Need Help Deciding On A Scrubber Size

[bluelobstor]

Hello Everyone,

I'm new to scrubbers although I have read a lot but am still unsure as to what screen size I should use. Let me start by giving some background info. 20G with 15G sump livestock includes 2 white ribbon eels, blue hamlet, and Argi pygmy angel with some mushrooms, GSP, zoo's, favites, moseleya, montipora digita, and some various macros.

I would like to keep the macros if possible but can send to another tank. Nitrates are currently 20 and phosphates are .25. This will be a one sided up flow scrubber and as I understand it I need 12sq in and 12 watts lighting for every half cube I feed.

The problem for me is determining how much I feed as I don't feed cubes. I feed chunks of shrimp, cut or whole silversides, chunks of fish filets, and scallops. I read where I could blend everything in a blender add water and measure out the cubes to get the equivalent but I don't really want to blend together as they will not eat it that way and it would be a waste. On average I would say that each eel gets 3 or 4 1/2" or longer chucks up to a whole silverside if skinny enough every 2-3 days and the hamlet gets 2 or 3 1/2-3/4" chunks every 2-3 days. I don't feed the angel as it currently eats the algae in the tank and is fat and happy.

The hamlet will eventually get moved to a larger tank but everything else will stay. I currently have 2 5"airstones and a Tetra Whisper air pump with 2 outlets not sure which one as I'm not currently at home. I have 3 12x18 screens that I can cut to size.

I’m thinking that maybe I feed 5-6 cubes every 2-3 days which would come out to about 1 2/3 - 3 cubes per day and at 12 inches per ½ cube equates to roughly 36-72sq in of screen area. Does this sound about right? Does anyone think I could do a single 5x7 and add a second 5x7 if needed? I may add a piece of tile with crushed coral glued to it to help catch the light that goes through the screen, got the idea from Creekview. I don’t know what I will do for lighting. I found a 54w par 38 bulb that has 18 3w 660nm bulbs that would be great for a 54” screen but not sure if it’s a good idea to put a 6” wide screen on a 5” air stone if so I could do a 6x9 screen.
Thanks in advance for everyone’s help.

[SantaMonica]

Welcome.

For a rough food measurement, just see how much food you can put into empty cubes.

Your sizes sound right. Would really be best to do 2-sided, but it is much harder of course.

The 54w bulb sounds very strong. If focused, it would need to be 6" away.

Try to do two units, so you can clean one each time.

[bluelobstor]

Thanks SM! Here is a link to the bulbs I was referring to.

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/E27-par-38-Led-grow-light-54W-with-18pcs-3W-red-660nm-leds-dropshipping/32276061533.html

So You think it's ok that the screens are slightly wider than the air stone? If I go with the 6x9 screens do you think I should remove the macros? I would like to do double sided but it would be very hard in my setup. Glad to hear you think I should put the lights about 6" away as it will help cover the 6x9 spread. At 1w/sq. in with leds I should be able to run the lights for 9 hours correct? I will try putting the pieces into cubes at next feeding.

Thanks Again

[SantaMonica]

That bulb does seem focused. But it's hard to tell its size.

Screen wider is fine.

Don't need to think about the macros for quite a while yet.

You run the lights based on growth; darker growth get more hours of light, and vis versa.

[bluelobstor]

Thanks for your advice!

I think I'm going to go with two 6x9 screens and I'm going to try that bulb. When I get started on the scrubber I will post a build thread as I may have more questions.

I do have one more question for now. It may take a couple weeks for a pair of bulbs to come in, I have some 14-20 watt 5k bulbs right now do you think I could start now with a couple of those till the new bulbs come in just to get the screen started. I know it will be low light and not quite 2700-3000k but would be just temporary, Thoughts?

[Crusinjimbo]

I use the same bulbs for a small scale horticulture project except I removed the lenses and got a much broader list spread. They definitely produce a lot of light And the price is right. They have been in use for six months and have worked flawlessly.

[bluelobstor]

Thanks for your input Crusinjimbo

Its good to know that I can remove the lenses if needed.

I hope someone will answer my last question as to whether or not it would be ok to start the screen with an improper wattage and spectrum to get the screen started till those new bulbs come in. Not sure if that would do more harm than good.

[Crusinjimbo]

I started mine with a fluorescent while waiting for my LEDs to arrive from Shanghai. Stow start but way better than doing nothing. I chose a narrow and long screen (5" x 11") waterfall on this integration. Previous tries were visa versa and the long version appears to be out performing the wide one significantly. I incorporated other changes so I can't isolate the contributors to the change. Good luck.

[bluelobstor]

Thanks for your input Crusinjimbo


I started mine with a fluorescent while waiting for my LEDs to arrive from Shanghai. Stow start but way better than doing nothing.

That's what I was thinking

I thought of doing a 5x11 instead of 6x9 but I think the lights will cover the 6x9 better.