a top of the tank algae scrubber?

[reiple]

got this idea.

Did anyone have the experience that the return flow line is covered with algae (in my case hair algae?)?
Could we make something like a tray (like those used in wet/dry filters) and pour water in and it then drops into the tank?
After a period of time that tray will be covered with algae and all we do is clean it up. a simple scrubber/algae method of harvesting. No additional light needed!

but would it work?
comments?

[inwall75]

I think it would work. It might take a little tweaking to make sure there weren't any microbubbles but it would work.

The hard thing is that the return line is usually very close to the lighting.

[Matt Rogers]

I know it would reiple!
I have a Eclipse 6 Plant tank. I put floss on top of the stock biowheel filter which is above water level. When the floss is dirty, a lot of water spills over the sides into the tank. The front side of the filter gets hit by the light. After a week, algae is all over it. And this is on black plastic! Once in a while, I harvest it.

On a related note, I have thought a lot about vertical algae scubbers for the sump. I was thinking it would be cool to have a spray bar disperse water along the top of a rippled sheet of plastic that is placed vertically in the sump and having a light on it. A plan I saw recently was similar, but the sheets where at angles more like ramps.

[smiley=2thumbsup.gif]

[reiple]

Thanks guys. I am building the catch tray now.

[geologeek]

How is the build going? did you manage it? if so how?