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Thread: Algae Scrubber design and questions

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    Algae Scrubber design and questions

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    Anyway the tank is the sump, the lights are 660nm red leds, and the blue rectangle is the white plastic canvas grid facing up.

    I am just not sure if you can do it this way, since almost all of them I see have the white canvas grid standing up. Also, if I did it this way how high in the water should I place it? I was thinking like 2 inches lower than the water level.

    How close would you mount the LEDs?

    Would an airstone underneath the canvas grid at the bottom of the sump help?

    When you have an airstone/bubbles do you want small microbubbles or larger bubbles?

    One last question, does running a skimmer with an algae scrubber help?

  2. #2
    kerry's Avatar
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    Can you shine the light into the side instead of over the top? The Leds should be about 2-6 away depending on optics, wattage, and if you are using a diffuser or not.
    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.

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    Quote Originally Posted by kerry View Post
    Can you shine the light into the side instead of over the top? The Leds should be about 2-6 away depending on optics, wattage, and if you are using a diffuser or not.
    I don't have a lot of space for one of the scrubbers I am building. It is going into a stand under a 10 gallon. I could place the canvas grid toward the top at a 45 degree angle probably and set the LEDs at the same angle facing the screen. Would that work better?

    I am going to run 9 watts of 660 nm LEDs with 30 degree optics and no diffuser.

  4. #4
    kerry's Avatar
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    You can make it horizontal, be sure to read the size and lighting guidelines on the these horizontal units.
    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.

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    Or just make a hang-on-glass UAS in the display.

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    Well originally i wanted to make a hang on glass uas, but i just cant find aa good way to hang it on the side. I rubber coated some magnets but they ended up not being strong enough to hold it up. I guess i could plumb a waterfall type possibly if i have the room.

    With the type of lights i am using, i would much rather have the lights hanging. Which is why i was going to try a horizontal scrubber

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Monsieur Kam View Post
    Well originally i wanted to make a hang on glass uas, but i just cant find aa good way to hang it on the side. I rubber coated some magnets but they ended up not being strong enough to hold it up. I guess i could plumb a waterfall type possibly if i have the room.

    With the type of lights i am using, i would much rather have the lights hanging. Which is why i was going to try a horizontal scrubber
    I used oversized suction cups and they seem to be doing the trick quite well...

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