Thought I would give this a try

[ktsdad]

After reading up on this concept, I really like it!
Seems to make good sense to me anyway.

My problem is space.

Here is a shot of my tank before I started the new scrubber and the filtration system.
(The lights haven't come on yet, mushroom still sleeping)

[attachment=2:2b483bpy]Tank before and filter.jpg[/attachment:2b483bpy]

Here is my scrubber screen assembly.

[attachment=1:2b483bpy]scrubber tray.jpg[/attachment:2b483bpy]

And here is my final assemble with lights which are 2 26watt (100 equal) 2700K CFL.

[attachment=0:2b483bpy]Scrubber with lights.jpg[/attachment:2b483bpy]

I plan on running the lights off schedule from my display tank, 16 on/8 off.

I went cheap to see if I get any results at all, total cost so far is $35.

I would appreciate any comments or suggestions.

Thanks
Dave

[kcress]

Very interesting format. Horizontal with a hole in the middle?

Not clear on its operation. How is the water delivered to the screen?

[ktsdad]

The water from the overflow in the back of the tank is delivered onto the drip tray via the PVC pipe in the middle of the cover.

I actually covered the PVC Cross with a piece of plastic to spread the water across the screen material, especially down the side where the lights are.

Original thinking was that the water would hit the cross piece and spread out, didn't work out that way so I installed the above mentioned flat piece.

I don't have room to install a vertical piece so I am trying this.

I got the idea from looking at various other designs that utilize flat screens also.

I used the PVC as a frame to keep the screen off the drip tray.
I didn't want the algea growing on my drip tray since I can't remove it to clean.

[kcress]

Thanks.

If you get the opportunity a picture would be welcome.

[ktsdad]

The pictures are there in the orginal post.

[SantaMonica]

Very nice first try! Lighting is certainly enough. I'm sure flow is too. Screen material looks good. My comments:

Although you want to keep algea off of the drip tray, it's still going to grow there. So it will be important when you clean it to not let the broken pieces of algae fall into the water (so the water will not cloud/color). A better solution (ugh!) is to rebuild the screen to go almost all the way to the edge, so that if the screen were completely blocked by algae, the flow would still make it over the edges. This way all growth will be on the screen, and you just take it all out at the same time.

Is the screen big enough? Two square inches for each gallon (one-sides)?

[kcress]

The pictures are there in the original post.

Yes, but the last picture doesn't show much detail for the screen/delivery.

[ktsdad]

The screen would be easy to rebuild, the material cost $.49 a sheet and the PVC tubing is not glued.
Just need to get more PVC at ACE Hardware.

Thanks for the comments, didn't really think of that but what you said makes sense.
The good news is that when I do clean it, I have to turn off the sump pump, so keeping the pieces from falling into the Bio-Balls won't be that hard.

I will rebuild to cover the entire drip tray and post more pictures of the growth progress.

I was concerned about too much water flow, is that an issue?

[SantaMonica]

Can't have too much flow.

Can you move the lights diagonally, so the whole screen is lit strongly?

Also, evenually, you can start removing the balls. They are just going to trap food and raise nitrate.

[ktsdad]

Can't have too much flow.

Can you move the lights diagonally, so the whole screen is lit strongly?

Also, evenually, you can start removing the balls. They are just going to trap food and raise nitrate.

I moved the lights around so they hit more of the screen material.

I think the bio balls are what caused my problem to start with.
I have been planning on removing them for a while but the time got away from me and suddenly my nitrates started rising.
Then almost overnight the green stuff showed up.

I hope this works, now I just have to give it some time for growth!

Thanks for the suggestions!

I will post more pictures next weekend, hopefully I will have some evidence of growth on the screen.

Dave

[ktsdad]

No evidence of growth on my screen after 7 days. :cry:

Since my screen material is not rigid, it sags between my frame support therefore the water doesn't flow across very much screen.

I saw some egg crate type material (PVC) that I am going to get today.
That would support my screen material evenly across the entire surface.
My hopes would be better water distribution.

I will post a picture of the new screen once I get it built.

[SantaMonica]

Well your screen material is green, so it's harder to see initial growth. Feel it and see if it's slippery.

Egg crate will help, for sure. But with those strong lights, you are definitely going to get growth no matter what flow you have.