Algae Scrubber Basics

Discussion in 'Turbo's Aquatics' started by Turbo's Aquatics, Aug 4, 2011.

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  1. Turbo's Aquatics

    Turbo's Aquatics 3reef Sponsor

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  3. Todd_Sails

    Todd_Sails Giant Squid

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  4. Vinnyboombatz

    Vinnyboombatz Giant Squid

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    Well if you do ever change your avatar this would be most appropriate I think.Lets see whos old enough to know who this is.lol
    [​IMG]
     
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  5. Turbo's Aquatics

    Turbo's Aquatics 3reef Sponsor

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    I forgot to "watch" your build thread on here, looks like a mirror to the WI reef one?

    anyways I reviewed your thread again and I'll comment below

    Seeing as you are not feeding anywhere near your screen "capacity", and you are not running an enclosed box type scrubber, it's going to be very difficult to get the thick growth. But, that doesn't mean that you are doing anything wrong, because it's kind of not an apples-to-apples comparison.

    What you need to be concerned about is results - and it sounds like you are getting results.

    Think about it this way: If you have a vastly oversized scrubber that is growing a thin layer of GHA, then you compare that to a scrubber that is sized for the same amount you feed, you might actually be growing the same amount of algae. If you scrape down the large screen and weigh the harvest, you might see that what you are growing is commensurate with the amount you are feeding, it's just spread way out so it doesn't look like as much.

    I'm not big on the holes-in-pipe method myself, not that there's anything wrong with it, but it seems that you would still get growth in those holes and maybe spray, etc. There are other maintenance concerns. I just don't have any problems with the way I run mine with the slot pipe and light/spray blockers, it's worked well for me long term.

    LED lights, just gotta make sure that you are getting adequate ones. There are a lot of companies that will add up the chip rated wattages and say that a lamp with 10 3W chips is 30W when it actually only pulls something like 17W of the wall. That's a 17W fixture not a 30W....marketing is to blame.
     
  6. Todd_Sails

    Todd_Sails Giant Squid

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    Of my ATS? This is one of about 2 cleaning ago- less than a month ago.

    [​IMG]

    I think you saw my 'ATS Build Thread'- mentions your thread
    http://wireefsociety.com/viewtopic.php?f=120&t=19089
    Thanks for the reply.

    I was thinking what you said- about If I added it all up at once- might be good growth too.
    It is about results in the DT/system.
    As I now have no more of my once MASSIVE chaeto mass, and currently because of a pump failure no skimmer- it IS working well- and as i've said before- although I have glanced at another who has ATS threads,
    I designed mine off of yours.

    I think I'll try the holes pipe and see how that goes, if not as good, I'll switch it back to my slotted pipe via my union.

    Here's a side of one sheet- I have 2 this size. ~ 10 daysz growth using CFL bulbs.
    I tilted back one of the reflectors to take this picture
    [​IMG]

    Funny, I'm now getting my best GHA growth off of my splash guard saran wrap!
     
  7. Turbo's Aquatics

    Turbo's Aquatics 3reef Sponsor

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    Oh I see what you are saying now, regarding the saran wrap effect.

    This is something that srusso over on another site caught on to a long time ago, and it's not mentioned very often. When you drape your entire screen in saran wrap, this creates a sort of "chamber" that tends to have the effect of trapping water when the algae grows thick enough. This basically creates a localized 3D growth effect. Also, when the algae touches the saran wrap, it prevents water from going over the top of the algae mat, instead it tends to direct the flow back through the algae mat. The "sealing" effect of saran wrap is pretty nice, the water flowing past it tends to pull it in toward the water flow, sucking the air out somewhat.
     
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  9. Todd_Sails

    Todd_Sails Giant Squid

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    So in your experienced opinion, should I be coevering the entire sheet with saran wrap,
    or just the top/spashy part?

    I know you're busy, after re-reading your last reply, I'm thinking it is a good effect.
    I"m going to start drapinbg the whole thing in the saranwrap and see how that goes.
    One of my 2 sheets at a time
     
    Last edited: Dec 12, 2015
  10. Turbo's Aquatics

    Turbo's Aquatics 3reef Sponsor

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    One of the 2 would be a good test/example. I don't think anyone necessarily "should" drape the entire screen, but it's an option. Kind of a poor-man's enclosed scrubber. Not saying you're poor!! Maybe "DIY-man's" is a better term....the saran is generally a PITA to work with though.
     
  11. Turbo's Aquatics

    Turbo's Aquatics 3reef Sponsor

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    Time for an update on my Mortar Screen. The quick answer: do it.

    Day 0 - 12/8
    [​IMG]

    Day 1 - 12/9
    [​IMG]

    Day 2 - 12/10
    [​IMG]

    At this point, I switched the timer from 24/7 operation to 1 hour on, 1 hour off, all day long.

    Day 3 - 12/11
    [​IMG]

    Day 4 - 12/12
    [​IMG]

    Day 5 - 12/13
    [​IMG]

    Day 7 - 12/15
    [​IMG]

    Day 9 - 12/17
    [​IMG]

    At this point, I flipped the timer back to 24/7 operation

    Day 12 - 12/20
    [​IMG]

    here's what it looked like in the box on 12/20
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    This one runs top-of-tank so I have a drain restrictor on the outlet to keep bubbles out of the tank, so the box fills up as the screen fills in. Basically the drain is under-balanced so this is what happens, but it works, I just have to keep an eye on it and dial back the flow usually by day 6 or 7, but since this was a brand new screen, it took a bit longer.

    It's now day 15 and I don't want to take the screen out and take a pic, I will give it a first cleaning tonight.

    The net result here is 15 days to a full green screen, and it's firmly attached because when I pulled out the screen on 12/20, the algae that was in the box (on the false bottom) pulled off, but it didn't detach from the screen itself. After I place the screen back in and fired up the water, there was no algae that broke free and flowed into the tank.

    Huge success
     
  12. Todd_Sails

    Todd_Sails Giant Squid

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    So the algae on the screen actually sits 'in' the water, as in underwater also?