My horizontal version

[mrbncal]

Heres my tank now. 75 with 3x 150 de 14K reeflux and 2x t5 actinic 420 and 460. Need to scrape the back glass.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y113/mrbncal/ReddingReef/2010_0318ReefTank0240.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y113/mrbncal/ReddingReef/2010_0318ReefTank0241.jpg

I used cutting board material
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y113/mrbncal/Turf%20Scrubber/2010_0318ReefTank0225.jpg

Used a wall paper scoring tool . . . didnt have a hole saw blade
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y113/mrbncal/Turf%20Scrubber/2010_0318ReefTank0227.jpg

Superglued rails on to keep water in the tray
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y113/mrbncal/Turf%20Scrubber/2010_0318ReefTank0234.jpg

Used a plastic canvas from a bucket model I tried first. Wife didnt like teh bucket in teh family room though.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y113/mrbncal/Turf%20Scrubber/2010_0318ReefTank0246.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y113/mrbncal/Turf%20Scrubber/2010_0318ReefTank0237.jpg

After the first cleaning I took off the canvas and let it go on its own.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y113/mrbncal/Turf%20Scrubber/2010_0318ReefTank0279.jpg

And how it looked about three weeks after start up.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y113/mrbncal/Turf%20Scrubber/2010_0318ReefTank0327.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y113/mrbncal/Turf%20Scrubber/2010_0318ReefTank0325.jpg

It's 22 long x 11 wide and uses the drain to flood the tray. About 325 gph. I havent taken any pics in the last two weeks. I am getting strong growth but its the black slime phase still. i clean it off about every three days. When I do clean it you can see green strands underneath. I try to leave those on as much as I can.

[SantaMonica]

Great flow, because all of the of 35 gph/inch is on the top side. Weak lighting though, as I can tell from the slow growth. For 75 gal, you need at least 35 total watts, and preferabley 75 total watts. And those bulbs need to be right down on the screen, within 4 inches. That will give you green growth in the spots right in front of the bulbs.

[mrbncal]

I have been thinking of replacing teh bulbs with higher wattage. These are what I used to grow cheato in teh sump before so I grabbed them off teh storage self. Next ones will be teh reflectorized ones. Also looking at a fixture home depot sells that is 24", two t5 bulbs on a shop lite type fixture and then add a reflector.

One problem I have with this design is spray. I get a lot of salt spray on the bulbs and surrounding area.

[ocean rock]

hi mate like the tank alot its a real credit to you . just put a splash guard in front of the lights and attach should help you can use glass or acrylic

[mrbncal]

^^^ Thanks Ocean, I may try that if I can figure out how to do it without adding to much work to getting the tray out. I am going to switch out bulb types this weekend. Get away from the large reflector style and get the type SM uses in his bucket style. I am going to move the tray to a separate remote tank, and convert this area to a frag grow out. Then I can have a little more freedom in what I put over the tray. Thanks for the comments guys ... All feed back is welcome.
Mike

[rygh]

Regarding the spray:
On my semi-horizontal design, I do not have the flow dropped directly on the screens.
I built a small reservoir at the end, and the pipes dump water into that, which then overflows smoothly onto the screen.
The pipes ends are slightly under water.
It really eliminated the splashing, other than a tiny bit from bubbles from the water coming in.
I also added a splash guard on the exit pipes. If you have those.

See the last entry on the first page of viewtopic.php?f=3&t=509#p4312 (http://www.algaescrubber.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=509#p4312)
Not the final pipe, but shows the idea.

[mrbncal]

Verry cool idea. Thanks.

Got the new bulbs now. The light bulbs are longer then the coiled cfls that were on it so they extend closer to the tray. It doesnt look any brighter to my eyes but I will give it a day. ( maybe they have to burn in? )Bought 23 watt(120 eq) 5100K par 40 bulbs made by eco at Home Depot. Had 100 watt equivilent bulbs on it before. Anyway the one I bought is the bulb I got from the original "nitrate removal " post by SM. Is that still teh best choice ( as far as cheap cfl bulbs go) ?

[SantaMonica]

Yes

[mrbncal]

Update: Well the horizontal version was a success, it grew algae, it lowered the "Big Three" #'s like it was supposed to.. . . but. Theres always a but, it created a lot of salt creep and spray. In short it was a maintenance headache. I was spending more time cleaning the inside of the stand and outside the sump walls than anything else. So I have switched to an in-sump vertical model. It does everything the other one did and is quieter and there is virtually no splash. Bulbs have been clean for three weeks now. Water is supplied with an independent powerhead to an old ehiem spraybar with 1/8" slot and 3/16" holes drilled every inch ( am going to increase this to every half inch) and one plastic screen. Thats it. Works great, coral and fish are healthy like never before and I am even growing some gorgonians and doing great with dendros. Still dealing with the dreaded bubble algae and I get a "five o'clock shadow" of green algae on teh display glass after a week or so but that is down from " heavy growth " every couple days, a year ago. After fourteen years in this hobby, its too simple to believe it works, but but it does and I am a believer. Thanks SM for bringing this to the boards.

[rygh]

Sounds great, and eerily familiar.
I gave up on my horizontal build as well. It worked, but had issues.
Built a new vertical, although not in the sump. Same slot method even.
And my nutrients are all 0, but I am still having issues with bubble algae.

[SantaMonica]

Great to hear!