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Thread: Jaz's UAS test

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Mar 2011
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    Jaz's UAS test

    Hey guys here's my build of the UAS style scrubber.

    I've acquired all the bits and pieces but haven't yet installed it, hopefully in the next few days i'll get it done.
    This will replace my waterfall scrubber and be installed in the sump. I'm hoping to use air from my overflow instead of using an air pump.

    Specs
    Screen size, 5 x 4 (20"), single sided. About 3/4 cube per day.
    Air bubbles fed from overflow pipe.
    Led lights, 5 x 3W 660nm. Rated for 750ma, only supplying 650ma, measured the voltage drop and calculate about 7.5 watts of power.

    Heres the LED's.
    Bought all parts, including heatsink and driver from Satisled.com, cheap as chips, fast delivery to New Zealand, approx 7 days.


    This T connector with slot cut will fit onto my overflow pipe.
    Using these neat little gutter clips i found at a hardware store.
    The clips are secured to the T using good old plastic ties, and allows easy removal of the screen, just slides on no probs.


    Here's what it looks like with the screen attached.
    The slot is wider than a normal water fall scrubber would use, and the screen is positioned higher than the slot, hopefully to prevent blockage.


    The screen is positioned to one side of the slot so that all the bubbles rise on the lit side of the screen.


    At this stage im not going to block the sides of the T connector, I'm hoping that i all the bubbles rise up through the slot and not out the sides.
    If i can keep the sides open then that will add a measure of safety and prevent algae from blocking the pipe.
    Will just have to try it and see.

    I'm not using the screen as seen in the pics, in case you are wondering about not being rough enough
    I'll be using a piece cut off from my water fall scrubber.

    More pics coming soon once i get it installed.

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Mar 2011
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    I never had success with my waterfall scrubber.

    It never really took off, I couldn't get nice green algae to grow, but that's because i built it before the feeding guidelines came out and I didn't spend the time trying to fix it.

    Just wanted give a comparison to my old scrubber.

    New screen size is about quarter the size.
    Lighting is 7.5 watts vs 48watts.
    Old scrubber was noisy, this one should be a lot quiter.
    I will have more room in my sump
    I really hope this works for me, my tank is good, only a little bit of algae but certainly room for improvement.

  3. #3
    Banned
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    Christmas light gutter clips, great use of them! I threw a few hundred of those away a few years ago when I switched to a better version...good idea!

  4. #4
    kerry's Avatar
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    May 2011
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    Oh yeah, I seen that too!!! Great Idea!!!
    150G. Reef/Mix
    125G. 3 Regular Oscars/1 Jack Dempsey
    75G. 20+ Africans
    40G. Fish/Reef. Algae Scrubbers on ALL my SW
    10G. SW Fish/Reef.
    10G. SW Hospital/new fish quarantine/pod breeder tank
    6 stage RO/DI system 200 GPD.

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Mar 2011
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    New Zealand
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    My UAS is now live.

    Starting with 12/12 lighting schedule.

    A couple of things I've noticed so far with my design.
    Bubbles aren't spread out across the screen, mostly in the middle.
    Pressure from the flow/bubbles is bending the top of the screen backwards away from the bubbles.
    Not too worried at the moment, I'm going to leave it be for a week and see what happens.

    Heres a few shots.












    A quick video.


  6. #6

    Join Date
    Mar 2011
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    New Zealand
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    Progress update.

    Growth so far. Note i didn't start with a clean screen, it had about 3 days growth from my water fall scrubber before i placed the screen into the UAS.


    I made a change to help spread out the bubbles better.
    Used a piece of plastic canvas and inserted into the pipe.






    A video showing how the bubbles are spread out better.

  7. #7

    Join Date
    Mar 2011
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    Day 7 Progress update.

    Very pleased, this is more green than I ever got on my (poorly designed) waterfall scrubber.
    How long should I wait before cleaning?


  8. #8
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    It can probably go another 5 days.

  9. #9

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    Progress update - Day 13 - First Cleaning

    Not much green hair algae mostly just a layer of slime.


    Un-lit side


    After cleaning


    Haven't made any changes, not sure if I need to do anything, do I wait another cycle to see how it develops?
    I don't think bubbles are rubbing the screen since it slants backwards away from the bubble wall, but since there is growth does this need to be addressed?
    I'm only feeding about 1/5th of a cube.
    Lighting is 12/12.

    Any suggestions?

  10. #10
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    Actually it looks to be most all green hair. Just very fine hairs. If you turn the air off and look with a flashlight in the water, you'll see it.

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