Ultimate Screen Material

[SantaMonica]

Screen Recomendations

I've been doing research on the ultimate screen material. I want it to have all the best characteristics, so if you have some ideas as to what the material should do, or what it should have, let's hear it.

[kcress]

Well I learned today that Plexiglas besides being too slick will split your thumb wide open if you run it down the edge. :cry:

I was cleaning the edge off and zow!

Otherwise I think the best screen would be rigid not floppy stuff.

[Aquagold]

Anyone used an acrylic scouring pad that you used for scrubbing pots.
Glue it to your surface plate.....

Robbie

[SantaMonica]

That's a very good idea. Super grip. Disadvantage would be that it would not flow to the other side (unless the backing were drilled), and also that it would not be flexible (unless the backing were flexible). But I bet you'd never "over-clean" it. I wonder if the little threads would come apart. I'll see if I can find that material somewhere.

[Aquagold]

Santamonica, I'm trying to find a couple of products I've used in aquaculture units and they would just need chopping up.
Have you asked Aquatic Eco about your requirements as I was going to send them a request the other day.

That green pot scrubber material will only last a while like the plastic canvas as I used it in the abalone farm I managed.
We used something else but I can;t remember where we got it. Place is closed now and the guy is not open to visits....

Let us know how you get on as I'm working on some different lights at the moment.
Have to find a camera....

Rob

[SantaMonica]

I have not asked AE... I gave up on the aquatic place and started looking elsewhere. I think I have something.

[Aquagold]

Can you share with us? :D

Or send a sample? :D

[SantaMonica]

soon

[AaaRr]

soon.... I do not like that... YOUR HOLDING OUT ON US!!! lol jk
Hopefully it turns out to be something really good let us know asap :P

[PHYTO4LIFE]

bought this at walmart $1.97 thinking of using it?

http://i458.photobucket.com/albums/qq303/clintos08/Picture008.jpg

penny and tip of a pen in pic

would this be ok it's bendable but really strong plastic I think?


http://i458.photobucket.com/albums/qq303/clintos08/Picture044.jpg

[SantaMonica]

Yes that's plastic canvas, and overall, it the best we have so far. Rug canvas grows better, but must be replaced periodically. Use two sheets together like pancakes. Sand all sides of them very very very rough so it almost tears them to pieces (should look ragged, and the holes should almost be blocked).

[kcress]

If the surface is microscopically smooth... It doesn't matter how many holes you have the Turf will be hard pressed to not slough off when you go to clean. My severely marred acrylic it still abominably bad screen material. So a zillion holes is not the only criteria.

[PHYTO4LIFE]

what is the ultimate if no hole's are neccessary whould a piece of acrylic severly scratch/muled up do/be better and last longer then canvas?

[PHYTO4LIFE]

Yes that's plastic canvas, and overall, it the best we have so far. Rug canvas grows better, but must be replaced periodically. Use two sheets together like pancakes. Sand all sides of them very very very rough so it almost tears them to pieces (should look ragged, and the holes should almost be blocked).

whould 3 piece be to much or better because I can make the hole smaller?

how long before replacing?

[SantaMonica]

3 is good. It's not how small the holes are, it's how rough the screen is. The more you rough the screen, the more the holes get blocked.

[kcress]

what is the ultimate if no hole's are neccessary whould a piece of acrylic severly scratch/muled up do/be better and last longer then canvas?


I run with acrylic... It was ornately routed with hundreds of grooves. It didn't work.
I then sanded it. Barely better.
Then I attacked it with a wire brush. A noticeably better, but not great.
Finally with an angle grinder to the point of severely damaging the surface in a reckless and random way. It still sheds all the turf down to the surface when cleaning, which is highly annoying.
Also, unless the edges are all radius'd - while cleaning you WILL get very bad cuts. I split my thumb open cleaning mine.

YES! Carrying it around and rinsing it is far easier and more pleasant than a wiggly drippy flexible screen. But it needs to be done just right. I could probably do it now, over again, with good success. I would probably NOT use expensive acrylic but something else like PVC, polypropylene, or some other easily machined material. I would stipple it so it essentially looked like screen but it would be rigid.

An alternative would be, just make your rigid base out of whatever, then affix screen to it.. That way you get the best of both.

[PHYTO4LIFE]

was wonder if 3 canvas would make it sturdy enough and some really good roughing up would do should I use really rough sand paper or a wire brush or a combo?

any other way's?

would having 3 allow me to rough up the out side enough while leaving a sturdy screen?

[SantaMonica]

Sturdiness does not help filtering, it just makes it easier for the screen to "stand up" by itself. It's the thickness that helps filtering, since the algae has more to grab onto. Use a wire brush or 30 grit sand paper, and rough up all sides of all the sheets.

[Aquagold]

Anyone tried Fibrous cement board on the "back" side?
Might need curing first to see what came out or even asking them what they put in ti to hold it together.
The rough back of the board we have here would be rough enough.....
I'll start curing some on the weekend and let ya all know.

Only concern was "will it fall apart once it stays wet?"

[SantaMonica]

Anything cement works very well. The weight though would make it practical only for giant tanks or ponds.