Single Sided Scrubber

[fishbrain888]

My name is Spencer and I decided to try out the ATS system on my 80 gallon tank since you all have had so much success with your ATS. I'm looking for both positive and negative feedback from this thread in order to help me have great success with the ATS system. Thanks everyone.

The DT tank is 36"x30"x18" about 80 gallons with a 90 gallon sump.

http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss221/spencerkunz/001-3.jpg

I first built a 2 sided scrubber to the specifications listed on this site, but knowing me I couldn't leave well enough alone. So a few days later I decided to build a single sided scrubber that wouldn't have a chance to ever clog up. This scrubber is 21"wide x13"tall single sided with 4x 24" T5HO 3000k bulbs, I think there is about 1000 gph flowing over the 21" of screen, provided by a "Laguna Max-Flo 2000" which serves as the return pump.

http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss221/spencerkunz/006-5.jpg

http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss221/spencerkunz/008-5.jpg

First, the water draining from the tank goes into a 4" tube that's about 15" tall glued into a raised chamber within the sump with the water draining at the bottom which then forces the water up through some old live rock.

http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss221/spencerkunz/003-4.jpg

The water then falls over the chamber onto the screens.

http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss221/spencerkunz/004-5.jpg

http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss221/spencerkunz/002-6.jpg

http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss221/spencerkunz/007-5.jpg

Next, the water then flows underneath the raised glass chamber within the sump towards the return pump.

The lights are about 3" away from the screen and they have to penetrate through the side of the glass sump. I hope the glass doesn't decrease the intensity of the lights too much to where the ATS will not have good success, time will tell.

That's it for now, I will post more pics later as the ATS breaks in. Sorry for the terrible photos, here's a terrible video as well. Thanks for your feedback everyone, I will really appreciate it.

http://s578.photobucket.com/albums/ss22 ... =010-3.mp4 (http://s578.photobucket.com/albums/ss221/spencerkunz/?action=view&current=010-3.mp4)

[fishbrain888]

It's been running for a couple days now. Everything is running smooth with the ATS.

Being new to this is it normal for the screen to coated in a light brownish-green color with a few small areas of bright green clumpy/hairy algae?

[SantaMonica]

Yes

[kerry]

Sounds like its on the right track, Nice corner stand too!!

[fishbrain888]

Thanks for the compliments Kerry.

Here is a couple photos of the first weeks algae. I hope it's still on track for success because I do not miss my skimmer days at all. http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss221/spencerkunz/002-7.jpg

[kerry]

Sure is!! I have been just starting to get green on my 40G and its been up since the weekend before Fathers Day. Since, I have always had brown algae so yes you are well on your way.

[fishbrain888]

Kerry...I'm glad to hear that it looks like it's working and I hope yours continues to prosper as well. I can't tell you all how much we hated the noise of all the different skimmer's, the smell of the collection cup could be detected within 4 feet of the tank, the overflowing of the skimmers, and the constant cleaning of the collection cup. This system is so much easier just for that reason alone.

[Rumpy Pumpy]

Similar design to mine

[kerry]

I was hard for me to believe that this device worked. It took about a year before I built one and now I wish I knew about this years ago. Who would have thought algae would provide so much success? I even have one on my 150G FW Jack Dempsey tank as well. And yes, its so nice not to have a skimmer anymore!!!!

[fishbrain888]

It's been a few days since my first screen cleaning and now the screen has red, brown, and green colored algae on it. I am concerned about the red algae and I have been trying to research what red algae means...I think it's not enough lighting? Someone who knows please comment on red algae growing on the ATS screen please. =)

[SantaMonica]

Not enough light.

[fishbrain888]

Thanks Santa. I was hoping it would have been something else. Back to the drawing board. =)

[SantaMonica]

You can always make the screen smaller, and use the same light.

[fishbrain888]

Thanks again for the feedback Santa.

The light fixture is 12"x24" with 4x T5 lights so making the screen smaller shouldn't help solve the underpowered light problem since the screen size is matched to the light fixture. Do you agree?

I have the lights flush up on the glass which is heating up the glass, which in turn is drying the saltwater against the other side of the glass, which then blocks the intensity of the lights. I just cleaned off the salt scum and backed the lights off of the glass about an inch in hopes of not heating up the glass so the saltwater won't dry on the glass. If this doesn't work would it make sense to build a red LED light since they are cooler and have more light intensity?

[fishbrain888]

It looks like backing the lights away from the glass about 1" kept the glass cooler and didn't create the salt scum from the heat last night. But the ATS screen has even more red algae today.

Would a DIY red LED fixture create as much heat as a T5 fixture (28x3watt leds, spread out over a 12"x24" area)? Also, doesn't a DIY LED fixture have more intensity than a T5 fixture?

[SantaMonica]

The fix is to stop the salt spray, not to reduce the lighting.

[fishbrain888]

Thanks again. I can work on that tonight and see if we can get it under control.

[fishbrain888]

Got most of the water spray controlled to where there is little salt water scum build up on the glass in between the light and the screen now.

I finally got the courage to test the water for nitrates and phosphates after being unsuccessful for many years with a skimmer and other gimmicks. I can tell you all that the test came out to ZERO Nitrates and ZERO Phosphates and the DKH was a little high at 12. I can't believe it! Thank you for getting me into doing an ATS everyone, especially Santa Monica and Floyd R Turbo. :D

[SantaMonica]

!!!