First build...

[FlyPenFly]

I've been thinking about ordering a Turbo or Acorral unit. However, I thought I might give it a shot myself.

As you can see, I have a lot of room to work with. Any suggestions on what setup to go with? I was able to stuff my XP1000sss skimmer into the return pump slot. Fortunately I don't have any micro bubble issues. System is a mixed reef of 65 gallons and the sump is a Eshopps RS-200 sump with about a 30" total length. Return is a Rio 2100.

I have several pumps available I can use including another Rio 2100, MJ1200, MJ900, MJ400, etc.

A little confused if I should go with up flow, waterfall, or some other setup.

4931

http://i.imgur.com/2TwXqjz.jpg

[Floyd R Turbo]

I guess my questions are:

What is your goal?

What problems are you having?

What are your N and P readings?

...because your tank looks awesome already!!

[FlyPenFly]

Nitrate: 25
Po4: anywhere between .03 to .09 normally.

Currently I'm using a Hog1x, phosguard, vinegar dosing, and skimmer

Goals:
- Cut out or reduce vinegar dosing (tired of big bacteria sheets in the sock and sump)
- Reduce the amount of phosguard I use
- Feed double what I do now (2 frozen cubes a day)

I've also been reading up on Xenia based filtration in the sump although I don't think I want to go that route due to potential of infestation on my main rocks.

[Floyd R Turbo]

Plus xenia don't grow that fast, so you need a lot of them. And I agree on the nuisance - and they will spread, for sure.

So you feed 2 cubes/day now, or is that what you want to feed?

How long running the HOG and have you seen results (i.e. nutrient level drop, decreased reliance on PWCs, etc)?

[FlyPenFly]

I'm feeding 2 cubes a day now. Running the hog about 5 months now, good thick green growth on 16 hours. I still do weekly 5g changes. I would like to cut that down as well to maybe every other week.

I want to feed 3 cubes and feed the corals more often.

I want to rely on skimming and ATS as my two main forms of filtration. Phosguard will pick up whatever's left.

Oh I also use Seachem Matrix activated carbon.

[Floyd R Turbo]

Well I run an L2 on a tank in a dentist's office which is a 144, packed full of LR and plenty of corals, they feed I think about 2 cubes/day of a DIY food (which is pretty rich stuff) and I clean every 14 days and get a good bunch of harvest, tank has been at 0.00-0.02 on Hanna P Checker and never over ~2 Nitrate on Salifert (looking through the side) for probably well over a year now, and I haven't done a PWC at all in that time. No skimmer, socks, carbon, nothing. Just a scrubber.

BUT...I don't have expensive and classy SPS like you do. I would think that keeping everything like you have it and just adding more scrubbing would help you reach your goal. So yeah, bigger scrubber, and if the UAS is not making a dent in the load, then maybe add a waterfall (use both). No harm in having 2 types of algae scrubbers going at the same time, you've got the load for them.

[FlyPenFly]

Are there any lower profile style scrubbers that I could go with?

The one thing that worries me about scrubbers that go a bit high in the stand is that there will be a clog in the slits and I'll have water everywhere as it shoots to the sides. I was thinking of perhaps a floating style scrubber but I haven't seen any how to on those.

[SantaMonica]

What how to do you mean?

[FlyPenFly]

Are there any builds that use a long surface above without the use of bubblers? I'd like to keep everything in the sump.

About the closest thing I've found:

4932


http://www.fish-street.com/ats_algal_turk_scrubber_filter_system?category_id= 155

[rleahaines]

Are there any builds that use a long surface above without the use of bubblers? I'd like to keep everything in the sump.

About the closest thing I've found:

4932


http://www.fish-street.com/ats_algal_turk_scrubber_filter_system?category_id= 155

I wouldn't go with that. You can put in a waterfall scrubber in your fuge - you seem to have room - and use plastic wrap to keep spray under control. If the slot is big enough and you use something to block light stopping growth in slot you won't see any clogs or problems with water going where you don't want it. I have used both a UAS and waterfall scrubber and found both easy to maintain etc.

You can plumb your overflow directly to the waterfall or use a pump.

[SantaMonica]

Why no bubbles?

[Floyd R Turbo]

Go here

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2028045

And go to post #350. That's Garf's idea, might work well for you also. Garf would tell you himself about it on here, but he got banned.

[FlyPenFly]

Ah yeah, I've seen that before. Not sure if I want to make my whole sump into that sort of thing. I'm going to go to home depot and try out an idea I had.

A nice advantage of the standing waterfall design seems to be that you can get double the surface area by sandwiching the medium in light. I just don't want anything standing above the sump though, I really can't have it leak or spray even half a gallon.

[FlyPenFly]

Why no bubbles?

Just not a fan of the bubbling noises. I don't mind water falling noises but bubbling for some reason personally gets to me.

[FlyPenFly]

Can a clear sheet of acrylic that's been seriously roughed up by a dremel serve as a good growth medium?

Are these bulbs appropriate? I believe the color temperature is 2700k

4933

[FlyPenFly]

Hmm never mind this pretty much answers everything

http://algaescrubber.net/forums/showthread.php?28-Hundreds-of-Waterfall-Scrubber-Designs

[Floyd R Turbo]

That is an older thread but the answers are:

1) no

2) yes

[FlyPenFly]

So I was looking at this:

http://www.santa-monica.cc/MIX2-overflow-fed-Mixer-Scrubber-tm-with-ribbons-and-Green-Grabber-surfaces--2-cubes-feeding-per-day_p_45.html

This seems like a pretty straight forward idea.
- Build a small platform with egg crate or PVC pipes
- Get an appropriately sized acrylic box from the Container Store or really just some Tupperware with the lid off
- Fill acrylic box / tupperware with appropriate growth medium
- Attach acrylic box / tupperware on egg crate platform and place directly below overflow hose
- Shine a strong enough light directly into acrylic box / tupperware
- Utilize the turbulent bubbly overflow to agitate and cause growth.

Forget all about adding an extra pump and plumbing and all that. Wish I didn't just buy all this plumbing from HD.

I guess the trick is finding the right kind of material to serve as a growth medium in the box. I guess there's also that if you use a filter sock this won't be possible unless you have one of those proflex style overflow sock areas.

[SantaMonica]

Floating scrubbers are silent; not like the HOG. Certainly quieter than an overflow fed one.

You don't want a filter sock.

[Floyd R Turbo]

A waterfall scrubber can be dead silent if designed and built right.

[Devaji108]

so I know you said you don't like the bubble noise...but if you have 2 HOG style ATS you could clean them alternating thus you would always have one full grow scrubbing the tank...
i am sure you could DIY a bubble slicer out of foam that is what i am thinking i might do with mine if I find it load...

anyway amazing tank!! plz keep us posted on what you do.
cheers

[FlyPenFly]

Just a small update...

I decided to try this out for my first waterfall...

http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/sale-trade/155911-f-s-algae-turf-scrubber.html

I'm running an MJ1200 on it and it was a bit loud at first but I put in a false bottom using some spare acrylic and egg crate which made it very quiet.

I think I'm going to probably replace the LEDs with all reds, not sure why there is blue on there. The growth medium it came with wasn't scratched canvas but some sort of clear film with holes. I'll probably replace that as well with roughed canvas. He made a great holder for in sump use, will post a pic later.

[Floyd R Turbo]

That looks like it is just plain plastic canvas. It is the right stuff, but it is not roughed up, that's all.

+1 on my blues and whites. Those are too powerful and will just result in a burned spot.

MJ1200 is way too little flow. Might be good for starting up the screen but not enough for effective filtration. That looks like at least an 8" wide screen, so 8x35=280 GPH, and an MJ1200 has horrible head loss and very poor reaction to backpressure, after the screen is cured and you have a weeks worth of growth, you will be lucky to net 60 GPH out of that I guarantee you. You'll need a Rio 1400 minimum, eventually.

[FlyPenFly]

I do have a spare Rio 2100 that has a valve, maybe I'll hook that up. The medium that it came with is actually different than pictured.

[Floyd R Turbo]

Why would he sell you something that was different than in the pictures. That's just odd.

[FlyPenFly]

I think he actually made 2 and I got the one that wasn't pictured.