Boyu TL550 Nano with external Algae Scrubber

[datalore44]

Here is my project for an ORCA TL550 with small external sump.


The scrubber is in a bin


Here is the mesh

these are the shower clips I used to hold the mesh in place


and the diy lightboxes using 2 38w compact flourescents





Here is the inside of the bin with some light reflecting material around the outside.


And here is the bin with the inlet tube fitted.


Here it is all done and running. Lights are on for 18 hours a day and I clean one side of the mesh every sunday. I put a small peice of cheato in the bottom and now I have to thin it out every week. I cleaned this mesh 3 days ago.




Finally here is what it was all done for. My nitrate before and after. In the 2 years I have had this tank, my nitrates has always been at 50ppm no matter what I did. btw I use salifert kits for all my testing.


and now it is bearly readable


Thanks very much guys, all the information on here has helped enormously and I hope my little contribution may help someone else.
all the best
Alan. UK

[Ace25]

Very nice design! I bet it will help quite a few others. Well done and thanks for posting pictures!

[SantaMonica]

Great to hear