Michael007 UAS test

[michael007]

I decided to chop up my sm100 and get a UAS test going.

I have been just too busy with work to do anything of late, just wanted to see if I can get some green.

So, I have sealed up the bottom drain and have a small piece of clear tube going through that sits about 3 inches below the dt water line. Inside the box is a small 2 watt power head. It draws the water up into the box, pumping at like 25g/h and the water just trickles back to the tank on the other side through a dodgy 'ramp' I made... I wanted to have as little flow through the box as possible to see if I can keep the growth to the screen and not the windows of the box. For me this is the biggest improvement I am looking for..... I also thought that the more 'contact' the water has with the algae might improve the growth and therefore uptake of nutrients (per Sq in.)....
I have just dropped in one 3x8 screen (2cube) zipped to a 8inch air stone. It is a brand new screen....

[kotlec]

Do I hear correctly , that sm100 was unable to cope with your tank nutrient when you say you wait for "biggest improvement" ?

If so, what reasons do you thing persists ?

[michael007]

I could never get the slot right for the waterfall. I would get some great growth in the 'swirl' at the bottom of my ats but never on the screen. I think I had the same problem as many others that I had 10 cubes worth of screen and fed around 5-6 cubes, and could not get zero no3....although never tested above 5-10ppm, which aint bad......
Is still had a great running tank full of fish with just an ats.... my biggest issue was having to pull the box down to clean it right out every couple of weeks... where mine sits ( on top of the tank) I would have to move my display light to take the box down.... I want to be able to just removed the screens and maybe have to give the windows a quick wipe......
I dont really understand what you mean mate? did I answer what you were wondering...?

[kotlec]

Was just curious. SM100 seemed so perfect, that I could not imagine why should one want to improve it.
I like to learn from others mistakes and ask this kind of questions often times hehe :)

[SantaMonica]

I also thought that the more 'contact' the water has with the algae might improve the growth and therefore uptake of nutrients

Close. It's actually the most contact with water+air, in our case. The question is, how much air. So far it seems that more is better.

[michael007]

Yeah... that too.. ha
I have a 5L/h air pump and it is a weapon. It has a dial so I can play around with different amounts of bubbles... might help finding where the sweet spot is.... But as you say I think it is going to be simply, the more the better,....

it also beats 80w for the old pump I had feeding my waterfall... Now its 2w for the powerhead and 4w for the air pump.. with LED lighting these things will be very efficeint.

[michael007]

Day 2.......

Showing signs of growth already......

I am having trouble keeping the screen vertical as it does droop abit to one side... At this stage it doesnt seem to be affecting, as the green tinge is pretty equal on both sides.....
Also the wieght of the air stone is only just enough to keep the screen submerged so will have to look at that when I build a proper one.....

[michael007]

Day 3....

[SantaMonica]

Has more than my day 3.

[michael007]

day 4....

[SantaMonica]

Was much better than my day 4

[michael007]

I have noticed that because the water flow through box is very very slow, the water temp in the box is getting pretty hot.(30c).. do you think this will change anything, growth wise....

[Garf]

Hotter temperatures mean faster growth ( to a limit ) and higher crash rates.

[michael007]

hmmm.. interesting... well i dont think it will get much hotter than this, I dropped in the temp probe after the lights had nearly been on the 16 hours.... it is winter hear but for me thats still balmy.. :)

[michael007]

Sorry been so busy with work..... I havnt had a lot of growth over the last couple of days..

It has been a pain in the arse to keep the canvas vertical it keeps drooping to one side which obviously is affecting growth....
But I do have brown stringy algae attached to the box and on the tubing that feeds the airstones.....lots of it....
The only signs of green thus far is right at the surface edge of the box where bubbles seem to run along...
I have taken some pics... I hope it gives you an idea of whats going on.......

[SantaMonica]

Sounds like the bubbles might not be running up the screen. Looking at your one pic of bubbles at the surface, if the air was fully on, it's probably too little. It takes a lot of air for a 22" long screen.

[michael007]

Iv got the bubbles cranked... I have about an inch from the water surface to the top of the acrylic and it nearly overflows from the amount of bubbles....
its a massive air pump too..
as for the pic, only half the box is being used.....I only have one screen in at the moment... 10" long...

But I think there is truth it what you say, I dont think I am gettting great contact with the screen,,, I have wedged the screen inbetween two air stones now to help with the contact and also add more weight to hold it down.....

Will post my progress

cheers

[michael007]

Ok, this is the first time ive cleaned the screen.... not much there, but the box is covered in gha...

I have had an out break of algae in the tank, obviously because the scrubber is not working great....

[SantaMonica]

Can you block out the light on the open areas? Or maybe put a reflector in the box to send the light to the screen.

If not, I'd replace the lights with clip-on CFLs.

[michael007]

Quick update,,
My scrubber is doing the job nicely... I think I am not running super efficiently but I leave it 2 weeks and get awesome growth. No yellowing and undetectable nitrates... Phos is creeping up but I dont use RODI water.
I have kinda neglected this tank as I am upgrading soon......

[SantaMonica]

P creeping up is just a weak scrubber. Try to find why.

[MorganAtlanta]

P could be from the makeup water if he isn't using RODI, and then if N is low, P might not be able to be taken up by growth. My tap water here in Atlanta is loaded with P.