DIY Algae Turf Scrubber

[donkey]

My Attempt At A DIY Algae Turf Scrubber.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnmmvcsAJE8

[SantaMonica]

Welcome.

If possible, pull the bulbs further into the reflectors.

[donkey]

Hi

That's as far as I can get them

[itzrulez]

nice video!
remember to keep posting your progress!

[donkey]

Thanks Mate,and will do

[SantaMonica]

Ok you might have to pull the bulb back an inch or two, if it burns in the middle.

[donkey]

Thanks,i will keep my eye on it,but so far it seems okay not getting that hot

[itzrulez]

For more accurate results, could you try to post a everyday photo?
I never saw this...
and some spec about your setup.

:D

[donkey]

Hi

Just took some pics,this is after 5 days



425842594260426142624263

[itzrulez]

Whats your photoperiod on the ATS?

[donkey]

18 on and 6 off

[donkey]

Update


http://youtu.be/sgIctmprtEc

[getmealemon]

Looks good, hows the growth with those lights? I've got one but haven't set it up yet.

[donkey]

Looking good so far,got the same amount of growth I got in the video,but it only took six days instead of two weeks

[Andy_cy]

I'm using the same floodlight too, but warm white. Don't quite like using it as they heat up quite a lot. I believe mine already started to generate less light than when it's new, only 3 months usage. Also, I didn't like that the periphery of the screen is getting less light than the middle.

Your screen is smaller than mine though, it looks like it's getting quite a good spread over it. Hope to see your results soon.

[donkey]

Hi

When you say yours heat up quite a lot. How hot are we talking about ? Mine stay very cool even after been on for 18 hours

[Andy_cy]

Hi

When you say yours heat up quite a lot. How hot are we talking about ? Mine stay very cool even after been on for 18 hours

I don't have an exact measurement of the temp but I would say, I won't place my finger on the heatsink fins for more than 2secs.

[donkey]

WOW that's running hot then,with mine i can put my hand on it and its just to say warm,i can leave it there for as long as i like and it wont get so hot that i have to remove my hand.

[Andy_cy]

Well, perhaps mine has really bad ventilation. It's enclosed in a glass compartment. I'm switchin lights anyway. And I would recommend this led floodlight to be honest haha. Not because it heats up, just that it doesn't cover or rather dont give proper spread of light

[donkey]

It sounds like there was something wrong for them to be getting that hot


.

[Snoopy]

Nice vids mate - love the soundtrack

If the putty plugs ever start to pop out look for some PVC end caps. Also - liked your lug idea or the mesh - what happened to them in the second vid?

Where did the LEDs come from? Local or china?

Snoops

[donkey]

Hi

Glad you liked the music ;) I cut the mesh to tight and one day when I was removing it, it got stuck and I pulled it to hard and I pulled the little lug off. We cant get any end caps to fit that pipe over here in the UK so I had to use that putty,and i got the LEDs from China.

[Snoopy]

Lol - pm me the sound track :)

I thought that might have happened - if you cut out a groove in the main mat on one or both sides just below the lug you could move it in and out easier.

Can you update the led out put over time some how (light meter ?) I was looking at these but heard too many bad reviews about quality and light out put. Yours look good though :)

Ya watching the cricket :(

Snoops

[donkey]

Its my fault for pulling it to hard ;) I'm just using cable ties now to hold it in place. Sorry i don't have a light meter,but they still look okay to my eye,will be doing another update video on them soon and will post it on here as soon as i put it together. Never watch the cricket to be honest,hows it going ?


;)

[Snoopy]

You guys are going ok for a change :)

look forward to the update

Cheers

[donkey]

Does that mean we are beating you

;)

[Snoopy]

2 nil so far - 3rds in the balance.

[donkey]

Its funny,i think the English invented that game,but over here no one really talks about it much,it all about Football over here,or as you guys call it Soccer

[Snoopy]

Yeh, soccer has been traditionally a second sport here with Aussie rules but is becoming more popular since success in recent world cups and the likes of Kewell and now Cahill.

Anyhow's keep up the vids - there entertaining

Cheers
Snoops

[donkey]

Update 2



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_2MDcwF-s0

[Snoopy]

Awesome growth mate - LEDs are the go by the looks.

Snoops

[donkey]

Your right there mate,growth is much better under the LEDs



;)

[schaefera]

Based on your example I finally created my own DIY waterfall algae scrubber:

4936

So far so good. The only thing I noticed is that I made the slot for the canvas to wide and now the water is not covering the entire canvas and I also need to mount the lights vertical.

That said using PVC pipes to build the Algae Scrubber was easy and quick. I first wanted to use acrylic sheets but that was too difficult to do.

- Andy

[donkey]

Looking good Andy

:)

[schaefera]

Here is an updated Picture after 1 week of running it. The algae started to grow and I am now starting to watch the Nitrate level to see if the scrubber is effective:

- Andy

[SantaMonica]

Looking good.

[donkey]

Nice One Mate

;)

[xssx]

What website did you get the leds from, thanks

[donkey]

PM sent

[Smiffy62]

PM sent

Hi Kev
I would also like to know where your LEDs came from?
Pain in the butt they don't do end caps for that pipe over here, I,ve looked for them many times.

Cheers

Andy

[donkey]

PM sent

;)

[Alan]

PM sent

;)

Could I have the link please mate.

[donkey]

Hi

It wont let me send you a PM. i think its because you only have one post

[Alan]

Yeah ok, have just joined.

[jimmy656]

Awesome videos. I'm hoping to set one up like yours over the next few days