Would like a few tips or suggestions

[iggy]

I am constructing ATS with materials I have on hand.

I have an old acrylic 14" X 14" X 20" tall refugium with 1" in left top left and 1" outlet top right.

I will have plastic canvas from 2 slots and drain from new bulkhead at 6" from bottom.

Two sheets getting double sided flow will be 12" X 12" in air, or ~400 square inches. They drain over broken aragonite and medium texture sand.

Only light I have currently is 70 watt DE HQI above tank at 3000K. Will this be adequate lighting? It shine straight down box.

I also have a 4-T5 24" hydropoinic lamp with 3000K bulks that can shine into box sideways if necessary at right angle to sheets.

Any input on lighting would be appreciated.

[SantaMonica]

12 X 12 = 144 square inches. Two of these would be 288, not 400.

Best is to drain onto nothing; you don't want anything stoping/catching bits of food that flow down. You want them to go to the tank. So a bare scrubber box is best (filter wise).

Your light will not work. Get two clip-on 23 watts CFL "warm" or "soft" bulbs, one for each side. Better, use two on each side. Best, three on each side.

If you use the T5's, they need to be right up next to the screen... one or two inches away, parallel.

[iggy]

Is it possible to post picture here after I finish making acrylic box for ATS?

I have pro tools and would like to show it off when done.The box will be 14" by 28" and have a sheet 12" X 24" for 140 gallon reef with light load or 1.71 sq inch per gallon with single sided light of 4 - 2' T5 bulbs or 0.68 watts per gallon. I can add light to other side if necessary. I'll use Tunze DC speed control pump with DC back up to make it last if power ever goes out. I can't make it tall by limits of cabinet height and wider would take take too much flow.

Energy consumption of this light and flow will make it more consuming than many skimmers. I hate to take down productive refugium so might just leave it up for now. Looks straight forward so far.

[SantaMonica]

Certainly do post pics....

[iggy]

Here is the scrubber and jig I used to make it. I did it in a few hours with 1/4" extruded. I won't buy extruded acrylic again but I am happy with results. I wouldn't sell this from a few defects from rushing it, but will not effect the scrubber.

I have 3000K 4X2'T5's hydroponic lamp and extra mag 5.I am confident I will get reasonable results but won't be turning off skimmer too soon, but may cut it back.

Box is going to dry in garage while I get PVC fitting and tubing to finish.

I learned a bit today about working with acrylic. Chloroform works but is not too forgiving. I also need to fix run-out on this contractor saw if I ever do larger projects. I am referring to aligning fence to blade or fence to router as a planer.

[new2scrub]

looks great! but how are you going to remove screen for cleaning?

[SantaMonica]

Nice no-spray box.

I'll bet one side of the pipe lifts up, and it slides out of the bulkhead.

[iggy]

Bar slips up and out. I may grind back a bit and use teflon tape or notch top of bulkhead for weekly cleaning as needed.Thanks, I thought simple design with no water to light would be most effective.

My only concern is it can drain fast enough. 12" * 35 gph = 420 gph through a 1" bulkhead should be OK but I will find out shortly. I can still go bigger if needed.

[SantaMonica]

I drain 800 through a 1"

[iggy]

Looks like I'm moving along fast compared to other threads.

Here is Day 1. I picked up red bulbs from the local grow house supplier. Trickiest past of project was getting even flow across screen but was easy once I figured it out. Just push screen in all the way and use less tie clips. Surface tension make water cling if it is mostly straight sheet.

Less than ideal sound muffler but it is out of way. I need 1/2" white cap and black lid to reduce sound. Using Mag 5 through 3/4" tubing. Actually it looks like Mag5 I got used and flow seems right but need to measure flow one time.

If all goes well I plan to get DC controlled Tunze sump that is variable speed control and DC battery backed up. It can easily simulate a surge with 8 seconds of 100% output and 8seconds of 30% output etc. I already have 6105 streams, battery, and controller so I might do it.

[sklywag]

Just cut the spray bar an inch or so shorter to allow it to slide out then up. One less inch on that nice big screen shouldn't matter. Especially since it's double sided. Looks great.

[mikepao13]

Nice setup, i agree.

Nice lighting setup as well.

Is it ready or custom? Do you have any other pictures of your lights?

[new2scrub]

nice job! i am interested in the "sound muffler" was the open 1" drain loud?


and (santa) is the drain muffled on the sm-100 ?

[SantaMonica]

On the SM100 the sound of the drain is a function of how you install it, not the drain itself. If you use a hose on the drain that winds around, it's the hose that makes the sound, just like your overflow hose. If you let the water just fall from the scrubber into the sump, then the sound is a function of the height; in this case to make it quiet you put a tube on it with holes.

[iggy]

I made it in my garage last week. Some photos are above.

Sound is now OK. I left lid off for evaporative cooling and air exchange. I turned off skimmer on second day and yet so see diatoms, but red bulbs will hide it for a while. I have only 2 fish in 140 and feed 2 cubes a day so growth on screen will be slow.

I like having it a remote filter. Screen lifts up and away but is a bit snug which is perfect so it won't fall out on own. I'll show a green screen hopefully in 1-2 weeks.

[iggy]

Here is after one week of growth.

Tank does not have a severe nutrient problem so did not expect massive growth. I have diatom bloom and hair algae below water clinging to sheet.

Diatoms on sand in tank have seemed to subsided but may be too quick to be sure observation is correct. I rinsed screen off in sink with spray hose and it all came off. I was at least pleased I put all that algae down the drain.

It this looking correct? I use 4X 2' philips 3K bulbs 18 hrs/day.

[SantaMonica]

If you mean 4 bulbs, each one being 2 feet, then yes. If they are T5HO, they will be 24 watts each.

[iggy]

Is the growth normal for 1 week and is all diatoms expected to rinse off so easily?

Thanks

[SantaMonica]

A little slow for a well-fed tank.

[iggy]

I cleaned screen with spray wand from kitchen sink. All diatom film wash off quickly.

Should I have left more on screen?

[SantaMonica]

No it will be thicker next week.

[iggy]

Yes I see it is growing faster already. I appreciate your guidelines for these filters. I am thinking diatom bloom in tank is subsiding. I have red turf algae in tank and found turbos work great on them.

Thanks again!! I think I am on my way.

[iggy]

Next week as a thicker mat of diatoms that easily washed off.

I turned off skimmer now and GFO. Will speed up of course. Water does appear a bit dusty. Slow transition does not appear to cause stress to sps corals.

[SantaMonica]

The GFO is the only thing that would affect the growth, since it reduces phosphate. Also, a slow transition is not really needed, because you are only increasing food, and decreasing nutrients; you are not changing temp, salinity, etc. But good to see it growing more.

[iggy]

My concern with a fast transition is the diatoms wash off almost compltely, and while it contains many tied up nutrients, it is also a clean scrubber with no algae for filtration for 1-2 days now.

Also washing off the screen made the screen cling better. As week progresses the spray increased.

[iggy]

Got Tunze 7105.50 pump for X-Mas. It is a DC controlled sump pump that can create a surge effect. I am going to experiment with slightly larger 1/8" kerf on slit and then surge and normal flow rates.

Control is through devices like Neptune Apex or Tunze Controllers. Neptune may have advantage in surge times and delays. DC back up relay will save algse in event of power failure.

It is overkill but I have learned this stuff hard way in lightning belt.