Experimentel ATS

[anders moon]

Hej I have set a new 360liters reef up!
in my sump I have installed a ATS/refugium

Facts:
box 30cm x 20cm x 7cm
"canvas" is small live rocks
light: 20x3W 660nm led
flow: 2400L/h from overflow

it has been runing for almost a week but no algae yet!

I have been thinking to but some air bubbles like the upflow scubbers and the floattie ones, Do you think I shuould try that!

It is a new tnak and the inhabitants are some snails and one yellew surgeon and I have just started feeding today. Maybe the feeding will generate some algea?
Pictures will come soon

[SantaMonica]

Welcome back.

What do you mean the canvas is live rock?

[anders moon]

yes i have crushed some live rock to pieces of aprox. 4cmx4cm

[anders moon]

here is the firste pictures...

[anders moon]

the black sponge is removed and is replaced by the live rocks I have crushed...
Do you think it will work?
Wha about my idea with the air pump just like the surf ATS Santa monica builds. Could that help to give more cirkulation for the algae to grow?

[SantaMonica]

The reason it is not growing is because there is no turbulence or air bubbles on the rock. The overflow should dump into the box from very high.

Adding air bubbles will not help because they will be below the rocks and will get blocked by growth.

Raise the overflow up high, so it pours down on to the rocks:

5094


...or, make new drain holes lower, so the water flows over the rocks like a river.

[anders moon]

I will try to lower the drain holes så the water run more close like a river....

[anders moon]

I think I will try to put more live rocks in the box. that way I will raise the rocks so the water runds over them and not around them!
I have the air pumpe and will install it this evening. I have to see if you are right SM...
I will try to take som pictures aswell!

[anders moon]

last evening I took time for the first cleaning of the rocks en the "ATS"-box. The result was a little dark slimy algae in the colour of brown to a little thin green... I think thats pretty good for the first clean.

the only change I made was to change the cover of the box to a more see-through lid. I hope that will give more 660nm light for the algae growth on the rocks...

the 20 pieces of 3W led is not on full power... next tep is to install a small fan, so I can get better cooling for the light and turn up the light even more...

sorry no pictures this time..

[SantaMonica]

Just try to get as much turbulence as possible.

[anders moon]

ok more turbulence is the goal!
do you think the best way is air bubbles or a pump that can deliver aprox. 2000L/h???

[SantaMonica]

I don't think you can use bubbles because the growth will block them. So you need to raise the water coming in, so it drops farther.

[anders moon]

hhhhhhhhhmm alrighty

[anders moon]

the water flow comes from the black tubes and run through the bow filled with live rocks
the light is on ½ throttle but as soon I get my fan woriking stronger light is on the way... more turbulence will be delivered by one more pumpe that pump water from the sump...

The algae from this second cleaning is creener some small areas but dark og yellew slimy type... Ihope it will help with more flow and light???

this Eperiementel ATS/refugium has been running since aprox 15. januar 2014...

[SantaMonica]

Most important will be bubbles/turbulence.

[anders moon]

I Have added a small pump to get more turbelence... Im looking forward to the cleansing this weekend to observe if the are more growth in that area where the pump is placed... pictures will follow!

[anders moon]

this algae growth from 3 weeks.
The algaes are more greenish in the bootom area of the rocks. thats strange could that be that the light is too strong? (20led, 3W but they are not in full power by the moment. The light is on about 18 hours per day)

algae result: I see MORE green than last time. It is not the long algae more like it is in the rock and barely to remove...

[SantaMonica]

Let it keep growing.

[anders moon]

Now this is a month after...
The picture that are darkest green is to show that the green algae is more where I have placed the small pump(100L/h). There are in general more algae growht but not as a lot that I hoped for!

Im beginning to think I should get some canvas and replace the rocks with the normal "ATS" canvas... or should I let it grow...

[SantaMonica]

Try bubbles below the rocks.

[anders moon]

hhhm I have tried the airbubbles and I didnt think the algae growth presented it self where I had airbubbles...

But now the rocks are more matured do you really think I should try again... I think I rather would get a small pump arround 500L/h to get more turbulence...

[SantaMonica]

Either one.

[anders moon]

update:
The rocks are now covered in different Algeas and I feed 1 cube artemia and 2-3 pinches flakes a day... And the tank looks GOOD!
The light is up full power (20x3W 660nm leds) and lid 10 hours...

Im still playing arround with the water flow over the rocks... at the time I have i new jet 3000L/h but the pvc is not the best...
Pictures will come soon

[SantaMonica]

Very nice.