Small UAS on Rio 240 Marine Tank

[smsfrancis]

Hello

I just want somewhere to post my daily journal of UAS pictures and people can get inspiration, give tips, etc :thumbsup:

Basically, a friend of mine built this UAS suitable for my tank and its feeding requirements. I had a first attempt of using it over the Christmas period but it was a very busy time and I couldn't look after it in its important first few weeks.

Also, I had a lot of trouble with the suction cups and the magnets weren't strong enough. So here we are minus the suction cups and with 100 new additional magnets siliconed in!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v429/NeoNero/20130313_064743_zps14d99295.jpg

The previous attempt also had problems with the air pushing its way through a gap between glass and UAS, which it then made bigger from the pressure which would eventually dislodge the whole unit. This seems to have now been resolved:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v429/NeoNero/20130313_064822_zps9932e079.jpg

The unit remains firm and tight, the air only comes out of the holes at the top and the light isn't as bad as the picture makes out but fish can't see red anyway :cool:

I have the unit LEDs set to run from midnight to 8am. This may have to be increased after I consult the expert! :laugh:

The air runs continuously.

I've also turned off my Deltec MCE300 skimmer completely because it was a complete P.I.T.A.

A part on it is broken causing a lot of air to enter the intake tube and be very noisy. I know it's risky but I have some Purigen on standby and will test the water much more regularly - should rule out any spikes!

So here is ....

DAY 1

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v429/NeoNero/20130312_184230_zpsfe3ea1e2.jpg

[SantaMonica]

Welcome.

Looks like a good build. What's the lighting?

[smsfrancis]

Welcome.

Looks like a good build. What's the lighting?

Thanks :)

2 x 660nm reds

[SantaMonica]

Ok see how is grows. You could always put two more LEDs on, too.

[smsfrancis]

Under advisement, I've moved the unit up to about half way up the height of the glass and also changed from 8 hours to 18 hours to kick start the algae.

[smsfrancis]

Day 3
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2013Q1/Day3.jpg


Day 4
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2013Q1/Day4.jpg


Currently on 18 hours of light since Day 2

As mentioned, the UAS had been tried before so I think the unit has 'cleaned' itself first of all the old, dried and dead algae and is now starting again nicely. It's a tinge of clean, fresh green as you can see. But nothing macro, only micro...

[smsfrancis]

Day 8

The edges are darkening and starting to grow out.

However, the middle looks quite white. Perhaps too much light??

Currently 18 hours.

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2013Q1/Day8.jpg

[SantaMonica]

Let it grow 14 days and it will probably fill in.

[smsfrancis]

Day 12

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v429/NeoNero/20130324_164122_zps45cc78ae.jpg

[SantaMonica]

Another 7 days and it will be thick :)

[smsfrancis]

Only clean it once thick?

[SantaMonica]

Thick or 21 days. Less if dark. Any longer and roots will die.

[smsfrancis]

Okay - got a way to go yet then! I'll keep posting regular updates whilst I'm in this infancy stage :)

[smsfrancis]

Day 13

4088

[smsfrancis]

Day 15

Taken with a proper camera... but the colours are still hard to make out. I'd say it's a true reflection of the colour though, slightly on the dark side

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2013Q1/DSCF5803.jpg

[SantaMonica]

Good...

[smsfrancis]

Day 19

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2013Q2/20130331_163632.jpg

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2013Q2/20130331_163642.jpg

[SantaMonica]

Clean time :)

[smsfrancis]

Thank you for keeping track of my pictures!

I was wondering though, should I give it a thorough clean until I see holes again or just a single firm scrape over the top with a plastic card?

:confused:

[SantaMonica]

If the growth is green you can leave it in the holes; if its tan or black, remove it.

[smsfrancis]

Day 23

The big clean! It was meant to be a couple of days ago but I'm a very busy person... :whistling:

I gave it a couple of firm scrapes with my usual tank cleaner edge. I went around the GHA in the top corner to keep that as a 'seed' and then went back over any tan/black areas to leave only green in the holes! :dance:

Before
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2013Q2/Day 23 (before clean).jpg



After
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2013Q2/Day 23 (after clean).jpg

:thanks:

[SantaMonica]

Going to fill in nicely this next 14 days.

[smsfrancis]

Day 30

One week on from the first clean:

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2013Q2/Day 30.jpg

[SantaMonica]

Would be 7 days, not 30. Might fill in more in a few days. More flow would help.

[smsfrancis]

Well, day 30 to keep track of total time span on this method but yes also Day 7 of this new growth. :)

I presume you mean more air flow?

I have a Sera 110 litre per hour air pump. The pump is fairly new so should be producing that full amount or very near to it.

This calculates to 1.8 LPM on a 3" screen, which is already over the normal calculations?

Or do you mean water flow... :confused:

[SantaMonica]

Air. You can do up to 5 lpm

[smsfrancis]

Day 34

Been 11 days since the first clean and it has developed this really gunky goo all over. I had to remove that piece from the air outlet as it was restricting flow.

Very thick, very gunky. Not smelly though... :confused:

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2013Q2/Day 34.jpg

[SantaMonica]

Excellent! A full cleaning will bring more green.

[smsfrancis]

Day 36

Thirteen days since last clean; which was the first clean!

This is before its second clean:

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2013Q2/Day 36 (before clean).jpg

And this is of course after:

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2013Q2/Day 36 (after clean).jpg


In other news, I am looking into larger air pumps and I have prepared a second identical unit to increase capacity. :)

[smsfrancis]

Day 39

Three days since last clean, the UAS is already starting to cover again. Seems to be with the same gooey substance. No picture because I've been busy with...

Day 1 (UAS 2)
I've got the second UAS ready and installed! Here it is on day 1 just for reference...

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2013Q2/Day 1 (UAS2).jpg

[smsfrancis]

Day 42

Six days since the last clean, and once more completely covered in some very strange 'goo'.

This is not the algae I was expecting? What is it?!

I guess I should clean this off and let it re-fill

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2013Q2/Day 42.jpg

[SantaMonica]

Yes needs cleaning. More light/hours would help.

[smsfrancis]

Given it a clean!

It's already on 18 hours... I've wacked another hour on top of that.

Might as well just leave it on 24/7?! :)

[smsfrancis]

Day 55

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2013Q2/Day 55.jpg

The red goo continues and bubbles of strange yellow. It's like the walls in the movie Alien.

[SantaMonica]

Burned!

More flow, less hours light, more often cleaning.

[Garf]

What are you water tests indicating, pH, ALK, as much info as you've got. What other filtration in particular. A tank pic would be nice :)

[smsfrancis]

Good morning, UAS fans

I measured my nitrates over the week end and am happy to say that it is between 1 and 2ppm! :) To remind you, it was between 10 and 15ppm at the start of all this.

It is now a rainbow of different algae colours but it does have a lot of GHA now! Happy days.

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2013Q2/Day 69.jpg

[smsfrancis]

What are you water tests indicating, pH, ALK, as much info as you've got. What other filtration in particular. A tank pic would be nice :)

I'll be honest... I'm not testing. I started like every n00b does with lots and lots of testing. And now I don't! Bad, I know.

I do a water change every two weeks and I know how my levels used to be before/after and during that 2-week period. Whilst I've had growth, I've not added anything that would've thrown off that routine of parameters.

I did however check my nitrates the other night as a test of the UAS, and I was very pleased to see it at between 1 and 2ppm compared to 10-25ppm (dodgy colours of test kit) when I started. :) I will be testing the PO4 tonight.

Here's a recent FTS:

4334

I don't run any other filtration, dosing or anything else. The only equipment used:

3 x Tunze 6055
1 x 300w heater
1 x Arcadia luminaire
2 x HOG1 UAS

(n/b: that skimmer in the background is turned off, soon to be sold! Have had it off since the start of my UAS adventure. Bold maybe to go skimmerless from the start, but hey, it worked)

I'm having really nice growth of key corals like my duncan and acro :)

[SantaMonica]

Yay!

[smsfrancis]

Day 77

Still quite yellow... I've reduced the light time as advised but haven't purchased more 'flow' yet... :)

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2013Q2/Day 77.jpg

[smsfrancis]

Day 84

Can't remember if I mentioned, but nitrates are 1pm and PO4 was like 0.09. Very nice and low. Also, GHA is growing! Woop.

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2013Q2/Day 84.jpg

[smsfrancis]

Day 92

With some tinkering with the light (reducing it got rid of the yellow slime) and more air flow (the second UAS led light unit broke so now all the air is on the first UAS), I now have some very strong GHA! :dance::thumbsup::applause:

Can I get a woop woop? :worship:

Water is pretty clear and parameters are low. :)

A sump would really help the whole filtering/natural-skimming process but that is for an upgrade that is soon to become reality (just a small upgrade).

I've taken pictures of before and after. The GHA is really tough so after some quite forceful scrubbing this is where I got it down to. Gives it a base to grow from anyway. It does make me think to advise: build your UAS strong!! It will need to be once you start putting the elbow grease on it :)

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2013Q2/Day 92 (before clean).jpg

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2013Q2/Day 92 (after clean).jpg

[smsfrancis]

Day 104

It's gone a bit red this week... :(

But not yellow :)

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2013Q2/Day 104.jpg

[SantaMonica]

I think it just needs a cleaning.

[smsfrancis]

I cleaned last night and it was all green underneath... weird. So I made sure it was all green, rubbed it over the holes and put it back :)