Mega Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover - DIY!

[SantaMonica]

Success of the Day:

"Mxett" on the MD site: "I installed a simple [scrubber] over my refugium. It uses an old plastic fruit juice container and a syphon [which makes a surge device] to dump 2 litres onto a white plastic chopping board which lays horizontally over the top of the refugium. A reflective CFL [bulb] is situated just 10cm above this board. The surge occurs every 30 seconds, lasting for 15 seconds. Growth on the [scrubber] has been excellent. Harvesting the algae is performed every 1 to 2 weeks per SM's instructions. [should be weekly ] N & P have never been detectable in my system, BUT I have always struggled with a very persistant nuisance red algae! It threatened to overtake my entire tank in the months before installing this [scrubber], which is only a modest size for my 800 litre cube. Anyway, after 3 months of using the [scrubber] I can confidently say I have little to none of this red algae left! My purple tange eats it and always has, but with less nutrients available to it, it has just withered away, and he just finishes it off. Overall a great success over a difficult pest. Thanks SM for providing the inspiration and idea to create, install and use such a cheap, easy and effective natural filter."

[maty-magor]

Hi, thanks. I use day white - 4500 K. http://www.buylighting.com/23-Watt-R40-Com...p/tcp1r4023.htmthis bulb I cannot buy in my country, but I founf this http://www.kupzarovky.cz/usporna-zarovka-m...elna-p-151.html, I think it is like your, but there is less wat. Could I use it, or should I found different version ? Thanks

[SantaMonica]

That light should be fine.

[SantaMonica]

Scrubber FAQ 2.0 is now up:

http://www.algaescrubber.net/forums/viewto...hp?f=9&t=68

[t&t3ft]

Alright, here's my update. This was taken during maintenance that's why you see now water coming off the screen.

Nitrate results taken using Tetra is 12.5 and I've done my tests over 3 consecutive days all with the same readings.

I have a total of 15 inhabitants and feed 3-5 times daily. Pretty good results without skimmer or FR.

Hi bro ... may i know what bulbs u using ?

Not sure can i buy those philips or osram energy saving bulbs t8W- 12W ++ )that always in stock at shops here in sg ...

[johntanjm]

yes you may. the standard Philips ones will do. 12W 13W 18W 23W depends on how bright you want them to be.

There are 2 versions, cool daylight (white light) and warm daylight which gives a more yellowish tone.

I've been seeing very nice lush algae growth with the cool daylight.

[Underwater]

Hi Bro John

Any latest updates on yr water parameters?

[SantaMonica]

Mine or John? Mine are zeros.

[Underwater]

Hi Bros,

Have decided to DIY a scrubber. Need some comments/advice from you on my proposed srubber. Sorry for the poor drawings as l'm very bad at this.

Should l tee-off the return pipe and the water flow to the scrubber as well as down into the sump tank (top corner right of the tank) as per pic? Or should l just channel all the return pipe water to the scrubber using "L" pipe? Will there be alot of water splashing out from the pipe that connect with the screen since it's a return pipe?

As for the lights, thinking of using two 18W energy saving bulbs via chip on light holder placed at the front of the screen.

As for the screen, thinking of using 2 layers of those hard plastic/fibre mesh sold in DIY shop, similar to the ones used by Bro Iceman.

Any comments will be much appreciated. Thanks.

[SantaMonica]

Measure how much water is currently coming down the overflow. This is easy to figure out by counting how many seconds it takes your overflow to fill a one-gallon jug:

60 seconds = 60 gph

30 seconds = 120 gph

15 seconds = 240 gph

10 seconds = 360 gph

8 seconds = 450 gph

5 seconds = 720 gph

Your pic looks to me like you could fit a 12" (300cm) wide screen. If so, it would require 12 X 35gph = 420gph. If your overflow is flowing about this much or less, then just "L" (not a T) it to your screen. If your overflow is flowing much more than 420, then "T" it so you will have less going to the screen.

Screen Width-----Gallons Per Hour (GPH)

1" 35

2" 70

3" 105

4" 140

5" 175

6" 210

7" 245

8" 280

9" 315

10" 350

11" 385

12" 420

13" 455

14" 490

15" 525

16" 560

17" 595

18" 630

19" 665

20" 700

How tall should the screen it be? That is determined by how much screen area you need, which is determined by how many gallons you have. Try to get one square inch of screen (lit both sides) for every gallon. Must be lit on both sides.

Will there be alot of water splashing out from the pipe that connect with the screen since it's a return pipe?

There will be no splashing at all, IF you build the slot right. Test it in the shower or bathtub first. You may have to build a few pipes/slots in order to get it right. Or have someone do it for you.

As for the lights, thinking of using two 18W energy saving bulbs via chip on light holder placed at the front of the screen.

Use at least 23W 2700K bulbs. One on each side.

As for the screen, thinking of using 2 layers of those hard plastic/fibre mesh sold in DIY shop

Yep two layers of screen is better than one. You can use thread to tie them together.

[SantaMonica]

.

Today's Success of the Day, from OceanParks on the MFT site, had a good story to it. So here it is with his posts and the dates:

12/17: SantiMonica: I've also built and installed your screen. I am on day 5. I have the brown/green film and was wondering how long before you start to see a noticable drop in Nitrates? I have a 110 gal reef tank with fish and my Nitrates are at 20ppm. Thanks.

12/18: and what wattage bulb would you suggest (pc flood) would you recommend for better results?

1/5: Ok. So I read your thread and built a scrubber (a true hobbyist). I'm in the middle of week three and I've done 2 cleanings and one freshwater rinse. Nitrates began at 30ppm and are now down to 5ppm (with the help of a 40% water change) in this 110 gallon reef tank. I removed the skimmer and UV sterilizer to allow room for the scrubber. I will compose a more formal, descriptive posting in the near future on my setup - one that I hope you will use in your RESULTS postings. I am still trying to get a grip of this thread thing....it is my first one. Did you say that you were getting better results with a different light bulb. If so can you please specify? Thanks! Enjoy the pictures! What do ya think?

1/5: [Remove the filter socks.] Really about the socks? I'm afraid of too may particles floating around. I'll give it a try. Also, can I get the plant-grow bulb at Home Depot and is it in Flood form? I have the timer set for 16hrs on and 8hrs off, however, I get excited and want to turn them on early for (in my mind) faster results. Probably no better results? Ok. Off with the socks. Good idea. Is the grow-light a flood light like those pc flood light? Thanks for the help! I will send a full report and pictures in a few weeks!

1/7: I replaced my flood lights with 2700K "soft white" PC Flood lights today. Same wattage...they just seem dimmer. It's that red light. Hope it works better.

1/12: I spent some time reviewing the begining of this thread and noticed that most of the pictures showed bright green thick mats of algea on the screen. I am not getting that after 5 weeks. I am getting dark brown/red stuff and it's only about 1/4" combined. [The stealthy high-nutrient black/brown algae that must be removed right away.] I did use some of the brown/red stuff to seed the new screen when I built it. Should I rebuild the screen and seed it with some hair algae from the tank? [not now.] Also, at the bottom of my sump, beneath the screen there is red/brown slime forming (see picture). Should I remove/treat for this or can it be concidered benefitial? [leave it.]

1/12: Here is 5.1 oz of the black oil (I read from your other site). Funny enough, under the layer of black stuff there was some bright green algae. Any thoughts on that? [that's why it needs to be removed right away.]

1/20: CLEAR!!!!!! My scrubber has been up since December 18th and tonight the Nitrate test (Nutrafin) read clear indicating 0 nitrates! Awesome. Thank you SantiMonica. Awesome. 0 Nitrates on the Salifert Test too.

.

[johntanjm]

Hi Bro John

Any latest updates on yr water parameters?

still Nitrates still at 12.5. maybe. maybe its still a new tank (2mths odd) so unable to achieve 0 yet.

i think more flow is better than less. maybe u can install a valve to regulate the flow if its too strong.

use a union for the screen so u can remove easily.

[Underwater]

still Nitrates still at 12.5. maybe. maybe its still a new tank (2mths odd) so unable to achieve 0 yet.

i think more flow is better than less. maybe u can install a valve to regulate the flow if its too strong.

use a union for the screen so u can remove easily.

Thanks.

As l'm only using Ehiem 1262 with abt 3,000 l/h water return, should l just channel all the return water to the screen via the horizontal pipe, and totally cut off the vertical pipe where water run into the sump?

[Underwater]

Hi SantaMonica

Thanks for the detailed information.

[wilsontantw]

After reading all the great results and how easy this Nitrate and Phosphate (plus nuisance algae) removal, i also decide to get my hands dirty and DIY one.

Thanks to SM for his clear instructions and many pix.

And Raydiative for helping to buy the mesh for me.

Here're some picture of what i did...

Too lazy to do any reading tests... but took some pictures of the algae in my tank... so will rely on visual evidence.

Skimmate from Beckett (1 month's worth)... Skin-care mud! muahaha...

Using my existing overflow to house the 'scrubber'.

Another view of the overflow.

Inserting the scrubber. (hopefully the flow is sufficient)

Installing the light.

Am planning to run a reverse photoperiod (from 3am to 9pm) est. 18hrs for the initial 3 days.

Seeded the scrubber with some in tank algae.

Here's the 'visual evidence' - day 0 (22 Jan 2330hrs).

Please comment.

[Creetin]

i had an idea for a scrubber in my tank and since i am doing my new setup i decided to do it the lazy way. my scrubber is simply 2 baskets fixed together, PP sheets were used to close the gaps and sealed with silicon

[Creetin]

bought a cheap $1 basket, snipped it to fit into my customised sump. with my customised sump i managed to place a glass support for the scrubber.

acrylic sheets were also used on e sump to prevent splashes...

[Creetin]

scrubber sitting upright in e sump.

[Creetin]

for lighting i dont know why but am very attracted to philips tornado bulbs...

initially i bought a 6000k daylight bulb but convinced that 2700k should work better i went to change to a 2700k warm bulb

[Creetin]

bulb screwed in... i am quite the lover of silicon

[Creetin]

my scrubber is placed in front of my return, the water simply flows down. minimal splash and very nice waterfall sound, just as SantaMonica described!

i couldnt decide scrubber or fuge, i went with both

[Creetin]

a close up... e flow is not ideal to me, i will need to spread the flow using a diversion or something. will try magnets...

[Creetin]

some disadvantage of my scrubber

1. not proven

2. 1 sided surface vs the 2 sided version

but i believe it will work since i have given a lot of surface area for the algae to latch on, plus by some stroke of luck my design traps air around the areas of the scrubber which i believe will aid in algae growth... lastly i am very experienced in growing nuisance algae!

Thanks Santa for e guidance and inspiration. my tank is skimmerless and even wool less, as u have advised. i took your advice and ditched the wool hope it works to rid my tank of nuisance algae... only powered by this scrubber thingy

[SantaMonica]

Wilson: Congrats on a relatively unique design! Can't tell about the flow since I don't know what it is, but you don't have control over it anyhow. The lighting, however, we will need to work on. The little desk light you use will not work; you need some real power to shine down in there. Get at least one, and if you are serious, two of these:

http://www.buylighting.com/23-Watt-R40-Com...p/tcp1r4023.htm

...along with a clip-on socket, and aim them down towards the middle of the screen. Your screen is small and one-sided, and therefore needs extra light power to make up for it. Also, I notice that you attached the screen to the top of the overflow passage; you need to move it to bottom, so that the water flows on the outside of the screen. When the screen fills with algae, light will only be on the backside of the screen; that's where the water needs to flow too. Use little hooks or something to hold the screen at the bottom of those acrylic cutouts. But most important: the lights!

[SantaMonica]

Creetin, a very unique design for you too! What is the tank size? You are right, you need to spread the flow horizontally with a spreader bar or something.

How far is the bulb from the flowing water?

Can you put another bulb in there? Twice the light power is twice the nutrient removal.