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View Full Version : BERTIE'S ALGAE SCRUBBER



mystic.bertie
05-03-2009, 11:15 AM
i have been working on the scrubber today for my freshwater tank and im happy with how things are going, its going to take a wee while before i get an algae build up and it will start reducing the nitrates and phospahes but its going well so far, please advise if there is anything i can do to imrpove my setup. Big thanks to everyone especially santa monica for the help and inspiration.

note pump return hose is suspended so it holds the pump off the tab as this reduces vibration noises, i intend to fit a second bulb on the left and the white box is to use for filter wool under the screen so it quietens the flow when it falls and also fine filters the water.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v256/mystic_bertie/025Large.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v256/mystic_bertie/027Large.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v256/mystic_bertie/028Large.jpg

this is the 32mm drain i fitted and just a 22mm return, the little clear tube just goes in the top of the drain to quieten the water draining
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v256/mystic_bertie/031Large.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v256/mystic_bertie/037Large.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v256/mystic_bertie/039Large.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v256/mystic_bertie/041Large.jpg

worley
05-03-2009, 05:34 PM
Looking good, a couple of things though, first of all, light the screen from both sides, as close as you can without getting splashes all over the bulbs.
Secondly, you would be better off with a more lights and/or a reflector style compact fluorescent
Also, for your overflow in the main tank, try making the top of a Durso standpipe http://www.dursostandpipes.com/ to fit over the top, it should quieten it down no end, and make it nice and tidy.

mystic.bertie
05-04-2009, 06:37 AM
Looking good, a couple of things though, first of all, light the screen from both sides, as close as you can without getting splashes all over the bulbs.
Secondly, you would be better off with a more lights and/or a reflector style compact fluorescent
Also, for your overflow in the main tank, try making the top of a Durso standpipe http://www.dursostandpipes.com/ to fit over the top, it should quieten it down no end, and make it nice and tidy.

thanks mate, i was intending to light the other side, i just fitted one light to get things running, the light i have is very bright it gives off high lunems, i checked the rating before i bought it, anyway i am using full spectrum bulb for the other side so i will see which side has the best growth and then change the other side to suit.

i have done a durso recently on a standpipe so ill make one up for my overflow, as its still not as quiet as i would like

cheers 8-)

SantaMonica
05-04-2009, 11:45 AM
I would also not use the floss on the bottom... will just collect waste and cause it to rot. Maybe try some other method of keeping the water quiet... like extending the screen down into the water.

mystic.bertie
05-04-2009, 11:51 AM
I would also not use the floss on the bottom... will just collect waste and cause it to rot. Maybe try some other method of keeping the water quiet... like extending the screen down into the water.

hi santa M , i wanted to use the tub to also fine filter my water as my fx5 filter has course sponges only, i will be cleaning out the filter floos on a weekly or fortnighly basis, as its out of a cheap pillow stuffing i can throw it away and replace regularly, does that sound ok ?

SantaMonica
05-04-2009, 08:34 PM
You should not be using any filter at all. Not course, not fine. All they do is filter out food, which rots. Instead, you want that food circulating around to the corals and small fish, where it can be eaten. Even if you cleaned them 2X per day, you still are keeping that food from reaching your corals. And, all the millions of pods that the scrubbers grows would get trapped to.

Jay1st
05-05-2009, 05:16 AM
i have been working on the scrubber today for my freshwater tank and im happy with how things are going,

Santa, it's a FW tank, si I guess he can add some floss for removing small stuff once in a while, no ?

mystic.bertie
05-05-2009, 10:28 AM
oh yes i have a malawi tank so i definately need fine filtering :lol:

SantaMonica
05-05-2009, 03:58 PM
Yep guess so.