kcress's Horizontal Ceramic Turf Scrubber

[kcress]

I really like your design and how you're doing it. My only question, and this is my question for most that I see, is since you have to pull it out once a week to clean it, how easily does it pull out? With lights right above and it looks like it's almost hooked underneath the plumbing, it just looks like a lot of trouble.

You are correct in that the single most important aspect of a (working) turf scrubber is the ease of cleaning. You need to think about that and deal with it in your design or it will haunt you. That will lead to you not cleaning it as often as required, and ultimately it's lack of ability for you tank.

On this present one (above) it is trivial. The lights are existing pendants that I have just swung over and dropped into my TS. I just pick them up and let them re-hang where they wanted to which is off to either side. Then I reach in and pick up the ceramic tray. I hold it at a steep angle for a few moments to drip off, then walk away to the sink with it. Very easy!

[kamikaze_fish]

I really like your design. It looks simple enough. Simple is good.

[zoa]

Remember my thread about this material?? I started mine in December of this year. I removed all the pics from my photo acount as the album was getting to big.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=89

Here is a new pic of the tile I bought at lowes for 80 cents.


Here is a shot of it as of tonight after a cleaning.


It will need at least 1 layer of screen material or when you clean it it will scrape off too much. That is if your ribs are as deep as mine are. I broke the current tile after drilling it (succesfully) and putting in push pins to attach the screen material. I broke it pushing in the last pin. The two halfs are now held together by zip ties. I am building a replacement as I type. I found some plastic sheet at work and I am going to add two layers to the one I am going to transfere. I have another tile but I don't want to risk breaking it too. I suppose if I drill the holes a couple thou bigger the issue wont be so big.

[kcress]

Your tiles had me thinking.. That's why I went with ceramic.

My grooves are much deeper and I have zillions of holes in mine so I am hoping the turf won't come off.
I want to avoid plastic as I don't think it's really very good. It works but not as well as mother nature does it in the wilds.

We shall see since my turf isn't cranked up much yet. I need more light.. <sigh>

As soon as I get the time I'm moving a MH over my turf.

[zoa]

It only makes sense right? I had the same thought on where does this stuff grow in the wild? That is why I chose the tile. One with a unglazed back.

It would seam that we are bouncing a bit of info off each other here as, after reading your thread last night. I started thinking, and there is a guy at work who does ceramics. I am going to ask him about making a tile with the more porous surface silimar to yours.

On the light, Mine got started with just a 9 watt bulb. It was changed out for the 23 watter but I have gone down again in size. I am running a 15 watt bulb now. Both the 9 and the current 15watt bulbs are the "daylight" bulb. I think they are 6000-6500K. I know that it isn't the "standard" but, it works for me.

I am thinking of changing the on-off times. Since my timer will do 6 settings, I think I want to have a 3on-3off or somthing like that. I have only contimplated the idea not the times. I am only thinking of this because it would seam per santa monica the basic 12or16 on is just that. A more usfull lighting schedual is avalible. IDK.

My new tank will also be a scrubber tank and I am working on another way to mimic turffs natural habitate. Part of it is done, the other part is a bit tricky.

[kcress]

Sounds good! Not much light! But wait that's 15W of CFL on a single tile? I guess that's actually quite a bit..

[zoa]

Maybe, my tile is just about 8x9.

Well I talked with the guy at work and he very polightly shot me down. He doesn't want anything to do with making or even firing a tile if I make it. Oh well. I will look else where I guess. I am going to check with the tile shop just down the street from me. I am pretty sure they do custom tiles on site there.

What clay did you use for your tile?
How long did you fire it for? and what temp?

Thanks.

[kcress]

I had a local guy do the tray so I am not sure what clay he used. Nothing special though. I'm actually not sure what he fired it at either.

I would not go a tile place. Go to a pottery place. Most every town has something along those lines. Find a worker who will do it for you. Bring a sketch with maximum dimensions you can use. There is an issue with shrinking clay as it dries and its unpredictability. So don't demand something that is a particular size or they will get very skittish. It is essentially impossible to get right the first few times and no one will want to help you.

You could also go to the local high school ceramics instructor. Offer them something for there time too.

[rainerfeyer]

Hmm,

I am going to try and cut myself a couple of squares of cement board (underlayment) this weekend and use regular portland to make 3 sided lips. If it works, I will post a pic. I hope there is nothing in this cement board which will be toxic; I would imagine all that is in there is fiber mesh and portland.

The material is pretty darn porous, and, cheap!

Rainer

[kcress]

My understanding is that you are supposed to pickle concrete for a few months before using it in a tank. If I remember correctly it leaches something.. Phosphorous? Don't recall.

Might I suggest, that instead, you saw the side strips and just epoxy them or silicon them on.