Thoughts please! algae scrubber with bacteria

[routestomarket]

I have been lucky enogh to have been given a 2 foot cube tank and will be designing a filter with a holistic approach to all requirements.

Having read Kcress' ceramic thread I had the thought of taking this one step further and instead of the ceramic plate, I want to make a cement, man made live rock plate to work as both bacteria stronghold and ats.

To anyones knowledge has this been tried and what were the results?

Aslo, and perhaps more imprtantly, have I missed the point and this will not work at all?

Thanks all in advance!

[rainerfeyer]

Hey Routesto,

if you look 4 threads below ("Finally: Algae ......") you will see that I made my second, horizontal, scrubber with cement plates.

Easy made: used a wood plate with wooden raised sides as a form for both (raised the borders so water would stay in flow) and actually used a cement blade in my saw to cut the sides so they fit into my Acrylic form.

The plates work extremely well (after a few weeks of curing of course due to the high pH)! Since in the scrubber x 2 weeks, I already have green algae growing. Success will be noted if turf algae starts!

Also, the Axcrylic was bent with an Acrylic bender I made myself and a $30.00 heat strip purchased on line. I can try to find the link if you are intersted - works awesome!

Rainer

[routestomarket]

Thanks Rainer,

To be honest it was your and Kcress' threads that got me thinking.

To clarify, I was thinking of creating more of a man made live rock bed to have the dual purpose of bacteria deeper down in the 'slab' and algae covering the top.

I will have a re-read of your thread and as for the links, please send them along!

[SantaMonica]

Success will be noted if turf algae starts

Remember that most current "successful" scrubbers get only to a green-hair stage. "Turf" usually requires a surges or dry-time.

As for the LR, it will certainly grow, but it may be hard to take to the sink. Also, FW may remove all the bacteria.

[routestomarket]

Aha, theres the level of thought i was looking for! I knew there must have been a reason for it not being a succesful as anticipated!

FW probably will strick the bacteria and cause more unforseen problems!

Taking that as problem 1, should i remove the FW element and go with a kalk pod removal process will this be more succesful?

Thanks in advance!

[schnitm]

Doesn't dense algae choke the bacteria in live rock? You might have a little "cycle" every time you clean the algae???

[SantaMonica]

Explain a kalk process.

As for clogging the rock, remember the algae would only be on the top side.

[ChrisD]

Ok - I keep trying to think of innovative ideas but keep coming back to it not being any improvement over an ATS with a bunch of live rock (artificial or natural) under it as per a sump set up. Maybe I'm just not creative enough.

Some thoughts though if you do go for a cement & sand 'tile' as the ATS surface...[list][*]Make it in line with the many detailed diy liverock processes around[/*:m:13n456uw][*]Cure it submerged in water for as long as you can and at least until the pH affect on the water stops showing[/*:m:13n456uw][*]Cast the tile in a pre-made mould with the mortar mix (sand, cement, water) quite fluid. This will increase porosity as the higher water content leaves 'pathways' through the cement matrix that sticks the sand grains together[/*:m:13n456uw][*]Use plain portland cement without any additives such as cement for bricklaying mortar[/*:m:13n456uw][*]If there is no 'backing board' consider casting a plastic mesh into the tile when making it. It is going to be moved around and concrete will crack when flexed (especially if made with high water content) the plastic mesh (or fine fibres) will help provide some tensile strength. Would hate to see a picture in the future of you holding two halves of a well established successful cement screen [/*:m:13n456uw][/list]
It might also be interesting to push something like rock salt into the surface of the tile when wet. It will dissolve when curing the tile and leave a very textured surface.

[routestomarket]

Thanks for the ocnstructive and informative reply Chris!

I was actually thinking of using quite a high salt content to provide huge porosity throughout the tile, then as you say through the curing process the salt would leave many holes.

SM, the Kalk process I was referring to was dosing the screen with kalk to disperse the pods, to remove the requirement for FW and therefore the possibility of huge bacteria die off and weekly cycling.

The reason for all this is a few years ago i was involved with Tonmo and kept octopuses, my 2 foot cube, i hope in the near future, will house cuttlefish and as such I want a very capable system that will have quite a small undertank sump and ATS with barely anything in the display, as if you have ever come into contact with these creatures, it will not be required! :P

All this is only in the early planning stage at the moment and as I am sure you will all agree, through the success we see very quickly the old grey matter kicks in and I am trying to push things forward.

Any comments extremely welcome!

[SantaMonica]

I see. I'm not familiar with how SW kalk would affect the bacteria or not, or what happens when you put kalk into SW.