New Scrubber please coment

[alexiumihai]

Hello,

My name is Mihai, i found you forum and decided to build a algae scrubber.
My tank is 200L (52.6 US Gallon), i currently feed approximately 1 cube / day.
So after my math i came up with:
Screen 20 x 20 cm (7.8 x 7.8 in), illuminated by 4 x 20w (2 on each side) ( 10cm from screen(4 in)), for the flow i use a Ehaim 1002 (1000l/h - 263 US Gallon/h)(flow its 33.7GPH/inch)

I have some questions:

- how many hour of light to use
- how many cubes i can feed per day (for future use (i have some future big fish (now they are small - 1in)))

I will come with pictures on my first harvest :).

My today value (Salifert):
No3 - 15-25
Po4 - 0.1


Thank you.

[SantaMonica]

Welcome.

1 cube needs 12 square inches with 12 real (not equivalent) fluorescent 2700 or 3000k "warm" or "soft" watts, or 6 LED watts. So yours is good for 4 to 5 cubes, but may not grow much now because it is so big. You can run the light for 8 hours now, and add hours as you add cubes.

[alexiumihai]

Hello,

Thank you for the feedback.

Here is my display:
http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/Photobucket%20Desktop%20-%20GABI-PC/PC021027.jpg

Sump;
http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/Photobucket%20Desktop%20-%20GABI-PC/PC021046.jpg

Algae scrubber
http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/Photobucket%20Desktop%20-%20GABI-PC/PC021039.jpg
http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/Photobucket%20Desktop%20-%20GABI-PC/PC021047.jpg

Until i will buy some 7 count plastic canvas i hope this will do the job (didn't find any in my local hardware store, have to buy from ebay)

Thank you.

[SantaMonica]

Nice reflectors. If the screen is rough it might be fine the way it is.

[alexiumihai]

Hello, it is day 3, nothing happen, the screen is the same as i put in, clean white.
Do you have any recommendation:
- wait until day 7
- move the light closer
- increase the light from 12 to 18 hour
- on the flow part i cant do nothing - it is at maximum pomp capacity.

Thank you.

[SantaMonica]

Wait 14 days.

The screen looks like cloth.

[alexiumihai]

Hello, it is not cloth, it is fiber glass used in thermal insulation. it is rough, so algae can stick to it.
Soon i will order some plastic canvas from ebay.

[SantaMonica]

Might be ok the way it is.

[MorganAtlanta]

It can take weeks to start to grow algae. Be patient. If you have good light and good flow, it will happen.

[alexiumihai]

Thank you for the feedback.
I will wait to see what will happen.

[alexiumihai]

Hello, i have some quick questions:
1. can i still put bacteria (microbelift - SpecialBlend, Prodibio - Bio Digest), or it is not recommended.
2. i have some Chaetomorpha Algae in my sump, from that i read it will die when the scrubber will fully work - it is corect
3. i put the pump for the screen in the return pump chamber. My sump it is divided in half, i use a beam animal overflow, one pipe fills the sump chamber, then goes thru some matrix and finally in the return chamber, another pipe fills the chamber that you see in the picture above, with rock and algae, then goes in the return chamber. Should i move the pomp before the rocks (but then i am afraid that i do not have sufficient flow thru the rocks ).

Thank you.

[SantaMonica]

I don't know if bacteria will do anything to the scrubber.

Don't need the chaeto.

More flow through the rocks is probably better. Also important to not change flow, or you will kill the sponges.

[rleahaines]

SM

I've seen several posts of yours cautioning people to not change the flow around live rock. I have multiple pumps in my tank I move to change the flow so that no area builds up detrius and other stuff and as a way to avoid getting that red cynobacteria blooms.

There is always lots of water flow going on. Am I hurting the tank by doing this?

[SantaMonica]

Changing flow will kill starve any sponges that have grown. In a month they will start decaying.

[alexiumihai]

Hello,
Thank you for the feedback, i was talking about my pumps from the sump, not from display, if it is ok in my flow configuration.
Today i so some brown spots on the screen, so it is starting to work.
I will wait 14 days to see how algae will develop.

Thank you.

[SantaMonica]

Especially the sump. That's where all the sponge will grow... on the rocks.

[alexiumihai]

Hello,
Some updates:
After 14 days:
http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/Photobucket%20Desktop%20-%20GABI-PC/PC141048.jpg
http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/Photobucket%20Desktop%20-%20GABI-PC/PC141049.jpg

Harvested and now after 7 days
http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/Photobucket%20Desktop%20-%20GABI-PC/PC221075.jpg
http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/Photobucket%20Desktop%20-%20GABI-PC/PC221076.jpg


Whats your opinion.

[SantaMonica]

Needs more hours because it is dark. Go to 18 hours, for the next 14 days. Should grow good.

[Floyd R Turbo]

What is that material? You mention fiberglass, but this looks like 2 material bonded together? Did you have problems finding the plastic canvas / knitting canvas material? It really is what you need. Find it on e-bay and buy extra sheets, Darice #7 mesh, regular stiffness or ultra-stiff, clear (non-colored) material is what you want. Find it and pay the international shipping if you have to, it is 500% better than what you are using. Just looking out for you - you will get better results.

[alexiumihai]

Thank you for the feedback.

Didn't find any plastic canvas in local hardware store so i build with what i was thinking to be a replacement. Also ordered the plastic canvas on 03.12.12 from ebay. Waiting for it.

Quick question: I've purchased RED SEA NO3 PO4 X NPX NITRATE & PHOSPHATE REDUCER, from what I've read it does the same thing - reduce the NO3 and PO4 -
It is compatible with algae scrubber?
Can i do both?

Thank you.

[rleahaines]

The Red Sea NO3 reducer stuff seems to work. Problem is you have to keep dosing it or your system N and P will go back up. You also need to have a good protein skimmer to utilize this stuff.

The scrubber should work without the additional help from this additive and a skimmer.

[sabbath]

Thank you for the feedback.

Didn't find any plastic canvas in local hardware store so i build with what i was thinking to be a replacement. Also ordered the plastic canvas on 03.12.12 from ebay. Waiting for it.

Quick question: I've purchased RED SEA NO3 PO4 X NPX NITRATE & PHOSPHATE REDUCER, from what I've read it does the same thing - reduce the NO3 and PO4 -
It is compatible with algae scrubber?
Can i do both?

Thank you.

I would not do both as I just stoped trying to do another similer carbon dosing method with Zeo . I found for me that if I dosed to the point to kill the algae it did not grow in the ATS either.

[alexiumihai]

Hello,
I am back with another design for the ATS.
Done some modification to the filtering system.

So my display is the same 200L, i added 3 X 90L for the filtration.
http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/Photobucket%20Desktop%20-%20GABI-PC/acvariu/P1140131_zpsa0df6146.jpg
http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/Photobucket%20Desktop%20-%20GABI-PC/acvariu/P1140135_zps8a5344b9.jpg

My filtering sistem:
- big DIY beckett skimmer
- DIY recirculating biopellete reactor
- live rick
- algae
- 5L matrix

Top to bottom.
http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/MOBILE/P1290205_zpsf285cc26.jpg
http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/MOBILE/P1290206_zps8a7db349.jpg
http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/MOBILE/P1290207_zpsefb05d43.jpg

Other side
http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/MOBILE/P1290208_zps2f9004ca.jpg
http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/MOBILE/P1290209_zps236266f2.jpg


And my new design ATS:

http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/MOBILE/P1290208_zps2f9004ca.jpg
http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/MOBILE/P1280195_zpse17a2173.jpg
http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/MOBILE/P1280197_zps56203fb0.jpg
http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/MOBILE/P1280196_zpsc376c398.jpg

I am using 5050 SMD led (leftovers from an abandoned project), 1m 5050 red, 2,5m 5050 rgb (only the red is used and on 2 rows i am using the blue), if they do not do the job, i will switch to 3w led.

And ATS working for 4 days:

http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/MOBILE/P1290203_zpsf9cfe0f9.jpg
http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/MOBILE/P1290199_zps3c1ffce0.jpg

I see that the color brown is spread all around the screen (where is light) on both sides.

My last parameters (NO3, PO4) measured (with Salifert test) Sunday was color transparent.

I alternate the feeding so the maximum feed per day is 1 1/2 cube maybe more when i feed the anemones.

Thank you for reading my post, and i am waiting for your feedback.

[SantaMonica]

Nice build. Those LED's might work, since you have a lot of them.

[Pny]

Nice recirculating biopellets reactor... Is it a DIY?

[alexiumihai]

Hello,

Yes it is DIY
more pictures with it
http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/GABI-PC/PA310101_zps1cf84949.jpg
http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/GABI-PC/PA310099_zpsdf96ddf9.jpg

[vm70]

Nice build Mihai!

Is there a plastic sheet covering the canvas? What is its purpose?
Also, could you please post some close-up images with the LED panel? I'm interested in the electrical connections and the way they are attached to the scrubber.

Thanks,
Val

[alexiumihai]

Hello,
The plastic foil is for splash, and some noise at the bottom of the screen.

Here is the close-up of the led panel.
http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/MOBILE/P2030210_zps83588fe0.jpg

And the connection, i connected on both sides, one side is with -, the other is with +.
http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/MOBILE/P2030211_zps80388dbd.jpg

The + is commune for the RGB strip, if you want to light up the blue you have to make a junction Blue pin with red pin and connect them to -.
If you want to make a led panel from led strip, use only red strip, they are more powerful.
My red strip is like a rgb, it has 3 red leds inside a chip, so more red light. RGB has only one.

[alexiumihai]

Hello,

Update with the ATS after 2 weeks running 18 h/day

http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/MOBILE/P2080216_zps54f0ecf1.jpg
http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/MOBILE/P2080217_zps7ccc5cee.jpg
http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/MOBILE/P2080218_zpscb266734.jpg
http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/MOBILE/P2080220_zps83550d73.jpg
http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/MOBILE/P2080223_zpsb7d09b31.jpg
http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u594/Alexiu_Mihai/MOBILE/P2080224_zpsa49b1ee5.jpg

What do you think a bought the growth, the green color.
The flow is ok, the light is ok.
What is the next step, wait until it is 3D growth and clean.

This is my second attempt (first one was a bought a month), so i am a little novice in terms of ATS growth/color/flow/light.

Thank you.

[SantaMonica]

Looks good.

[Bacon]

Any update on this scrubber? I was reading about the 5050 SMD LEDs somewhere else, I wanted to see if these worked or not.