UAS not growing

[JulioC]

I´ve built an UAS almost two month ago and I can´t see any green algae on it.

After 10 days I replaced the airpump to increase bubbles, then I replaced the 27W bulb with a new one. Then I changed the screen with kniting screen as Santa Monicas. Finally this weekend I changed the bulb wit 9 3W 660nm LEDs. I had to order the screen in the United States and the leds to taiwan I think (Epileds).

I only get dark algae but nothing green. Lights are on 16 Hours and the screen is 2/3 cm from the glass. Now leds are 1/1.5 cm from the glass and bubbles are "touching" the net.

Is there anything I can do? I think next step will be clean very very well the screen and seed some green algae on it.

Regards,
Julio

[rleahaines]

You will get dark green algae at first. Check your nitrates and Phosphates. In my case I found that my Nitrates dropped fairly quickly even though I only was getting dark green on the screen and no hair algae at all.

Check the size of your screen vs. the recommendations for feeding. A too large screen tends to spread out the algae and grow dark slimy algae vs. lighter green hairy algae.

If you now have a good roughed up plastic knitting screen - good lighting and hours with the proper size and hours it will work. It takes a while to really get started.

[JulioC]

You will get dark green algae at first. Check your nitrates and Phosphates. In my case I found that my Nitrates dropped fairly quickly even though I only was getting dark green on the screen and no hair algae at all.

Check the size of your screen vs. the recommendations for feeding. A too large screen tends to spread out the algae and grow dark slimy algae vs. lighter green hairy algae.

If you now have a good roughed up plastic knitting screen - good lighting and hours with the proper size and hours it will work. It takes a while to really get started.

I have 20 ppm of nitrates aprox. but I will start increasing feeding as Scrubber algae starts growing.
The screen is larger than the Light I hace but the LEDs are 2 inch from each other so Algae should grow in that part of the screen.

It´s been a lot since I started the scrubber and I don´t see any hairy algae. I hope LEDs will work.

regards

[SantaMonica]

Pics please

[JulioC]

Last saturday I replaced Light with 9 3W 660 nm LEDs and I added a small amount of algae next to the screen. The algae couldntt stay attached to the small rock because of the bubbles hiting them.

Yesterday I cleaned the screen and I think there are some algae. Mostly in the border of the screen. I think light is very strong or I need to put the screen 1 inch from the bottom to increase water flow. (I think that if the screen is touching the bottom glass less water movers with the air.
Yesterday I noticed something new. There was a few different kinds of algae. One very green but with micro bubbles in the top, hairy alga in the borders and different colors.

Here are some pics:
Before cleaning (to of the screen is the right part of the picture)
http://algaescrubber.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=4013&d=1361275007
After cleaning
http://algaescrubber.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=4015&d=1361275007
Light
http://algaescrubber.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=4014&d=1361275007
System (there is a lot of air bau the picture is not good)
http://algaescrubber.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=4016&d=1361275007

regards,
Julio

[rleahaines]

As I said before, let it grow. It looks like a good start. The amount, color and kind of algae depend on the timing of your lights, intensity, amount of feeding and so on.

It also takes a while to get started. How much are you feeding? The screen may be too big for what you are feeding right now.

[JulioC]

I feed depending on nitrate level. From 1 to 4 times a day.
10 adult clowns and 200 small (1/1.5inch).
I also have a Deltec apf-600 skimmer, live rock and I dose sugar (wich I want to reduce).

[SantaMonica]

Spreading the light out more would help. Or cut down the screen size.

[rleahaines]

The amount of nitrate is a result of the interaction between the entire system and the amount you feed.

You have to size your screen to the amount of food you put in. The Nitrate will go down if you do this. Do not try to feed vs. Nitrate readings. I would also stop adding sugar. The dosing of sugar is counterproductive to the use of a UAS. It overly complicates things in my opinion.

Take a look at the calculator. Size the screen, lighting and food to the recommendations.

you are growing algae on the screen, that is what the green stuff is. What I see from your pictures is that you have way too big a screen for the amount of food you are feeding.

[JulioC]

How much shuold cover each led? Initial recomendation is 5.3cm x 5.3cm but I see some posts with areas 3 times bigger with 3W Leds.
I´ll wait to see I current configuration burns algae and I´ll separate LEDs 8cm from each other if that is the case.

Do you think there is any method to know how much should they cover?
Ex: With a photoperiod longer than 10 Hours algae turns yellow --> Increase screen 1.8 times (18 hour maximum photoperiod / 10 hour actual photoperiod)

I don´t mind if only one part of the screen has algae because I can add more leds If I need to increase filtering power. Unless that afects growth of the rest of the algae.

[rleahaines]

the recommendation is one 3W LED for every 4 sq. inches [is this 5.3 cm?] with a diffuser of some kind or a bit wider apart for ones with no diffuser.

I run mine at 18 hours on, 6 off and don't get yellowing. I did at first, but after several weeks I don't.

[JulioC]

Yes, 4 sq. inches is 5.3 x 5.3cm.

Ok, I´ll keep the spacing as it seems algae gets used to strong light. Maybe I´ll need to separate them a bit since I don´t use a difusser.

Thanks

[SantaMonica]

If growth is yellow, increasing the screen size will no help.

[JulioC]

Yesterday I moved ligh 1 inch away from the glass. Now covers all the screen.

After 2 days of growth I saw better green growth in the borders and yellow in the center so I decreased intensity covering all the screen. I hope to see green growth now in the center :).