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Well The Inland dump bucket has been going about 6 weeks now, maybe longer i cant remember when i actually started the tank up. Anyhow they gave me two seed screens when they closed to get it going, both covered in purple algae. I was using CFL lighting but they lamps had a date on them from 2011 so i decided to change to using a mars aqua 165W i just bought off of ebay. Within days GHA growth was explosive. I have been cleaning the screen weekly and it is overgrowing the old purple agae and will probably kill it off within the month.
I read through Turbos website on a DIY vertical style so i could get rid of the constant dumping noise. Found a DIY article on making a verticle scrubber out of PVC plywood. Ordered the Red and blue LEDS from Steves LEDS and have had it up an running for around 5 days, once again im not good at not taking so i dont know exactly how long it has been in operation. But it has gotten very good growth in a short time frame using a small seed screen of GHS from my dump bucket ATS. Once I feel confident that the vertical is adequate I will remove the dump bucket from operation.
The tank is fairly new but the Scrubbers have been keeping my levels at very good levels. Last nights readings were Alk 11.6 down from 12.5. Nitrate nitrite and ammonia at 0. The only issue Ive had has been phosphates from using tap water. I was at a .86 and it wouldn't drop until i changed to the mars Aqua. That dropped it to a .56 over a couple weeks. Two days ago I added GFO which dropped it to .21 overnight. I am hoping that within a week my phosphates are down to SPS coral levels.
Here are some pics of my DIY adventure. One thing i found very interesting is on the dump bucket scrubber the edge of the Mars Aqua LED the Alga quits growing almost in an exact perfect line. Definitely dependent on lighting for growth
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