Recycled filtration box to Algae Scrubber

[Neutral]

Hi.. i am quite a thrifty person (stingy to some?) And i will always tried to recycle my old things to something useful.. Well maybe saving Gia? Lolx.. 

Anyway after reading alot on and about algae scrubber started many years by lots of aqua hobbists especially Santa Monica. I had integrated all I had learnt to recycle my old Overhead Filter (OHF) to an algae scrubber.. and i would say the total spending is actually abt $50 there about. . To me is $0 because all these are my left overs or spoilt materials.. As I do not have a sump tank.. as such I will do a INTERNAL Algae Scrubber into my main Display Tank.. I understands picture speaks a thousand words.. so let's start !

[Neutral]

Things that we need.. looks cheapo? Oh well.. DIY is about cost saving as well as making good of left over right?

[Neutral]

Let's work on the algae box.. Drill 4 holes there for hook to be attached later on.. I mentioned.. it's gonna be a inside my DT. Use a snapper to snap the hanger to make a U hook.. 

Drills more holes below the box for water to be able to flow through..

 

Edited October 16, 2015 by Neutral

[Neutral]

We understands that to promote algae growth.. we need lights and water flow with "ventilation".. so let's work on the air bubble tube setup.. 

All OHF has got this separator.. I attached 2 long air stones to have a wider oxygen flow to the scrubber..

[Neutral]

The tube will be "wired" into the box via the original outflow of the OHF

 

Edited October 16, 2015 by Neutral

[Neutral]

Let's now goes to the lighting.. alot of pips will be wondering how am I able to get the lighting inside the main DT right.. blah blah blah..  Well.. I make the light casing with the use of the small tray which we put for the water to flow evenly. And the reflector using used aluminium tray.

 

Edited October 16, 2015 by Neutral

[Neutral]

I am using RED LED for lighting. . I used those water proof type.. Think is 5500 type? Really can't remember. You may ask is the par enough to grow algae.. I would say " I really duno" but of the scrubber is very near to the light.. it should be able to do the trick..

Oh.. sorry to mentioned. As my OHF cover is black. I bought a transparent acrylic cut to shape of my OHF cover. I tape my Light on top of my OHF cover. And also covers the balance area. (To make sure no light will shine out) why tap? In case the acrylic turns yellow after a period of shine.. I can always buy another acrylic to replace it.. I also used those small chips of cut acrylic to glue them as grove to make sure the whole cover sits tight on top of the box.

[inwear]

I crossover from FW and had been using OHF for years. Its a brilliant ideal and i never thou of this. Good job !

[Neutral]

After everything is done. . Last pieces is the algae "hosting" scrubber.. as I read alot about rough material for algae to stick on and to grow.. I am thinking about netted laundry bag.. it's made of nylon, rough as well.. I can cut and make it to shape as a scrubber right? And here's how I do. .

1) Cut into 3 pieces

2) take one of the bigger pieces 

3) fold it half..

4) and half again (make sure the size is correct) and sew the circumference with fishing wire so it won't loosen again.. As like what the final picture shown

 

[Neutral]

U may add some media into the scrubber as well to weight down the scrubber to be fully submerged into the water.. for me I jus put the whole "sock" into the box.. and plug and play..

[Neutral]

That's the end results of my Cheapo DIY Algae scrubber.. 

[Neutral]

As you can see its hang on at the back of my tank.. I leaves about 1cm above water. Quite camouflage behind and as u can see the light is trap inside the box to "shine" 24 by 7 inside.. yes.. I on 24hrs..

[Neutral]

I crossover from FW and had been using OHF for years. Its a brilliant ideal and i never thou of this. Good job !

hi.. yes.. I am a crossed over as well.. lolx hope u like it. It's always a waste to throw away things.. especially our OHF.. where the spoilt thing is always the pump.. not the rest..

[Guest]

Can you a take picture algae growing on the screen? Haha

[Neutral]

Can you a take picture algae growing on the screen? Haha

sure.. I will try get a snap this few days and share.. 

[Neutral]

Hi, jus nice I had the time and decided to take a snap shot of how the scrubber us doing.. is been 4days.. and all I can see is a layer of diatoms forming on the scrubber.. maybe my system is still lack of nutrient as such no algae is forming? 

 

[Neutral]

If u are wondering is my LED bright enough to grow the algae.. I still not sure, perhaps I will let the picture do the talking..

[Guest]

Wow the redness Haha. Thank you for sharing your DIY

[Neutral]

Wow the redness Haha. Thank you for sharing your DIY

[Fjdam]

Hi@Neutral any updates? Nvr think abt this idea. Nice project

[oliolim]

Good

[oliolim]

Well done

[kapemasarap]

Nice I will try to build one except that I will use light with nm specific output as advertised by sellers on AliExpress. Let's see how this goes.


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[Ooozone]

Diy still up n running?

[Nick Liu]

Been wanting to start this too. Finally have some reference to try t out!


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