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Thread: scrubber for 800 gal reef

  1. #1

    scrubber for 800 gal reef

    I'm trying to design a scrubber for my 800 gallon mixed reef system that's been running for about 2 months (4 fish + cleaning crew). I'm thinking about using a 48"x12"x18" sump that would house 3 rigid scrubber panels measuring 48"x10". Each panel would be 4" apart and fit lengthwise. I anticipate lighting it with T5 fixtures (4x48") on the sides and bottom, and one 400W MH (above). I would add it into the flow of the existing sump which produces about 4000 gal/hr.

    Thoughts?

  2. #2
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    Re: scrubber for 800 gal reef

    Gallons don't matter. Feeding does:

    An example VERTICAL waterfall screen size is 3 X 4 inches = 12 square inches of screen (7.5 X 10 cm = 75 sq cm) with a total of 12 real watts (not equivalent) of fluorescent light for 18 hours a day. If all 12 watts are on one side, it is a 1-sided screen. If 6 watts are on each side, it is a 2-sided screen, but the total is still 12 watts for 18 hours a day. This screen size and wattage should be able to handle the following amounts of daily feeding:

    1 frozen cube per day (2-sided screen), or
    1/2 frozen cube per day (1-sided screen), or
    10 pinches of flake food per day (2-sided screen), or
    5 pinches of flake food per day (1-sided screen), or
    10 square inches (50 sq cm) of nori per day (2-sided screen), or
    5 square inches (50 sq cm) of nori per day (1-sided screen), or
    0.1 dry ounce (2.8 grams) of pellet food per day (2-sided screen), or
    0.05 dry ounce (1.4 grams) of pellet food per day (1-sided screen)

    High-wattage technique: Double the wattage, and cut the hours in half (to 9 per day). This will get brown screens to grow green much faster. Thus the example above would be 12 watts on each side, for a total of 24 watts, but for only 9 hours per day. If growth starts to turn YELLOW, then increase the flow, or add iron, or reduce the number of hours. And since the bulbs are operating for 9 hours instead of 18, they will last 6 months instead of 3 months.

  3. #3

    Re: scrubber for 800 gal reef

    Would you use the vertical, 2-sided scrubber calculation for this system? My concern is that I wont get the the same growth rates and flow characteristics that a typical vertical scrubber would.

  4. #4
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    Re: scrubber for 800 gal reef

    Not sure what you mean. These are for vertical 2-sided.

  5. #5
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    Re: scrubber for 800 gal reef

    re-read the feeding based screen sizing. Also you mention wanting to light it from the sides, top and bottom. You only need lighting perpendicular to the screen. use the plastic canvas. Don't try to re-invent the wheel here, stick to the basics

    viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1432

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