Been reading about algae scrubber for 12 year or more. It's time.

saitoking · Oct 7, 2012

Hi guys. I have had my 125 FOWLR tank up for 18 years. I have read about algae scrubbers for a long time. Dealing with high nitrates and phosphates. It's about time to try my hand at one myself. I have a 20 gal, so I went to Michaels and Home Depot this morning and spent $58.00, and this is what I have started. I will make some reflectors from the 12x12 mirror paper and wood then mount them around the lights. I also ordered an overflow. Should be here this week. Take a look and see if I am doing something wrong, and let me know please. Thanks. saitoking

little_fish · Oct 7, 2012

Keeping the lights that close is going to burn the algae pretty bad, i would move them farther away and cut down to one bulb. More light isnt always better.

I would also find a way to cover the screen better. I ran one for a while and I had to take it down because it was so messy. I always had saltwater spray going everywhere and it was a huge mess and a bit of hazard because saltwater was getting on the lighting fixture. It was also pretty noisy.

saitoking · Oct 7, 2012

Thanks. I was going by the basics listed on Reef Central for a 120 they suggest to use 4X23 watt CFB MINIMUM 0.5 watts per gallon which I am using less thatn they said to use. Also bulbs should be about 4 inches away from screen. Does that sound like it's too close? They aren't mounted yet so I can move it still. I was wondering about the spray I thought about using plexiglass in between the lights and screen. Do you think that would help? They also said that if you have the bottom of the screen in the water that the noise was not as load if it were not and dripped into the water. Thanks for your help I will have to mess around with it, I just started working on it today. Did it help any while you were using it? Saitoking

little_fish · Oct 7, 2012

It worked great, it was just such a mess that after a while it wasnt worth having it. I think the plexi glass is a good idea, and it always seems like when people where posting with issues with their scrubber he was constantly telling them to put the bulbs farther back.

saitoking · Oct 9, 2012

little_fish said:
Keeping the lights that close is going to burn the algae pretty bad, i would move them farther away and cut down to one bulb. More light isnt always better.

I would also find a way to cover the screen better. I ran one for a while and I had to take it down because it was so messy. I always had saltwater spray going everywhere and it was a huge mess and a bit of hazard because saltwater was getting on the lighting fixture. It was also pretty noisy.

I worked on the ATS tonight and revised as you suggested. I made a cover to keep some of the spray from going all over, moved the light further away, still not mounted, and reduced the light to one. Also put a union on the screen to make it easy to remove for cleaning. What do you think? Thanks for the help saitoking

little_fish · Oct 9, 2012

Looks good!

WannaRace · Oct 9, 2012

Screen is too big. How much are you feeding? Read the new guidelines which are based on amount of food, not gallons.

saitoking · Oct 10, 2012

WannaRace said:
Screen is too big. How much are you feeding? Read the new guidelines which are based on amount of food, not gallons.

Who's guidelines, everyone has different guidelines pick a forum. I don't think there are concrete rules anyway, besides I never said how big the screen is anyway so how do you know?

WannaRace · Oct 10, 2012

I'm just trying to help. I've been running a scrubber since February as my only means of filtration. No skimmer, no filters, no water changes, etc. My tank couldn't be healthier.

I can tell just by the size comparison to that 20 gallon tank. My screen is only 3" x 4". I feed my tank about a cube a day. For a 120 gallon, about a 5x5 screen would be ideal. Allows you to feed about 2 cubes per day. A big screen is just going to allow the algae to spread and become very thin, allowing weak filtration. You want to grow thick green 3D algae.

You will also want one bulb on each side. It keeps the roots of the algae alive longer, thus filtering is more efficient.

saitoking · Oct 10, 2012

WannaRace said:
I'm just trying to help. I've been running a scrubber since February as my only means of filtration. No skimmer, no filters, no water changes, etc. My tank couldn't be healthier.

I can tell just by the size comparison to that 20 gallon tank. My screen is only 3" x 4". I feed my tank about a cube a day. For a 120 gallon, about a 5x5 screen would be ideal. Allows you to feed about 2 cubes per day. A big screen is just going to allow the algae to spread and become very thin, allowing weak filtration. You want to grow thick green 3D algae.

You will also want one bulb on each side. It keeps the roots of the algae alive longer, thus filtering is more efficient.

It's just I have read so much and everyone has different opinion on every aspect of what you should do. The 20 gal is a mistake it's a 10 gal sorry. I see what you are talking about I do have 3 more blubs and at first I had plans to use 2 on each side. See 1st picture post. I guess I will plan on using one on each side. I have changed the plans daily but after I get it up and running I will be able to try different setups. Thanks saitoking

bjohanson1234 · Oct 10, 2012

WannaRace said:
I'm just trying to help. I've been running a scrubber since February as my only means of filtration. No skimmer, no filters, no water changes, etc. My tank couldn't be healthier.

.

If you have coral, you will still need to either dose or do water changes to replenish the trace minerals.

little_fish · Oct 10, 2012

There is no replaceament for doing water chances

WannaRace · Oct 10, 2012

All I have been dosing is a 2 part alk/calc supplement

All the trace elements required by a tank are in the foods you feed when you employ an algae scrubber. Skimmers, on the other hand, remove these foods/trace elements.

Kelz88 · Oct 10, 2012

Water changes are a must in my humble opinion. 10% a week isnt that hard ;)

saitoking · Oct 10, 2012

Thanks all of you for commenting and the help been on other forums and they just talk to each other let your not in their click. I believe in water changes been doing 10% every 2 weeks. I have a RO system already setup and it surely can't hurt.

saitoking · Oct 14, 2012

Still working on the reflectors but it's running. I also add with zip ties to the bottom of the screen 2 pieces of screen one to extend the screen lower and another piece bent in half to umbrella the water to keep the splashing and noise down. Thanks saitoking

saitoking · Oct 21, 2012

Well not much but this is the 7th day starting to grow some algae. 6X8 with 2X23w Spiral CFL bulbs at 9 hours a day. saitoking

bjohanson1234 · Oct 21, 2012

Hard to tell, but did you scruff up the surface of the screen with a hole saw? If not, I recommend doing that. It gives a rough surface for the algae to grow on.

saitoking · Oct 21, 2012

bjohanson1234 said:
Hard to tell, but did you scruff up the surface of the screen with a hole saw? If not, I recommend doing that. It gives a rough surface for the algae to grow on.

Yes I did with a hole saw. With the water flowing over you can't see how rough it is. Thank saitoking

bjohanson1234 · Oct 22, 2012

It can really take a few weeks for a new scrubber to start growing algae in great amounts.

Been reading about algae scrubber for 12 year or more. It's time.

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