Reef Central Online Community - View Single Post - Waterfall Turf Algea Filter: CHEAP and EASY to build

SantaMonica · 07/05/2008, 03:44 PM

Natural filters: Aren't all macros just different species of algea? And all fuges with macros are just algea filters?

Lighting and screen size: Several people who have run turf said they read Dynamic Aquaria (I have not) and it said to have about 1 square inch of screen for every gallon. Matter of fact, the eco wheel has about 1.5 (800 square inches rated for 500 gal). That's the reason for planning for a small 10 inch square one for me (100 gal). Also, the commercial ones use (as well as is recommended in the book) regular lighting in the lower spectrum; the same as is used on a macro fuge. I don't remember many cases at all of turf spreading to the main tank; the main tank has the wrong lighting, no air, and (hopefully) grazers. It's just like a fuge: chaeto does not start migrating to the tank there, either.

GFO: I current use it as needed, but besides cost and complexity, it lowers PH (turf increases PH), and it can trap detritus (a waterfall turf filter should not trap anything).

Air and water: It might not have been clear in my drawing, but the waterfall design does indeed alternate between air and water if you opt for the a timer on the water pump. Simply select how long you want it on and off. And the nice part is if the timer gets stuck in either position, nothing bad happens. I believe that turf is a high user of CO2 (and other nutrients), which is why it's found at the air/water interface of waves.'

Cleaning the sides: Good point about algea buildup on the sides of the box; I've seen pics of that occuring in the commerical models. However I would imagine it would take the same effort to lift out the spraybar and screen, and clean the box out, as it would with the big commercial ones to lift out the bucket/wheel and clean it. My box would be small, too, about the size of a cereal box. Also, if you opted for the no-box version, you would just have to wipe off the lights.

DIY: It's supposed to be relatively easy to build yourself ($30-$50), with the acrylic box being the one item that might take some searching to find. I could even see somebody using his already-owned items to build: an acrylic HOB overflow box, a pump, some pvc, two nano lights, and some fiberglass window screen. The design does make consessions, however, mostly the surge, which if needed would have to come from a commercial device because it's too difficult to build. I would hardly call this cereal-box size thing commercial, however.

07/05/2008, 03:44 PM	#13
SantaMonica Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Santa Monica, California, USA Posts: 2,511	Natural filters: Aren't all macros just different species of algea? And all fuges with macros are just algea filters? Lighting and screen size: Several people who have run turf said they read Dynamic Aquaria (I have not) and it said to have about 1 square inch of screen for every gallon. Matter of fact, the eco wheel has about 1.5 (800 square inches rated for 500 gal). That's the reason for planning for a small 10 inch square one for me (100 gal). Also, the commercial ones use (as well as is recommended in the book) regular lighting in the lower spectrum; the same as is used on a macro fuge. I don't remember many cases at all of turf spreading to the main tank; the main tank has the wrong lighting, no air, and (hopefully) grazers. It's just like a fuge: chaeto does not start migrating to the tank there, either. GFO: I current use it as needed, but besides cost and complexity, it lowers PH (turf increases PH), and it can trap detritus (a waterfall turf filter should not trap anything). Air and water: It might not have been clear in my drawing, but the waterfall design does indeed alternate between air and water if you opt for the a timer on the water pump. Simply select how long you want it on and off. And the nice part is if the timer gets stuck in either position, nothing bad happens. I believe that turf is a high user of CO2 (and other nutrients), which is why it's found at the air/water interface of waves.' Cleaning the sides: Good point about algea buildup on the sides of the box; I've seen pics of that occuring in the commerical models. However I would imagine it would take the same effort to lift out the spraybar and screen, and clean the box out, as it would with the big commercial ones to lift out the bucket/wheel and clean it. My box would be small, too, about the size of a cereal box. Also, if you opted for the no-box version, you would just have to wipe off the lights. DIY: It's supposed to be relatively easy to build yourself ($30-$50), with the acrylic box being the one item that might take some searching to find. I could even see somebody using his already-owned items to build: an acrylic HOB overflow box, a pump, some pvc, two nano lights, and some fiberglass window screen. The design does make consessions, however, mostly the surge, which if needed would have to come from a commercial device because it's too difficult to build. I would hardly call this cereal-box size thing commercial, however.