Algae Screen Color Analysis

[cdm2012]

I thought it might be helpful to post a number of algae screens and their growths and get the experts opinions on what they think of each (ie, more light, increase flow, move light back, etc.)

[cdm2012]

http://i1351.photobucket.com/albums/p799/cdm2013/Black_zps4818449f.jpg (http://s1351.photobucket.com/user/cdm2013/media/Black_zps4818449f.jpg.html)

[cdm2012]

http://i1351.photobucket.com/albums/p799/cdm2013/blackgreenlight_zpsb18f84aa.jpg (http://s1351.photobucket.com/user/cdm2013/media/blackgreenlight_zpsb18f84aa.jpg.html)

[cdm2012]

http://i1351.photobucket.com/albums/p799/cdm2013/lightbrown_zpse0cc266f.jpg (http://s1351.photobucket.com/user/cdm2013/media/lightbrown_zpse0cc266f.jpg.html)

[cdm2012]

http://i1351.photobucket.com/albums/p799/cdm2013/lightgreen_zps85a67d3c.jpg (http://s1351.photobucket.com/user/cdm2013/media/lightgreen_zps85a67d3c.jpg.html)

[cdm2012]

http://i1351.photobucket.com/albums/p799/cdm2013/Lime_zps3e9eba96.jpg (http://s1351.photobucket.com/user/cdm2013/media/Lime_zps3e9eba96.jpg.html)

[cdm2012]

http://i1351.photobucket.com/albums/p799/cdm2013/middlenotgrowing_zps1aac6a63.jpg (http://s1351.photobucket.com/user/cdm2013/media/middlenotgrowing_zps1aac6a63.jpg.html)

[cdm2012]

http://i1351.photobucket.com/albums/p799/cdm2013/red_zps7bae1936.jpg (http://s1351.photobucket.com/user/cdm2013/media/red_zps7bae1936.jpg.html)

[cdm2012]

http://i1351.photobucket.com/albums/p799/cdm2013/redanddarkgreen_zps7655ca10.jpg (http://s1351.photobucket.com/user/cdm2013/media/redanddarkgreen_zps7655ca10.jpg.html)

[cdm2012]

http://i1351.photobucket.com/albums/p799/cdm2013/slimebrown_zps912478b8.jpg (http://s1351.photobucket.com/user/cdm2013/media/slimebrown_zps912478b8.jpg.html)

[cdm2012]

http://i1351.photobucket.com/albums/p799/cdm2013/yellow_zpsa9684f4a.jpg (http://s1351.photobucket.com/user/cdm2013/media/yellow_zpsa9684f4a.jpg.html)

[cdm2012]

http://i1351.photobucket.com/albums/p799/cdm2013/yellowmiddlebrownedges_zps402a48d6.jpg (http://s1351.photobucket.com/user/cdm2013/media/yellowmiddlebrownedges_zps402a48d6.jpg.html)

[cdm2012]

Sorry bout the pictures being so small. I reduced them so they wouldn't be big massive files. Hopefully, everyone can see them ok.

[Floyd R Turbo]

http://i1351.photobucket.com/albums/p799/cdm2013/middlenotgrowing_zps1aac6a63.jpg (http://s1351.photobucket.com/user/cdm2013/media/middlenotgrowing_zps1aac6a63.jpg.html)


This is one of my Rev 1 L2's which had a single full-power blue in the middle, which saturates the algae. In Rev 2 I fixed this issue by going to 2x 1/2 power (current) blues.

[Floyd R Turbo]

Sorry bout the pictures being so small. I reduced them so they wouldn't be big massive files. Hopefully, everyone can see them ok.

You can also upload them to Photobucket or something and then use that service to scale down the pics.

[Floyd R Turbo]

http://i1351.photobucket.com/albums/p799/cdm2013/yellow_zpsa9684f4a.jpg (http://s1351.photobucket.com/user/cdm2013/media/yellow_zpsa9684f4a.jpg.html)

This is my very first algae scrubber, with growth only a few weeks in. You can see the the seed patches that I got from Inland Aquatics even LOL. Simply an immature screen.

[Floyd R Turbo]

http://i1351.photobucket.com/albums/p799/cdm2013/Lime_zps3e9eba96.jpg (http://s1351.photobucket.com/user/cdm2013/media/Lime_zps3e9eba96.jpg.html)

This is my L2 UAS test box. I think this is after I tweaked it for about the 3rd time by putting a bubble bar in the tube instead of an airstone. UASs act differently so it's hard to do apples to apples with different setups. This pic is from very early on.

[Floyd R Turbo]

I just noticed that all my quotes are just showing the "attachment" text. I would go back and upload the photos to a service and then paste the BB code ( IMG tags, etc ) instead. If you uploaded them to this site, you may be able to reference them using the IMG code as well but I'm not sure. Otherwise this thread it going to be very difficult to follow.

EDIT: fixed

[cdm2012]

I just noticed that all my quotes are just showing the "attachment" text. I would go back and upload the photos to a service and then paste the BB code ( IMG tags, etc ) instead. If you uploaded them to this site, you may be able to reference them using the IMG code as well but I'm not sure. Otherwise this thread it going to be very difficult to follow.

Shucks!! Sorry Bud! Try and edit your reply's now and see if they link to the picture correctly now.

[Floyd R Turbo]

Fixed!

[cdm2012]

Fixed!4428

[cdm2012]

http://i1351.photobucket.com/albums/p799/cdm2013/Black_zps4818449f.jpg (http://s1351.photobucket.com/user/cdm2013/media/Black_zps4818449f.jpg.html)

Alright. I'm no expert, but this algae screen appears to be covered in black oily algae. Santamonica has stated: "Black means that there is not enough light, or not enough hours, for how high the nutrients are in the water." So, I would recommend that if you have a screen that is covered in black to up the wattage of your lights and/or increase the hours. And when you see the black appearing on your algae screen clean it off completely, and this would include the holes in the screen.

[DownwardDawg]

4505

What about this one? My screen seems to be turning light brown but I'm at just one week.

[DownwardDawg]

4506

This is mine so far. About a week old.

[SantaMonica]

Both of these are just filling in normally.

[DownwardDawg]

Both of these are just filling in normally.

Cool. Thanks!

[joelespinoza]

http://i1351.photobucket.com/albums/p799/cdm2013/middlenotgrowing_zps1aac6a63.jpg


This is one of my Rev 1 L2's which had a single full-power blue in the middle, which saturates the algae. In Rev 2 I fixed this issue by going to 2x 1/2 power (current) blues.

Hey Floyd, I seem to have a bit of a problem with growth in the middle of my screen with my Rev 1 even though it has the 2 blues setup. Do you think it would help to get a second diffuser something else for mine?

Before the cleaning you can see the algae in the middle is yellow, but after the cleaning it is more obvious that algae doesn't grow in the middle of the screen very well. I didn't clean anything off the middle, that just how it looks.

[Floyd R Turbo]

I don't think it's the LEDs that is causing the difference in growth, it's the flow.

The algae in the middle of your screen is a little bit lighter yellow, but it's really not anything to worry about - which is why I didn't post a different response to SM's on your other thread. The slight difference in flow might be due to the rotatable ring affecting flow a little in the middle, as the growth cycle goes on, growth can 'pile up' on the inlet water side of the ring and cause a lower flow in the middle of the screen, but it is usually not an overall problem. You have good looking growth, so I don't think that is your issue.

I think I recommended taking your diffusers off actually, or at least one of them, so adding another wouldn't even out your growth, it would probably decrease it.