AquariCare Algae Scrubber - Need Feedback (video included)

[PeterFranc]

A few years ago I tried a waterfall scrubber in my wet/dry. I had a difficult time getting sufficient light evenly dispersed and took down the scrubber. I'm having another go at it and have installed a factory made scrubber that I picked up unused a few years back (AquariCare). I've included a video showing the set-up. If you have any suggestions or feedback please let me know.

Thanks!

http://youtu.be/nsvxd2fn4GA

[SantaMonica]

It's just a horizontal river scrubber. Lighting is probably very weak, but since it's included you can just see how it goes.

The insides should probably all be removed, and just use a flat pieces of roughed up canvas. Otherwise lots of food particles are going to get trapped.

[kotlec]

Nitrate 100+ and you dont have algae jungles in tank ????
How this is possible ?

[PeterFranc]

It's just a horizontal river scrubber. Lighting is probably very weak, but since it's included you can just see how it goes.

The insides should probably all be removed, and just use a flat pieces of roughed up canvas. Otherwise lots of food particles are going to get trapped.

Thanks for the reply. The water that enters the scrubber passes through an overflow first that has a sponge. This catches most of the particles. I will probably go ahead and just take the acrylic pieces out. They are supposed to help disperse the water but the water flows evenly over the plastic canvas without them. The lighting was not included with the scrubber. I bought two standard 10 gallon fluorescent strip lights to help spread the light evenly. Hoping these lights will work?

kotlec
Nitrate 100+ and you dont have algae jungles in tank ????
How this is possible ?

Good question. I've had the tank and puffer since August of 2006. My set-up has always consisted of a wet/dry filter and coralife skimmer. I'm not the best at keeping up with water changes but still change 45 gallons per month. Even when I began frequent water changes my nitrates were showing no indication of dropping. I use a liquid test kit but have also tried the dip strips just to make sure my kit wasn't faulty.

Thanks for the replies.

[SantaMonica]

I think that screen will need at least 100 watts of fluorescent.

[PeterFranc]

Ok, thanks! I will keep this thread updated.

[Floyd R Turbo]

I can see why this company's algae scrubbers never became popular. Based on all knowledge I have absorbed about algae scrubbers over the past 3 years, I could write for hours on the downfalls of this particular design. I would say right off, #1 problem is contact with screen. You have almost none. Water is either not enough flow or angle is all wrong, screens are out of the water. I could write a chapter...

[PeterFranc]

Alright, after a long break I'm back. I hooked the scrubber back up for another go. I took a few suggestions with the horizontal scrubber. The lighting was too weak, (2x19watt fluorescent bulbs). I also removed the egg crate. The screens are now completely submerged. I may still raise them depending on my growth results.

After a bit of research I ordered LED's.
http://www.expressions-ltd.com/Algae_Scrubber_LED_Light_p/led-grow-light.htm

The company has a video documenting the growth over a 100+ day period. I may order two more shortly. I'm also considering building a waterfall scrubber.

I'm going to wait to see what results I get with my current setup.

I'm planning on making a new video, documenting my tank over the next several months. That being said, I'm going to wait until I have an effective setup for algae growth. If I continue getting weak growth I'll continue to improve my design until it's ready to rock. Hoping to knock these nitrates out for good!

[Orion5]

Wow, you actually found one of these? I've been looking for years and haven't had any success. If you know anyone wanting to unload one at some point be sure to let us know. :)

I'm also curiously following your progress to see how it goes. Good luck!

[SantaMonica]

Make sure the water is a thin layer on the screen.

[PeterFranc]

Wow, you actually found one of these? I've been looking for years and haven't had any success. If you know anyone wanting to unload one at some point be sure to let us know. :)

I'm also curiously following your progress to see how it goes. Good luck!

Hah, yeah I got lucky on finding it. I found this great site and then did a quick search on a local forum. Someone posted one for sale and I couldn't pass it up for the price!


Make sure the water is a thin layer on the screen.

Thanks SantaMonica, I added 1 of 2 layers of egg crate back to create a thin flowing layer of water.

*Update Week 1*

No drop in nitrates yet, still reading 100+. I'm not expecting them to begin dropping noticeably for at least another 1 to 2 months.

I've attached some pictures after roughly 7 days of growth. So far, I'm pleased with the results. It does appear I'm getting some burning on the screen. I've flipped the LED strips. My thought is putting the 2 blue LED's on opposite ends may help reduce this burning and help disperse the light better.

As always, any input is appreciated. I will put together a compiled video after the first few months. I'm planning on updating this thread once a week.

[SantaMonica]

Those round spots are pods eating the algae.

[PeterFranc]

Those round spots are pods eating the algae.

Thanks, SantaMonica.

*Week 3 Update*

I did my first screen cleaning today. I meant to do one last weekend, but ended up pretty sick and didn't do much of anything! I've attached 5 more photos.

How is my growth looking?

[SantaMonica]

Kinda dark. Double light would help.

[PeterFranc]

Kinda dark. Double light would help.

Thanks, SantaMonica. I'm debating ordering two more strip lights, or waiting a bit longer. My last option is to create another waterfall scrubber and put the aquaricare scrubber on hold.

*Week 4 Update*

I cleaned the screens week 3, and this is 7 days of growth. I just cleaned the screens again. I may go two weeks next time, and wait until I get some nice, thick growth.

Does my algae look normal for how high my nitrates are (darker).

[Crusinjimbo]

PeterFranc, how many of those strip LEDs are you using on what size screen? I am impressed with your growth. I have two of the same strips on a 10x6 up-flow ATS that I have just started.

[SantaMonica]

Yes the growth is dark as would be expected for higher N with lower light.

[PeterFranc]

Yes the growth is dark as would be expected for higher N with lower light.

Thanks for your continued input.


PeterFranc, how many of those strip LEDs are you using on what size screen? I am impressed with your growth. I have two of the same strips on a 10x6 up-flow ATS that I have just started.

Thanks! I'm currently only using two LED strips. I'm debating going with two more, but also am considering building a waterfall scrubber. The lights are roughly a little over 4 inches from the screen. I can't get them any closer with the current design.

The screen I'm using is rather large, 10x16.

*Week 5* Update

My power strip with the 2 on/off outlets has been acting up. It's not turning on consistently at the same time, as a result the duration the lights are on has changed from day to day. I have a new strip on order. I'm trying a digital one this time around.

Also worth noting, I've removed the acrylic dividers from the scrubber to help more light reach the screen. I kept them in originally to help keep the screen submerged, but now the weight of the algae does this.

This is 7 days of growth, I did a freshwater rinse and put them back in. I'm going to let them grow for another 7 to 14 days before doing another cleaning.

[SantaMonica]

Seems to be greening up a bit.

[PeterFranc]

Seems to be greening up a bit.

*Week 6 Update*

[PeterFranc]

*Week 8 Update*

Here is my growth after nearly 21 days of not cleaning. I had a decent amount, but still not pleased with the overall growth. I'm going to let the scrubber run until the end of May. If I don't see results I will either bump the light as suggested by Santamonica, or build a waterfall scrubber and use the current 2 LED's and mount them closer to the screen. I did a screen cleaning and will update again next weekend.

Nitrates are still stable at 100-160 ppm.

Thanks for the help everyone!

[kerry]

You need to bump up the light now and your screen is not rough enough. Those patches of screen should be full of algae. I would rough up the screen a lot more, bump up the light an hour or two due to the very dark algae, and clean every 14 days because dark algae does not filter as good. Your algae may tend to be a little dark anyway due to the high nitrate.

[PeterFranc]

You need to bump up the light now and your screen is not rough enough. Those patches of screen should be full of algae. I would rough up the screen a lot more, bump up the light an hour or two due to the very dark algae, and clean every 14 days because dark algae does not filter as good. Your algae may tend to be a little dark anyway due to the high nitrate.

Thanks for the input. I will bump the lighting from 15 hours to 17 hours.

Before setting this scrubber back up I spent over a half hour with a hole saw roughing up the screen. I'm pretty sure the screen is rough enough, or as rough as it can be with a hole saw. Do you have another suggestion for roughing it up besides the hole saw? My screen began tearing because it was wearing so thin from plastic shavings coming off. I've attached two photos.

Thanks!

[Crusinjimbo]

I used a short drywall saw and wrapped the screen over a slightly curved surface (bucket) and worked it with slight pressure. I used a heaven grit sandpaper the break the shine. I am working in a new double layer screen with the back screen slightly offset from the front (my scrubber is a one-sided upflow). The rear screen hole corners are in the center of the front screen holes. Gonna fill in the holes with algae attached to the rear screen.

[kerry]

I use a regular saw which is the one normally use for cutting my PVC pipe. I just lay it down on ply-board and run the saw over it in several directions. That pic you have taken does look fairly rough but i get mine a little more rough if I can. As mentioned above I to have taken a wire brush to it before the saw. The double layer has never worked for me though.