is bigger better?

[new2scrub]

was just wondering,,,is there an advantage to a over-sized scrubber? can it be to big? what if it is 2 square inches to small?

[SantaMonica]

Depending on how much you want to learn, and how much space and time and electricity you want to devote to your scrubber, it is possible to design and build a very oversize scrubber that will last for an entire month between cleanings. The reason a standard-sized scrubber needs weekly cleanings is because the new algae growth covers up the old growth, causing the old growth to be shaded, which kills it. Weekly cleaning removes the growth before this happens. A very oversized scrubber, however, would only build up a very thin layer of algae across a very large area (same amount of algae, spread over a larger screen). Since this layer would not be thick enough to block the light, it would continue to stay alive until you returned home. The bigger the screen, the longer it can go. The standard screen size of one square inch (6.25 square cm) per U.S. Gallon (3.8 liters) goes one week; so two times area this would go two weeks; three times for three weeks, etc. But the lighting must also be doubled or tripled. You can't increase the screen size without increasing the lighting across the screen too. Thus you not only have to be able to accommodate the large size, you also have to pay for the increased electricity, every week. At some point, probably around 3 weeks, the problem will then become the pods, which will eat the algae so fast that the filtering will start to drop. The solution for this is a very complex switching device that stops the SW flow, then runs RODI (to kill the pods), and then switches back to SW. Probably not worth it unless you are a master DIY'er.

[new2scrub]

I see..... thanks for that info! so far my scrubber seems to be working fine,,but i think i'm going to make a new pipe one day because my perpendicular slots are not working out because they dribble water out that misses the screen and make a dripping sound when they hit the sump water. the screen gets plenty of flow,just annoying to listen to ya know? but i will just keep the screen size the same when i do that,,

[SantaMonica]

Or just fill them in with reef epoxy. That's what I did before I finally cut a new pipe.

[new2scrub]

o yea..huh? your good!