How long does it take?

[theomi]

So i just got into my 5th week with my scrubber and so far i get brown algae with tiny speks of green in there but no hair or anything.
My tank is green all over..
My setup is a 12 sq. in. screen lid on both sides with 12 watt cfl for 9 hours a day...
Is it normal not to see any real growth yet?

[itzrulez]

pics please... more information about setup..

[Floyd R Turbo]

Yes - pictures may explain something that is hard to describe accurately.

[SantaMonica]

Should be 2-sided.

Should be 18 hours.

[RkyRickstr]

Get a 23w cfl and run 9-12 hrs. Will grow green faster.

[Floyd R Turbo]

Well, a 12 sq in screen should only need 6W on each side (12 total) and 12 on each side (what he currently runs) should be enough. But, with a screen that small, getting a reflector for any lamp that 'gathers' that light effectively might be tricky.


Still waiting for pics to tell the whole story...

[theomi]

I have been busy but here is some pictures.

My green reef tank
4066

Sump with scrubber
4067

The scrubber it self
4068

Sump and scrubber again
4069

[SantaMonica]

Throw those bulbs and reflectors out the window, and replace them with CFL floodlights, 13w each, 2700k "warm" or "soft", 2" from the screen.

[theomi]

Throw those bulbs and reflectors out the window, and replace them with CFL floodlights, 13w each, 2700k "warm" or "soft", 2" from the screen.

Well i cant find floodlights in Denmark and i have seen a lot of people just use regular cfl bulbs so i thought it would be okay. And they are 2700k.

[SantaMonica]

You are losing almost all the light. Get a hanging utility light, and put the cfl bulbs in them.

[theomi]

I have now gotten some new reflectors and i can already see a change..
I will post some pics monday when i clean the screen..

[SantaMonica]

Nice :)

[theomi]

After searching the forum a little is it safe to assume that when i get green thick growth it will take aprox. one month to rid my display of algae?
Just in theory :confused:

[SantaMonica]

Your rock looks like it has a lot of phosphate. If you are not feeding much, and if you can get your lights to grow thick green, I'd say the nuisance algae will start to reduce in 6 weeks, and take 6 months to complete. Waterchanges or other filters would speed this up.