Critique my scrubber

Hello All,

I've been lurking and attempted to build a scrubber. My DIY skills are pretty bad but, I'd like a critique of my scrubber setup. The screen is 6" wide and it has drilled holes instead of the slot and there are 2700K 23watt CFL floods on both sides.

I also had the option of going with 23watt Par38 CFL's I didn't know if that would have been better?

Also, I used saran wrap to stop the splashing. Is it ok that it's flush/stuck against the screen? or will that prevent algae growth?

Thanks for the help guys!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...hi/photo14.jpg

Looks okay. I would notch sections out just enough to get lights lower and more direct on screen. But even that so simple of design will do great things for your system. May and probably will get uglier before getting better. But need to weigh through it.

Is the screen wrapped around the pipe?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SantaMonica

Is the screen wrapped around the pipe?

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Yes it is. I tried to follow the non-slot method laid out by MorganAtlanta (http://algaescrubber.net/forums/show...tical-scrubber)

It's wrapped around the pipe and sewn together about 1/2 inch from the pipe and saranwrap is laid over all of it and extends most of the way down.

Is that going to cause issues?

It's going to clog as soon as growth starts, if you just wrapped it. I think Morgan's had several pieces which let water and growth occur without blocking flow.

Could not see yours too clearly though.

Black saranwrap over slot area would solve clogging ?

So it's been 2-3 days now and the screen looks exactly the same...

Any new screen needs 5 days to see anything.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SantaMonica

Any new screen needs 5 days to see anything.

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ah ok, thanks! I was getting a scared there.

Use black plastic instead of clear saranwrap. I just cut a piece from a black garbage bag. You don't want growth on the part of the screen that wraps around, so the plastic should cover down to where the wrapping part is sewn to the hanging part.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MorganAtlanta

Use black plastic instead of clear saranwrap. I just cut a piece from a black garbage bag. You don't want growth on the part of the screen that wraps around, so the plastic should cover down to where the wrapping part is sewn to the hanging part.

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Ok, I will make that change. I also moved the lights down to a better angle.

For the time being if the saranwrap runs the length of the screen is that going to inhibit algae growth? Or I saw a picture where another person used duct tape.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by krz

... is that going to inhibit algae growth?.

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It might. You only need it down to where the screens come together to keep the splashing down.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MorganAtlanta

It might. You only need it down to where the screens come together to keep the splashing down.

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Made a few changes last night.

I cut the plastic wrap so it doesn't cover the screen, just the top part before it comes together.

I also turned down the flow since it seemed to be spraying everywhere, maybe the holes are too small or jagged? It still sheets down continuously though and appears to be more uniform, not sure what the flow rate is now though.

I moved the lights down lower to get a better angle on the screen.

Here are some updated pictures from last night. It has been I guess 5 days now and not much growth at all. Just trace amounts of light brown. Not sure if my lights are too close? Flow was too high?

Two 23w CFL floods 2700K lit lit for 18 hours a day (7PM-1PM) on a 6inch screen.

Side One
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ashi/photo.jpg

Side Two
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...i/photo1-1.jpg

If you still have spraying, make your holes larger and/or add more. You need to slow the velocity of the flow. Also, switch to black plastic soon or you are going to get algae in places you don't want it.

Day 7. I took these pictures with my iPhone. At least in my opinion it looked more brown in real life but, staring at those CFL's really did a number on my eyes.

I did take some pieces of hair algae and rub them onto my screen but, only a few. Looks like more may have grown. Haven't cleaned it yet.

So does this growth amount/growth color indicating anything about my flow rate/light intensity/lighting period/nutrient level?

Last time I tested a few days ago nitrates were up probably around 40ish maybe a little higher, API kits are hard to decipher at the high end.

I'm getting some pretty good growth on the floor of my sump too. doh!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...hi/photo-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...i/photo1-2.jpg

Let it go at least to 14 days. Maybe to 21.

11/20

A couple days later. I believe this is Day 9. Seems to be growing more on the bottom part of the screen.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...shi/photo2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...i/photo1-3.jpg

I also started another one for my other system. 90gal. Put a piece of algae from the other screen onto this one. Same size screen and same wattage/spectrum except this time I'm using a Par38. Wonder if that will give the light a little better focus.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...hi/photo-2.jpg

11/23 Day 12

Should I clean just one side? Or leave it till it hits the 21 day mark?

It looks black on camera but, it looks more like a dark green to me in real life.

I finally got around to putting the black garbage bag over top.

Side1:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...3122812PM1.jpg

Side2:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...3122324PM1.jpg

Just noticed you have been told to leave it 21 days ! That's great growth BTW. You'll need to clean it all off now. When it gets a bit more established you may want to try cleaning one side at a time;
http://algaescrubber.net/forums/show...ll=1#post27198

Yep looks too dark to go any longer. 21 days would be a max with 20 mm bright green growth.

11/23

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...833FECCA19.jpg

Hopefully or goes green soon. I was scared top completely clean it off so I left a good amount on there.

My nitrates are at about 40ppm (darker orange) according to api in fowlr 180 gallon tank.



Sent from my nexus 7

Start Date 11/11. first Cleaned on 11/23.

Sorry for keep asking the same questions, just want to make sure I'm doing this right.

3 days later 11/26. It's still pretty much the same dark green. Should I clean or leave it?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../photo14-1.jpg

Clean because is dark.

Nitrates have gotten slightly worse since starting I think. :x

At least according the super accurate API kits /sarcasm

From 11/23 ~40PPM
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...4F621A1A-1.jpg

from today, right after cleaning the screen. 11/27
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...nitrate2-1.jpg

Nutrients will go up after a cleaning.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SantaMonica

Nutrients will go up after a cleaning.

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hmm only thing is that was literally a couple minutes after cleaning, though I did have a fish die last night so that might have been why...

11/30 - It's been 3 days and it got pretty dark so, I cleaned it again today.

Side1:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...shi/SCRUB2.jpg

Side2:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...shi/SCRUB1.jpg

After cleaning I noticed something funny though. The top half of the screen had green and the bottom part was brownish... Not sure what that indicates but, I've attached a picture of the just cleaned screen, should be able to clearly make out the color difference.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...shi/SCRUB3.jpg

11/30 - Not sure if I'm supposed to make another thread for this but, I have a second scrubber that was started on 11/20. It's a 90 gallon and it's still waiting for it's first cleaning. If it makes it easier to track for you guys, let me know and I will create a new thread.

Day 10:

There is some really green growth on the bottom but brown/minimal growth elsewhere. It was seeded with a small piece of hair algae from my display.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...shi/scrub1.jpg

Different angle with the front light off and back light on.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...shi/scrub2.jpg

The top of the screen is green underneath because the strong light penetrates through the black growth, and, the black growth has also filtered nutrients from the outside water layer so that the inside water is low-nutrient.

12/2 - Finished my 3rd scrubber today for my 75G. Hard to track all these scrubbers ha.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../scrubber3.jpg

Tested Nitrates today for all 3 of my tanks. From left to right.

My 180G that has had the scrubber up for about 3 weeks now and has been cleaned 3 times. Nitrates are holding pretty steady at about 40PPM.

My 90G which has been up for 12 days now, haven't cleaned it yet. N up near 80.

My 75G which I Just started today and has a very low bioload.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../scrubber4.jpg

Scrubber #2 in the 90 Gallon shows a lot better growth. Here is 13 days and first cleaning.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ashi/scrub.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...i/scrub2-1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...shi/scrub3.jpg

However, couple questions. What would cause it to really only grow thick on the bottom? Too strong of light or maybe? Since, I do since a hint of yellow.

When I cleaned it I left a good amount of the green stuff. I'm assuming that's what I was supposed to do.

Thanks! I will have pictures of my 3rd scrubber when it comes cleaning time for that one.

Yes the middle is burning.

Move the light back? or lower the hours? I'm at 7PM-1PM(16hrs)

It's a 6" screen with 2 26w 2700K CFL's.

You could move the light back about an inch or cut back the hours by "one". Try either of those for a week and see what happens and adjust as needed, you could also increase the flow if thats an option but the other two will work as well.

Thanks. My ball valve still has a lot of room to go so, I'll up the flow and keep everything else the same?

12/11 - Been about a week and all 3 of my scrubbers are up and running. Any input/advice would be great as some of the scrubbers seem to be doing ok, while some are complete failures so far.

Scrubber #1 Started on 11/11, 180 Gallon. I've cleaned it about 5 times now and it is still growing dark, nitrates really haven't budged still around 40PPM. Hair algae growth in display is pretty minimal but, still getting brown dust on glass(diatoms?) Here is a picture today before I cleaned it for the 5th time. 7 Days of growth. 6" screen 2 26W 2700K CFL's.

Side1:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...1D65343792.jpg
Side2:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...1DBC06B4F4.jpg


Scrubber #2. This was started on 11/20 in a 90 gallon tank. The scrubber doesn't look like it's doing so well and I'm not sure why. I've only cleaned it once and it was on 12/3. The algae just isn't growing very quickly or much at all. Green hair algae has exploded in this tank, and lots of brown dusty diatoms. Here pictures of the scrubber from today. Last time it was cleaned was 12/3. Nitrates are way up, around 80. I've attached a photo below. There is some bright green in random spots though. I suspect possibly the holes I drilled were not straight enough? But, I figured that would be mitigated by the fact that the plastic wrap is still making it contact the screen. Plus, I got decent growth the before the most recent cleaning. 6" screen with 2 26w 2700K CFL's.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...1E8D32821C.jpg

Scrubber #3. Started 12/1 and it's a 75 gallon and pretty lightly stocked. Scopas tang, 2 anthias, clown. Nitrates around 5PPM. Haven't cleaned it yet but, I'm getting pretty decent growth. It's a 6 inch screen again lit by 2 26w CFL's 2700K and fed from a 3/4" pvc overflow. Hair algae growth in display is minimal if at all, but I'm still getting some brown, dusty algae on the glass (diatoms?)

side #1:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...1D9A23A670.jpg
side #2:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...1D8D15EB66.jpg

Previously, I had the lights closer but, it looked like it was burning.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...1DD7A2CFF6.jpg

Let all of them go 18 hours, and 14 days.

12/13 - The algae problem was awful in the 90G tank so I did a 50% water change last night. Brought nitrates down to about 20PPM. I'll probably do another 50% tomorrow.

My 75G remains steady at about 5-10PPM.

Is it a possible explanation that my scrubber is just powerful enough to keep my nutrient level stable(keep up with current feeding) and not actually reduce the nutrients? If that makes any sense. My guess is if I don't do any more changes the nutrients will remain stable at 20PPM in my 90G.

Because, for the most part nitrates are remaining at pre-scrubber levels in all 3 tanks, but have not really gone up.

Long, bright green hair algae growing, took a bunch of days though.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...4F9BE074FF.jpg

90G on the left and 75G on the right

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...028EF67593.jpg

If nutrients stay the same, then the scrubber is not strong enough to bring the nutrients down. But maybe you don't need the nutrients to come down.

12/15 - Haven't really messed or checked levels with my 180 lately just letting the algae grow.

90G - Did another 50% water change today and cleaned the screen for the 2nd time (about 13 days after the first time). My 2nd water change in the past 3 days and N is now down to 5-10PPM from 80PPM at the beginning of the month. I'll be happy if I don't see any more algae growth and it stays at these levels. The screen growth was pretty green, long and thick. Picture is below.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...263B0DA553.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...2640D8D7B7.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...26456A8914.jpg


75G - This one is showing pretty good growth too and I cleaned it for the first time after 15 days. As previously stated tank is fairly lightly stocked, nitrates are pretty steady in the 5-10PPM range.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...28D5370278.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...262C5782D1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...28DB58AE6E.jpg

Only thing is I'm still getting brown dusty diatoms on the glass of all my tanks.

Nice. Shows how important the strong-light areas are.