Algae Scrubber Advanced

[buddah001]

Originally Posted by Floyd R Turbo

Oh yeah, most definitely dim those down, probably as low as you can go, or just a notch or two above it.

Floyd what flow should this be seeing?

[Floyd R Turbo]

Target is 35 GPH/in of screen width, actual flow across the screen.

However, when you are starting a new screen, going with a lower flow rate is fine - all you "need" initially is even coverage across the screen. So you can just eyeball this at first, and keep in mind that for the first couple hours to the first couple days, a new roughed-up canvas screen will forms "streams" where the water won't evenly sheet, but rather the water will congeal into "strips" because the initial slime layer hasn't really formed. If you do the mortar screen, this will sheet pretty much right away (it's a surface tension thing)

So back to the flow, once the "streaming" is gone, crank up the flow until you see it "pile up" or "arc" across the screen at the end opposite the water flow source. This is "too much flow".

Now back it down until you start to lose coverage on that same end (opposite the source), this is your "too little flow" point. Start out just above that point - where you are just getting even coverage.

If you can't get it just right, now worries. It will fill in and even out. Then, you can increase the flow more. The point is, initially, lower flow is OK because it won't wash algae off the screen (allowing *slightly* faster attachment to occur)

Also, when monkeying with flow, keep in mind that nutrients available + flow = lighting is the kind of equation you are dealing with. So if you reduce flow, you should reduce lighting. This is why with high power LED and reduced flow, you crank it way down. As you start to get growth, let it prove itself, and make small changes

[buddah001]

Originally Posted by Floyd R Turbo

Target is 35 GPH/in of screen width, actual flow across the screen.

However, when you are starting a new screen, going with a lower flow rate is fine - all you "need" initially is even coverage across the screen. So you can just eyeball this at first, and keep in mind that for the first couple hours to the first couple days, a new roughed-up canvas screen will forms "streams" where the water won't evenly sheet, but rather the water will congeal into "strips" because the initial slime layer hasn't really formed. If you do the mortar screen, this will sheet pretty much right away (it's a surface tension thing)

So back to the flow, once the "streaming" is gone, crank up the flow until you see it "pile up" or "arc" across the screen at the end opposite the water flow source. This is "too much flow".

Now back it down until you start to lose coverage on that same end (opposite the source), this is your "too little flow" point. Start out just above that point - where you are just getting even coverage.

If you can't get it just right, now worries. It will fill in and even out. Then, you can increase the flow more. The point is, initially, lower flow is OK because it won't wash algae off the screen (allowing *slightly* faster attachment to occur)

Also, when monkeying with flow, keep in mind that nutrients available + flow = lighting is the kind of equation you are dealing with. So if you reduce flow, you should reduce lighting. This is why with high power LED and reduced flow, you crank it way down. As you start to get growth, let it prove itself, and make small changes

10/4 thank you!!!!

[Devaji108]

Originally Posted by Floyd R Turbo

I would use 4 660s, just because it's more even coverage, and the 660 is the primary driver for production.

I would run the violets at 50% of the reds, however you manage to do that.

thanks Bud, this project has taken way longer than I thought it would.
was just setting down to get the LEDs added to the H.S some how I need to order 2 more 660 damn I was not sure what I was thinking when I ordered.

questions:
I have both Rb and some warm whites that I am not using.
guessing the RB would be better to ad 1 to each side if I decide not to go with 660 reds. would like to use what I have but dont mind getting 2 more reds if needed. that prob. the "best" yes?

my layout will be like the 5 on a dice with the 420 UV in the middle.

now to power them I was hopping I could just run them all @ 700ma only taking 1 spot on my new apex prime real estate you know
but I do have a small "night light" driver that will push them at 300-400ma but would need to take the spot on my power bar if I plan to do on off schedule and I think I will for the 1st few months anyway until there is a nice think growth.
so what better run it 50% like bud suggested or wire them all together off of one driver?

when I fire this bad boy up do you guys think I will need a screen to cut down the intensity ( cant dime of the driver) or should I do shorter light cycles something like taking breaks in the night?

thanks again all you ATS reefers out there!

[Devaji108]

Here is a quick pic of the layout i am doing for me new waterfall 2 cube a day ATS.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

[Floyd R Turbo]

You can run them all in a series, you might get a bit of a hotspot in the middle but with 420 Violet that won't be as bad as it would be with 455 RB

[salty joe]

Originally Posted by Devaji108

Here is a quick pic of the layout i am doing for me new waterfall 2 cube a day ATS.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

Is that metal box cover the heatsink?

[Devaji108]

Originally Posted by Floyd R Turbo

You can run them all in a series, you might get a bit of a hotspot in the middle but with 420 Violet that won't be as bad as it would be with 455 RB

nice! that saves some wiring mess and an outlet.

Originally Posted by salty joe

Is that metal box cover the heatsink?

yes sir it is. I did the same on my upflow ATS and it worked great. so I thought I would give it a go again, we shall see...

[salty joe]

Thanks, I like that heatsink and no fan I assume. Nice.

[Devaji108]

Originally Posted by salty joe

Thanks, I like that heatsink and no fan I assume. Nice.

yeah no fan. if I am having heating issues. I can cut the acrylic in two then add a 1" wide or so fined H.S to release the heat. i think I will be fine tho time will tell. I'll keep you all posted.

[Devaji108]

Here are some more pics. I will rewire the UV in to the series that will save a bit of mess & a power plug on my apex.

I did decide to order 2 more 660 reds so it will be 4 reds and 1 UV on each side.

2nd pic is the array in the

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

[jordan49746]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H2Y5U4M...a-310275245659

Has anyone ever tried these bulbs for a scrubber? I am contemplating a simple scrubber for the 75 I am about to set up and want something simple and easy that will work. I don't anticipate a large bio load at first.

[karimwassef]

Where did you get the plate? Was it precut?

[Floyd R Turbo]

It's a cover plate for a 4"x4" electrical box

[karimwassef]

Ha ha nice. Love the re-purposing of off the shelf parts

[rockslide123]

I'm building a scrubber but needs to be compact thickness. Would this off-the-shelf led light be passable? 630 mm with some blues

http://m.ebay.com/itm/50W-LED-Grow-L...257Ciid%253A13

[Floyd R Turbo]

Those are low-power LEDs, so it will do OK but if you get algae that is thick enough, the fixture might not have enough "punch" to get light down to the base layer,so you might get some detachment a little earlier than if you used a fixture with high-power LEDs. Also that fixture is 13" in diameter, so it would be for a pretty large screen.

What size tank?

How much do you feed?

[rockslide123]

120 display with 25 in the sump. Feed about 2 cubes/day. Going to start my build with 23w cfl 2700k but looking to identify an off the shelf LED solution once I get it running and established. BTW, been reading all your stuff on algae scrubbers thanks for the contribution to the hobby!

[rockslide123]

Screen will be 9 x10 running both sides at >35 gal/hr/in
Also running a skimmer

[Floyd R Turbo]

With a tank that size & feeding that rate, you really only need about 4x6, 6x6, 7x7, something along those lines. Concentrate the screen down in size a bit from 9x10, that gets you extra flow and forces the algae to grow in a smaller space. That will likely get you a bit better results.

CFL selection is good, if you go 6x6 or even 5x5 you can use a CFL spotlight and then you don't need dome reflectors, just a socket.

Then you can research an equivalent LED fixture - I would be wary of that large round one. It could work, so you might try it, but one side at a time so you can compare.

[rockslide123]

Maybe I should go one sided? That would give me more space for the spotlight.
If I were to use the under powered LED light do you think it would be smart to increase the cleaning frequency to keep the growth a bit less thick?

[Floyd R Turbo]

One sided will be less effective because there is a component of light from one side that transmits to the other. Wiithout that, you won't be able to have a long growth period & you will probably have to clean more often to prevent die-off at the base (due to shading).

Similarly if you run a lower-powered light, initially IME that is better so you don't photosaturate, but after you get a mature screen, that low power light will not penetrate as deep and you get the issue like above.

Increasing cleaning frequency would be required, but that's not necessarily a good thing. you want a long growth period, without die off. The thicker growth grows faster, there is a bit of an exponential phase to the growth cycle, and you want to capture that. There is a point of diminishing returns of course, so you want to harvest before that, and then don't over harvest - you want to stay on the leading edge of that growth curve, not from ground zero

[SantaMonica]

Maybe I should go one sided

Never do 1-sided unless there is no other option. Filtration is all about the roots holding on during high air/water interface turbulence; the roots die and let go twice as fast when the light only comes from one side.

[rockslide123]

Ah I see...now I get it a bit better. Thanks!

[Horace]

Here is my scrubber. I built it from a document storage bin. It will comfortably hold a 10x8 sheet

Built with 2 spray bars for super easy removal of the sheet. The center pipe just sits in a cradle.

I have two 50w led lights that I will put on either side. More pics to come when I make more progress.



Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk