Large ATS waterfall adventures

[karimwassef]

Ok. So this is where I started



and this is what it turned into



and after a couple of weeks, it's time for a redo... not satisfied with the flow



so I'm starting an alternate design where the water "overflows" up first on a 1" PVC pipe





then flows around that onto a slit in a 2" pipe





add zip tie streamers to direct flow through the slit + add more zip ties outside the 2" PVC to control the gap (and more streamers)



and seal it all up

[karimwassef]

first try needed some tweaking



but a couple of drill holes into the 1" center section Tee and a few zip ties later:





and then clipping them back

[karimwassef]

now redoing the screen with stretchy hobby line instead of zip ties (very time consuming stitches)





almost ready to mount and test...

[karimwassef]

oh - here's my tank for reference

First a little intro to my tank:

[karimwassef]

ok. finally all the screen sections are stitched together



and it's stretched out like an animal skin drum!



The streamers alternate on opposite sides of the screen to guide the flow





need to pull the zip ties slowly to avoid breaking the screen. The more ties, the better. (Yes, I know my garage is a mess)





and running!!!

[azjohnny]

sub'd because I am interested....:-)

[karimwassef]

not perfect, but much better, I think



I still need to create a light shield for the top section. Probably going to go ghetto with a black garbage bag cover

[karimwassef]

Originally Posted by azjohnny

sub'd because I am interested....:-)

WOOT! welcome

[karimwassef]

If anyone wants to see the origins of my ATS creations, this is the awesome thread where it all began

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...77420&page=346

[JonezNReef]

WOW!! That's a really cool ATS. Cleanly set up and huge! I really like the idea of the overflowing water fall. A lot more even flow over the screen. You noticed a difference on your DT or the over all system with it yet?
How many day can it go without cleaning?

[karimwassef]

I ran the first iteration for two weeks only before this change. It's startup 2 weeks generated one pound of squeezed out algae.







Well, almost. It was technically 428 grams in 13 days or ~ 1.02lb/two weeks.

[karimwassef]

and the black trash bag light covering... I know - shameful, but it works and I'm tired

[karimwassef]

Still need to add all the lights and create some waterguards (still some side splash)

[vikinglord13]

This is pretty interesting. Do you find you grow too much algae for your fish's appetites to keep up?

[karimwassef]

I have no algae in my DT (check out the vid). I do have to feed heavily ~ 4 sheets of Nori a day for the herbivores.

I also feed PE-Mysis, Cyclopese, Raw shrimp, and coral food: Reef Chilli and Reef Roids + amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, etc..

My tank is built in with the back in my garage. This makes is semi-exposed to the elements. We live on a lake in TX that creates a massive influx of insects into the tank. This (along with my 12 foot high skimmer) has been the solution.

[karimwassef]

ok - all up and running with both red, blue and white LEDs

[JonezNReef]

I don't know what I like more your DT and it's awesome wall, your surge tank or this thing!?! I bet you have some of the fatest fish alive lol. And I like the bag on top it isn't shameful at all...its just a disposable sheild so you don't have something extra to clean and can cheaply replace whenever.

[karimwassef]

That's it! "Disposable low-cost light shield". Who said it was a trash bag with duct-tape?

Thanks

[karimwassef]

They are fat little piggy fish... That's why I need the surge- they need the exercise.

[Vinny Kreyling]

Some would say "ghetto", but hey it's only semantics right?
I like the upturned flow.

[vikinglord13]

I figured you would just harvest the algae you grow instead of feeding Nori.

That's a lot of sheets!

[karimwassef]

Well... It's not the same. The algae is a way of fixing excess nutrients for export. The Nori is food input into the system.

The difference is control. To keep my fish healthy, I need to feed them a lot. Their waste becomes food for other living things in the tank: plankton, bacteria, worms, coral, sponges, and eventually new algae.

The algae grows in a controlled environment for export so it doesnt interfere with my DT corals.

So why not feed the excess algae to my fish... It would complete the circle of life or be the ultimate form of recycling...

I don't know the answer. Something in my gut tells me that the recycling process would diminish the introduction of key nutrients that are absorbed by the fish's bodies during the first cycle. It also violates the basic precept of export for nutrient control: "export"

Maybe that would not be export control. We would need to rename it "nutrient fixing" instead of "nutrient export".

I'll let smarter people weigh in on it.

[karimwassef]

I'll take an aside here and introduce the concept of a floating ATS (compared to a waterfall ATS). The idea is that a successful ATS needs to create a screen zone of high air and high waterflow with intense light. If any of these is missing, then the concept of ATS fails.

If the screen is submerged (no air), then bacteria can take over.
If the screen is mostly dry (little water), then algae struggles.
If the light is through plastic or glass, the efficiency of the light is diminished (or algae can grow on the clear surface)...

Here's my floating sump ATS:



notice that the areas that are continuously submerged aren't growing algae - cyano seems to be taking hold there. To the far right is a chaeto box (recently cleared) with a Xenia scrubber on top.

[biecacka]

Very good looking. That screen is HUGE but it appears you feed a ton too. Very well bought out and executed.

Corey

[karimwassef]

Thanks. I'm especially happy with the low cost LED design. In fact, I'm so impressed with the PAR output that I'm going to make a larger version for my quarantine tank. The only downside is that the amount of current at 12V is quite large.