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Unread 12/13/2015, 02:36 AM   #7326
jalisco
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Sorry to be a pain but I can't find a definitive answer on ats plumbing in the archives. Can anyone point me towards a link?


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Unread 12/13/2015, 10:31 AM   #7327
Floyd R Turbo
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@spar you can drape a piece of black plastic garbage bag over the pipe so that the light gets blocked to the slot/screen junction, that will prevent algae from growing there. It is somewhat important because when you start getting sturdy growth, it can cause streamers (see my post the other day, the waterfall vs UAS post)

On the top edge of the screen - the first 2 rows that are below the slot/screen junction, you will want to scrub this area hard and remove all the algae. This wil help prevent growth. I usually do not rough up this area either, to further prevent growth.

That is not cyano, cyano has no "body" to it. That type of growth is typically associated with higher nutrients, but not necessarily. It can also just be a stage, but you do want to do a thorough cleaning at this point to get it all off so that GHA can better attach. You will want to scrape and then take a soft toothbrush and swipe that across the screen a few times. Don't scrub, you don't want to take the screen down to white, but you do want to remove most of it.


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Algae Scrubber Basics!!! GOOGLE "algaescrubber zoho"
General Interest Forums --> Advanced Topics --> Algae Scrubber Basics (sticky)
--> POSTS #3251-64 (Basics), #5206 (Cleaning), #6884 (LEDs), #729
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Unread 12/13/2015, 01:10 PM   #7328
machote
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My friends what is better for pods and beneficial criters, a dump bucket ats (and wich design) or waterfall? I will use on 400 gal but Also i dose vinager, and skimm but i want as much pods as possible i will use solar light but i think i will Also add some cfl bulbs. Im thinking to use overflow but im afraid of a crash because i turn off the return pump to feed corals


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Unread 12/13/2015, 02:24 PM   #7329
Spar
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Floyd R Turbo View Post
@spar you can drape a piece of black plastic garbage bag over the pipe so that the light gets blocked to the slot/screen junction, that will prevent algae from growing there. It is somewhat important because when you start getting sturdy growth, it can cause streamers (see my post the other day, the waterfall vs UAS post)

On the top edge of the screen - the first 2 rows that are below the slot/screen junction, you will want to scrub this area hard and remove all the algae. This wil help prevent growth. I usually do not rough up this area either, to further prevent growth.

That is not cyano, cyano has no "body" to it. That type of growth is typically associated with higher nutrients, but not necessarily. It can also just be a stage, but you do want to do a thorough cleaning at this point to get it all off so that GHA can better attach. You will want to scrape and then take a soft toothbrush and swipe that across the screen a few times. Don't scrub, you don't want to take the screen down to white, but you do want to remove most of it.
Thanks Floyd. I am seeing a lot more green spots forming over the screen already, so maybe that will be the GHA forming.


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Unread 12/15/2015, 03:27 PM   #7330
mattberrytr
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Quote:
Originally Posted by machote View Post
My friends what is better for pods and beneficial criters, a dump bucket ats (and wich design) or waterfall? I will use on 400 gal but Also i dose vinager, and skimm but i want as much pods as possible i will use solar light but i think i will Also add some cfl bulbs. Im thinking to use overflow but im afraid of a crash because i turn off the return pump to feed corals
I'd go with a waterfall. Easier to design, probably better filtration, quieter. Probably about the same amount of pods too.


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Unread 12/16/2015, 01:00 PM   #7331
SantaMonica
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Quote:
Why would it necessarily travel straight to the glass?
Well it's just that there is a lot of glass surface, and the flow is mostly directly to the glass. But yes there is a film there too a day or so after cleaning it.

Quote:
What is the preferred material for ribbons or strings on a horizontal scrubber?
Thin nylon or polypropylene string is good for GHA attachment. If you think you'll get lots of slime, thicker string is good.

Quote:
what is better for pods and beneficial criters, a dump bucket ats (and wich design) or waterfall?
An upflow. If the purpose is pod production, you can run an upflow indefinitely without cleaning, and it will reach a "full" steady state where the pods consume the growth as fast as it occurs. It does not "mat down" like waterfalls and horizontals, which must be scraped clean or else the lower layers will die. When you clean a waterfall or horizontal screen, you take it to your sink and scrape it; that removes the pods too (unless you don't scrape it).

Quote:
Im thinking to use overflow but im afraid of a crash because i turn off the return pump to feed corals
Another good reason for upflow; turning off the return pump does nothing to it. However to protect a waterfall or horizontal from water cutoff from the return pump, just make sure that the lights turn off too when you turn off the water.


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Inventor of the easy-to-DIY upflow scrubber, and also the waterfall scrubber that everyone loves to build:
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Unread 12/16/2015, 02:42 PM   #7332
hkgar
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SantaMonica View Post
Another good reason for upflow; turning off the return pump does nothing to it. However to protect a waterfall or horizontal from water cutoff from the return pump, just make sure that the lights turn off too when you turn off the water.
Darn, never thought of that. I have now added the appropriate program line to my Apex.


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Current Tank Info: A 2 Barred Rabbitfish, Red Head Salon, Yellow/Purple, McMaster Fairy, Possum, 2 Leopard Wrasses, Kole, & Atlantic Blue Tangs, 2 Percula Clown, 3 PJ and 1 Banggai Cardinalfish , Swallowtail, Bellus and Coral Beauty Angels
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Unread 12/16/2015, 09:09 PM   #7333
salty joe
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SantaMonica View Post

Thin nylon or polypropylene string is good for GHA attachment. If you think you'll get lots of slime, thicker string is good.
.
Thank you Santa Monica! About how many strings per sq. in.?


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Unread 12/16/2015, 10:48 PM   #7334
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I would put money on more surface area between the sand bed and rock then there is on the glass pains.

There's quite the math involved but there's more surface area on a sand bed of 20lbs of .5mm grains then there is surface area on the pains of glass of a 120g 4'x2'x2' aquarium.


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Unread 12/16/2015, 10:51 PM   #7335
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FYI, there should be a warning on these turf scrubbers. Don't play with your algae mounds. At least not with bare fingers.

This little @#%&# got me tonight poking around looking at cool stuff growing and thriving in the algae. Soaked my finger in some vinegar to dissolve the bristles. Have tons of these growing in there.




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Unread 12/17/2015, 09:39 AM   #7336
Floyd R Turbo
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That's something I've never found in my waterfall scrubber!! Found several in a floating UAS I was trying out for a while though. I was surprised to find those even in there, since it was not in contact with any tank contents. Apparently, those guys can swim


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Algae Scrubber Basics!!! GOOGLE "algaescrubber zoho"
General Interest Forums --> Advanced Topics --> Algae Scrubber Basics (sticky)
--> POSTS #3251-64 (Basics), #5206 (Cleaning), #6884 (LEDs), #729
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Unread 12/17/2015, 09:45 AM   #7337
jason2459
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With the reversed undergravel filter I have an unusual amount of life in my sump


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rebuild and recovery log:
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Unread 12/17/2015, 09:55 AM   #7338
Floyd R Turbo
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Where do you run a RUGF?


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Algae Scrubber Basics!!! GOOGLE "algaescrubber zoho"
General Interest Forums --> Advanced Topics --> Algae Scrubber Basics (sticky)
--> POSTS #3251-64 (Basics), #5206 (Cleaning), #6884 (LEDs), #729
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Unread 12/17/2015, 12:20 PM   #7339
jason2459
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Floyd R Turbo View Post
Where do you run a RUGF?
In my sump covered with gravel and rocks. RRUGF. Remote Reversed Undergravel Filter.

I had two plates in my 55 with no sump. Now with my sump I have a single plate.


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rebuild and recovery log:
No more red house, you'll have to click on my name and visit my homepage!

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Current Tank Info: 180g mixed reef w/ a beananimal overflow to a dolomite RRUGF. | 20g long G. Smithii Mantis Tank
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Unread 12/18/2015, 11:34 AM   #7340
ddrueckh
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I am going to make my own scrubber for my 60 cube. I have approx. 65 gallons of water and feed about 1 cube per day. Is a 6X10 screen the way to go with lighting on both sides? Thanks.


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Unread 12/18/2015, 11:43 AM   #7341
ali1
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pretty big screen for once a day, i believe a 4x3 is the recommended for 1 per day.


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Originally Posted by Gogandantess

"I'm totally frustrated by this disease. My display has been fallow for 2 months now. If ich happened to mysteriously appear again, I'm giving up and going back to African Cichilds."
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Unread 12/20/2015, 04:16 AM   #7342
karimwassef
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Ok. I'm a believer.

My overflow weir scrubber is going great... Remember, I just put a strip of mesh in my overflow where the water was running down and to the side (end to end box) and getting incidental MH light... Cost was almost nothing and took no space since the water was already moving in that direction... No pipe even.

The growth has been great. I need to remove about an inch thick green hairy growth every weekend. The only trouble is that my surge allows the water level to momentarily rise enough for some herbivores and detrivores to get into the weir through the gaps between the glass and netting.

They must see this as the promised land because they will push against it for days to get in.. Snails, crabs, starfish and even an occasional shrimp. I need to upgrade my defenses.

But the real news is that the tank has never been cleaner. I had some trouble spots and they're all clearing up. That's with my GFO offline too!! Even the cyano that used to hold the ground in the sump seems to be on the downturn... Giving the chaeto there some relief.

The chaeto has even been found better, but to my surprise, a strand of red bubble caulerpa that's been in the refuge for a couple of years is starting to grow out for no apparent reason.

I really haven't changed anything other than adding the plastic mesh and exporting the algae. I've even been feeding more nori as of late.

So, for free, I have an overflow scrubber and my tank is healthier... Even coral polyp expansion is better.

I wonder why we don't all just hang a mesh in our overflow boxes and maybe just add light there. It's prime and unused real estate for a very economical scrubber!


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Failure isn't an option It's a requirement. 660g 380inwall+280smp/surge S/L/Soft/Maxima/RBTA/Clown/Chromis/Anthias/Tang/Mandarin/Jawfish/Goby/Wrasse/D'back. DIY 12' Skimmer ActuatedSurge ConcreteScape
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Unread 12/21/2015, 11:25 PM   #7343
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Well I finally got my 660 nm leds, the factory led were soldered to the back of the board as well as on the points.

Thanks turbo for the heads up, otherwise I would of gotten stuck.

This came out great so now I can say that with a little but of effort the innovative marine fuge light can be converted to 660 just fine.






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Unread 12/22/2015, 09:01 AM   #7344
wildman926
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Floyd, take a look at THIS THREAD. #9 post shows pics of interesting waterfall design.


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Beware of recommendations by those who don't actually use their recommendation!!

The search function actually works quite well!!

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Unread 12/22/2015, 04:23 PM   #7345
biecacka
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Hey there guys and gals, I have a240 gallon tank with about 20 fish in it and plan to add more. I am considering an ATS but I'm not sure which would work best for me. I do have a sump that has some space in it to maybe try one out. What is the footprint of one for a tank my size?

Corey


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Unread 12/22/2015, 05:03 PM   #7346
karimwassef
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meadows !!! For free !

 photo C6ED526C-9144-4334-8DB4-FD337EFAA995_zpsmgaxnkxf.jpg

 photo 1885A1EF-B157-46CC-8EF3-25FC751C6506_zpsvogo9xpo.jpg

 photo 9ECCCF5B-8265-48D0-9C0F-406190F50BC6_zps1vpsfuym.jpg

 photo 64E1E951-5B01-4B23-B889-7D5C77D15DF3_zpsmnhkq5nd.jpg

This is about 72" x 3" = 216 in2


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Failure isn't an option It's a requirement. 660g 380inwall+280smp/surge S/L/Soft/Maxima/RBTA/Clown/Chromis/Anthias/Tang/Mandarin/Jawfish/Goby/Wrasse/D'back. DIY 12' Skimmer ActuatedSurge ConcreteScape
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Unread 12/22/2015, 05:04 PM   #7347
hkgar
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Quote:
Originally Posted by biecacka View Post
Hey there guys and gals, I have a240 gallon tank with about 20 fish in it and plan to add more. I am considering an ATS but I'm not sure which would work best for me. I do have a sump that has some space in it to maybe try one out. What is the footprint of one for a tank my size?



Corey
It is all about the amount of food (nutrients) you are putting in. Here is a guide that may help.
https://docs.zoho.com/sheet/publishe...b2b670ae00412b

My foot print above my sump is 12x6


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180 gallon, 40 gallon sump, 3 250 W MH + 4 80W ATI T5's, MTC MVX 36 Skimmer, Apex controller Aquamaxx T-3 CaRx

Current Tank Info: A 2 Barred Rabbitfish, Red Head Salon, Yellow/Purple, McMaster Fairy, Possum, 2 Leopard Wrasses, Kole, & Atlantic Blue Tangs, 2 Percula Clown, 3 PJ and 1 Banggai Cardinalfish , Swallowtail, Bellus and Coral Beauty Angels
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Unread 12/22/2015, 06:31 PM   #7348
Johnic
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Hey everyone. I currently have a 75 gal with a 15 gal sump and I've been researching ATS or bio balls for some time.
My problem:
I've been under feeding my tank since I built it 3 years ago fearing an algae overrun like my old tank. Having said that, my hard corals have no color and lack proper feeding.
I have only two fish as not to add to the algae potential problem.
My phos is 0 and my nitrate is also 0. I've started to feed more to get the color up and I know I'll have algae soon.
I will add that I'm running GFO and Carbon.
My sump is slightly limited to fit a large cascading ATS, what are my options?


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Unread 12/22/2015, 09:21 PM   #7349
AZRippster
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Johnic,

Depending on how much space you have on top of your sump, you may be able to fabricate something that serves a couple of purposes. I wanted to implement an ATS but didn't want to sacrifice space, so I came up with the idea to create a drop in housing that doubled as an area that brought in my tank's water, supported an ATS, and lastly functioned as a prefilter. I HATE filter socks, so I use pinky filters I cut to size and toss when used up. Take a look at these shots, they may give you an idea.


Attached Images
File Type: jpg ATS-2.jpg (29.4 KB, 69 views)
File Type: jpg ATS-Main Drain.jpg (40.8 KB, 67 views)
File Type: jpg ATS-Prefilter 1.jpg (41.1 KB, 65 views)
File Type: jpg ATS-Prefilter 2.jpg (33.1 KB, 58 views)
File Type: jpg ATS-LED Layout.jpg (48.7 KB, 64 views)
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Unread 12/22/2015, 09:23 PM   #7350
AZRippster
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Continued due to attachment limitations:

I implemented a control box as well for the LEDs so I could selectively control the LED output.

The overall unit sits on top of my sump and is easily serviceable, which was a big factor in the design.


Attached Images
File Type: jpg ATS-Main Unit.jpg (67.9 KB, 87 views)
File Type: jpg ATS.jpg (58.7 KB, 86 views)
File Type: jpg ATS-3.jpg (61.1 KB, 78 views)
File Type: jpg ATS-Main Unit 2.jpg (70.9 KB, 73 views)
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