jnad algaescrubber II

[jnad]

Hello!

Finally, I finished my new algae scrubber.

Preface:

In this project, I focused on security when it comes to leaks and water on the floor, so I have chosen to use a pvc box purchased in a local shop as a basis instead of gluing plexi / alryl plates.

Because the scrubber is placed on top of the aquarium, I have chosen to create a 1-sided scrubber so that it build minimum centimeters out from the wall that the aquarium is located at. This leads to the scrubber will be wider, but for me it is important that the scrubber is very slim and as less centimeters as possible out from the wall. Scrubber builds approximately 9 cm from the wall, but I had to make a little "edge" of the outlet because I have a pretty wide glass strip on the top of the tank that the outlet had to reatch over. This lead to that the total depth of scrubber was about 11 cm, but a aquarium that not have such a wide top edge so it's enough that the scrubber is made 9 cm deep.

The outlet from the scrubber should be the most block-free so that flooding due to blocked outlet is avoided. The outlet should also be 100% silent and does not provide microbubbles to the aquarium that are often a problem with outlets of the pipe type. I believes that the construction of this outlet meets these requirements, over time, I have tested a similar "temporary" outlet on my existing scrubber, and the test looked very promising.

The scrubber should have a construction that provides adequate ventilation / cooling of the fixture without the use of cooling fans. The scrubber is designed so that it will flow enough air in at the outlet and past the light armature to keep it cool.

This scrubber is very flexible when it comes to the size of the screen and light. One can easily customize parts, ie the size of the screen lighting according to need and still use the same scrubber.

When it comes to capacity so I think this size scrubber can meet filtration needs for feeding in the order: ½ cube - 2 cubes of frozen for a day. This depends on what equipment you select to install in scrubber, screen, lighting and of course the amount of flow.

Technical specifications:

Width: 36.5 cm
Depth: 9/11cm
Height: 15 cm

Lighting: 1x24W PL-L w / remote ballast
Flow: NewJet 1200, I will customize the width of the screen to match the flow that the pump delivers.

Maximum size of algae screens and lights in the scrubber are:
Display: 35x11 cm
Lighting: 2x24W PL-L w / remote ballast, (this is not tested, maybe or maybe not you have to use cooling fans.

Scrubber is not running in the aquarium now, but has been tested in the sink and everything looks promising.

Here are some photos:

The box that i used:

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd386/jnado/Algaescrubber%202/Akvarium001.jpg

All the parts in the prosject:

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd386/jnado/Algaescrubber%202/Akvarium006.jpg

The scrubber box ready glued and with praybar:

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd386/jnado/Algaescrubber%202/Akvarium007.jpg

From the top:

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd386/jnado/Algaescrubber%202/Akvarium008.jpg

From the side:

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd386/jnado/Algaescrubber%202/Akvarium009.jpg

Light fixture with glued reflector:

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd386/jnado/Algaescrubber%202/Akvarium011.jpg

Light fixture with PL-L bulb:

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd386/jnado/Algaescrubber%202/Akvarium012.jpg

Splash shield to be placed between screen and light fixture:

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd386/jnado/Algaescrubber%202/Akvarium013.jpg

The scrubber ready to use with light fixture from the top (the light fixture is freely standing inside the scrubber, just to lift out for maintainse):

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd386/jnado/Algaescrubber%202/Akvarium021.jpg

The scrubber ready to use from the side:

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd386/jnado/Algaescrubber%202/Akvarium020.jpg

The scrubber ready to use from the front:

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd386/jnado/Algaescrubber%202/Akvarium018.jpg


The scrubber will be run on the aquarium in a couple of days, i will return with some uppdates when the scrubber have been tested on aquarium for some time.

I would appreciate your feedback to this project.

Sorry about my bad English.

jnad

[Vannpytt]

Quality build, just as expected!

Hope it works good for you.

[kerry]

Looks real nice! Keep us posted on how it works for you.

[SantaMonica]

Love the above-tank versions....

[jnad]

Hello!

Thanks.

I've been a little unsure if the light with 24W power is sufficient enough. But I hope that the shape of the PL-L tube i am using with about 50% of its ovn surface cover the Algea screen directly will have an advantage just like the T5 tubes compared to the regular stick shaped CFL bulbs that often is used in scrubbers.

Is this a correct conclusion? or wrong?

jnad

[jnad]

Hello!

Just another question about 3D filtering:

I have seen there have been some posts about 3D filtering on the forum, to satisfy my curiosity about this 3D filtering, I made a small glass chamber where the algaescreen fits right into it. This is a narrow chamber with internal measurments of only 16mm. The idea is that the chamber is placed under the beam tube so that water flows into the chamber at high speed and then flows over the overflow edge of the chamber and into the scrubber at its rear wall. Chamber will be placed with the lower edge facing the back wall of the scrubber, there will be room for the water to flow down the back and then again forward under the glass chamber making its way to the scrubber outlet. There is a open space between the bottom of the glass chamber and scrubber bottom for about 2cm to let the water pass through to the scrubber outlet. The glass chamber's highest edge is facing the light fixture and would also then serve as a splash guard.

I call this: THE 3D ADD ON BOX :D

What du you think, will this work??

Pictures:

The glass chamber:
http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd386/jnado/Algaescrubber%202/Akvarium014.jpg


The glass chamber placed inn the scrubber:
http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd386/jnado/Algaescrubber%202/Akvarium023.jpg

jnad

[SantaMonica]

I hope that the shape of the PL-L tube i am using with about 50% of its ovn surface cover the Algea screen directly will have an advantage just like the T5 tubes compared to the regular stick shaped CFL bulbs that often is used in scrubbers.

Not sure what this means.


THE 3D ADD ON BOX

I don't get this either. Needs more pics I guess.

[jnad]

[quote]I hope that the shape of the PL-L tube i am using with about 50% of its ovn surface cover the Algea screen directly will have an advantage just like the T5 tubes compared to the regular stick shaped CFL bulbs that often is used in scrubbers.

Not sure what this means.
I mean that on stick shaped and spiral shaped bulbs very mutch of the bulbs is sending light away from the screen and therefore have to relay on the reflector too send the light the right way (to the screen).
The PL-L bulb shape is more like an T5 tube, more of the PL-L bulbs lightsource area is pointet against the screen.

If i have right the regular stick or spiral shaped bulbs sends mutch of its own light into the senter of itself and backwards to the reflecktor.

THE 3D ADD ON BOX

I don't get this either. Needs more pics I guess.[/quote:3bi9bias]

Sorry, have no more pictures right now. But the screen is simply submerged under water in the 3D box, water is flowing trough the box and light is shining on the screen trough the box glass wall

jnad

[kerry]

The screen should not be submerged (except for a tiny bit at the bottom to keep the bubbles and noise down), it should hang in the air fully exposed to the light.

[jnad]

Thanks Kerry

[SantaMonica]

For 3D, the screen cannot be under water. The growth should should simply block flow so that the water level raises up as the growth gets thicker.

[jnad]

For 3D, the screen cannot be under water. The growth should should simply block flow so that the water level raises up as the growth gets thicker.

Thanks SM

[jnad]

Hello!

Now the new nano scrubber is 100% ready mounted and ready to use, it will be started on my nano reef tomorrow, i must say i am looking forward to it :D

Here are som more pictures ready to go:

From the front:
http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd386/jnado/Algaescrubber%202/Akvarium027.jpg

From the top (it is a tight fit):
http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd386/jnado/Algaescrubber%202/Akvarium028.jpg

Component list from top:

1. The screen.
2. The spraybar with clamps.
3. The splash shield to protect the fixture.
4. Light fixture.
5. Front cover.
http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd386/jnado/Algaescrubber%202/Akvarium029.jpg

All components can easely be taken out of the scrubber for maintanance.

jnad

[kerry]

Nice build!! Keep us posted, us scrubbers love to soak up new algae info!! LOL. I just put 4, 3Watt LED's on my horizontal scrubber for my nano 10G, one sided like yours. So I hope to have some growth pics in a few days. It had a 23W CFL up until about an hour ago.

[jnad]

Nice build!! Keep us posted, us scrubbers love to soak up new algae info!! LOL. I just put 4, 3Watt LED's on my horizontal scrubber for my nano 10G, one sided like yours. So I hope to have some growth pics in a few days. It had a 23W CFL up until about an hour ago.

Thanks Kerry!

Some pictures in a tread of yours led setup had been interesting.

jnad

[jnad]

Hello!

I have been reading some posts about the posibillity for need for the use of carbon when running scrubbers.

There is plenty of room for a little carbon in the bottom of the scrubber, maybe this type of construction is a kind of all in one filter :D

It is also possible to build a 2-sided scrubber with the same type of outlet to bring water back to the aquaria.

jnad

[kerry]

I have never really found a need for carbon besides removing med's but, that's been over 15 years ago. Since I have learned that water quality is the best medication EVER!!!! Usually I make my own filters so I don't have carbon there either. I am referring to FW in the last statements. For SW I have never used carbon, should I, is there a reason or purpose of event to use it?

[SantaMonica]

No real reason for GAC in any setup, if your scrubber is running correctly.

[jnad]

Hello!

Here's an update on the scrubber for better or for worse.


The scrubber seems to work fine in relation to:

1. produce well with algae.
2. Nearly 100% silent.
3. Almost no micro bubbles in the tank, the little that is can easily be dealt with.
4 Simple to clean and serve. Only one bulb too change make it low cost serving over time.
What I'm not happy with are:

1. Since it is the length of the screen determines necessary flow / water volume i had to use a pump 1200L / h. This in turn leads to greater evaporation in the tank, evaporating more from this small tank than what I think is ok.
When it comes to building a scrubber that will stand on top of the tank and that the tank is in the living room so it must be approved aesthetic of the house wife This scrubber was approved as it does not look too bad , but I am not happy with the fact, again the large pump I had to use, technical equipment of this size in a nano tank is not pretty.

Conclusion: Works fine, but the scrubber/screen was unfortunately built to wide.

I have now started the building of a new, super easy to make small nano scrubber, also a on top of tank design.

In this project i will try to follow SM new sizing guidlines. This scrubber will be sized in relation to feeding half a cube of frozen food daily.

jnad

[jnad]

Hello!

Have a little uppdate for my scrubber. I can now say that it is 100% free of bubbles to tank and noise. I think the little bubbles and noise that wase there beafore was beacuse the new little piece of plastic canvas i used. The plastic canvas had to slime up a little bit.

So the scrubber seem to be running perfect, but i am still going to make a smaller scrubber that can use a smaller pump. Just beacuse i think the pump is to big and ugly for a small nano tank.

By the way, here are some pictures that also shows that the outlet is blocking free due to snails. This big snail could easely blocked a outlet made of pipe:

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd386/jnado/Algaescrubber%202/Akvarium066.jpg
http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd386/jnado/Algaescrubber%202/Akvarium065.jpg

I have started the build of a new very small nano scrubber that is very easy to make, and it is possible to make it a singel screen or 2-sided screen in the same box. The sizes of the screen i think will be:
1-sided : 10cm x12cm - filter capasity about half a cube a day
2-sided : 7,5cmx12cm - filter capasity about one cube a day

jnad

[kerry]

Glad to see it working for you. I just finished the dual screen Three light for my FW 150G. I hope to have pics up today.

[jnad]

Hello!

Here is the screen in my algaescrubber 2 after 6 days of growth.

For an singel sided scrubber i think theese Steni plates is great for use as screens, the algae is very though to get of the screen, it is al lot easier with the plastic canvas in the middle. The Steni plates is very easy to handle when cleaning etc, and the Steni plates is great if the screens should be placed free standing.

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd386/jnado/Algaescrubber%202/Akvarium031.jpg

jnad

[SantaMonica]

Touch the screen while flowing and see if you have the same flow on all parts.

[jnad]

Touch the screen while flowing and see if you have the same flow on all parts.

Hello!

You might have misunderstod me, i dont meen the differense in growth. The differense in growth on the Steni and plastic canvas is just beacuse that the Steni plates is have been running for some time now, the plastic canvas is reacently started.

But it seem to me that the algae is mutch more attached to the Steni plates vs the plastic canvas. Even when new the algae was though to scrape of the Steni plates, the algae seem to be mutch more easy to scrape of the plastic canvas.

jnad

[SantaMonica]

Probably because the canvas is made out of non-stick polymer.