SantaMonica

CardBoardBoxProcessor on the MFT site: Mudcrab on the MFT site, with a great design that slides in and out:

SimonSKL on the MD site also did a nice build that lets you remove the screen while the water is still flowing: And here is a video of the screen removal: MyFishEatYourFish on the MFK site:

Here are the water resistant end caps for the bulbs: http://www.customaquatic.com/estore/contro...duct=LT-VA72613 Here is the ballast (powers up to 6 bulbs): http://www.1000bulbs.com/Fulham-Ballast-Workhorse-8/6189/ Here is the wiring diragram: www.fulham.com/images/WDgifs/wire29.gif Chelsey on the RC site: Tige21 on the MD site:

Jrunyon210 on the FL site: Imdaring on the LR site: Amalick on the MASA site: Halogen on the MB site: Huhhhhh on the MB site did a fantastic build. This type of scrubber is the most powerful you can fit in a small space, because all of the light is strong and near to the screen:

Slick_Fish on the FF site: Darb on the FL site:

RumpyPumpy on the Algae Scrubber site: Worley on the Algae Scrubber site: MT1071 on the FF site:

Ktsdad on the Algae Scrubber site, with a bio-ball container design: Mystic.Bertie on the Algae Scrubber site: Natapa on the Algae Scrubber site, with an outdoor SW aquaculture pond: OceanRock on the Algae Scrubber site:

Gasha on the Algae Scrubber site, with a top-of-tank setup: Hobogato on the Algae Scrubber site: JDlon on the Algae Scrubber site: Kbaker on the Algae Scrubber site, with a solar powered turtle tank:

Mario_Mendoza on the AR site: Saulhs on the AR site: Renman303 on the ARC site: Aaarr on the Algae Scrubber site:

AcuarioOceanic on the AR site: AdolfoRuiz on the AR site: Calunga on the AR site: CesarRosh on the AR site: Emperador on the AR site: JJavier1976 on the AR site: Labperck on the AR site:

Captevo on the Algae Scrubber site, with a nano setup: Jarhead80 on the UR site, with a nano setup: Chris003 on the 3R site:

. Time for 66 new examples of scrubber designs: MudShark on the MASA site:

I'm going to be posting new example designs soon, so if you have not already posted your pics, do so now and I'll include it for others to see.

You can remove everything at the beginning if you want. But to be safe, let the scrubber grow a few weeks (and clean every 7 days no matter what) first. Minimum 23 watt CFL 2700K floodlight. 12 X 35 = 420 gph.

New Screen Material Well after months of figuring out what are the best attributes are for a scrubber screen, and also after getting reports from hundreds of people as to what screen material worked best for them, I think I've come up with a material that is perfect for the job. I'm offering this screen for free to anyone who wants to try it (just pay shipping). Here are some pics, and some advantages, to this material: It's Clear Plastic: This allows light from one side of the screen to shine through to the other side. For a (new) two-sided screen, this means both sides of the screen get light from both bulbs; for one-sided screens, it means the dark side will still get some light from the bulb on the other side. It's Thick: 1/4 inch (6mm). This allows much more room for algae to grip to, so washings/cleanings will not strip all the algae (no matter how hard you scrub). For total algae removal, you can just use a hair brush to push all the algae completely out. If you already have a pipe that is cut for canvas (usually a 1/8" or 3mm slot), you'll need to widen it to 5/16" (8mm). It Flows Through: Since the screen is not solid, it allows algae from both sides to attach to each other in the middle, thus giving the algae even greater holding-power during cleanings and high flow. It's Semi-Rigid: This gives a small screen enough strength to hold up a pipe by itself, and gives large screens the ability to prevent waviness, and from flopping out of position. It's Bendable: You can put a large screen in a small sink for cleaning; it also is possible to bend the screen into a circular-screen configuration (i.e., inside a bucket.) It Holds Roughness (after you rough it up). Attack it with 30 grit sandpaper, wire brushes, power sanders, etc, and the roughness will stay. Give yourself about one hour to rough up both sides. It's Sturdy: It resists hard cleanings, even if you use fingernails, credit cards, or razors. It's Reef Safe: Is made of standard hard-plastic material. It can be used as-is for vertical screens, or it can be glued to a solid plastic sheet for horizontal screens (the sheet keeps water from flowing through the screen.) So if anyone wants to try it, the screens I'm starting out with are a little smaller than a square foot; they are about 11.5" X 11.5" (29cm X 29cm). If you need two of these sheets to fit your scrubber, let me know. I'll keep the packing and shipping cost the same for everyone, $10 USD, including international. Paypal is easiest, but whatever works. PM me.

Update: Best Ready-To-Use Light Aside from a custom-made T5H0 light panel (lots of lumens, really near the screen), the best overall light you can buy is something like this outdoor landscaping light: It's non-rusting, non-corrosive, weatherproof, thin, temperature resistant, compact flourescent, bolt-on, adjustable, and the bulbs are replaced easily: RAB PLF39 39W CFL Landscape Flood 120V: http://www.prolighting.com/rabpl39wcfll.html Housing and Lens: Corrosion and vandal resistant polycarbonate lens and housing. Lamp: (3) 13W twin tube fluorescent GX23 (Included). Lens Gasket: High temperature tubular silicone. Finish: Architectural bronze. Reflector: Anodized aluminum. Voltage: 120 volts AC. Mounting: Adjustable swivel mounting arm with 1/2" thread. Size: 7.25" (18cm) wide, 9" (23cm) high, 3.5" (9cm) deep Cost: $67 USD This one is 39 watts (three bulbs) which is perfect for most screens, but they make smaller 26 and 13 watt (nano) size ones also. These types of light are surely available at larger home improvement stores, I just could not find them. Here are some other types too: http://lightsofamerica.com/Products/9265.aspx http://www.allproducts.com/manufacture100/...ng/product3.jpg http://www.ec-securehost.com/positiveenerg...TING.html#PE565

Scrubber FAQ 3.5 is now posted: http://www.algaescrubber.net/forums/viewto...hp?f=9&t=68

Successes Update: Labperck on the AR site, translated from Spanish as best possible: "My system is 130 liters, DIY skimmer, 5 pounds of live rock, aragonite substrate 3-4 cm, 1 crossbow bursa fish, 2 percula clowns, and 2 feather dusters. Nitrate remained at 40 mg/l with changes in water of 20 percent a week. With changes in water 20 percent weekly, there was no noticeable improvements. Started with the vodka method, nitrates lowered to 30 mg/l, with no change of water for 2 months. The display was filled with filamentous algae and cyano. Then I found this scrubber and decided to try it. Installed lighting on both sides, and started turning off the skimmer at night. A week later, the nitrates are at zero, and the water is more crystalline. For now I'm very happy with this filter, thank you SantaMonica, JulioVideo, and all those who put their advice." Emporador on the AR site, translated from Spanish as best possible: "Best of all is that today is the first time in my life watching the NO3 test Salifert no3 = 0 ... I can not really believe. Apart from all my efforts to maintain a good filter system, this really gives the expected results." RiaanP on the MASA site: "Scrubber is now over 3 months old, Phosphates and Nitrates used to be sky high, but now I got no PO4 or NO3 problems." MarkM3 on the RS site: "Just want to say thanks to Santa Monica. i begin my double-screen 2 month ago for 180 gal heavey load fish, and few soft, lps corals, and i always had 80-100 nitrates from havey stock fish. and now for the first time in 2 years my nitrates level are ((((10 ppm)))) which is amazing, corals are much happier, and pop there polyps more and more, hair algee on the display and rocks almost gone, still have a few red slim but less than before, much more cleanner display and caroline is growing too. its true, its active, its working the algee scrubberrrrrrrrr. go go go gooooo so thanks again." SimonSKL on the MD site: "Just an update. I have started my ATS [2 months ago] but changed screen material about 5 weeks ago. Today, I am happy to say all cyano have disappeared from my tank and 95% of the hair algae are gone also. I have to add that I did change the water flow pattern by modifying two of my Maxijet 1200 with the Sure Flow adaptors. One pushes 2100gph and the other 1600gph, in a wavemaking mode. The screens that I now used are plastic canvas and doubled layers. I am still getting really dark brown algae growing on the screens and cleaning them about every 5-6 days. " Glock339 on the UR site: "I [originally] set up my current nano to be Miracle Mud eco system. However I never actually got round to planting any algae in the MM, as I set up an algae scrubber and my params went perfect in a few weeks. so I' happy with things the way they are and probably shouldnt have bothered with the MM. Dunno if this helps but I'd defo recommend considering a scrubber to anyone wanting to ditch the skimmer and phos reactor." MyFishEatYourFish on the MFK site: "update. nitrates undetectable with my test strips, so probably like 10 ppm, which is half of what i started with, so thats cool. i don't have a phosphate test but algae growth has slowed way way down already and my sand is actually white now, my fish are sooooooo active now its kinda nuts, even my flame angel and blue tang follow me waiting for food. i have nothing but the scrubber on there now and the tank is better than ever! all secondary filteration has been romoved for about a week and everything is continueing to improve. on my sheets brown started and soon turned dark brown with some green patches. i cleaned when the brown was too thick to see the sheet and noticed quite a bit of green underneath. coralline has noticanly increased its growthrate already and algae growth has almost stopped in the display, or my algae eaters eat it faster than it can grow. the rocks "leaked" [phosphate] for just a couple days and now are almost completely nuissance algae free and looking great. i am really impressed with the speed and effectiveness of this thing. i think using fabric really helped because how well the agae spores catch and hold on. in my opinion it is superior to any medium tried yet." Dragon1188 on the SG site: "Just like to share that i just simply use a piece of plastic sheet (the white color one u can buy from Popular bookshop and quite rough) inclined at 30 degree to catch the return water to my sump. The piece of plastic is lighted by 2x8watt of Philips "tornado" energy saver bulb running 24x7 [should be 18 hours]. The piece of plastic is just 46cm long and 40cm wide. Total water flow over it is about 2000L/hr. My tank and sump volume is 400 L. After 1months, green (both hairy and fern like) and red algae (matt) growing like crazy [on the screen]. Can harvest 1 fistfull every 3 days. I had even removed my phosphate reactor and skimmer. Its been running 4months now and my phosphate is about 0.01ppm and nitrate is 0." Da_Gopherboy on the 3R site: "I also battled nitrates for a while, my tank was FOLR for a while before I desided to add coral. Since I didn't intend to go in that direction originally nitrates were not my concern. So I was stuck trying to figure out how to drop the nitrates without contant water changes, or buying a denitrator (US Economy makes me poor). I made an ATS scrubber that was fed by my overflow right above my refugium. Nitrates made almost an 80% decrease within less than 2 months." DangerDave on 3R: "I have been running the turf scrubber close to 4 months now. I haven't done a water change in about 2 months now. I just top the tank off. I do not have to clean the glass every couple hours or everyday. I clean the glass about once or twice a week (I have to clean/scrap the coraline off more than the algae). Coraline has taken off, corals are flourishing, mushrooms are splitting like crazy, everything is doing superb."

Loowk: Your flow should be very good with that pump, but your problem is 24 hours of too much light (65W CFL has been reported to be too big a bulb). Do this: Start by putting a timer on your lights, so they are off 6 hours per day. Never should the bulbs be on 24 hours. Next, either move those bulbs farther away (20cm from screen), OR, keep the bulbs near the screen, but use two smaller bulbs (33W CFL) on each side, so that the light is spread out across the screen more evenly and not concentrated in the middle. Next: Get some CFL reflectors for all the bulbs, like these: http://www.hydroleaf.com/categoryview.do?cat_id=107 You can use foil temporarily. Cleaning: If this is the only filter in your system, clean one side at a time in the sink in FW. This will prevent nutrient spikes. You can clean the whole thing every time if you want, but you might get a nutirent spike for a day or so until it grows back. The trick to preven spikes is to cut the screen vertically, so you have two separate screens. That way you can remove and clean one at a time, and you will always have one doing the filtering. Reeffish: No, you don't need to do anything special.

Something is wrong. Make sure the bulbs are CFL, not incadescent. Post some pics.

Update: Results of not cleaning If you do not clean your screen in FW once a week (or at least put the whole screen in FW, and clean half of it), here is what happens: 1. Pods start growing and multipling in the bottom layers of the algae. They do this by eating more of the algae. They then get washed off into the water and get consumed. 2. The bottom layers of algae (attached to the screen) start getting shaded by the new algae that grows on top of it. 3. The bottom layers of algae (attached to the screen) start getting less flow, because they are being covered up by the new algae that grows on top of it. 4. The algae starts growing up into the slot in the pipe, causing less water to flow out. 5. The algae gets thicker and longer and heavier, and thus "lets go" from the screen easier. The results of 1, 2, 3, and 4 above, is that the bottom layers (which you can't see because they are underneath) start dying and disolving back into the water. The result of #5 is that large pieces of algae on the top layers (that normally would be useful) also go into the water and die due to lack of light. However, you don't see any of this. What you do see is that the growth seems to be great, but it gets to a certain point and stops. It seems to have "stopped growing". Also the nutrients start rising. So the tendancy of some folks is to leave it longer without cleaning it, so to give the algae "more time to grow". Big mistake. What is happening is that the underlying layers are dying off so fast, that the algae is being removed from the bottom as fast as it is growing on the top. Kind of like building a second floor on top of a house, but then removing the first floor: You end up with a one-level house again. But then you take all the materials that you got from removing the first floor, and you use them to build a new second floor. But then you tear apart the first floor again, etc. So what is happening is that the bottom layers (and the top layers that let go) are putting Inorganic Nitrate and Inorganic Phosphate back into the water, which gets used to grow new algae on the top layers again. So the scrubber can no longer filter your tank because it is so busy re-growing new layers to replace the old layers that died. The easy solution to all of this is to just do your weekly cleaning in FW. And the solution to #5 (which really is the smallest problem) is to put a light-shield along the slot.

Update: Where to point bulb Always try to point the bulb at the middle of the screen, not the top. You don't want too much algae growing at the top by the pipe, because it will grow into the slot and slow down the water. If you have no choice and you have to point the light at the slot, you can attach a thin plastic strip to the pipe, such that it blocks the light from hitting the slot.

Taken from "It's In The Water", by Ron Shimek http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-02/rs/feature/index.php [Aquarists have] the feeling that organisms somehow "use up," "change," or "consume" many of these [trace] chemicals, and in doing so, forever remove the chemicals from the reef aquarium system. This assumption is not completely false, some chemicals are "used up" and removed from the system, but most are not. Organisms are dynamic entities, and while some chemicals are temporarily sequestered away, such chemicals generally remain available in the system due to metabolic turnover. The only real exceptions to this as far as organisms are concerned are those chemicals, such as calcium, which get incorporated into an insoluble matrix. Several trace elements are found in elevated concentrations in aquarium water [Table 2; Figure 2]. Some of these metals have extremely high concentrations relative to NSW; tin has already been mentioned as having concentrations over 200,000 times above normal, but Thallium, Titanium, Aluminum, Zinc, Cobalt, Antimony, and Copper all have concentrations of over 95 times normal. Several of the trace metals varied in concert, particularly Cobalt, Tin, Zinc, Titanium, Copper and Vanadium, and lower but still positive correlations with Nickel and Aluminum are found. All of these metals are found at concentrations far above those of natural sea water. Some of these concentrations are almost unbelievably high. Tin has an average concentration in our systems of over 200,000 times greater than in natural sea water. Increases in many of these same metals are correlated with the age of the tank. One explanation for that pattern would be that they may build up with the passage of time. The older tanks also have more ammonia, nitrate/nitrite, phosphorus, iodine and copper than younger tanks. Many of the trace element concentrations are lower than they are in freshly made up artificial sea water. Whether this indicates organism use, or abiotic chemical reactions, is unclear. Even though these levels are lower than in "fresh" artificial sea water, they are still very much higher than in natural sea water, and may still indicate a cause for concern. [scrubbers remove metals; skimmers do not]