New UK scrubber.

[atoll]

Living in the UK we get hammered for Tax shipping handling and anything else our wonderful government can think of charging us for when importing from outside the EU. We need an affordable UK sourced ATS.

I have had a HOG2 and a SURF2 both of which worked just fine but I always wanted a waterfall ATS and in fact made 2 myself using leaflet boxes as the main body but they were never ideal. What I wanted was a compact (enough) UK made ATS at a reasonable price (read cheap) So I was more than interested when I saw there was one available called the Seabreeze ACU (ACU standing for Algae Culturing Unit) on UK eBay being made by a guy in his man cave. I contacted him ask many questions as his listing was quite vague and he admitted he was very poor at such things and not so good with computers either. Long story short I bought one and it's been installed on my sump for just 11 days, After just 7 days it was already showing good growth in fact I was amazed in truth as it only uses a relatively slow flow around 400 litres hour ( I am supplying it with approx 600) and quite low wattage 4 strips of reds and blue LED's, 2 each side. As for noise it is extremely quiet.

Here is a pic of the unit sitting on a platform I made from a chopping board.



Here are a couple of pic's showing each side of the screen 7 days after setting it up and running.

[SantaMonica]

Yes customs can be rough.

I saw that scrubber. You might need to double the lighting, it's only about 5 real watts per light, even though they say 9 watts. It's going to grow mostly dark stuff if the nutrients are measurable at all, and it's going to die and detach quicker because the light can't penetrate too much growth, especially when the growth is darker like it's going to be. You can get those same lights on ebay.

The power connector is going to corrode within a few months, so you might try sealing it with silicone, or at least put grease on the contacting parts.

I can't tell totally but it looks like the lid is a single sheet of acrylic. If so, it's going to warp upward in a few weeks, due to the heat and/or moisture. You'll need to set or glue weights on its ends to stop this. Probably about 1 kg each side.

As for operation, after seeing that you need to turn it's water off, and disconnect a union, in order to remove the screen, it sort of reminds me of my original scrubber from 2008. I used to give myself a good bit of time to do the cleaning, unless I needed to clean the box too, in which case I'd take an hour.

I'm glad I decided to make my new one a 1-step single handed removal; Which reminds me I need to post that 1-step video.

[atoll]

Yes customs can be rough.


The power connector is going to corrode within a few months, so you might try sealing it with silicone, or at least put grease on the contacting parts.

Yes I have done that already. Just like the magnets on my Santa Monica HOG2 wet side did but unfortunately it appears I could do nothing about them like many others. BTW good to see you have attempted to cure that issue, I hope it's resolved it as my HOG2 was a good performer apart from the magnets rustingj

I can't tell totally but it looks like the lid is a single sheet of acrylic. If so, it's going to warp upward in a few weeks, due to the heat and/or moisture. You'll need to set or glue weights on its ends to stop this. Probably about 1 kg each side.

Agreed and yes there is some warping with it. I have informed the manufacturer who is doing a revision to the lid



As for operation, after seeing that you need to turn it's water off, and disconnect a union, in order to remove the screen, it sort of reminds me of my original scrubber from 2008. I used to give myself a good bit of time to do the cleaning, unless I needed to clean the box too, in which case I'd take an hour.

wrong, I can have the screen out in 2 minutes flat. the whole unit out cleaned and back in (if necessary) in no more than 20 minutes. I could put a simple tap on the feed from the pump but unnecessary as the time gained would be minimal.

You might need to double the lighting, it's only about 5 real watts per light, even though they say 9 watts. It's going to grow mostly dark stuff if the nutrients are measurable at all, and it's going to die and detach quicker because the light can't penetrate too much growth, especially when the growth is darker like it's going to be.

We shall see. The manufacturer ensures me it will grow light GHA.

You can get those same lights on ebay.

Yes I know and very cheaply, so no problem really if I think I need more light.

I guess as with many new items on the market it will be a suck it and see plus no doubt there will be tweeks to the design

[SantaMonica]

Here we go, maybe you can use some ideas from here:

[atoll]

Here we go, maybe you can use some ideas from here:

Yeah I have been following all the Rain 2 videos thanks. All very interesting.

Leo Minegishi has put a couple of videos up showing the progress of his screen week by week and it appears it took sometime to get going possibly due to the fast flow of water over the screen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-PJw_X1YzE

I have some questions if I may, first about the cap. I would be a little nervous of it possibly coming off seeing it comes off easily using one hand, isn't there a danger the water pressure could slowly push it off?

Second I would have thought as you are using 3w (I think) LED's there will be a fair bit of heat build up in the cover especially as there seems no way for it to escape. I assume this heat is transferred to the water cascading down the screen, if so have you taken any temperature readings in the box cover?

Thirdly, if you situate the Rain2 on the water level of the sump then I guess you will be aware that if the return pump to the DT should fail or simply be turned off in order to do maintenance the sump will in most cases fill up with water from the DT an d in some cases but as much as 6" or even more. In this case the Rain2 will be swamped. Could this cause major damage to the electrics?

Fourthly, I estimate the cables with connectors from the unit to be approximately 18" long. You rightly point out that with the Seabreeze I have there is some exposed metal around the mini plug barrel connectors which could rust. In many cases with with the Seabreeze those connectors could be in the cabinet in a high salt air environment so could yours also rust and if so would it not to best to provide a cover over the, something like a rubber tube to slip over the connections?

Thanks for all your help so far it has been invaluable.

[SantaMonica]

The cap has a (3D printed) insert which locks onto the pipe. When you rock it sideways and pull, it comes off.

Heat gets slightly warm on the outside of the dome; most heat is radiated out from it, and some transfers to the water. The single light in the video is 30C on the outside.

There won't be any damage from water, because the GEM5 lights operate submersibly. It's actually a recommended technique to stop screen drying out:

http://algaescrubber.net/forums/show...ll=1#post39383

Yes any connector can corrode, but by keeping it away from splashing water, it probably will be a much longer time. So ours is far enough to be away from the water, but not so far as to be hard to reach.

[atoll]

The cap has a (3D printed) insert which locks onto the pipe. When you rock it sideways and pull, it comes off.

Heat gets slightly warm on the outside of the dome; most heat is radiated out from it, and some transfers to the water. The single light in the video is 30C on the outside.

There won't be any damage from water, because the GEM5 lights operate submersibly. It's actually a recommended technique to stop screen drying out:

http://algaescrubber.net/forums/show...ll=1#post39383

Yes any connector can corrode, but by keeping it away from splashing water, it probably will be a much longer time. So ours is far enough to be away from the water, but not so far as to be hard to reach.

Thanks for the explanations. With all 4 lights running I guess it would get very warm in there, I hope the heat won't cause issues with the LED's themselves as LED's do not like heat it seems.

Here is a pic of the Ehiem 12mm tube which fits snugly over my LED mini plug connections protecting them from any possible salt spray. The tubs fit nice and not too tightly so the mini plugs are still easily removed when needed.

[atoll]

Just taken 2 pic's of my ATS screen 7 days from the above pic's showing progress to date so 14 days since setting it up and running.

[atoll]

3 Weeks on with my new Seabreeze waterfall ATS.showing GHA on both sides of the screen growth.

[Marksfish]

Shame it shows you banned, could have done with some answers to this system