HELP WITH NEW SCRUBBER

**waldyrulez** · 02-04-2017

Hello SANTA MONICA

Need help with few questions

My scrubber has got over with the initial break in period as the bald spot in betweeen is filled with algae
and the brown diatom algae phase is also gone
it took a about a month for this phase to roll out

My feeding is about 2 to max 3 cubes per day
My screen is 1 sided screen
Size of screen is 6x10 with screen roughed up only till 8 inches height and rest submerged in water
Lights are 10 leds 3w each so 30w real (17.5w) of deep red led
Are the lights underpowerd for this screen size?
Flow is about 2000 lph twice of what needed for 6 inch wide screen with 35gph
Nitrates is around 40ppm
and have not checked Phosphates (guess will be low as nitrates are so high)

I have got very dark green algae its not black or slimy but dark green
How often do i have to clean this screen with this kind of growth?
Have attached the pic of 3 days growth while cleaning
Currently running lights for 20 hours for the past 3 days

Im having a hard time putting in a second screen in the same slot pipe with flow on both sides
Both the screens go in easily but the flow is only on one side even when opening the valve completely
So i put the led lights on one side where the flow is

Can u pls guide me why there is no flow from the other side of the screen
Coz if there is flow on the other side too i can put another set of lights on that side making it more efficient
I can widen the slot but only afraid if ill ruin the pipe with not even having a single screen
the single sided screen is working pretty well not pretty but okay i guess

Is the growth different and better with a timer than running staright 18 hours have not checked as timer switch is on the way.

And is it okay to run the skimmer with the algae scrubber
(besides the basic of 18 hours on time)
Whats the best cycle to keep the lights on with a timer to complete the 18 hours?
As have read posts with ppl using 6 on 1 off OR 4 on 1 off
Or is it just what suits best for my system with trial and error method

Coz now the skimmer does pull out gunk
as my ats has not been fully established
or will the skimmer rob the ats of the nutrients it needs
as when running skimmer i had hard time growing cheato with despite trying all the lights
options

So can u just help with some of suggestions...

**waldyrulez** · 02-04-2017

anyone??

**SantaMonica** · 02-04-2017

Welcome from India,

You have high nutrients in the water. 40 nitrate is high, and probably means high (not low) phosphate. They go up and down together.

Your screen is starting to pull nutrients out, and is dark, so brush all the dark off so that the white screen shows again. Do this when the screen turns dark again. Eventually enough nutrients will have come out that it will grow lighter color green.

A 6x8 growing area should be ok with 10 leds if they are running strong. But 2-sided is much preferred, to keep the roots alive. So add 10 more to the other side if you can.

Do not add a second screen; just get flow on both sides of one screen. Slot should be 3mm wide.

Go to 22 hours for now; this will make up for the 1-sided lighting, and high nutrients.

Skimmer does not matter; it does not remove any nutrients, and removes no ammonia/urea at all.

**waldyrulez** · 02-04-2017

thank you for such a quick reply. really appreciate it. will update soon.

**waldyrulez** · 02-27-2017

Just and update. Not getting good growth its been a month now not sure whats wrongs. The lights are 30w deep red 660nm one sided shall i put on more lights . Getting light brown growth. More 5wx10 led on the way. The pics are below before cleanout cleaned on 23rd and today on 27th same growth pattern no thick growth.