DIY Led ATS

[mocika]

This is my first DYS ATS. I red a lot for ATS and i decide to build my own.
- screen dimension: 7.7 inch X 8.7 inch.
- flow is 317 g/h
- light is LED 22x2 red and 3x2 blue

This is my video on the 2nd day:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEZiJiqRHtk
and this is sixth day:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z-hYCp9rO0
AS you can see algae in the middle is not present. Is that because of the strong lighting or because light is too near to the screen? I ran the light for 12 hours. Now i adjust it for just 7 hours per day.

Tnx in advance.

[SantaMonica]

Welcome,

Yes too much light, and too little nutrients. Increase flow, add iron. Or, back the light away, or reduce hours.

[mocika]

TNX SantaMonica,

First i will try to reduce hours and see what happening. Next step will be back the light away.

What is the best time to start cleaning the screen? And after first cleaning should i clean every 7 days or it will depend of the algae grow?

[Floyd R Turbo]

I would also consider putting a diffuser in front of the light.

What are the spec on that fixture? Link?

[Floyd R Turbo]

Just checked the vid. definitely photosaturation. Light is way too intense in the middle. Need to knock down the intensity significantly. Reducing the photoperiod will likely not help in this instance as light is just too intense.

[mocika]

http://dx.com/p/50w-25-led-red-blue-light-grow-lamp-with-cooling-fan-ac-90-240v-94014
This is the item that i use for light.
TNX

[Floyd R Turbo]

Put 1cm squares (or circles, but squares are easier) of blue painters tape over the blue LEDs. They are clustered in the middle, rather than spread out. This is a problem because blues have several times the intensity of reds at the same current and will cause photosaturation.

Start with a double-layer of the blue tape positioned directly over each blue. This will eliminate the intensity right in the middle, but still allow a blue component to be present. If you still have issues after a few weeks, add a layer of black electrical tape.

I recommend blue tape first because the black tape adhesive can goo up the acrylic lens/shield.

[mocika]

TNX a lot Turbo,

BTW can you tell me when to star with cleaning my algae screen and should i do every 7 days or it depends of algae grow?

[Floyd R Turbo]

I would say it depends on a lot of factors. I have screens that I let grow for 14-16 days and they are thick, long, and bright green and the base is still strongly attached. I have others that grow thin and dense and if I let them go longer than 10 days the base dies and the screen is bare when I clean it. So it's really hard to give a one-size-fits-all guideline. 7-10 days is a good general recommendation, and let it grow longer as long as the base isn't dying.

[mocika]

TNX again.
Should i dose pure iron (what product is the best) or mix of some elements like
Tropic Marin® PRO-CORAL K+ ELEMENTS
Tropic Marin® PRO-CORAL K+ ELEMENTS
or some other mixed coral elements. I have SPS tank wtih less LPS.

[mocika]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Kn3C04bLP4

Its start to grow in the middle after reducing fotoperiod to 7 hours and after covering blue leds.

[Floyd R Turbo]

Bingo!

[mocika]

I clean the screen befour 20 days. I went on vacation and came back yesterday. This is what i have on my screen. Im very satisfy with the growing. In the future i will clean the screen every 7 days so we will see how will grow.
I would like to ask 2 q?
-on the second image is the macro algae that i have in my tank (on the image its not my tank). I have it on 2 places. I fount that is called "Dictyota". Is it bad one and is ATS will help to eliminate? I have it befour but for 20 days its start to grow more than usualy.
- when i clean screen and put it back, some algae from the screen is going in my sump and after that in the main tank. Is there posibility that this algae from ATS is going to plant on the rock in the tank and start to grow there and spreed all over the tank?

[SantaMonica]

The scrubber is pulling phosphate out of the rock, and that is feeding the algae on the rock more. This is good.

[Floyd R Turbo]

on the second image is the macro algae that i have in my tank (on the image its not my tank). I have it on 2 places. I fount that is called "Dictyota". Is it bad one and is ATS will help to eliminate? I have it befour but for 20 days its start to grow more than usualy.

you can manually remove the algae from the rocks if it is becoming a problem for corals, etc. The scrubber should eventually out-compete it.


when i clean screen and put it back, some algae from the screen is going in my sump and after that in the main tank. Is there posibility that this algae from ATS is going to plant on the rock in the tank and start to grow there and spreed all over the tank?

The pieces of algae that make their way to your tank are of no concern. Algae will grow anywhere the conditions are ideal. So it's not like dropping pieces of algae in your tank will 'seed' the tank - just like you didn't have to seed your scrubber screen, it just grew because the environment for growth was ideal. What is likely happening is that there are nutrients in the rock that are not being accessed, and the algae is finding this to be a good environment. As soon as the nutrients are lowered or removed, the algae growth on the rocks will slow and eventually disappear

[mocika]

The scrubber is pulling phosphate out of the rock, and that is feeding the algae on the rock more. This is good.
I hope so its true. I also have other green algae on the glass and on the rock. Its very little but i never have before especially on the rock.

Tnx Turbo, i hope other algae will disapire in the next 2 months

[mocika]

3rd cleaning after 8 days grow. Should i clean beater the screen or its ok like on the picture?
No3 are now 0. I hope my cyano algae will disappear soon. What fo you think?

[Floyd R Turbo]

I would scrape it until you can see the screen pattern clearly. You need to expose the base of the growth to light. IMO this is a little less critical with LED light sources because they penetrate better and are more intense, but you still need to be able to see the screen on at least 50%-75% of the overall area.

[SantaMonica]

Happy that NO3 is zero :)

[mocika]

Tnx Santi and Turbo,

I will clean the screen more in the future. Should i sifon detritus becouse od the cyano or live it in the tank and in the sum because i red here that detritus is a good coral food?

[Floyd R Turbo]

You don't want it to build up in stagnant areas. If you can keep it circulating all the time (so that you have to buildup) then it might become food. But sitting on the bottom of the tank an collecting is not good.

[SantaMonica]

Detritus can only feed the corals if it is floating around. If it is setting on the bottom, it needs to be broken up by clean up crew. Or stirred up with a pump.

[mocika]

Last cleaning after 8 days. Algae become more present at the screen and much hard to harvest.

[mocika]

Everyting is so great by now. Algae is becoming more green.
If i chage screen with new one because i want to make it a litlle bit longer what will happend? Did ATS will need also 2-3 monts befour start to "eat" nitrates and phosphate?

[Floyd R Turbo]

Yes, if you change the screen, you start over. But, you can cut your old screen into strips and attach those to the new screen, this will "seed" the new screen. The new screen will still need a month or so to get to full filtration capacity (i.e. holes filled in, algae firmly attached) but it will filter better than a brand new screen during that time period

[Crusinjimbo]

Morioka, I am interested in the performance of your LED light. Still doing well? How about fan noise? You still happy with it? I am using CFLs and need too shrink the footprint of my ATS. thanks