Todd's ATS Build... some new pics

Discussion in 'I made this!' started by Todd_Sails, Aug 25, 2015.

to remove this notice and enjoy 3reef content with less ads. 3reef membership is free.

  1. Todd_Sails

    Todd_Sails Giant Squid

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2011
    Messages:
    4,732
    Location:
    A Texan in S.E. Wisconsin
    Actually, today is the 8th day since last cleaning,
    this is the LED side, the CFL screen (still 'scrubbing') looks about the same:

    [​IMG]

    The flip side, 8th day, LED lit:

    [​IMG]
     
  2. Click Here!

  3. Todd_Sails

    Todd_Sails Giant Squid

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2011
    Messages:
    4,732
    Location:
    A Texan in S.E. Wisconsin
    The CFL lit side still growing well! I'm assuming this is what they refer to as '3D' growth.
    It's think, with a kinda of honeycomg appearance to it. It also has long stringy bright green growth,
    that also gets caught in the cage of a MaxiJet PH I have in the sump to keep the bubbles away from the RP intake.

    This is my CFL lit side after ~13 days while it still hangs in the pipe, water flow off for the pic

    [​IMG]

    Here is the bottom thru the sump glass of some of the green stringys

    [​IMG]

    MY LED lit side is also doing well, I'll clean it next week, alternating so each gets cleaned every 2 weeks, one week apart.
     
  4. Turbo's Aquatics

    Turbo's Aquatics 3reef Sponsor

    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2011
    Messages:
    121
    Location:
    West Des Moines, IA
    You can really only get 3D growth if you have an enclosed growth chamber that allows the algae to get suspended in water that builds up
     
    Swisswiss likes this.
  5. Todd_Sails

    Todd_Sails Giant Squid

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2011
    Messages:
    4,732
    Location:
    A Texan in S.E. Wisconsin
    I'm still not sure what exactly that means.

    Are you saying that the screen is suspended in to layers of glass/plastic real close? I have a lot of flow over my screen, more that most videos show.

    if the algae gets suspended in water that builds up, it'd be underwater. Seems like less light would get there, etc.

    My last pic l.ood pretty 3D to me- it's not one this sheet, it's a real think honeycomb like structure.
     
  6. SantaMonica

    SantaMonica Fire Shrimp

    Joined:
    Jun 15, 2008
    Messages:
    312
    Location:
    Santa Monica, CA, USA
    You can also get 3D growth by attaching strings or rails to the screen, so the screen sticks out into the flow.
     
  7. Turbo's Aquatics

    Turbo's Aquatics 3reef Sponsor

    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2011
    Messages:
    121
    Location:
    West Des Moines, IA
    The best way to explain this is with pictures. So here is the beginning stages of 3d growth, in this pic the algae has grown long enough to form a mat on the bottom panel

    IMG_3454.JPG

    If you let this continue, it just keeps building up and trapping water. The algae gets partially suspended in the water and this allows light to penetrate deeper into the growth - with an open-air screen, you can't get this.

    Same point in the process:

    IMG_3352.JPG

    A little further along (water shut off in this pic)

    IMG_4403.JPG

    Similar growth but before shutting off the water

    IMG_3897.JPG

    IMG_4426.JPG

    ^^ this is the one on my tank, it sits on the rim of the tank and in order to make it run without dumping bubbles into the tank, I have to choke back the drain quite a bit, so the water level build up a lot faster in the box vs the one below, which is over a sump. But you can see the 3D growth still easily occurs whenever you have a narrow growth chamber (about 2" across with the screen in the middle seems to work well) and a bottom panel that allows water & algae growth to pool in some fashion

    IMG_4486.JPG
     
    Armydog likes this.
  8. Click Here!

  9. Todd_Sails

    Todd_Sails Giant Squid

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2011
    Messages:
    4,732
    Location:
    A Texan in S.E. Wisconsin
    TY Bud, excellent explanation, with photos

    Doesn't that require waiting a longer interval between cleanings though?
     
  10. Turbo's Aquatics

    Turbo's Aquatics 3reef Sponsor

    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2011
    Messages:
    121
    Location:
    West Des Moines, IA
    Not necessarily, it depends on factors like tank load compared to screen size, flow rate, lighting intensity & photoperiod, and growth chamber dimensions.

    For instance if your growth chamber is 3" wide vs 2", you may never get 3D growth by day 14 or even longer. If you growth chamber is smaller like 1.5" then you might start getting it sooner.

    Regarding letting it grow longer, that's what you want. The longer the algae mat can be left alone to grow with without the roots/base dying, the better because the growth is not linear, it's not quite exponential but there is an exponential stage and one of the things that slows that down is shading. The limitation with an open air screen is that you get shading, 3D growth reduces this.
     
  11. Todd_Sails

    Todd_Sails Giant Squid

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2011
    Messages:
    4,732
    Location:
    A Texan in S.E. Wisconsin
    So then the long strings that hand down in my sump and get caught in my flow generator power head would be considered 3D sort of?

    By strategically placed power heads in my sump, eliminated air bubbles thru the RP and into the DT.
     
  12. Turbo's Aquatics

    Turbo's Aquatics 3reef Sponsor

    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2011
    Messages:
    121
    Location:
    West Des Moines, IA
    um...maybe?