Mega Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover - DIY!

[Grassman]

I finally got the leaks all plugged in my plumbing. Here's my scrubber running after 5 days.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wggd59eKcAk]YouTube - Algae Scrubber[/ame]

 

[Grassman]

Yeah, the bulbs aren't the issue it's the ballasts and sockets that suck the money out of the pocket book. And with a 180g tank, I don't want to spend $4-500 on lights for a scrubber that only needs to be updgraded because I feel like it.:D

Do you have an online place for ballasts that you'd recommend?

Here's the cheapest place I found in the states for ballasts.

T5 - Fluorescent Ballasts | 1000Bulbs.com

 

[OhNoNemo]

That screen is looooong :lol:
So,is that working for you like that??

 

[Grassman]

That screen is looooong :lol:
So,is that working for you like that??

I read that length doesn't matter, and for the space I had and wanted to keep, I needed it to do the plumbing that high. It seems to be working. The brown algae has started to grow, and there's a little green on top. Not too much growth infront of the lights.

 

[OhNoNemo]

I read that length doesn't matter, and for the space I had and wanted to keep, I needed it to do the plumbing that high. It seems to be working. The brown algae has started to grow, and there's a little green on top. Not too much growth infront of the lights.

I had this same problem ,,i moved my lights back a bit and it took off

 

[baddfish]

I have mine pretty long too, to make it below the water level in the sump.
I'll bet its gonna work great as it is, but if you got bigger reflectors (which it looks like you have room for) on your lights, i'm sure it would be even more productive!

 

[SantaMonica]

I have not looking into T5 ballasts much, so I can't say much about them.

 

[parrotchute]

Hey SantaMonica, was just reading an article on ozone, and got me thinking about scrubbers/skimmers. Will either of them take care of toxins corals produce as chemical warfare against other toxins? (i.e., the kind lots of leathers put out)
I'm thinking that a scrubber def won't, but not sure on a skimmer.

 

[parrotchute]

Also, on my new design, thinking about trying this LED grow light as an experiment to see if it will work.

 

[Grassman]

Here's my screen after a week of running. It's mostly brown with a lot of red at the very bottom where it hung in the water while it wasn't running.

 

[SantaMonica]

No, scrubbers to not remove DOC. Scrubber add DOC, which is food for corals, and which bacterial eat, which are then food for corals too. The "toxins" are DOC. They are kept at low levels by bacteria. Only if you have a lot of "toxins" (like with a bunch of leathers in a small tank) would it be a problem.

No the LED won't work; you'd need at least the 50 watt version, and even then it's just for experiementing only.

Grassman is your bulb on a timer? If it is, then it might be too close, or, you need a big reflector.

 

[Grassman]

Grassman is your bulb on a timer?

Yes it is, but the wife piled some stuff on it and it was stuck on.

If it is, then it might be too close, or, you need a big reflector.

Moving them back is not a problem. I might only be able to get the left on back another inch or an inch and a half as it's pretty close to the side of the cabinet. The other one I can move without a problem.

Thanks for your input!

 

[parrotchute]

Thanks SM! Why don't you think it'd work?

 

[sps]

Any thoughts on this light?
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Lights-America-9265-Fluorescent-Flood/dp/B001BQ0D3G]Amazon.com: Lights of America 9265 65 Watt Fluorescent Flood Light, White: Home Improvement[/ame]

 

[SantaMonica]

12 watts LED's are not near enough power. And, nobody has made LED's work yet.

The 65 watts light would work... is very strong, and water resistant.

 

[parrotchute]

Ok, another question - what do you think is the best way to get the water to the scrubber: Branching off the return pump, branching off of the drain to the sump, or a separate pump sitting in the sump? I'd prefer not to have a separate pump if I can manage it.

 

[BL1]

You can do it branching off of your overflow. Ohnonemo and I believe PRC have their scrubbers setup that way. I have mine set up with a separate pump, I like it that way because all I have to do is flip a switch to turn my pump off to clean the screen and do any other maintenance.

 

[parrotchute]

Sweet, thanks; what kind of a pump are you using for it, Brian?

 

[little_fish]

I have mine set up with a separate pump, I like it that way because all I have to do is flip a switch to turn my pump off to clean the screen and do any other maintenance.

Smart, i will definitely be incorporating this into my next tank

 

[BL1]

Sweet, thanks; what kind of a pump are you using for it, Brian?

I was originally using a maxijet 1200 but because of head loss I was only actually getting about 185 gph to the screen. Last week I upgraded to it a viaaqua 1300, 370 gph pump.