Feedback on Scrubber for Cardiff 29G Nano - use venturi instead of air stone for UAS?

[g6gang]

The back of my Cardiff 29G right now has 3 compartments. The first one is a skimmer which for the past two years has been doing jack squat and have been battling GHA and Cyano. I came across the idea of ATS and am loving it. Originally I was just going to remove the skimmer and then do a waterfall style skimmer that would hang in the top part of the compartment (9" wide x 6" tall), but now am thinking that I can basically do an upflow in the skimmer compartment. My question is, would it be better to use the Venturi pump instead of a standard air stone? I am thinking that venturi pump will distribute the bubbles more evenly and provide the same amount of O2.

I also plan on using LED through the back of the glass. For either design I was planning on 3 Deep REds and one Warm White (3Ws)

See diagrams. Thoughts?
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[SantaMonica]

Welcome,

You can do either design, but don't use whites; only reds.

I'm not sure a venturi would work, since I don't know what your setup would be. A sliced airline is probably best.

[g6gang]

I will experiment with the pump setup as venturi. It basically sends a swarm of tiny air bubbles up the chamber (when I take out the skimmer tube, the air bubbles will fill the entire chmaber where the grid will be (9"long, 3"wide). Instead of an airstone that would have less/larger bubbles. Is the point of the bubbles to get flow through the grid? or does the level of 'air' matter? I think the venturi will make the bubbles and flow more even instead of airstone. Once I have the lights together I will try and experiment and post some pics for reference.

Thanks for speedy reply and all the work you have done in this area.

[kerry]

I used a HOB millennium 3000 with the venturi and grew all kinds of 3D growth. I used LED as well.

[SantaMonica]

The point of the bubbles is to delivery air to the algae, and to move the algae around; thus, bigger bubbles are better. Water movement is secondary. But you may as well try the venturi since you have it.

Glad you like the info...

[kerry]

There is a pump there, this is where the power of flow is made to pull in the air, this is the venturi. There will be plenty of algae moving around due to the flow from the pump which also pulls in air. I guess I am missing something, if you move the algae with air you move the water as well so water movement is still happening. As the air moves up it creates current so you have water movement any way. The venturi creates both as well just with more force due to the pump moving more water.