The new Upflow Algae Scrubber (UAS)

[SantaMonica]

No... not enough wattage.

[herring_fish]

Now that there have been some test run, I am wondering if people are getting good harvest quantities compared to ...say, a water fall scrubber? For those that over built on the lighting, I would guess that the answer is yes and even better but that is why you run tests. I have seen the pics of screen in the first few days of use. Now that some of you have some time under your belts, are you getting hands full of algae?

[Bobba]

I have a 12gal long reef and am very interested in the new UAS concept. This is my 2nd attempt at reefkeeping. I gave up the 1st time because no matter what I tried, all I ended up with was a tank full of algae. I just went thru it again with this tank but have it under control by water changes, H2O2, GFO, etc.... The trouble is am afraid to feed the tank residents now! I would like to attempt some sort of UAS, preferably something smaller in tank or HOB. I have an Aquaclear 50 HOB that I could use and would appreciate thoughts on that. Any other suggestions would really be appreciated!!!

[SantaMonica]

Welcome. Look through the UAS test builds... there is one made out of an HOB filter...
http://algaescrubber.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?17-The-new-Upflow-Algae-Scrubber-(UAS)

[Floyd R Turbo]

As soon as I can, I'm going to run a Pepsi-challenge test on my tank, I'm going to put a waterfall scrubber (L2) on the same tank as the UAS and let them battle it out. Should be interesting.

I haven't been measuring and weighing my harvests from the UAS, at this point I've just been trying to work out the kinks. I think I've got it all down now though, added suction cups to hold the bar down and full-size diffusers in front of the LED fixtures

[kerry]

I have a 12gal long reef and am very interested in the new UAS concept. This is my 2nd attempt at reefkeeping. I gave up the 1st time because no matter what I tried, all I ended up with was a tank full of algae. I just went thru it again with this tank but have it under control by water changes, H2O2, GFO, etc.... The trouble is am afraid to feed the tank residents now! I would like to attempt some sort of UAS, preferably something smaller in tank or HOB. I have an Aquaclear 50 HOB that I could use and would appreciate thoughts on that. Any other suggestions would really be appreciated!!!
This on has the HOB listed: http://algaescrubber.net/forums/showthread.php?1865-Kerry-s-UAS-test

[RkyRickstr]

i have to say.. with the new scrubber i see alot less growh.. a lot. However wihin a week of setting it up algae started dying.. seems like is more power with less growth ime

[SantaMonica]

Should not be any dying.

[Bobba]

Well, stopped at a craft store and picked up a sheet of #7 mesh and roughed it up with a hole saw. Sure seems like algae would grow on it. I may give the AC50 HOB a try. I feed about 1/2 cube a day so I am thinking 3"x4" would be ok? Need to find a 3"long bubbler of some sort and was thinking maybe 2 660nm leds? Would the normal water flow on this type of setup be ok? Also noticed that Santa Monica is selling a UAS for a reasonable price. Has anyone tried one? Thanks for everyones patience!

[Floyd R Turbo]

Should not be any dying.

I think he meant algae in the tank was dying. In that case there should be dying.

[acorral]

SantaMonica, do you have photos of the UAS you are selling?

[SantaMonica]

Soon

[DennisC]

I was wondering if an in sump UAS would work with just having the lights on the outside of the sump and the screen and bubbler inside but not fitted into a box.

Dennis

[SantaMonica]

Yes it's the same as a nano. However any UAS will work better if it has a box (to confine the bubbles), and if it is 2-sided.

[jwoyshnar]

Well a short time ago I put one on my sons 40 gallon. I couldn't get anything to grow on the screen. I just happen to look yesterday after over a week of not even looking at it and the growth is un believable.

[kcress]

Well a short time ago I put one on my sons 40 gallon. I couldn't get anything to grow on the screen. I just happen to look yesterday after over a week of not even looking at it and the growth is un believable.


Pictures mon!
Pee eye see tee you are e S! We need dem.

[acorral]

I was wondering if an in sump UAS would work with just having the lights on the outside of the sump and the screen and bubbler inside but not fitted into a box.

Dennis

Look at my UAS thread, I have mine on sump with lights outside, started 1 sided and changed to 2 sided after 2 weeks

[TickyTy]

Is the 8"x8" screen too large for my 90 Gallon system? I have a light feeding load since I only have 3 damsels and 1 Hippa Tang. You can see my results in my UAS thread.

[SantaMonica]

Feeding?

[dryworm]

is it better to use a diffuser on a led setup or not?

[SWhite]

is it better to use a diffuser on a led setup or not?

I've seen seen several others who have used a diffuser and seemed to show improvement. My week old LED build was built with a diffuser from the get go. I think that if you have an imbalance of distribution of colors, like blue only in the middle, you would benefit to at least have the blue diffused. But For me it was easier to diffuse the whole array.

[Floyd R Turbo]

+1

I am of the opinion that diffusing when you group the LEDs closer than 2" spacing is required. On my UAS I put a 1" x 1" diffuser right in front of the blue LED, which was 1" from each of the reds and my screen filled in quickly. I diffused the whole array and it reach the growth level of the previous week in 4-5 days.

[kerry]

I like to diffuse all the LED's.

[TickyTy]

Feeding?

I am not feeding a ton of of food. Less than a cube per day. I am running 2 150W MH and 4 65W PC's in my DT. The fixture is 4 months old, the bulbs may not be the best that came from the supplier. The question is, would the UAS compete with algae from the tank due to poor lighting?

[SantaMonica]

I of course am not running any blues.

[kerry]

I of course am not running any blues.
All red works just fine too. I get hardier and longer growth with the blue added.

[dryworm]

if i am running an in sump UAS should i let the calcium reactor drip in to the chamber the UAS is in so it will to take up the excess co2?

[SantaMonica]

That's probably a good idea.

[glarior]

Any good updates for a UAS on a large tanks... say 600gallons? OR still think the waterfall would be better for it?

[SantaMonica]

Neither is better or worse. It's what you can build.

[acorral]

Any good updates for a UAS on a large tanks... say 600gallons? OR still think the waterfall would be better for it?

I'm testing the UAS now in my 400G tank and I can say it does it job nicely !!!

[glarior]

Neither is better or worse. It's what you can build.

Good to know. I asked long time ago when it first came out and the answer was unsure at that time. Thank you!


I'm testing the UAS now in my 400G tank and I can say it does it job nicely !!!
Love my small UAS but its to small for the tank load. I am reading your thread now

[acorral]

Any news with july design revelation ?

[SantaMonica]

Posting soon. It's really a non-revelation, but still useful.

[SantaMonica]

A useful way to stop bubbles if your UAS is not in a box:

http://www.algaescrubber.net/Post3.jpg

[SWhite]

Hey SantaMonica, or anyone really, I'm nearly finished with my 2nd version UAS double sided and I've got a couple of those 6x9 mirror cards you sell. Any ideas on how to afix them flush to 1/2" egg crate? My first thoughts are just to gel superglue across a bunch of the vertexes. Any other ideas?

[SantaMonica]

Punch a hole and use try wraps.

You don't want any light going into the crate though.

[SWhite]

Okay, can do. And just as an FYI to you/others, there is a paper backing that isn't ideal, in my opinion. I'm scrubbing it off to have one less unneeded biodegradable substance in the tank. Adding pics and video of the new build to my thread.

EDIT: Holes and zip ties worked great.

[SWhite]

Also, advice for those using a slit pipe like mine, simply sawing a straight slit didn't work well for double sided. I ended up drilling a series of holes the length of the slit to make scalloped edges. That way even if the screen leans against one side or another the the high points between circles will keep the screen from blocking the bubble flow.

[jwoyshnar]

Here is what I just scraped off my mesh. 7 days worth

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk146/jwoyshnar/ef21b5fd.jpg

[SantaMonica]

Let's get your build pics up on a thread...

[jacob.morgan78]

So, looking for a place to start for my UAS. I have a system that's about 125g and I feed around two cubes a day. Seems like there's a big difference between the old and new sizing guidelines. Should my screen be 11x11 or 5x5 or something different? Also, what abut light? It's going to be two sided.

Thanks for any guidance you can offer.

[SantaMonica]

An example screen size is 3 X 4 inches = 12 square inches of screen (7.5 X 10 cm = 75 sq cm) with a total of 12 real watts (not equivalent) of fluorescent light for 18 hours a day. If all 12 watts are on one side, it is a 1-sided screen. If 6 watts are on each side, it is a 2-sided screen, but the total is still 12 watts for 18 hours a day. This screen size and wattage should be able to handle the following amounts of daily feeding:

1 frozen cube per day (2-sided screen), or
1/2 frozen cube per day (1-sided screen), or
10 pinches of flake food per day (2-sided screen), or
5 pinches of flake food per day (1-sided screen), or
10 square inches (60 sq cm) of nori per day (2-sided screen), or
5 square inches (30 sq cm) of nori per day (1-sided screen), or
0.1 dry ounce (2.8 grams) of pellet food per day (2-sided screen), or
0.05 dry ounce (1.4 grams) of pellet food per day (1-sided screen)


For LEDs use half as many watts.

[jacob.morgan78]

I've seen this.

Does this mean 12 sq in per cube? So 6x4 or ~5x5 would work for me with 12 watts on each side. Please confirm this for me. Thanks.

[SantaMonica]

Yes 12 per cube.

[jacob.morgan78]

Would 12 watts of floodlight CFL for each side of the screen be sufficient?

Thanks again!

edit: also, The angle of the light may not be at a right angle to my screen due to space restrictions. They may be pointing downward at an angle towards my screen. Would this make a significant impact on my scrubber? Should I change the wattage or anything else? Should I rearrange everything to make sure to get the best angle of lighting?

Thanks once again.

[SantaMonica]

2 cubes would need 24 watts if all the light were used. But you'll be losing half with the distance and the angle. So I'd double it.

[Jbroadway]

Hi I'm in the process of making on of these but want to make the unit sealed but I can't find anywhere which says any amount of flow or if there's a to much flow? Can anyone help

[SantaMonica]

Recommended airflow for UAS bubbler:

0.012 cfm of air per inch of width of screen.

0.005 cfm of air per cm of width of screen.

0.33 lpm of air per inch of width of screen.

0.13 lpm of air per cm of width of screen.


There is currently no recommended level of water flow.

[Jbroadway]

Recommended airflow for UAS bubbler:

0.012 cfm of air per inch of width of screen.

0.005 cfm of air per cm of width of screen.

0.33 lpm of air per inch of width of screen.

0.13 lpm of air per cm of width of screen.


There is currently no recommended level of water flow.


I know this is for air but the reason I ask is because I'm thinking of using a skimmer pump to pump water and air into my scrubber

[SantaMonica]

Just try it.

[kotlec]

I am planning on bigger tank. Should be 40 gal. Now it is time to decide what route to turn. After some time passed , can I get your findings regards waterfall vs UAS. What you would choose if you were free with your choice ? Either way scrubber will sit in back chamber. Be it waterfall I should not need addition of air pump.

Im planning feeding up to cube so one side 10cm wide and 15 cm long screen should be sufficient ? This way I would need 80 liter per hour air pump ?

[SantaMonica]

Technically an upflow should be better because of the bubbles, but since you build your own, the bigger question is how you build and operate it. Easy of harvesting might be easier with an upflow too... just lift up the screen. 2-sided would always be much better, however.

Yes 80 lph.

[Garf]

Anyone with good UAS growth keeping an eye on ALK stability ?

[kerry]

Anyone with good UAS growth keeping an eye on ALK stability ?
I am interested in this as well, my water fall sucks the Alk dry!! (well almost)

[kotlec]

I am interested in this as well, my water fall sucks the Alk dry!! (well almost)

Same here .

[RkyRickstr]

You know, the reason why the algae uses the alk is because there is not enough cO2, im dying to try injecting co2 into the scrubber chamber, i wonder if it would really lower the ph of the water significantly.

[kerry]

I worried about that to so I didnt, I even put a couple fans over the waterfall scrubber and didnt see any noticeable difference.

[jacob.morgan78]

It seems like everybody is using LEDs for their UAS... I know nearly nothing about LEDs because when they started getting popular I figured I'd let them get figured out before I looked into them. Now, I'm in a spot where I think I would benefit from them... At least for my UAS.

Where can I get the best deal for some LEDs for a 5x5 screen? I don't think I want to do anything DIY for this as my free time is limited for now.

Thanks!

[kerry]

Floyd has good luck with rapidled and I use topledlights from ebay but, I get my drivers from rapidled lately as the topledlights has been out of the driver I really like to use. Rapidled even has a section to show you how to build a DIY unit.

[RkyRickstr]

Ive ordered from rapidled and never had a problem with them.

[Floyd R Turbo]

Just got 120 more Philips 660s from them :)

[kerry]

SM are there any good updates coming this next month??

[SantaMonica]

I'm sure there are... need to look.

[divinedragon13]

has anyone tried sunlight vs leds?

[kerry]

Yes there where some outdoor waterfall scrubbers built a while back.

[joelespinoza]

Just got 120 more Philips 660s from them :)

Try stevesleds, his are a bit cheaper and he is fast as hell on the shipping. His 2700k 95 CRI Luxeon warm whites are pretty amazing for display builds too, they are the only whites I use now. He also has the cheapest Cree Royal Blues I have ever seen, if thats your thing, but personally I am all about the Luxeons now.


Here was a fun little freshwater project with 14 Luxeon 2700k warm whites and 6 Luxeon Royal Blues, the color is accurate, the purplish hue is just as apparent in person, not just an artifact of the camera:

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b124/JoelEspinoza/20120721_1719361.jpg

[greenmachine]

I would like to see more pics of peoples scrubber "box" and more pics on how people are making the screens easy to remove for cleaning,,,I would also like to see how people are forcing the bubbles to make contact with the screens....please :)

[jakef150]

any one use this unit for small nano tank say 20-30g ? I have biocube 29

Thanks

[SantaMonica]

Is being used on a 2 gal.

[RkyRickstr]

Ia the Hog 2 comming out tomorrow?

[SantaMonica]

No but I have not looked yet. Will be a few days.

[southsiderlad]

Hi
a quick question about 1 sided or 2 sided, having the light on one side and a mirror on the other, does this make it 2 sided?
Thx

[Garf]

Hi
a quick question about 1 sided or 2 sided, having the light on one side and a mirror on the other, does this make it 2 sided?
Thx

Sort of. Officially yes but the intensity on the reflected side is drastically reduced.

[southsiderlad]

Probably another dumb question, but here goes anyway!!!

Is it better to have to much light (led's) and if it burns the algae just cut back on the lighting time rather than make it, and then find you don't have enough light????
Thx

Thx Garf for the earlier reply.

[kerry]

Yes, thats the way to do it.

[srusso]

SM, is this months release ready? Should be this right?

Hang-On-Glass (HOG) Scrubber, version 2

This is designed to be a manufactured version of version 1, for nano's only, and thus is the first retail-ready version to be posted. If made with the right finish, it will fit right in with everything else in the tank and will not be noticed (and actually it could add to the appearance of the nano). For DIY there will be a slimed-down version, but it will still take some building. For DIY Resellers, the slimed-down version will take a little work (at least for nano's). For manufacturers it is probably a three-piece molding. The nice-looking version would retail in the range of about $29 USD for a 0.1 cube/day, to about $69 for a 2.0 cube/day (lights included, but no air pump).

Will be posted in August
Available for advance viewing in May, $1000/month non-exclusive, $2000/month exclusive
Will be available in August for free DIY (difficult) and $5 DIY Resellers
Available in May for exclusive product licensing in any country except USA
Available in May for non-exclusive product licensing in any PCT country except USA
Available in May for exclusive brand licensing in any country except USA
Available in May for non-exclusive brand licensing in any country except USA
Available in May for manufacturing/marketing/distribution licensing in the USA

[Garf]

Not the brightest spanner in the box, but what the hell are you going on about ?

[SantaMonica]

Not exactly, but hopefully interesting to look at.

[SantaMonica]

Here we go...

http://www.algaescrubber.net/Post4.jpg

[herring_fish]

Very Cool! It looks nice and clean looking design. Good job.

[SantaMonica]

Now I just need to find a manufacturer that can build it and/or license it :)

[mtbeeson]

I have a 210 with a 70 gallon refugium at the bottom. One side of the refugium is already enclosed. Do you think I could use that side of the 70 gallon tank to put a UAS? What size would I need?

Could the hang-on UAS be placed in a sump under the tank?

[SantaMonica]

A UAS can be placed anywhere. See sizing here:
http://algaescrubber.net/forums/showthread.php?1958-Updated-sizing-guideline-for-scrubbers

[RkyRickstr]

I like the bubble remover, however the screen looks hard to remove without taking the whole thing appart.

[SantaMonica]

Screen should slide right out the top. Then the glass can be cleaned with a brush, or the whole unit can be moved a few inches and the fish can clean the glass.

[jnad]

This looking like a Nice unit Santa Monica.

Is the water going in and out the scrubber trough the same hole?

Jnad

[SantaMonica]

Yes.

[RkyRickstr]

I would much rather have the exit a few inches higher.. it would assure me im getting propper flow.

[SantaMonica]

Well for higher-nutrient systems, more dwell time will give the algae several chances to remove nutrients before the water gets out. This will artificially let the algae grow in a lower nutrient environment, which will grow more green.

In the HOG.5, with almost no flow-through, the algae still get all the nutrients they need. Any more and they would grow dark.

[RkyRickstr]

Yes but if thats the case then there are too many nutrients in the system that i want out. I rather have dark algae and know that my nutrients are high and work on them.. why would i want green algae and all the nutrients in d tank.. u know what im saying?

[SantaMonica]

Because green growth will absorb the most nutrients, the fastest.

[acorral]

What do you think about this UAS design ?

It's a hybrid between HOG and the new one, pink stuff are magnets, the squared one is for fixing to the glass and the outside lamp, the rounded ones are for holding the UAS screen

3040

Suggestions accepted...

[SantaMonica]

Looks neat.

[RkyRickstr]

I would buy one of those

[Floyd R Turbo]

Why not ditch the magnets and make it hang on the rim of the tank? Would work for a glass tank, not so much for an acrylic tank, but I bet I could make even that work with a little thought.

[acorral]

Why not ditch the magnets and make it hang on the rim of the tank? Would work for a glass tank, not so much for an acrylic tank, but I bet I could make even that work with a little thought.

Thought about that.... I guess the hard part is going to be making it stay very close to the glass so bubbles doesn't escape... That would be fixed using a clear panel but that would be an extra thing to clean...

I'm thinking about a semi-permanent fixing outside for the lamp, as the one for vortech pumps... and just the magnets for holding the inside part and making it easy to remove, clean and place again in place

[acorral]

Made a first prototype in 1/4" pvc foamboard that I had around collecting dust...

3041

3042

This prototype made me take note of some changes for the next prototype... among them... change width to fit one commercially available air difusser, instead of 1/4" I'll use 1/8"the space for the screen needs more room... I'll make it 2" instead of 1"... and some other...

On monday I'll get some more material to build a second prototype...

Already ordered some neodinium magnets to test that part of the design...

[Floyd R Turbo]

Neo magnets need to be sealed. Can't put them directly in the water. Just FYI

[SantaMonica]

Unless you get epoxy coated ones. They were recommended directly to use in SW. I've has some in my sump for months... they look brand new.

[acorral]

I plan to enclose the magnets in 2 layers of acrilyc

[dprais1]

Why can't I use incandescent bulbs. either regular or floodlight type?

[acorral]

Why can't I use incandescent bulbs. either regular or floodlight type?

You can use them, only considerations would be using warm light and changing them often to avoid loosing effectiveness

[SantaMonica]

But they make a lot of heat, in order to get the same light levels. You would need 120 watts of regular bulbs to get the same light as a 23 watt CFL.

[dprais1]

right, my problem is a 23 watt CFL is only good for a 6x4 screen. I need to do at least a 8x8 and LEDs can be expensive! if i put a mirror behind the screen will a 23 watt CFL then equal to 46 watts +/-?

[kerry]

Are you feeding over 5 cubes a day? Why such a big screen?
The reflection is not worth much really.

[dprais1]

I would say yes, I'm growing out 11 discus and 2 angelfish. they get about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of flake food 3-4 times a day, 3-4 cubes of freeze-dried blackworms a day, and 2-3 cubes of beefheart mix a day.

[dprais1]

right now I do 90% w/c about 5x a week

[SantaMonica]

Sounds like 10 cubes. 120 square inches (10 X 12, etc), with at least 120 real watts (60 on each side).

[Floyd R Turbo]

Your helper tried to post the update on the GIRS site today but the link was broken, and I see you haven't posted it here yet? Whatca got for us this month?

[SantaMonica]

http://www.algaescrubber.net/P5.jpg

[ruddybop]

Hey SM.. Just a thought for this model.... If you make the discharge of this unit higher it would take unfiltered water in through the bottom and the clean water would come out up higher that way more unfiltered water would enter through the bottom only. The way I am looking at it the filtered water will come down and mix with the unfiltered water on the input of the scrubber...

Or did you design it like that?

Just a quick pic I changed on the bottom left of yours so you know what I mean..

3200

[SantaMonica]

Water flow seems to not be an issue (yet) with a UAS... maybe because of the larger amount of water around the growth.

Your outlet would sort of do what you say, but it would let a lot more bubbles get in the tank.

[TickyTy]

SM, My scrubber is working fairly well, cleaning about every 10 days, but I am still seeing algae growing in my DT. My Nitrates are 0 and Phos is around 0.25. If there is no nutrients for them to eat could the lights cause the algae to grow? I am about 1/2 cube per day and my screen is 5x5. Using RO without DI and the TDS is around 5. Thoughts?

[SantaMonica]

How much are you cleaning off the screen, and where is the display algae growing?

[kerry]

I dont run a skimmer on my 150 gallon tank or any of them for over two years.

[SantaMonica]

HOB UAS...

http://www.algaescrubber.net/P6.jpg

[RkyRickstr]

Looks like this is two sided right?

[SantaMonica]

Yes it would be 2-sided.

[mrbncal]

HOB UAS...

http://www.algaescrubber.net/P6.jpg

This gives me an idea...I knew if I kept that old miracle mud filter box long enough it would come in handy some day.....time to get creative!

[SantaMonica]

Collector UAS...

http://www.algaescrubber.net/P7.jpg

[ferdinand]

Collector UAS...

http://www.algaescrubber.net/P7.jpg

doesn't it the bubbles will be too slow & tend to stick on the screen with this set up? will it have the same effect then if yes, compare using the air pump?

[SantaMonica]

You can control how many bubbles by how high above the water you place the overflow hose. Also, you can use a venturi.

[acorral]

Hello everyone, what do you think about this UAS sump design ?

3510

The two holes on the left are there for 1.5" bulkhead fitting for the water comming from the display tank

The main intention on this design is to have dry compartments for placing the UAS lamps, the bubble collector will have a lid with small holes for vent, after the bubble collector that compartment is for liverock rubble, then bubble trap and pump compartment.

Let me have your thoughts on this

[SantaMonica]

Probably want to reverse the bubble remover... under over under.

Also might want to test the overflow to see how many bubbles you get at that depth.

[Floyd R Turbo]

Why would you do that? Almost every sump design I have seen has it up-down-up. If you have the first one down, you get no surface skimming before the baffle and you end up with a layer of scum.

[SantaMonica]

Because for bubbles it works better; the bubbles stay at the top. Otherwise, if you are going to let the bubbles (and scum etc) spill over the first part, why have a first part.

[RkyRickstr]

Weres this months release?

[RkyRickstr]

3510



Water level is way to high for me.. i would lower the baffles and uas area so you have space for any back syphon that may occurr

[SantaMonica]

Going to be 2 months instead of 1.

[Floyd R Turbo]

So is the "Collector UAS" just one of the 4 embodiments?

[SantaMonica]

Is just one of many.

[RkyRickstr]

Any releases?

[SantaMonica]

No I'm just too tied up trying to get the HOG.5 built. Everytime I think I can get a few units on the shelf, someone gets them.

[RkyRickstr]

Thats a very good thing. But your dropping the ball a bit.. lets get too it.. if i dont see pics of your tank soon im calling shannanigans!.. lol

[SantaMonica]

Catching up on updates... they are posted here...
http://algaescrubber.net/forums/showthread.php?2562-SantaMonica-UAS-PCT

[Gigaahxl]

After spending 2 days reading this entire mega thread. Im very happy to see the upflow design. I've made many waterfall scrubbers down to a pico 1g scrubber. Since I started making LED scrubbers I've been a fan of using 1w LED vs 3w LED. I think the upflow design is well suited for 1w LED because its easy to get the lights very close to the. creen. Instead of using a difuser with 3w LED. It would be better to use 1w LEDs but use 2-3x more to create a much more even spread of light intensity. The Drivers I use are very cheap and tiny and will run 1-3 1w LED at 350ma makinging things quite modular and easy to up/downgrade. I usually just affix the drivers straight to the same heatsink as the LEDs and seem to have an easier time dealing with dissapation of the heat. Also the 1w LED due to this will make a UAS less than 4x3 perfectly fine.

Pictures attached of the drivers I use and bonus pictures of my yet unstarted 3gallon project which a UAS may fit quite interestingly into the center of this ice core beverage dispenser. My aim is no visible equipment period. I HOPE to be able to make it double level sort of spiril witu the lower level lit from inside the ice core and have a narrow chasm/slot that runs vertically from the top to the bottom. Having two small pumps inside that alternate duty. Running the flow one way then the other thru the tank which is basicly a spiril track with a narrow chasm at the top that drops back down to the lower level. Ill start a thread for that when I hammer out the details.

[Jimbo1980]

Santa Monica. If your about do you know when your larger hangon type algae scrubber would be available it's just that I'm sure I feed more than 0.5 cubes of frozen food per day. Unless I was to buy 2 of your current ones. Do you have a release date for yours ? Your sexing one that is


Regards
Juan

[SantaMonica]

Probably before March

[Floyd R Turbo]

So what is this Green Grabber stuff in your HOG1 vids you just posted? Looks like aragonite pressed into silicone??

[SantaMonica]

Will post DIY sources for it, after I try some slight different variations.

[Nick28]

I've been thinking of using aragocrete or just roughing up the walls of my UAS and ditching the plastic canvas. Algae seems to grow ok but not great on the smooth plastic walls of the box

[cdm2012]

I've actually thought of running a very thin layer of concrete on my roughed up screen on my waterfall scrubber. Concrete contains sand, crushed stone, limestone, and water, which are the natural nutrients for algae and it can be formed to have a very rough surface which would give good hold to the algae. I think it has a high ph level as well. Any thoughts?

[Nick28]

I've actually thought of running a very thin layer of concrete on my roughed up screen on my waterfall scrubber. Concrete contains sand, crushed stone, limestone, and water, which are the natural nutrients for algae and it can be formed to have a very rough surface which would give good hold to the algae. I think it has a high ph level as well. Any thoughts?

I think I will try this people mix aragonite with concrete and use it to make fake liverock. I think covering a screen would better because a thin layer on the back wall might be too brittle.

[Floyd R Turbo]

I can't recall who it was, but someone took plastic canvas and put it in an oven them sprinkled it with aragonite and pressed it in. Worked OK, didn't seem to be any huge difference. This seems to be pretty much the same thing, except it makes more sense to do it for a UAS single sided screen this way. One could take a piece of acrylic, sprinkle a thin layer of Coralife Special Grade Reef Sand and take a torch to it and press it in. could even do it double-sided.

[Gigaahxl]

I do a lot of exprimentation with screens and other aspects of my auquarium hobby including that aagonite pico screen. Since the fundamental screen material seems to have come up again ill try to give some ideas for the aragonite type screen. My best suggestion to make a transparent/translucent screen is this. HOTGLUE! Sprinkle down a thin layer of fine aragonite. if you only need it one sided you can just use a glue gun. Itll be far easier with a high temp gun using multi temp glue. It migh4 be a little ugly but it'll work. For a nice thin extra screen with great transparency. Use the oven and a small bred pan.high quaity silicone...uhhh... lubricant will make it easier to remove. Glass pan is best. I think 200degrees is right. Once the glue melts check for bubbles...sprinkle the top with aragonite. The faster you cool the glue It seems the more transparent it stays..ice water in the sink works well. Voilia you have a petty bitch'n diy aragonite screen.
Here's a top secret idea or two related to that ive been working with.problem with algae growth is apparently limted by the light penetration. the first time i used hot glue it was as a difuser. it works nice. Try putting a glob ontop of an led.build a stick figure on top of the led with it and watch the figure glow. The next time i used hot glue i embedded a couple 1w led into an aragonite screen that i made as described above. Put it all together and you have a double sided, backlit, waterproof, tranlucent, aragonite screen. Needless to say im waiting on a shipment from china on this one for a full test but ive managed to hammer out a lot of ideas to really make these usefull and easy to diy as an AIO in tank unit.

[WannaRace]

So what is this Green Grabber stuff in your HOG1 vids you just posted? Looks like aragonite pressed into silicone??

Looks like calcium chips.

[SWhite]

So what is this Green Grabber stuff in your HOG1 vids you just posted? Looks like aragonite pressed into silicone??
Looks to me like an epoxy with plastic chips sprinkled on.

[Gigaahxl]

I figured it was either flatout countertop mix or a similar concoction of white cement, silica fume, and plasticizer for super hard yet flexible cement.

[SantaMonica]

HOG1 with 10 days growth after cleaning - saltwater with high nutrients
http://youtu.be/sf6a-bOxOZI

[Garf]

HOG1 with 10 days growth after cleaning - saltwater with high nutrients
http://youtu.be/sf6a-bOxOZI

Wouldnt you get similar growth by taking out the screen and putting a lump of cheato in ?

[President89]

I bought one of these, and my algae looks black like the LED is burning the algae. The air tube only let's bubbles out of one hole, but I keep the flow up. Not sure what to do. I'm thinking of taking 5 air tubes link them into a manifold and let 5 tubes coming from one source power this thing.

[SantaMonica]

Black means that there is not enough light, or not enough hours, for how high the nutrients are in the water. Run it at 22 hours for now.

Clean every bit of the black off, including in the holes in the screen.

Tuck in the tube segment that is flowing, and un-tuck the non-flowing ones. Also tilt the whole unit one way or the other. A larger air pump like the Fusion 700 would solve it too.

[SantaMonica]

The ready-to-buy SURF2 UAS is now detailed here:
http://algaescrubber.net/forums/showthread.php?2794-SantaMonica-SURF2

[SantaMonica]

HOG Scrubber Kickstarter preview...
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1079197168/1221025490?token=347e500b

[Greenchaos]

Wow, this looks great. Im new here. Is there a link to pictures of successful Upflow Algae Growing boxes here somewhere? Thanks.

[SantaMonica]

Welcome.

Look in the Upflow Algae Scrubber pictures section.

[SantaMonica]

More harvests:
http://youtu.be/miWb4R8ajXw

[Nizztos]

Been lurking here on and off for a while with a plan of some day making an ATS. Until now they have not really fitted my setup.
However the SURF2 concept seem like it would work great.

I have a couple of questions regarding the construction.
The silicone used in the LED part. Is it the same type silicone as used when gluing a glass tank or is it liquid silicon that is poured in?
The nylon strands used to built the "tepee" where are they from? I was first thinking that it was the same type of strand used in a grass trimmer (at least in my part of the world) but these seem softer.

[EDIT] Never mind the question on the strands. I found a close up that showed them better. Now I know exactly what they are.

[SantaMonica]

Welcome.

The silicone can be whichever you can work with best. We use the pour-in type, but it can be hard to work with if you are not used to it.

[Nizztos]

Thanks!
Turns out the silicone on tube is not really clear and the 2-part stuff is very expensive, at least here, so might have to think of another solution.

[SantaMonica]

The new MIX2 overflow-fed UAS is now available:
http://algaescrubber.net/forums/showthread.php?2933-Santa-Monica-MIX2

[SantaMonica]

Testing the 3D printed HOG:
http://youtu.be/3D1gHHxJlkA

[SantaMonica]

Note to SURF2 owners: If your tank is new, or if your tank has low nutrients because of lots of nuisance algae, your scrubber compartment may stay "paper white" for several weeks because the scrubber light is too strong compared to how many nutrients are in the water. This is solved by placing a stocking, screen, colored cellophane, T-shirt, or some other partially-transparent material over the light for the first month. After growth covers the white textures and strings in the compartment, you can remove the material from the light and get back to full-power growth.

[SantaMonica]

Coming December 1st: SantaMonica SURF4

4 cubes a day feeding

4 air tubes

6 X 8 X 3" growth compartment

8 X 10" floating area

[Pny]

Coming December 1st: SantaMonica SURF4
Photo?

[SantaMonica]

Soon.

[SantaMonica]

SURF4 units now available...

http://www.santa-monica.cc/product.asp?itemid=46

[SantaMonica]

Unboxing and installation of the SURF4:
http://youtu.be/uDRFBhFwvL8

[SantaMonica]

Great video showing a basic upflow scrubber, similar to a Hang-On-Glass (tm)...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGLnBvDkaO0

[Red_ant]

Note to SURF2 owners: If your tank is new, or if your tank has low nutrients because of lots of nuisance algae, your scrubber compartment may stay "paper white" for several weeks because the scrubber light is too strong compared to how many nutrients are in the water. This is solved by placing a stocking, screen, colored cellophane, T-shirt, or some other partially-transparent material over the light for the first month. After growth covers the white textures and strings in the compartment, you can remove the material from the light and get back to full-power growth.

What should the light cycle be with the t-shirt filter for one month? My tank is low nutrients/high nuisance algae. I have an overflow fed like the mix2. I have the following 2 of the following light on it. 52 watts total. I have the lights set at 18/6. No growth in 1.5 weeks. I hope I don't have too much flow but it looks like I need to do the t-shirt filter but want to know what light schedule to use and if I should just use 26 watts instead of the 52? Thanks as always.

[SantaMonica]

Best to start a thread with pics.

[SantaMonica]

First SURF4 harvest at 17 days:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFtQXIlM8h8

[bryan]

just placed order but one question I had...can you run these in your sump? Any disadvantages?

[SantaMonica]

Yes any scrubber, upflow or waterfall, can go anywhere. The algae does the same job.

A practical matter, for upflow scrubbers in a sump, is just the placement of the air pump(s), depending on if you want total silence or not.

[bryan]

One more question...currently running bio pellets, gfo reactor, oversized skimmer, and a large uv sterilizer. Should I keep running all of them until unit is is fully grown in or start shutting these down. Just some additional info, tank in the last few months has been steadily increasing in green hair, red, and the course tougher to get off the rocks algae. About 450 gal total so I know I'll need additional scrubbers down the road. Not feeding much at all and and all nitrates and phos test low but I'm sure that's because the algae in dt are eating them up. Thanks SM...Nice unit by the way. Will be getting another next month!

[SantaMonica]

The UV and skimmer have no effect, but the pellets and gfo will slow down a scrubber. So after a week of building up scrubber growth you can remove the pellets, and after a good second or third harvest you can remove the gfo. Or if the scrubber is growing great, you can leave everything on.

[SantaMonica]

Looks like scrubbers may grow more pods than first suspected. Especially upflows, when you don't take them to the sink for cleaning (in other words, you just reach in a grab algae). This explains why chromis always hang out downstream of the scrubbers, catching stuff coming by.

My SURF4 was going consistent, and apparently had a huge pod population below the growth, consuming the growth almost as fast as it was growing. It had been running over 3 months without going to the sink, and, fish could not get into the scrubber either, so there was nothing to slow the pods. But then growth slowed down when 2 of the 4 air outlets clogged with carbonate. I did not notice for over a week since I don't pay it any attention. Since the pod population was the same, but growth was less, the pods could keep up with the growth and the growth never increased. When I looked, the pods completely covered the bottom of the scrubber, and would jump right on your hand if you touched the bottom. So I cleaned it in the sink and soaked it for 5 minutes, to kill all the pods. Also cleaned out the air outlets with a paper clip.

This could explain why some SURF2 or SURF4 users have growth in SW but it never "takes off"; it just reaches a certain level and stays there. Pods! Solution: pour some FW in after harvesting. Last resort: take to the sink, and soak it.

[SantaMonica]

Here's some results of fewer LEDs:

A 1-LED unit fully grown in SW:
5256


Pic of first 2 weeks of a 2-LED unit on SW:
5255



Vid of first 2 weeks of a 2-LED unit on SW:

http://youtu.be/I4rfEHzTwbQ



Vid of one year of a 2-LED unit running on FW:

http://youtu.be/Clw-zFrVU1s

[bryan]

Just a quick update for all...serious algae issues were taking over my tank. Have been running a Surf 4 unit now for about 3 months. Also still running GFO to speed up results. Algae is really beginning to subside and left over algae is turning a hint of yellow. Scrubber is solid green and growing like crazy. Red algae is now beginning to form on rocks so not sure how long that will last. Will more than likely be turning off the GFO after a couple more cleanings of scrubber. I was at the end of my battle and this was the last chance I had or I was planning on tearing the tank down. Very happy and will be purchasing another unit shortly. SM, can you comment on the red algae on rocks? I'm assuming its from the leaching of POS from rocks?

[SantaMonica]

Happy to hear the resutls. The red is probably cyano which is always the last to go.

[SantaMonica]

From new to green in 3 cleanings (and just 2 LEDs)...
http://youtu.be/utu2SADmj2g

[SantaMonica]

All of our new units, except the lower power ones, will now come with a black cloth to cover the LEDs for the first week or two. Because the all-white interior of the units reflects so much light, when it is new the light levels are way above the highest amount that can grow anything. Once growth starts, the white is covered with growth and the total light levels drop, and the cloth can be removed.

This covering of the lights can be done by anyone, on any scrubber, even waterfalls. Waterfalls used plastic canvas which had more holes than material, and they were not in white compartments, so the light levels when new were not that high. But it still might help if a new screen stays completely empty.

The reason for a white texture and strings, of course, is too allow more light to reach the base of the growth that does the attaching. As the growth gets thicker, the bottom layers will almost be in darkness, so the white surface doubles the light there by reflecting instead of absorbing the light.

[SantaMonica]

Nathan P. says this is just one week after his first HOG3 cleaning:

5375

[SantaMonica]

First video to show LED shade cloth installation:


http://youtu.be/aGFhFtpEuR8

[SantaMonica]

http://www.algaescrubber.net/Tetra-EX-20-Conversion-To-Scrubber-0.jpg

[SantaMonica]

"And this is about 2 weeks growth, compartment completely full, nitrates are at 0, phosphates are between 0 and .25 per API, top layer was touching glass and was really yellow, when I pulled the layer off there was a ton of algae and it was dark green" -- Nathan P.


http://www.algaescrubber.net/NathanP-HOG3-two.jpg

[SantaMonica]

DIY conversion of Tetra HOB power filter has been posted:

http://algaescrubber.net/forums/showthread.php?3150-Tetra-EX-20-power-filter-conversion-to-Hang-On-Back-algae-scrubber

[SantaMonica]

After three more months of filtering, and ten more harvests, did the extra high output air pump help the SURF4 ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZLYPBkV8UY

[SantaMonica]

See how strings get the first growth in this HOG3 in saltwater:
http://youtu.be/gaW0qAHRb_w

[SantaMonica]

This example from 3Twinklets on the R2R site shows that if growth gets thick, it needs to be cleaned a day or two earlier, before it blocks light from the middle section which you can see here:
5566

[SantaMonica]

The stronger version of the HOG3, designed to handle higher phosphate in the water, is now posted at:
http://algaescrubber.net/forums/showthread.php?3213-SantaMonica-HOG3x

[SantaMonica]

Tips and mods that will work with any upflow glass-attached scrubber:

http://algaescrubber.net/forums/showthread.php?3216

[SantaMonica]

SURF8 now posted:

http://algaescrubber.net/forums/showthread.php?3234-SantaMonica-SURF8

[isenhart]

After reading all 694 posts of this thread, I'm wondering if anyone has tried to combine one of these with an under gravel filter. Did it/ would it work?

[SantaMonica]

Welcome.

No I don't think I've heard of a single case of this.

[isenhart]

I'm putting together a 55 gallon fresh water tank. Fairly light load with mostly small tetra, at least to start.

Here's a quick sketch of my in take scrubber idea.

5807

I intend to make a 3d background, and integrate/hide the scrubber into it. The idea is to make a box, probably from pvc, that would keep all the light contained in the tank. I would build a pvc slip joint into the box, that I can slide onto the diy undergravel filter. That would both keep the scrubber in place and draw water from under the gravel. Then to clean it out all I have to do is lift it off the pvc and take the whole box to the sink. Similar to the hog, except I wont ever have to clean the glass. It will also keep any of the tank inhabitants from being sucked into the filter.

After reading about some of the problems and failures of others on this site, I'm going to use two separate scrubbers. That will allow me to try different setups on each one, +/- air, light, flow etc, in parallel and observe the results under the same conditions. Another benefit is I can alternate harvests to try and lower the chemical spikes of having lots of algae one day to almost none the next day.

One of the problems is going to be having a light submerged. Almost all the pictures I've seen have the light on the outside of the glass. Is there a problem with lights in the water? Other than the obvious shorting potential, light refraction, heat, led life etc?

I'm really unsure about what would be optimal sizing for the box. Thin narrow and tall would be my ideal, but I don't see any pictures of that on here either. The Hogs are pretty deep/thick, both inside and outside the glass. It looks like there is 4-6 inches from the light source to screen. Is that so allow room for algae to grow or light optimization?

I found some underwater led strips for pretty cheap, fairly low power though, so I would a couple I'm sure.

[SantaMonica]

Where do the air bubbles come from?

Shorting out is the only thing to protect from; just dip the LEDs twice in Devcon 30 minute epoxy, and let dry overnight between each dip. I don't thing the LED strip you found will be enough power; you need 3 watt LEDs.

Narrow and tall is a good plan. If you can design anything, make the bubble side 20 mm deep to maximize light penetration. The smaller HOG's are about the same.

[isenhart]

The bubbles would come from an air pump and tubing. My first thought was to put the line in the pvc below the scrubber. With no light on the air stone, algae plugging it up wouldn't be a problem. Not sure how the air bubbles would contact the screen though, I would have to test it.

For inside the actual scrubber, has anyone tried leaving a large space to allow the algae to grow longer?
5816
I'm wondering if leaving more space for the algae to get longer it would extend the time required between clean outs. Is there a magic number for the length it can get before it starts to break off and enter the tank?

[SantaMonica]

Just use strings. Attach them at the base, and make them long enough to reach the top.

[isenhart]

Thanks for the tips. I'll post the competed project once I get it up and running.

[SantaMonica]

First 2-compartment scrubber, the SURF8:

http://www.santa-monica.cc/product.asp?itemid=64
http://algaescrubber.net/forums/showthread.php?3234-SantaMonica-SURF8

[SantaMonica]

SURF8 harvest test video, using different lights:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qb4Gi1OKCs8

And here is a pic version:
6012

[SantaMonica]

The new DROP (tm) versions are now harvesting:

Salt:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gl7WmrOwziE

Fresh:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppvvl_8Cbv4

[SantaMonica]

Those of you building upflow versions that attach to glass with magnets, or float on the surface, might be able to make use of our new sealing techniques for magnets and aluminum:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQXJu16ICYk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqyP_x-gTBQ

[Sailfish]

Where can I get the magnets and plastic tabs, that you are using?
What kind of epoxy is that? :)

[SantaMonica]

Ebay has a lot of magnets, and we have our here:
http://www.santa-monica.cc/Magnets_p_59.html

For the tabs, if you mean the magnet protectors, we 3D print those and offer them with our magnets. However you probably would just use extra silicone for your DIY.

[Slippery]

This new test version of the algae scrubber is much easier to build than the waterfall version. This new scrubber has never been posted before May 2012. It works in both freshwater and saltwater.

If you are like most aquatic hobbyists, nuisance algae is an ongoing problem. You try to feed your livestock, and the next thing you know, you get algae. You've already tried many fixes; some work but are expensive; some kind of work but you're not sure; and some just don't work at all.

Think about what is happening: Your aquarium is accumulating nutrients (nitrate and phosphate) because of the food you feed. Algae eat nitrate and phosphate to grow, so the algae are having a great time growing in your water because they are eating all your nutrients! What to do?

Well think about this: In order to grow, algae must be provided with nitrate and phosphate. So why can't you just use the algae to consume all the nitrate and phosphate? The answer: You can! How? With a simple device you build called an Upflow Algae Scrubber. It's simple, cheap, and you can make a small one in just a few minutes with parts you probably already have. Here are some pics of the most basic test design; it probably won't be your final version, but it will get you started:


http://www.algaescrubber.net/Post1.jpg



An "algae scrubber" is a simple filter that actually grows algae in the filter, so that the algae do not grow in other parts of your aquarium. Simply put, the conditions for algae growth inside the filter are better than the conditions in the rest of your aquarium; thus the algae grow in the filter instead of your aquarium, and then you just remove the algae from the filter and throw the algae away. But in order for the algae to grow in the filter, the algae need to consume nitrate and phosphate; so guess where the nitrate and phosphate come from? Your water!

If you stop and think about it, algae always grow in certain spots, and not in others. This is because some of the three growing conditions (light, flow, nutrients) are better in some parts of your water than they are in others. An "upflow algae scrubber" simply optimizes these conditions, and does so at a place where the algae can be easily removed and thrown away. And once the nitrate and phosphate have been removed from your water, all other nuisance algae such as green hair, bubble, turf and slime, will have a hard time staying alive.

So where have these filters been all this time, and why haven't you heard of them if they work so well? Well the original waterfall version (posted in August 2008) was hard to build, and was not really for sale anywhere; so unless you liked to build things from scratch, you had no choice but to buy some other kind of filter. All the filter really needed to do was to create good growing conditions (light, flow, nutrients) for the algae, by flowing the water across a piece of rough material, so that the algae would grow on the material instead of somewhere else in the aquarium. The waterfall algae scrubber did grow lots of algae in the filter, and it removed lots of algae from aquariums: Over 1,000 people built their own waterfall algae scrubbers, and reported their results on various forums during a 4 year period; almost all of them wiped out their nuisance algae within 8 weeks, and many did so in 4 weeks. And on other forums that I never posted on, an estimated 10,000 people built their own waterfall algae scrubbers with similar results.

A little over a year ago in April 2011, another idea came along: Instead of letting the water flow down a screen like a waterfall, how about you let the water flow up the screen using air bubbles? Why? Because as good as waterfall algae scrubbers are, they still need a place for the water to drain "down" to. This means that you need to have a sump below the aquarium, or you need to have the scrubber up above the aquarium. This is not easy, and is very difficult for a nano aquarium which usually has no sump below it, and no room above it. Also, the waterfall version requires it to be out of the water (in the air), which takes up extra space. The new "upflow" version, however, can be placed inside the aquarium, so that it takes up no extra space at all, and it needs no external plumbing or water pumps at all. Only air bubbles.

The Upflow Algae Scrubber (tm) (UAS) provides the best growing conditions for algae in your tank: Air bubbles provide rapid turbulent flow; Strong lighting provides the light; and the nutrients that are already in your water provide the nitrate and phosphate. All that's needed is a place for the algae to attach to, and that is provided by the roughed-up plastic screen. Thus the algae start growing on the screen because the flow and lighting are stronger there than they are in the rest of your aquarium; nitrate and phosphate are consumed in the process. This causes algae to start disappearing from your aquarium and start re-appearing on the scrubber screen, so that you can throw the algae away every week or two.

The most basic way to set up an Upflow Algae Scrubber, especially in small aquariums, is just to put some air bubbles beneath a vertical screen. If inside an aquarium, you just put a light on the outside of the glass, so that it shines inside to the screen. And if you want better performance (which means better filtering), just add a reflector to give the screen some light on both sides. The screen is best made with 7-mesh cross stitch plastic canvas that you get at sewing or craft stores, or online. Also, don't forget to rough up the screen with a sharp object like a hole saw; the screen should be so rough that the screen holes are almost filled in with all the little pieces of plastic that you roughed up.

One thing to remember is that an Upflow Algae Scrubber (or any algae scrubber) will not cause more algae to grow in your aquarium. Instead, the algae will disappear from your aquarium, and will start to grow on the scrubber screen instead. You then just remove the screen and scrape the algae off. And here's a surprise: Watch out for your fish or snails eating your filter! There's nothing tastier than live green algae, so your fish or snails may keep your screen from getting very thick. The simple solution is to just put some mesh or extra plastic canvas around it.

There are a couple of requirements that have been learned since August 2008 which will get you started quicker. The size of the Upflow Algae Scrubber that is needed is based on how much you feed, and not how much water you have, because the nutrients that cause algae to grow come from the food you feed. The following updated picture has size guidelines:

http://algaescrubber.net/Sizing.jpg



And the following updated picture has examples:

http://algaescrubber.net/Examples.jpg



Thanks to floyd, russo, worley, spidey, rumpy, morgan, marksfish, doompie, kerry, jnad, and tebo for doing early testing. When posting your build pics, start a separate thread in this section, and title it "Username UAS Test".



SantaMonica, Has anyone ever tried scaling this up to help municipalities manage their drinking water reservoirs? I know that it is an issue for them. Currently they all seem to be working on ways to block the sunlight by floating various types of objects.

Looking forward to your response.

Thanks!

JH

[SantaMonica]

Yes. https://Hydromentia.com

[Slippery]

Yes. https://Hydromentia.com

Thanks for getting back to me on this. But I was thinking about something more like a supersized version of what we use in aquariums. I wonder how you would figure out how many gallons a day you would have to process to have any effect on a reservoir. The link you sent me is targeting pollutants, I was thinking more about how to control algae growth that effects the taste of drinking water. Below is a video where they used floating shade balls to cover a reservoir in LA.

LA Reservoir
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxPdPpi5W4o

Algae Scrubber for aquariums. (I'm new to the forum so forgive me if you already know about these.)
https://www.marinedepot.com/icecap-20w-algae-turf-scrubber-small?utm_source=mdcsegooglebase2&utm_medium=cse&utm_campaign=mdcsegooglebase2&utm_content=CV8651&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI6J-lneKx5gIVjP7jBx0X5w_LEAQYAyABEgLQivD_BwE

Thanks!

JH

[SantaMonica]

The reservoir thing I've gone through before, doing the math. It's somewhere on here. But controlling nutrients is the same thing as controlling algae. Less nutrients means less algae.

The aquarium box style version is my original waterfall version from 2008. I made it open source, and so is used by everyone. The upflows, and the dome/tray waterfalls, and the upcoming new designs, are patented or patent pending.

[Slippery]

Do you links to the patents so I don't step on your toes?

[SantaMonica]

Some of them are here... http://algaescrubber.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?23-Patents-Patent-Applications-and-Trademarks

And you can post yours there too if you like.

[Slippery]

Great. I think my ideas are far enough removed from your so that there shouldn't be any issue. And this is still just something I'm considering. I have a couple of calls next week with microbiologists to talk about scale and impact. I will let you know how that goes. And maybe you and I could put our heads together as well. You are much further down the path than I am.

Appreciate your prompt replies. Talk soon!

[SantaMonica]

Here's an update on what some people do in crowded sumps: Put 2 scrubbers side by side. In this case, it's 2 larger HOG scrubbers®. This has the advantage of letting you clean/harvest one, while letting the other one continue to grow/filter.

8247

[SantaMonica]

Since this thread is coming up on 10 years... here is some Cladophora species bunched up in a Drop scrubber®, which did not exist when this thread was started

8412

[SantaMonica]

The smallest algae scrubber in the world: the DROP.2 is only two inches wide

8414

[SantaMonica]

This is probably a HOG3, overgrown whith mostly Ulva Fasciata.

8421

[SantaMonica]

This DROP.6 scrubber is new, and still has the black plastic shade screen in. The shade is needed because the white Green Grabber® growth surface reflects so much of the red light that algae cannot grow; so the shade reduces the red light, so growth can attach to the white surfaces. After the white is covered with some type (any color) of growth, the reflecting will be less and the black shade screen can be removed.

8424

[SantaMonica]

Here is a simple filtering/feeding setup for freshwater; it's either a HOG.5 or HOG1 and the fish will learn to pull algae out of the holes to eat.

8427

[SantaMonica]

This is not a mirror image. It's a large freshwater sump, with a HOG2 on the front and the back:

8429

[SantaMonica]

8434

[SantaMonica]

This DROP1.2 scrubber is ready for brushing out; the Green Grabber® white rocky surfaces are better at holding on to this growth than waterfall screens are, but this particular type of growth growth cannot be pulled out with your fingers.

8441

[SantaMonica]

This HOG3 or 3x or 3xx from saltwater looks like the waterline was about halfway up, or maybe the unit was tilted in order to fit in the space available.

8464

[SantaMonica]

This HOG1x scrubber® from saltwater is (once again) mostly Cladophora with a little Ulva Fasciata on the bottom.

8472