new guide lines??

[iiluisii]

Ok im new to this but for my experience with algae scrubbers so far it seems to me that more people are having phosphates and nitrates issues with new guide line type scrubbers. Every body i seen that are using the per tank size in gallons scrubbers are not having any issues at all. If the guide lines are correct dont you think it should work everytime. for example in my 150 gallon tank i have a 9x6 screen made for 4 cubes and acording to the guide lines a 23w cfl bulb on each side suppose to work well in my case it didnt and for many more people didnt work either, it seems that you have to add 2 more 23w cfl bulbs to get nice green algae to grow and thats what most people tell you as soon as you post about your scrubber not working. Im not trying to talk crap about the new guide line i just have not seen a scrubber in person with the new guide lines fully stock with great success. the only tanks i seen successfully run by scrubbers has been the one using the old guide lines.

[Floyd R Turbo]

I'm with you, I think there's just not enough data to show exactly what works. The waterfall scrubber has a lot of data simply because so many people have tried it that patterns developed which led to refining of the "guidelines".

IMO the UAS does have a separate set of "requirements" that involve water flow past the screen and air flow rates. I just had a fantastic week of growth on mine after making a few mods and will be posting those pics/vids soon.

[SantaMonica]

It indeed might be possible that smaller screens need more wattage per square inch, due to the fact that light has to penetrate thicker growth.

But higher wattage is always recommended anyway.

[iiluisii]

So should i start over with a new screen using the old guide lines

[Floyd R Turbo]

Well, how long have you been running yours under the new guideline?

Screen size?

Lighting?

Are you having problems?

[iiluisii]

Well, how long have you been running yours under the new guideline?

Screen size?

Lighting?


Are you having problems?
Yea im having nitrates an phosphates problems. My screen is 9 x 6 and im using 2 12w led bulbs each bulb has 8 red leds and 4 blue leds.

[greenmachine]

we should compile a list of all the scrubbers that get that nice thick bright green GHA at every cleaning and see what they all have in common. IMO there is some factor that we are overlooking. It is true that some scrubbers built to guidelines do not produce thick GHA,just slime. while others wildly out of proportion produce thick mats of GHA. what gives??

[Floyd R Turbo]

illuisii, I just searched through all of your other posts because I seem to recall posting on all of your threads. You really need to take some pics of your scrubber and post them if you are having all of these problems.

You started with 23W CFLs and didn't get the right growth, it was suggested that you switch to higher wattage lamps, but you went with LED floodlights, etc, and many times pics have been requested. There may be something going on that you aren't aware of here that is affecting your growth. Please take and post pics, as many as you need to show your system. DT also.

[kotlec]

we should compile a list of all the scrubbers that get that nice thick bright green GHA at every cleaning and see what they all have in common. IMO there is some factor that we are overlooking. It is true that some scrubbers built to guidelines do not produce thick GHA,just slime. while others wildly out of proportion produce thick mats of GHA. what gives??

+1
Had poor try to do that , but nobody were so kind to join with their findings.

[iiluisii]

3045
23w cfl bulbs all i got is this
3046
leds much better growth
3047
leds
3048
leds
3049
cyano
3050
leds
I'm getting nice green growth with the leds but still getting cyan and phosphates and nitrates

[SantaMonica]

That's because you are only using 1/4 of your screen area. Get 3 more LED setups like you have now, and completely cover the screen.

[iiluisii]

Ok ill try that

[Floyd R Turbo]

That growth is what I expected to see, and I wanted to see your pics before assuming so. The LED floodlights are good for a coverage about equal to or slightly larger than their head print (the circular shape of the unit), and since they're 1W chips they don't have much spread so you only really get good growth right in front of them. So your only effective growth area is right there, but as you can see it's good growth.

[iiluisii]

Still but the area that the algae is growing is at least the size of a 1 cube a day scrubber ands that is all im feeding. So it should keep up and its not

[Floyd R Turbo]

Do you have a picture of the setup while its together and running, showing the lights and proximity and everything?

Cyano in the display is not necessarily an indication that it's not working. Cyano outbreaks can happen after the scrubber gets running but will generally get beaten out over time (out competed) if the scrubber is strong enough.