clayn
06-04-2009, 08:44 AM
I have been lurking around for a few days and finally decided to join. Great site by the way.
I have a small (1775 gallon) central wet/dry central system for my breeding tanks. I enjoy keeping and breeding Cichlids from Lake Tanganyika in eastern Africa. Has anyone here made a scrubber similar to my requirements? After doing a some research I have come up with an idea for a scrubber. As per the standard recomendation I need 1775 square inches of screen material. I am planning on using five gallon buckets as I don't have enough area in my sumps. I can make my screen 11-3/4" wide since the standard five gallon bucket is 12" diameter so that means I need 12'-8" total length. Due to height limitations I will need three screens 11-3/4"x51" with their own bucket. With a width of 11-3/4" I would need a flow of 412 GPH per screen. The top of the screen is 6' above the sump so I have selected a Via-Aqua 3300 pump for each screen. Since the screens are over four feet in length I was thinking of using four 26 watt 2700 K compact flourescent bulbs (two on each side) on each screen. Thoughts for improvement.
I am currently doing 50% weekly water changes which is about 890 gallons. So take 890 gallons weekly multiplied by fifty-two weeks and that comes to 46,150 gallons of water a year. It costs me with the additives that I use about $1500 a year. From what I have read on this board my PH 8.6 to 8.8 shouldn't go down over time using a algae scrubber like it does not using one. I use baking soda to raise the PH as it is only 7.0 out of the tap. I can't imagine the scrubber lowering my general hardness over time. It is nothing but magnesium ie epsom salt. The Seachem Lake Cichlid Salts are a little more complicated. According to their literature it adds 10 mg/l calcium, 35mg/l magnesium, 30 mg/potassium and 65 mg/l salt. If I was able to greatly reduce water changes or do away with them completely I would need to replenish the calcium and potassium. Maybe some of your saltwater enthusiasts can help me with that.
Questions?
Is it better to cross-cut the water distribution pipe at the top of the screen?
What are the chances of being able to eliminate water changes?
I have a small (1775 gallon) central wet/dry central system for my breeding tanks. I enjoy keeping and breeding Cichlids from Lake Tanganyika in eastern Africa. Has anyone here made a scrubber similar to my requirements? After doing a some research I have come up with an idea for a scrubber. As per the standard recomendation I need 1775 square inches of screen material. I am planning on using five gallon buckets as I don't have enough area in my sumps. I can make my screen 11-3/4" wide since the standard five gallon bucket is 12" diameter so that means I need 12'-8" total length. Due to height limitations I will need three screens 11-3/4"x51" with their own bucket. With a width of 11-3/4" I would need a flow of 412 GPH per screen. The top of the screen is 6' above the sump so I have selected a Via-Aqua 3300 pump for each screen. Since the screens are over four feet in length I was thinking of using four 26 watt 2700 K compact flourescent bulbs (two on each side) on each screen. Thoughts for improvement.
I am currently doing 50% weekly water changes which is about 890 gallons. So take 890 gallons weekly multiplied by fifty-two weeks and that comes to 46,150 gallons of water a year. It costs me with the additives that I use about $1500 a year. From what I have read on this board my PH 8.6 to 8.8 shouldn't go down over time using a algae scrubber like it does not using one. I use baking soda to raise the PH as it is only 7.0 out of the tap. I can't imagine the scrubber lowering my general hardness over time. It is nothing but magnesium ie epsom salt. The Seachem Lake Cichlid Salts are a little more complicated. According to their literature it adds 10 mg/l calcium, 35mg/l magnesium, 30 mg/potassium and 65 mg/l salt. If I was able to greatly reduce water changes or do away with them completely I would need to replenish the calcium and potassium. Maybe some of your saltwater enthusiasts can help me with that.
Questions?
Is it better to cross-cut the water distribution pipe at the top of the screen?
What are the chances of being able to eliminate water changes?