Algae Scrubber Basics

[PaPa_Johnny]

Originally Posted by SantaMonica

Way too much. Go with 20 or 30 watts.

Ok, thanks!

[aiber]

Hello all. This is an amazing thread!

Please advise dimensions of algae scrubber and recommend lighting.

2.5 cubes a day
400 gph circulation
ATS will be plumbed from the overflow

If you need more information, please let me know.



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[aiber]

Originally Posted by aiber

Hello all. This is an amazing thread!

Please advise dimensions of algae scrubber and recommend lighting.

2.5 cubes a day
400 gph circulation
ATS will be plumbed from the overflow

If you need more information, please let me know.



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Ok. So I did the calculations and something doesn't seem right using 2 cubes per day instead of 2.5.

I got 11.4" x 3.2". 12w of lighting on each side.

I am going to then tweak my calculation and change the gph to 200. I will just add a gate valve from the overflow to adjust as needed. That will give me the following:

200 gph
2 cubes per day
24 sq. in.
24w total needed. (12w per side).

Width = 200/35= 5.7 in. Approx. 6

Length = 24/5.7 = 4.2 in. Approx. 4

Screen = 6" x 4"

Are these dimensions correct?

Regarding lighting:

https://www.amazon.com/ABI-Booster-F...ustomerReviews

Thoughts?







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[Scuba_Steve]

Im new to Ats, but your math is correct. I have used similar lights growing pepper plants. They work well. May i suggest you change it to 6x5 instead. This will give you 2.5 cubes like you originally wanted

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[aiber]

Originally Posted by Scuba_Steve

Im new to Ats, but your math is correct. I have used similar lights growing pepper plants. They work well. May i suggest you change it to 6x5 instead. This will give you 2.5 cubes like you originally wanted

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I will. Thanks for the advise Steve


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[aiber]

Originally Posted by aiber

I will. Thanks for the advise Steve


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Any concerns about not having any blue? All red is ok? I also found these. Any thoughts?

https://www.amazon.com/TaoTronics-li...red+grow+light



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[SantaMonica]

Red grows very well by itself. Is easier to look at too.

[aiber]

Originally Posted by SantaMonica

Red grows very well by itself. Is easier to look at too.

Thank you for your reply. Do you have a preference of the two?


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[aiber]

Probably asked and answered.

If running a protein skimmer, place the ATS before or after the skimmer?

[sensei]

I have 2 ATS in my 460g dt,
one is 2 cube and the other one is 4 cube.
the design of both are exactly identical, they only differ in size.
both proce a good amount of GHA, but the algae in the 4 cube is much more softer, more easier to dettach and easier to desintegrade when you rub it agains the fingers.

why can this be and what does it mean?

time of leds on is exactly the same in both ATS

thanks

[SantaMonica]

Preference of reds? Yes just reds.

I'd put a skimmer before, so pods from the scrubber are not removed.

Larger scrubber sounds like it has weaker lights, causing darker growth in the deeper sections.

[DamonG]

This is how thick my algea is on my scrubber.. And this is normal.. But usually, it doesn't have that cyano on it(it's avidly usually thicker where the cyano is, but I'm thinking it isn't taking hold because of the cyano in these spots)..

I think I need to cut my light hours down a bit since I have areas where it's light on the scrubber, and I'm reading no nitrate on the test kit once more?

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[aiber]

I have a 1" drain coming from a 50 gall. Thinking of just plumbing the ATS from there with a ball valve to control flow. The circulation pump I will be using is the Tunze 1073.02 630 gph.

Advice appreciated.


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[SantaMonica]

The light spots at the top are probably just low-nutrient portions of growth, after the darker growth before it took the nutrients away.

1" drain is fine, can go right to a 1 or 3/4" waterfall pipe. Measure the flow first, into a bucket, and figure the length of your pipe at 35 gph per inch length.

[homer1475]

So I'm just starting to dig into this....

If my reading comprehensions skills are up to snuff. I feed roughly 2 cubes per day and have a flow rate of 70GPH. So for my ATS I would want a roughed up screen dimension of 2"x12" lit on both sides by 2 14W ip65 LED grow fixtures(one on each side).?

I do plan on making an acrylic box to contain the ATS and just have it fed by my drain and just dump back into the sump.

These are the lights I'm looking at
http://www.tomtop.com/led-grow-light...p-l0133eu.html

Or would these be better?
http://www.tomtop.com/floodlights-41...FVOBswodoxYGxQ

[homer1475]

After doing a couple hours of reading, I decided on these lights off ebay - http://www.ebay.com/itm/10W-20W-30W-...38.m2548.l4275

These are 112V instead of 12V ones I posted above, and seem to be the same as everyone else is using. I did opt for the 20W ones instead of the 10W as I read they are typically under driven.

Still curious as to whether I have the correct screen size though?

2 cubes a day = 24 square inches of screen material lit on both sides with 12W each side
70gph flow rate
is a 2 inch x 12 inch screen?

[Southpaw007]

Originally Posted by homer1475

After doing a couple hours of reading, I decided on these lights off ebay - http://www.ebay.com/itm/10W-20W-30W-...38.m2548.l4275

These are 112V instead of 12V ones I posted above, and seem to be the same as everyone else is using. I did opt for the 20W ones instead of the 10W as I read they are typically under driven.

Still curious as to whether I have the correct screen size though?

2 cubes a day = 24 square inches of screen material lit on both sides with 12W each side
70gph flow rate
is a 2 inch x 12 inch screen?

You should be correct.

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[karimwassef]

So some feedback on recycling... fish really prefer hair to bubble caulerpa. They'll still eat the caulerpa but it's low on their list:



So I had to export 1/2 of the caulerpa and it was massive. - I struggled to remove the pods and life in it









And extracted a jarful of pods, worms, starfish, etc...









Life soup

[Scuba_Steve]

Originally Posted by homer1475

After doing a couple hours of reading, I decided on these lights off ebay - http://www.ebay.com/itm/10W-20W-30W-...38.m2548.l4275

These are 112V instead of 12V ones I posted above, and seem to be the same as everyone else is using. I did opt for the 20W ones instead of the 10W as I read they are typically under driven.

Still curious as to whether I have the correct screen size though?

2 cubes a day = 24 square inches of screen material lit on both sides with 12W each side
70gph flow rate
is a 2 inch x 12 inch screen?

I have those same lights although the 10w version. They illuminate about a 6" square surface 3" away. You would need 4 of them to hit a 2x12 screen on both sides. You would only need 2 to hit a 6x4 or a 5x5 screen. I can foresee that a 2x12 screen would be difficult to get an even water cascade all the way down on such a skinny long screen. Just my 2 cents, I am new to ATS.

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[Scuba_Steve]

Also, the side screws and the wire ferule start rusting very quickly. Mine is just a few weeks old and already forming rust.

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[karimwassef]

Lots of spaghetti and bristleworms and one very nasty fireworm. Hands in a vinegar cup for a day

[SantaMonica]

2 cubes a day = 24 square inches of screen material lit on both sides with 12W each side 70gph flow rate is a 2 inch x 12 inch screen?

Sound about right. And the lights you got are good, although a lot of light will not hit the screen.

So I had to export

Why export? How about trying to equalize pod-consumption-of-algae, with growth-of-algae ?

[crabbydan]

Made a waterfall version was just too loud for me. So started over with a DIY upstream bubble model. If this works I'm likely going to purchase a small Santa Monica drop for my 20 gallon IM fusion.




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[brob22]

why cant i get green hair algae to grow?

im in my 2nd week and all i get is brown algae

i have a 7 by 10 screem lit by 3 23 watt 2700k bulbs in reflectors. flow covers screen evenly.
the only other thing i can think of is if my screen isnt roughd up enough. anyone with ideas?

[SantaMonica]

Brown is normal for second week.