+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 12

Thread: [Merged posts] how much would i gain if......

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Posts
    276

    [Merged posts] how much would i gain if......

    my current scrubber is 7"x12" and lit on one side by a 43watt cfl and the design allows light to flood into the sump area causing algae to grow in unwanted areas. my tank is a 45 gallon reef.

    how much better would it be to make a screen that is 7"x10" but lit on both sides by 23 watt cfl's and in a box so no light goes into sump?

    my goal is to purchase a sm100 or build something that is just as nice but i just don't have the money right now,,,i can only spend about $30.00 for now,,,,,my current scrubber cost me about $20.00 and was well worth it,,,thanks santa!

  2. #2
    Administrator
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
    Posts
    10,566

    Re: how much would i gain if......

    Glad yours is working so far. Just get some thin plastic sheets and clip them into place in your sump. That will block the light. Later you can build an acrylic box.

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Posts
    276

    Re: how much would i gain if......

    thanks for the idea but the scrubber is hanging above the sump and the light is coming from the bottom of scrubber. and my sump space is very little (10 gallon tank for sump) . this is why i feel i need to put the scrubber in some kind of box,,the amount of algae that grows on glass is almost equal to the amount that grows on the screen,,,due to the tight space.

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Posts
    276

    building an acrilic box type scrubber

    in a sealed box type scrubber like the SM100 how high do you keep the water level inside the scrubber box? i saw something about " 3-D scrubbing" on the youtube video?

    my acrylic box measures 18"L x 3"W and 12" tall , think my screen will be about 15"long by 8" tall and lit on both sides by 43 watt CFL's

    my tank is a 45 gallon reef

  5. #5
    Administrator
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
    Posts
    10,566

    Re: building an acrilic box type scrubber

    1/2" or 1" on the bottom is good.

  6. #6

    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Posts
    276

    Re: building an acrilic box type scrubber

    ok thanks just wanted to be sure. o cool youtube vids by the way! one more question: do you recommend any special plumbing to reduce noise inside the scrubber or in the sump ,,for the scrubbers discharge water? such as a durso or reverse durso?

  7. #7
    Administrator
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
    Posts
    10,566

    Re: building an acrilic box type scrubber

    You might want to put a tube with hole in it, from the drain of the scrubber to the bottom of the sump.

  8. #8

    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Posts
    276

    Re: building an acrilic box type scrubber

    i was going to use pvc pipe to go from the scrubber to the bottom of the sump where should i out the "hole"??

  9. #9
    Administrator
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
    Posts
    10,566

    Re: building an acrilic box type scrubber

    All along the sides

  10. #10

    Join Date
    May 2010
    Posts
    57

    Re: building an acrilic box type scrubber

    Since mine in an above tank i found the force of teh water exiting would blow my substrate around so i put a foot valve strainer on the outlet of my scrubber to disperse the water evenly and stopped it all going to the bottom.

    Something like the bottom of this.


    I also noticed that if the water level in the scrubber is not high enough need approx 1-1.5" that the swirling motion as teh water goes out the outlet sucks bubbles into it. by Adjusting the height of the water in the scrubber using a ball valve you can tune them out or by using secondary drains depending on the size drain you use.

+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts