Cmaxtian's UAS test

[cmaxtian]

I have a regular, quite large DAS (downstream AS..) . powered by a huge eheim pump and 8x39w T5HO at 3000K. Its just supergreat.

For my smaler tank I want to try this UAS...
so here it is:

does boble size matter? Cause they turned out quite fine..

This is a picture taken from above. same as the one in this thread, I just have no airstone. Just a newjet 1200 and a small airpump
connected to it.. just started it up, about 2 minutes ago..

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It is in a smal 20 liter tank now (about 5 gallons). I use a newjet 600 to pump water in to the tank - and have a
40mm outlet.

video:

http://youtu.be/2AyQPn1dlHw

[cmaxtian]

that was my original plan, no airpump.. but i guess it is to much resitance.. Cause when I connected everything (with no airpump), water came pouring out the airline..
Thats why i put the pump in.
Removing the end caps on the T, was no good.
Maybe if I make the slot wider, it is about 3mm now - or but a smaler pump in it - that it would suck in air insted of pumping water out of it.

[cmaxtian]

yes - lots of bubbles. but no problem in my setup. The UAS will be on top of my sump and will return the water at the same location as the return from the display tank. the water then flows thru a bunch of airtraps - so no problem

[cmaxtian]

wow.. already growing and I started it up yesterday.. And it only get light from the regular AS to the left (se picture to the right..) :-)
(I am still waiting for the CFLs that i ordered online)

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i should have rotated the pictures first, oh well..

[SantaMonica]

Would be great if you could do a screen pic each day.

[cmaxtian]

no problem - will do. So far I guess it will mostly grow on the left side were it get some light off the other downstream turf. My new CFL´s are still some days away in a snail mail package, but will hook them up when they arrive

[cmaxtian]

Day 3:
still no light source of it self, but grows on both sides anyway:

my regular turf is on 18 hours, and off for 6.

video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQR2iPVbkOM

images:
my regular turf
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UAS Day3
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short about my system:
display tank: 450 liters / 4 (for simplicity) = 113 gallons - overflow down to my basement.
gravity feed to the skimmer, from skimmer to sump1 (63 gallon tank). planed use for lps frags. Now only a
UV filter and a chiller there. Sump1 is on the floor. Water then pumped up by a newjet8000 to sump2 (100 gallons), about 4 feet.
In sump 2 - i have 1 newjet 3000 feeding my pellets filter, my rowaphos filter and my calcium reactor thru variuos pvc lines.
I also have my rather large scrubber there, feed by an eheim1260, and 4x39W T5HO on each side.
Everything controlled by an old IKS aquastar that fills up with RO thru my calcium mixer and it also fills up freshly mixed saltwater
from a 50 gallon tank. (my system refills saltwater when retur chamber is very low, and refills ro calcium water when saltinity reaches a set limit -
works perfectly).
At the far end of sump2, there is a newjet6000 returing the processed water up to the display tank.

Feeding: eheim auto feeder 4 times a day. so more than just a few pinches.
4 to 5 cubes of frozen foods - close to every day.
My tiny snowflake - that now has become a monster - wants 1 scampi every second day. if I am out - he wants 5 smal scrimp.. yes
he eats big. He is getting to big for this tank, so he will soon move to a bigger home. If I can catch him..

[cmaxtian]

just added 2xCFLs at 30w each - 2700K megaman. Reflector is to small.. and the location of the lamps is not according to spec..
but it will do - it grows as is - so no worries. on for 18 hours, off for 6. will add picture tonight (norwegian time..)

[cmaxtian]

day 4:

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[cmaxtian]

missed a day, so this is day 6:

Nice growth - but now it needs cleaning. the slot is totaly clogged by algae growth so there is hardly any bubble action. lots of bubbles stuck
all over the screen/growth too. plenty salt creep , but the lid helps some..


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[SantaMonica]

As long at it's growing, why not let it continue. This will let you see which areas grow more... heavy bubbles or less bubbles.

[cmaxtian]

sure - I´ll leave it be a day or so then :-)

but this is how clogged it is..:

video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0QBHSjq9uw

Planned changes:
Remove the screen from the slot and have it above the slot - by 0.5 cm.

maybe build this box:
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pump water in to the "basement" - and air - lower part in some dark color.
water/air flows thru the slot and flows up the screen. led´s on both side.
have some return pipe at the top on the short end or something.

[Garf]

As long at it's growing, why not let it continue. This will let you see which areas grow more... heavy bubbles or less bubbles.

Or NO bubbles after looking at the vid !!

[cmaxtian]

yes it is totally clogged now.. have to clean it..

Day 7:
removed the screen, but did not clean it. just moved it out of the slot, and placed it a little above the slot instead.
Got everthing running, but then the newjet 1200 started to ackt up. stopping in intervals.. So I had to replace it,
and only thing i had was a powerjet 1200. works but may be to much.. heavy upstream and a shitload of microbubbles.

Video: (UAS with a powerjet1200)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH2a0yOoQQ0


Video: (UAS with the newjet1200 just before it gave up)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbWyK9x_Af4

[MorganAtlanta]

No need for the false bottom. I would just zip tie two pieces of colored acrylic to the airstone so that it doesn't get any light. If they were about 1" high, they would block the light and also direct bubbles up the screen.

[cmaxtian]

Day 14.. been busy.

Anyway - air pump gave up. I am guessing 2 days ago, but the algae on the screen is still ok of course.
Problem 2: the glass grows algae and blocks the light.. and the salt creep to
Problem 3 I have is that the power head I use, get clogged with algea and stop working.
So I plan to just remove it and use only 1 pump - the one that pumps the water in to the uas box - and attach the air to that.
I then have to make some mods to the pluming.

some pictures - sideways again..

uas 2 weeks
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my regular downstream after 6 days
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[cmaxtian]

Day 16:
Took out everthing today and cleaned it. The entire glass box was full av salt on the outside and green algea on all sides on the
inside.. but the screen was still growing.

Anyway. I removed the pump on the inside and connected the pipe with the slot directly to the intake on the bottom.
So now I only have a smal newjet 600 attached with air. See video. It is very crude and it leaks air here and there and the
bubbles does not cover the entire screen - but it works.. So I´ll try this for a few more days - then make improvments.

This is how the screen looks after 4 days without any bubble action.. still grows with only slow passing water from a smal newjet 600:
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video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ci58u4GHX6Q

[SantaMonica]

Pretty good growth for practically no bubbles

[cmaxtian]

6 days after my little mod:

image 1: sidesways again..
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this how I placed the lights.. (easy fit)
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So - grows well with very little bubble action. Grows best were the bubbles comes out of the slot, and also
where there is more direct light of course. So since i have most light from above and on the left side - ist plenty growth there.
As seen from the vid, few bubbles, and lots of growht close to the surface (have one of the lamps above).

vid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAJErXxQGE0

When I have some more time, I will try to spread the bubbles better along the slot - and place the lamps on each side.

[SantaMonica]

Before you take pics/vid, you can clean the glass with a toothbrush to be easier to see.