I built my first scrubber last November. I had a very bad algae problem. It is a 7X13 screen. Lit it on both sides. It took months to get really going, but was just starting to reduce my tank algae in April. The end of April I decided to build a new sump, tore my tank completely apart, went to a deep sand bed. The tank is a 45 gal. with a sump that is a DIY acrylic holds about 15 gal, integrated removable refugium. Got rid of my skimmer. and have been totally on the AS, since about mid May.
Starting to get some tank algae growth again so decided to build a better scrubber, modeled after the SM100, but instead of 24" long, it will be 15" long. 24 will not fit in my sump. I will use my original screen, orient it with the 13 horizontal. (see side view drawing). the problem I am running into is a light source.
[attachment=0:28iudugl]side-panel-as.gif[/attachment:28iudugl]
Side view drawing
If I go with linear bulbs they can only be 15" long. The only thing I can find are F10T40CW 10 watt 13.5 " long 4100 K, not sure how many I would need per side or if these would work. Option 2 A 24 Watt design, from a place I got my hood lights and reflectors http://www.ahsupply.com/18_or_24_w_kits.htm . Probably could only get one of these on a side, haven't talked them but their lowest bulb is a 5500K bulb . Option 3 using 23W CFL 2700K, what i am presently using. either 1 or 2 per side. probably building a reflector out of the reflector material Santa Monica has on this site.
Any thoughts or suggestion would be greatly appreciated.
Kent