Scrubbers that did NOT work thread?

[Expressions-LTD]

Over the last few years we've made somewhere around 10 scrubbers, both waterfall and recently a few upflow. That, along with small tweaks to existing models, have predominantly resulted in a lot of information about what DOESN'T work, as opposed to what does. While some of the screens have been full and heavy with long thick green 'silly string' algae, most variations have produced thin transparent algae, purple macro algae, or basically no growth. Since there is a section of scrubbers that succeeded on the forum here, what about making a section for ones that failed. After all, knowing is half the battle.

[Floyd R Turbo]

Haha! I read so much before building my first one that I really haven't made one that didn't work. But, I plan on building a set of "tester" scrubbers to see what works better than others at least...

[Expressions-LTD]

Here's a video of a scrubber (UAS) that we modified to be fed by the overflow from the display tank. Growth almost 100% stopped when we did this. It was working great when the scrubber was fed by a small 150GPH pump, and air bubbles from a two bubble wall tubes that were placed in the bottom of the scrubber box. I think we have a video of that version working well that I'll try and find.... but since this is for build that did NOT work, I'll try and stick to just failed mods. The air bubble wall tubes were removed for this version since there was a lot of air coming down the overflow (from a durso drain), the flow from the display tank is around 800GPH last time I measured it, and the lights are 8x 1w 660nm reds on each side, about 2.5" from the screen. Again, keep in mind this same box, lights, setup was working great when fed by a slower 150GPH pump, and air stones, so the lighting is good- just maybe not good enough for the increased flow...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkO7i-mfyeQ&feature=share&list=PL8M776-8oGbFap2lDo6drxQvsPC1MC5H3

[sabbath]

Haha! I read so much before building my first one that I really haven't made one that didn't work. But, I plan on building a set of "tester" scrubbers to see what works better than others at least...

Did you ever get your UAS mod to work?

I had trouble with the 3x Hog.5's that I tried. I don't here of others so it was me some how thou.

[Expressions-LTD]

Well it worked great when it was fed by just a small pump (150 GPH) and a couple of bubble walls. I suppose I just like to screw with things that are just fine as is, which is why I keep changing scrubber builds. I've had the main tank crash and wipe out almost all coral twice now, so I should probably just leave it alone once a screen is doing well.... maybe I need a shrink?

Here's a picture of the scrubber when connected to the air tubing lines (going in at top right of the box) and the water feed pipe (at the bottom) from the 150GPH pump. Also, this picture is before I added 2 reflectors above and below the light bars (so looks a little different than the videos).
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And here is 7 days of growth on that setup:
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[Expressions-LTD]

Here's a video I just made of the current variation, which is showing a much better growth (anything from nothing is an improvement though, so maybe it still won't be a winner build). This mod removed the fixed screen in the middle, and attached the screen to the water-in side, so the flow of the water makes the screen float from side to side... Allowing the algae on the screen to get closer/further from lights on each side, and passing though different air-bubble densities. This video shows the screen 5 days since it was cleaned. The Display tank is now also using a skimmer again, and phosban in a reactor. I'll shut those off in a week or two, so long as there is continued growth of some sort on this moving screen version.

http://youtu.be/a3KixeSBlRk

Note: Change the quality of the videos so it's not so blurry. Youtube will default to 360p usually, so you have to click the Gear icon at the bottom of the video and select 720p.

[sabbath]

Its amazing to see all the different designs. I really like how it floats back and forth like it is. I would think that this would help get the nutrients to the algae. Growth looks good.

[Expressions-LTD]

Here are 3 pictures from a previous build using the waterfall style ATS. This build was set up much like my current UAS scrubber as far as lights go, just had more LEDs. The scrubber screen was 15" long, 6" wide, and received 16 1w LEDs on each side, from 2.5" away. These LEDs were 14x 630nm (red) and 2x 460nm (blue), per side. Growth was very dark at first, but after a few weeks turned very green and full. So the algae will grow off 630nm red, although 660nm is better. The blue led being in the mix is also good, but not absolutely necessary. We did grow good algae on just red, but never as thick as when the blue was there. The part of this old waterfall scrubber that FAILED is it was probably too big for the 2 cubes a day feeding. Once the tank was 'cleaned' (took a few months after these pictures), the scrubber started to grow very splotchy, and thin hair-like algae over most of the screen. So, I made the current smaller UAS version that is now running.

About 3 weeks in:
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About 5 weeks in:
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About 7 weeks in:
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[SantaMonica]

Assuming the overflow bubbles are as much as the air pump bubbles, it might be that the overflow bubbles have been in contact with the water longer and thus more CO2 has been removed from the air into the water before it hits the scrubber.

[sabbath]

Did you ever get your UAS mod to work?

I had trouble with the 3x Hog.5's that I tried. I don't here of others so it was me some how thou.

Opps I miss read and thought that you started a general. What worked and did not work by all readers to learn from.. Never mind. As I have been struggling for many months to get this stuff figured out and read it wrong.

Looking like yours has kicked in now!

[Expressions-LTD]

I was just suggesting a forum category just for what not to do with a scrubber, and I could post some of these things there, along with anyone else's failed attempts.

For the CO2, that's a thought. I was thinking about adding some fart valves (air traps and release vents) on the return before it gets to the scrubber to reduce the air, and then supply the scrubber with the air bubblers again. If it works, then I'd say its very likely you are right about that possibility of low CO2 in the return air.

Question: If low CO2 limits the growth, then a typical waterfall style scrubber box that is mostly sealed (not air tight though)... Is a few small gaps in the box enough to move the necessary air (with CO2) through for the algae?

[RkyRickstr]

Scrubbers that did not work for me:

My first scrubber I was running the lights 24/7. Fail

My second scrubber the screen was 28" x 14". Yup.. sized for like 10,000 cubes.. Fail

My third scrubber I was running only like 10gph per inch of screen.. fail.

Then I got it to start working and the only fail that I've had since then is the UAS which did not work for me.

[SantaMonica]

Could also try a venturi in the overflow.

A "sealed" waterfall box is not sealed at all, when it comes to vapor pressure.

[Expressions-LTD]

Found a video of the previous build that did work well. Perhaps you can see from it the difference in the air bubbles. The bubble wall tubes made very even, large bubbles. The current scrubber that's not growing has lots of much smaller air and a lot of turbulence.

http://youtu.be/GzgiPf06Blc

[SantaMonica]

I do think that larger bubbles will generally work better.

[Expressions-LTD]

Although not necessarily in line with the subject I started this thread with... it appears that having a moving screen that can pass through the air, or closer to the lights, is a way to fix a failed scrubber (at least the way this one is configured). This is after a week of it being allowed to move (from the above vids).
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[WannaRace]

What exactly do you mean and how did you have a moving screen?

Ah, UAS version..