Screen Flow

[WillieD]

Building ATS and I have cut my slot for my screen 1/8 thick. I am now testing and my flow is not equal going down the screen...I have to tweek the flow in order to get equal...but after a while it goes more to the right side. So I found out, the slot that I cut wasn't straight, so I cut some more and made it more equal....tested still having same problem. My Question is can I cut grooves going down the screen slot about every inch or so to open up more flow?

[greenmachine]

the algae should grow in faster where the flow is more on the screen thus slowing it down or diverting the flow to the ares that had less flow

[MorganAtlanta]

Throw a piece of black plastic bag over the pipe so it hangs down about an inch on either side of the screen. It will help even out the flow and block light as well so the algae won't grow into the slot.

[WillieD]

Ok started my scrubber.....and it has been going for about a month. I am getting more brown and some red algae with a little long hair green algae. Coraline algae is all over the place on the bottom of my container.
Is this starting out right......hoe long before I get my Long Hair Algae?

[Floyd R Turbo]

Sounds like a decent start. Every system is different so it's hard to compare one to the other. Pics of your tank and filtration (overall) and scrubber would help.

I didn't see this post originally but the grooves you mention are referred to as crosscuts and should be avoided. They allow for the algae to grow into the slot ant block it, because the water has another path (through the crosscuts). You want pressure at the slot/screen junction to deter algae growth into the junction.

As to the algae color, pics here would help, but tell us how often you have been cleaning and what your cleaning procedure is. e.g. do you scrape, scrub, rinse, etc

Generally I try to scrub away any red or brown algae when I do get it, but that's on a mature screen. For a 4 weeks old screen, I wouldn't be scrubbing anything, just rubbing with fingertips to loosen algae, and maybe scraping any thick areas, but leaving the growth that is in the holes in tact.

[WillieD]

will have pics shortly......as of cleaning I flush it in a shallow baking pan with salt water and swish it. When I first started it looked like it was growing Green long hair algae when I cleaned it the first time I used tap water and rubbed it . After reading through some threads I found out sw was better. I have only cleaned it twice 7 days apart each time. This time its more brown and red coralline looking....looks like coralline is on the screen. Some dark green patches here and there.

[Floyd R Turbo]

Hard to say anything definitive about growth in the first 4-8 weeks. Can be system dependent. Once that period is past, then diagnosis is more reliable.

[WillieD]

4894
4895

[Floyd R Turbo]

I would let it grow for a little longer before cleaning. Maybe 10 days

[SantaMonica]

It can handle more nutrients. Should grow well.

[WillieD]

What do you mean more nutrients......more feeding?

[Floyd R Turbo]

No just that it's well built and should be able to handle the bioload. You still need to get through the curing/maturing stage