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geosquid
10-19-2011, 05:46 AM
I notice a decrease in water flow coming out of the the pipe from my ATS around three days after a cleaning and slowly gets less and less. Its hard to tell how the flow is on the screen with the algae growing on it. I assume this is from algae growing up to the pipe slot. Is this a concern? how do I go about fixing this if it is an issue. My ATS is 15" long X 3" wide vertical fed by 540 gal/hr pump. The pipe with the slot holding the screen is 1/2" pvc.

geosquid
10-21-2011, 07:58 AM
Has no one else had this issue?

kerry
10-21-2011, 08:12 AM
I have a plastic tube from an old water change siphon pained black that I have cut to fit over the screen tube, this keeps the light out of the screen slot so algae does not grow there. I just cut it to length and cut about a 1/2 slot down it so I can ease it over the screen tube.

NarkyMark
10-21-2011, 09:03 AM
As Kerry says, you basically just need to stop any light reaching the slot.

geosquid
10-21-2011, 12:36 PM
I've been through the long list of scrubber designs and I don't see many people with light guards for their slots. I guess I'll have to see what I can come up with to design a light guard.

Thanks for the replies.

NarkyMark
10-22-2011, 05:29 AM
I did this:

http://www.nwaf.eu/images/ASMod1.JPG

geosquid
10-22-2011, 08:03 AM
What did you make that out of - I can't tell from the picture.

I just tried to make something out of a larger pvc pipe slipped over the main pipe (sort of a sleeve). If I make the groove large enough to allow the proper flow the light still gets to the top of the slot. If I make the slot small enough to stop the light I restrict the flow. I may just clean the top of the screen every three days where it goes into the slot. Kind of a pain in the ...... though.

SantaMonica
10-22-2011, 11:49 AM
More important is to replace that smooth screen material.

NarkyMark
10-22-2011, 03:58 PM
What did you make that out of - I can't tell from the picture.

I just tried to make something out of a larger pvc pipe slipped over the main pipe (sort of a sleeve). If I make the groove large enough to allow the proper flow the light still gets to the top of the slot. If I make the slot small enough to stop the light I restrict the flow. I may just clean the top of the screen every three days where it goes into the slot. Kind of a pain in the ...... though.

...Its just some uPVC 40mm architrave I had in in my van :) I siliconed it to the top edge of the pipe, seems to have done the job!


More important is to replace that smooth screen material.

...I know, I know :D