Mega Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover - DIY!

[SantaMonica]

If both of you could post pics of your screens, lights, flow, that would help.

[Thexder]

This is my algae scrubber setup now. I've replaced the light with a 34W energy saving bulb. I believe the colour temp is 2700K range, should be suitable for algae. The chopping board has also been replaced with this vinyl/rubber? kitchen sheet. I'm getting brown algae growth and I have not got time to clean off the algae yet. What you see is since the start of the scrubber.

BTW, I'm also dosing AZNO3 to reduce nitrates. Which may be causing less algae to grow.

[SantaMonica]

Ok Thex, easy fix. First, replace the screen with plastic canvas... your screen is way way too smooth, and that material will not get rough enough. Second, move the bulb to within 10cm of the middle (not top) of the screen. Third, clean every 7 days no matter what. You are actually causing more problems by not cleaning... the pods are eating the algae, and going back into the water and dying. 7 day washing in FW fixes this.

[dachkie]

Ok Thex, easy fix. First, replace the screen with plastic canvas... your screen is way way too smooth, and that material will not get rough enough. Second, move the bulb to within 10cm of the middle (not top) of the screen. Third, clean every 7 days no matter what. You are actually causing more problems by not cleaning... the pods are eating the algae, and going back into the water and dying. 7 day washing in FW fixes this.

posting mine up tomorow

[SantaMonica]

Here are several updates:

Milburnr on the SC site had this great pic of his flow:

Quick review of why scrubbers work:

1. The light is very near the screen, and is not blocked by anything.

2. The flow is very rapid, which transports more nutrients to and from the algae.

3. The flow (on a vertical waterfall) is very thin, which breaks up boundary layer,

and which lets the most light through.

4. 7-day cleanings keeps the bottom layers of algae from being shaded and dying.

5. Using FW to clean, kills the pods that normally destroy the algae.

Seeding a new screen is no longer recommended, because (1) you get good growth in a week anyway, and (2) the seeding just washes off and adds nutrients to the water.

Barbianj on the RS site made a great high-power CFL setup:

Long vacations: Some people want to use a scrubber, but are gone two or three weeks at a time. Here are the options: The easiest is to do nothing. In this case, after three weeks, the underlying layers of algae will have died. When you return, the water may be cloudy and colored, and the nitrate and phosphate may be increased, but after a screen cleaning and some carbon, it will be back to normal in a few days. This option is ok if you leave only once or twice a year. Nothing should be harmed, however. The next option is to remove the screen. For very long trips, and for cases where you have lots of LR and DSB, this might be best. Of course your tank may develop nuisance algae during the trip because of lack of filtering, and you'll have to start the screen from scratch when you return.

RonRon on the RP site built one with just a tupperware box:

Here's another option to attach your screen: Curtain rings...

[dachkie]

Hi SM , sorry for the late post, anyway here is mine,1 side is a 18w energy saving bulb 6500k, the other side is a 11w pl fixture

flowrate unknown as it is from 1 of my overflow pipe control with a ball valve that i changed into the scrubber

but i find its a constant fast flow , haven cleaned it since i set it up because i find the algae too little to clean , just a film layer of green red and brown

[dachkie]

somehow i couldnt attach any pics so using imageshack,

btw i had to tilt the light 45degrees because below it is the refugium which i am also growing marco algae

[SantaMonica]

Did you rough up the screen so it feels like a cactus?

[bobiegoh]

Well bro, my last design failed to produce a single dot of algae after 7 days of trial. Main contributions are the uneven water's surface coverage on a horizontal screen and insufficient lighting position at 4-6" inches distance.

I decided to do a better design using modular concept and the framework is finally completed. Instead of feeding the system with the overflow water, it is supported by a dedicated 2000l feeder pump. At the bottom of the screen, it will be the house of Chaeto fencing by egg crate. Netting will be added on both sides of screen shine by a 23W ES light with diy reflector hanging on the front bar.

For the time being, I am trying out on single face. Eventually, it will be a dual face system. Hope that this system will not fail me again. Any comments are welcome to improvise the system. God Bless.

My home made ES light set is completed and after an hour of fine tuning in FW, the sys was finally installed in the sump. Here are the setup params

2000l feeder pump valve opening 80%

16W ES light (=75W) operating hours - 12hrs (2200 -1000 hours)

Let see if the result is satisfaction after a 4 days run. Will update the before and after run photo shortly. Comments are welcome to improvise the system. God Bless.

[SantaMonica]

The reflector looks nice. A bulb on the other side would be great.

[bobiegoh]

The reflector looks nice. A bulb on the other side would be great.

Thanks bro. Will add that later. For the time being, the light is on for 24hrs to promote the grow of algae. The tank temperature is at 29c now after adding in a feeder pump. It should be improve to 27c once the algae kick in.

[Firestarter]

This is the result after 2 weeks.

[Firestarter]

After cleaning.

[SantaMonica]

Can you put a layer of plastic canvas over that screen. Would really help. And whatever material you use, rough it up...

[chercm]

does the algae scrubber resolve my cyano bacteria problem ?

[SantaMonica]

Yes but cyano is the last thing to leave... needs a strong scrubber, and takes months. It may even increase when the other algae goes away, but eventually cyano too will leave.

[chercm]

Yes but cyano is the last thing to leave... needs a strong scrubber, and takes months. It may even increase when the other algae goes away, but eventually cyano too will leave.

what do u mean by strong scrubber ?

[SantaMonica]

Will remove lots of nutrients, fast.

[SantaMonica]

Many folks have asked about plans for my scrubber, so here are some:

Click here for easier to read version

[Firestarter]

I have a great success keeping the brown diatoms away but unfortunately bryopsis has taken over and I can't seem to get them off.

Also, my nitrates have shot back to 25mg/l for nearly 2 weeks now. Any ideas?

[SantaMonica]

Sounds like something has died and is rotting somewhere. Or food got caught up somewhere and is rotting. Look everywhere for this. Also measure phosphate. You are cleaning every 7 days, right?

You can put a poly filter in, for now, to control things.

[sherman]

My latest algae scrubber for my newly setup 5 footer.Lie by Red and blue LEDs

[SantaMonica]

What is the power of the LED panel?

[pokmingsheng]

hey guys.. i'm just curious..

will the scrubber be noisy when the water falls..??

cos my tank's in my room, noise will be a factor...

and my tank operates without a sump... haha..

[sherman]

What is the power of the LED panel?

Should be around 10w.