Cycling Water Through Your scrubber

[ruddybop]

I have a large volume air pump for my scrubber it pushes the bubbles at a high rate in which will cycle my tank through the scrubber I don't know how many times. My tank is 220G and my screen is 9x14 with 138Watts.

IMO .. You don't want a cheap air pump. You want to push that air hard just like if you where cycling your sump. If you have just a few bubbles how are you suppose to cycle the water through your scrubber so it filters it. We cycle our sump 5 to 10 times on some tanks I would think you need to cycle the scrubber.

You need water inlets and water outlets so that water flows through the scrubber. The more bubbles you have on your scrubber the more the water is going to cycle through the scrubber.

Don't buy a cheap 5 dollar pump to make your scrubber. I'm hearing a lot on feeding/cubes and size of scrubber, but nothing on cycling it.

Don't we need to cycle these so they work efficiently?.......This is just my opinion.... I'd like to hear what others say/think



Just a video of my scrubber running with a large volume of water/bubbles flowing out of it. Almost looks like the water is boiling...

[sklywag]

You would think that. But I never did. I built my WFATS using the feed from overflow which would be running/cycling all the water past the scrubber. I did this inadvertenly as not to have to use another pump when it's not needed.

I am still torn on WFATS or UAS for new set up. But if I go UAS. I was planning on running the drain to the bottom(from a Herbie overflow, super quiet) of the sump and using the wood airstone(?) because of the fine bubbles, and placing it right at the exit which would push them across the screen. Figuring it would add turbulance and bubbles like white water on the rocks. Imagine a 1 and 1/4 inch pipe draing from display to the bottom corner of your screen box with an airstone infront of it using the pressure to spread bubbles not needing an air wand at the bottom. This too would process all the water in the system. So maybe without thinking about it, I actually do. I think I think too much instead of just doing. My wife even says I over think things. It's how I don't have to do them she says.

[ruddybop]

You would think that. But I never did. I built my WFATS using the feed from overflow which would be running/cycling all the water past the scrubber. I did this inadvertenly as not to have to use another pump when it's not needed.

I am still torn on WFATS or UAS for new set up. But if I go UAS. I was planning on running the drain to the bottom(from a Herbie overflow, super quiet) of the sump and using the wood airstone(?) because of the fine bubbles, and placing it right at the exit which would push them across the screen. Figuring it would add turbulance and bubbles like white water on the rocks. Imagine a 1 and 1/4 inch pipe draing from display to the bottom corner of your screen box with an airstone infront of it using the pressure to spread bubbles not needing an air wand at the bottom. This too would process all the water in the system. So maybe without thinking about it, I actually do. I think I think too much instead of just doing. My wife even says I over think things. It's how I don't have to do them she says.

On the WFATS you needed so much water cycling over the screen or your algae didn't grow. But for the UAS you need bubbles to help it grow. You can have a small bubbler get it to grow, but to actually filter the water you need to move that water through the scrubber just like your over flow did.

The way your describing your design sounds like yours will cycle. The in tank scrubbers that rely on bubbles to process the water though the scrubber need stronger bubbles to get that water flowing. IMO

[kotlec]

I asked the very same question in SMs HOG thread. If you look at it you will see that scrubber body has only few tiny holes for water to come in. I was very much surprised to see that, because my initial thoughts were exactly like what you just described in first post. Also I remembered theory about how important is nutrient flow compared to nutrient amount in water column. All now is completely messed in my head (like it wasnt before...)

[kerry]

I thought about this to, this is why I went with a design that pumped water though the place where the screen was so I would have good nutrient export. This is why the HOB UAS type interested me because I would turn over the water and have the air bubbles by way of venturi in my model of HOB. And with the venturi there is not air stone to clog which has been devastating my FW 125G UAS so thats on hold for a while.

[ruddybop]

I asked the very same question in SMs HOG thread. If you look at it you will see that scrubber body has only few tiny holes for water to come in. I was very much surprised to see that, because my initial thoughts were exactly like what you just described in first post. Also I remembered theory about how important is nutrient flow compared to nutrient amount in water column. All now is completely messed in my head (like it wasnt before...)

Yes . I noticed that also.. How is the water suppose to flow through there with those tiny holes and you need a good air pump to move those bubbles in which it will push the water through.

The scrubber needs to have a good flow of bubbles and water just like any other filters/sump/HOB minus-bubbles of coarse for these filters. The more bubbles the better flow/GPH across the screen.

LOL...but how do you measure gallons per hour with bubbles mixed in water....

[ruddybop]

I thought about this to, this is why I went with a design that pumped water though the place where the screen was so I would have good nutrient export. This is why the HOB UAS type interested me because I would turn over the water and have the air bubbles by way of venturi in my model of HOB. And with the venturi there is not air stone to clog which has been devastating my FW 125G UAS so thats on hold for a while.

Yes Kerry that's why I liked your design with the HOB, you have a water pump and air pump working together or venturi. So what ever the HOB is rated in GPH you know that's what is going through your screen.

But what about the kind I have built inside the aquarium. All I know is that I turn up the bubbles high so it moves that water. The guys that put these UAS in a sump can use their overflow to their advantage and get it to flow through the scrubber. Not everyone has a sump though.

You could always add a water pump to the bottom of the UAS and pump water through it with bubbles added.....

[kerry]

I do not know how you would measure the flow by just using air!!!!!????

[ruddybop]

I do not know how you would measure the flow by just using air!!!!!????

Lets see Kerry... Count the bubbles multiply by each line divided by the diameter of the holes in the bottom times 20 plus subtract any fish in the scrubber blocking the flow and don't forget to add the Hookie Flookie ... That should do it.... 1 GPH .....

[sklywag]

Ruddybop. Seeing yours is on the end of your tank. I would think it would be pushing the surface water across the top to the other side where it would fall to the bottom. And then across back to the scrubber. Don't know how long food lasts in your tank when you feed. But maybe watch it and see what course it takes in the display.