = 120 total real CFL watts both sides max = 60 total LED watts both sides max.

Since those lights say 50w and are probably only 30 real watts, they should be good for one on each side. Smaller lights would probably work too if your nutrients are not too high or the tank is new.

How far from the screen and how many hours a day for those lights. I have 2 20 watt, 1 on each side of my 7 wide 8 long screen. This light:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ilpage_o00_s00

I replaced 2 26 watt CFL's that ran 18 hours/day. The LED's are 9 hours and 5 inches from screen
I am seeing no growth. They have been in use for 7 days.

[outy]

Originally Posted by hkgar

How far from the screen and how many hours a day for those lights. I have 2 20 watt, 1 on each side of my 7 wide 8 long screen. This light:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ilpage_o00_s00

I replaced 2 26 watt CFL's that ran 18 hours/day. The LED's are 9 hours and 5 inches from screen
I am seeing no growth. They have been in use for 7 days.

While those lights are 13w roughly speaking each, your screen size is small and some are getting great growth off the 10W versions.



Lighting cycle under 12 hours is recommended for the beginning, and more flow the better.


After 2 weeks I have great growth, but none in low flow areas

[outy]

Originally Posted by wildwilly1

I have my waterfall scruber built need some lights screen is 12 inches wide and 10 inches tall would these lights work

http://www.amazon.com/GLW-Hydroponic...led+grow+light

I'm running a 30W version of that exact light and my screen size is similar as yours.

I'm getting great growth over the whole screen.

[karimwassef]

For a variety of reasons, I'm considering an experiment with Miracle Grow. I assume the ATS will be just as capable in removing excess organics due to MG as cubes of frozen food. Right?

[outy]

Originally Posted by karimwassef

For a variety of reasons, I'm considering an experiment with Miracle Grow. I assume the ATS will be just as capable in removing excess organics due to MG as cubes of frozen food. Right?

its not wise.

You have everything to lose, and no real "new" knowledge to gain

[karimwassef]

Ok

I personally believe that growth comes from challenging assumptions and conclusions considered standard. Where would we be if Einstein just agreed with Newton?

What old knowledge would you share?

[jrp1588]

Originally Posted by karimwassef

Ok

I personally believe that growth comes from challenging assumptions and conclusions considered standard. Where would we be if Einstein just agreed with Newton?

What old knowledge would you share?

Not sure I get the why behind what you're considering. Care to elaborate?

[outy]

Originally Posted by karimwassef

Ok



What old knowledge would you share?

Don't fix what is not broken.

You feed plenty no need to experiment here.

Add more iron if you want to take an agrarian approach to harvest more algae.

[karimwassef]

It's a long story... I struggled with dinos a couple of years back when I was pushing my nutrients into starvation mode to get rid of GHA. They managed to almost kill my chaeto and the GFO was actually fueling their dominance over other more 'normal' algae. I cleaned it up, but I participate in a thread that focuses on their eradication. Those with ATS that are afflicted have shared that their ATS started to die too when dinos took over. Usually driven by use of chemicals... Lots of mechanisms at play, but the current theory is that pushing nutrients below natural levels to accelerate the removal of algae can create a zone where only dinos survive, and once they're in, they make the environment difficult for even GHA to return. Still - a theory - but getting broader adoption.

The solution, for some, has been to go dirty - overfeed to bring "normal" algae back to compete with the dinos and re-"terraform" (there's got to be a better word - mariform?)the chemical environment back to normal. We're also adding phyto as natural biological competition. And I'm advocating adding an ATS to create a balanced foundation.

Well- if you're on a different planet and you need to make it hospitable to algae, what do you do? You can add food and wait for it to turn into organic Nitrogen... OR... you add fertilizer...

[jrp1588]

Ugh, dinos. Been there, done that several times. Is there anything in miracle grow besides nitrate and phosphate?

[karimwassef]

Are there phosphates? I thought it was just nitrates to supplement the need for nitrogen fixing bacteria.

[karimwassef]

But back to ATS... This shouldn't hurt or overwhelm an ATS, in theory - right?

[jrp1588]

Originally Posted by karimwassef

Are there phosphates? I thought it was just nitrates to supplement the need for nitrogen fixing bacteria.

I have no idea actually. I can't find much info from my quick Google search.

[salty joe]

There's copper in Miracle Grow.

Why not overfeed? Seems a whole lot safer and it can't take that long. Or if you can't wait for a little bit, get the specific forms of nitrogen and phosphate.

[wildwilly1]

I have those same lights hkgar I like them but they are just so small worried they are too small and not powerful enough the reds are only like 530-550 nm I think you need 660 nm if I remember. just worried that maybe the new 50watts I ordered are too strong but I guess I can always increase the flow or move back from screen a little

[karimwassef]

Originally Posted by salty joe

There's copper in Miracle Grow.

Why not overfeed? Seems a whole lot safer and it can't take that long. Or if you can't wait for a little bit, get the specific forms of nitrogen and phosphate.

http://agr.wa.gov/PestFert/Fertilize...spx?pname=2101
http://oda.state.or.us/dbs/heavy_met...roduct_id=6023

what's the safe Cu ppb level?

[outy]

Originally Posted by karimwassef

what's the safe cu ppb level?

0

[karimwassef]

then noone is safe... LOL

there's no such thing as 0 in nature. there's always some parts per billion, unless you're in a clean room, and even then...

[SantaMonica]

How far from the screen and how many hours a day for those lights. I have 2 20 watt, 1 on each side of my 7 wide 8 long screen.

Pics are needed for this.

I assume the ATS will be just as capable in removing excess organics due to MG as cubes of frozen food.

Scrubbers/algae do not absorb organics at all. Only inorganics.

Those with ATS that are afflicted have shared that their ATS started to die too when dinos took over.

Something is wrong there. Some chemical (copper, etc) killed the scrubber, and thus without the scrubber to absorb nutrients, the dino's grew. If a scrubber is working at all, dino's and diatoms are the first to go (sand clears up, etc.)

Why not overfeed?

That's the best.