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Thread: oversize svrubber to obliterate algae in DT

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Feb 2011
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    oversize svrubber to obliterate algae in DT

    thinking of making a four foot version scrubber. screen would be four 11x6 screens lit by 8(4 each side) f32t8 bulbs with homebrew flat white reflector.

    looking for thoughts as to whether this could quickly obliterate bryopsis and red cotton algae from my display tank of 75g.

    currently using 4 23watt cfl on a 11x10 screen and although it is just getting started i wanted to speed things up. or see if going tim "the tool man" tailor on it would even make a difference. lol

    any thoughts? thanks

  2. #2
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    Re: oversize svrubber to obliterate algae in DT

    The longer one would certainly be stronger and able to handle more feeding, but the current one should have no trouble with normal feeding. With either one you still have to let the screen develop, so the new one would not be that much faster; it would only enable very high feedings later on. So I'd stick with the current one for a year to see how it works.

  3. #3

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    Re: oversize svrubber to obliterate algae in DT

    Quote Originally Posted by SantaMonica
    The longer one would certainly be stronger and able to handle more feeding, but the current one should have no trouble with normal feeding. With either one you still have to let the screen develop, so the new one would not be that much faster; it would only enable very high feedings later on. So I'd stick with the current one for a year to see how it works.
    so if i understand what your saying. the bigger one would not help mainly because the algae in the dispkay will die at a certain rate. although bigger scrubbers can handle more food. the death and decay of established algae is constant and would not be increase or affected by scrubber size right?

    makes sense. never thought of it that way. lol. just wanted it gone and got fixated on bigger meant faster. oops

    thanks.

  4. #4
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    Re: oversize svrubber to obliterate algae in DT

    Those are NO lamps, the 32 watt ones. Just FYI you generally want to use 54W HO lamps. scrubber power is not determined by screen area alone, it's really wattage per unit area.

  5. #5

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    Re: oversize svrubber to obliterate algae in DT

    Quote Originally Posted by Floyd R Turbo
    Those are NO lamps, the 32 watt ones. Just FYI you generally want to use 54W HO lamps. scrubber power is not determined by screen area alone, it's really wattage per unit area.
    right. i just went with what HD had. im not aware of a local place in my area that carries the 54w t-5 bulbs and ballasts. plus expense was a guiding parameter as well. two ballast and a ten pack of bulbs was like 90 bucks.

    also my plan was really to use this monster temporary till algae was under controll. then build an led version. and use these lights in my shop. lol

    but thanks for the input

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