Hi All,
I'm Dominique from Eindhoven in The Netherlands, 28 years of age, and have stopped a year ago with my formal reef aquarium because of the method i did not like, and continous walking the very thin line of the poor water environment.. So i started to look for a more natural way, and first thought of the old "dutch system" with a "algae river".
But after a lot of reading and information gathering on algae's, i bumped into the scrubbers, and instantly wanted to give this a try. I want to start a new reef tank with ATS only filtering.
I finished the designs so far, but want to get it reviewed by the experts here. :roll:
Tank: 120x40x50 - 240 Liters ~ 53 Gallons (ordered)
Lighting: 6* 54watt T5 totals: 324 Watt (1,35 watt T5 per liter in display) (ordered)
Overflow type: 3 * 32mm Standpipes according thisdesign
Return pump: 3000 L/h (not ordered yet, can be changed)
Water flow: 4 streamers each 5000 L/h variable flow between: 8.000 and 20.000 l/h (ordered)
Sump: 80x30x40 (ordered)
will be filled till 20cm height, left compartment of 25 cm for return pump, then a bubble trap (3 glas panels), and in the other 45 cm the scrubber 5 cm in the water.
Water volume: 48 Liters ~ 10,5 Gallon
Total water volume: 288 Liters ~ 63 Gallon
ATS Details
Driven by the overflow
Calculated values:
Area: 1,62cm2 * 288 Liters = 472 cm2 (30cm x 16cm)
Light: 0,26 watt * 288 Liters = 75 watt
Slot length: 30cm
Flow: 30* 60l/h = 1800 L/h
Planned values:
Area: 30 x 30 cm = 900cm2
Light: 8* 11 watt (4 on each side) with reflectors. Reason: To not burn the algae's and for better distribution all over the screen.
Flow: somewhere around 2600 L/u (just the full 300l/h return pump capacity with substraction of height loss)
Screen will hang in the center above the sump, about 5 cm in the water and light on both sides.
Questions:
1) With growing plants, the grow-fase is best with lighting 18/6, but in the flower-fase the lighting should be 12/12. Is it whise to do this on the scrubber? Fe. first 3 days of the week 18/6 other 4 days lights on 12/12?
2) What do you think of my design? Will it work? or is it better to increase lighting / decrease area / increase flow?
3) How to startup the tank best? My planning is to start with dead-rock and a few pieces of living rock in the sump. Then ent it with bacteria cultures. Tips are welcome.
Thanks very much for your replies,
Kind regards,
Doompie
PS. when all the equipment is here, i will start a dairy-thread here if that is whishfull?
PS 2. Sorry for my english.