Mega Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover - DIY!

[Jameshong]

Yes those are good.

Hi SM,

After 8 days of using 13W SPIRAL warm white CFL bulb, It grow brown algae on the sceen instead of green algae.. !

The bulb is about 2~3" above the screen and switch on for 24hrs as shown in the picture.

Did I do some wrong?

btw, do I need to clean the scrubber now ?

Please advice .

[SantaMonica]

What is that screen material?

Here is the typical sequence of algae on a new screen: First is a light brown coating, like a slime. After a week of that, you clean it lightly, and the next week you get a darker brown. After you clean that, you'll either get very dark brown/black stuff which stays very thin, or you'll start getting some green hair. If it's the dark stuff, clean it right way (don't wait a week). After a few cleanings of this dark stuff, it too will start turning green. After a month or two, most of the growth should be green hair. If you start getting purple cyano on the screen, it means your light is too weak. If you start getting a hard yellowish plastic-like coating that covers other algae, it means your light is too strong in that spot for how much flow you have. If you start getting bald spots near your bulb, it means you are leaving your bulb on 24 hours when you should be turning it off 6 hours a day. If you start getting round holes in your algae, it means pods are eating through it, because you are not using freshwater in your 7-day cleanings. If you have patches of algae that are there one day and gone the next, it means your screen is too smooth and algae is being washed away.

Overall, a new screen has darker growth because the nutrients in the tank are higher. After a few cleanings (i.e., a few weeks), the nutrients in the tank should be less, and thus the growth should start getting greener.

If your screen NEVER grows green even after 8 weeks, it means your scrubber is just not strong enough for your amount of feeding. You can:

o Add more lighting (more bulbs are better that one stronger bulb)

o Rough the screen up more

o Increase the flow

o Reduce the feeding

o Add another screen and bulbs (meaning, a second scrubber)

Remember though, that dark brown/black growth STILL does filtering; but it should be cleaned every 5 days instead of 7. If brown/black gives you enough results, you will have no need to worry about changing things.

[Jameshong]

What is that screen material?

Here is the typical sequence of algae on a new screen: First is a light brown coating, like a slime. After a week of that, you clean it lightly, and the next week you get a darker brown. After you clean that, you'll either get very dark brown/black stuff which stays very thin, or you'll start getting some green hair. If it's the dark stuff, clean it right way (don't wait a week). After a few cleanings of this dark stuff, it too will start turning green. After a month or two, most of the growth should be green hair. If you start getting purple cyano on the screen, it means your light is too weak. If you start getting a hard yellowish plastic-like coating that covers other algae, it means your light is too strong in that spot for how much flow you have. If you start getting bald spots near your bulb, it means you are leaving your bulb on 24 hours when you should be turning it off 6 hours a day. If you start getting round holes in your algae, it means pods are eating through it, because you are not using freshwater in your 7-day cleanings. If you have patches of algae that are there one day and gone the next, it means your screen is too smooth and algae is being washed away.

Overall, a new screen has darker growth because the nutrients in the tank are higher. After a few cleanings (i.e., a few weeks), the nutrients in the tank should be less, and thus the growth should start getting greener.

If your screen NEVER grows green even after 8 weeks, it means your scrubber is just not strong enough for your amount of feeding. You can:

o Add more lighting (more bulbs are better that one stronger bulb)

o Rough the screen up more

o Increase the flow

o Reduce the feeding

o Add another screen and bulbs (meaning, a second scrubber)

Remember though, that dark brown/black growth STILL does filtering; but it should be cleaned every 5 days instead of 7. If brown/black gives you enough results, you will have no need to worry about changing things.

Hi SM,

Thanks for your detailed info.

For the scrubber screen, I'm using plastic screen which similar to those betta box material and I have roughed it by using pen knife to cut many lines on the screen.

Let me clean up and wait for another week to see what is the different then and hopefully everything so smooth !

From you detailed description above, I'm still on

[Jameshong]

Hi SM,

Thanks for your detailed info.

For the scrubber screen, I'm using plastic screen which similar to those betta box material and I have roughed it by using pen knife to cut many lines on the screen.

Let me clean up and wait for another week to see what is the different then and hopefully everything so smooth !

From you detailed description above, I'm still on

From you detailed description above, I'm still on... right track !

[qwertman321]

i have been running my scrubber for about 3 weeks now, i have clean my screen every 7 days but it seem that my nitrates are not going down... whY?

[stevenkoh08]

hi all i've start this screen in a week ago not the best but it works

as u can see i'm using the same material like james

i've use a hole drill to rough it up

all the green is already out

as for the light i self DIY using a 23w CFL shaight type as i see spiral type is not as bright as this done a resreach

and the back is the type that our buffet disposable aluminum foil for reflective

[Jameshong]

hi all i've start this screen in a week ago not the best but it works

as u can see i'm using the same material like james

i've use a hole drill to rough it up

all the green is already out

as for the light i self DIY using a 23w CFL shaight type as i see spiral type is not as bright as this done a resreach

and the back is the type that our buffet disposable aluminum foil for reflective

Wow...good result leh..

btw, are you using warm white or cool white?

[stevenkoh08]

i'm using warm white

[SantaMonica]

James: That screen won't work. It's too smooth, and when algae gets thick it will let go. Replace it with plastic canvas.

91: Your nitrates will not go down until your screen grows a lot. You are turning the light off for six hours a day? Post pics of your next before and after cleaning.

Steven: The screen looks good; has holes in it.

[stevenkoh08]

Hi SM

yes the srceen do have holes, it meant to be a partition for tank sperator

but it the same material like james??? so should his works also???

james maybe u should rough the surface like what SM show before the rougher the better

[Jameshong]

Hi SM

yes the srceen do have holes, it meant to be a partition for tank sperator

but it the same material like james??? so should his works also???

james maybe u should rough the surface like what SM show before the rougher the better

Ok. I'm try to rough it again !

[Jameshong]

James: That screen won't work. It's too smooth, and when algae gets thick it will let go. Replace it with plastic canvas.

91: Your nitrates will not go down until your screen grows a lot. You are turning the light off for six hours a day? Post pics of your next before and after cleaning.

Steven: The screen looks good; has holes in it.

Hi SM,

As my screen is the same as steven, if his can work so am I. I think it may be due to the different degree of roughness of the screen applied and I'll try to rough it further and monitor it !

[kanegan]

My scrubber is exactly like james' in concept and I am using the same plastic screen.

But instead of roughing up the screen, i "add" roughness with a plastic fabric-like webbing

over the surface of the screen so that the algae grows on the webbing.

I have been cleaning every 7 days and getting dark, thick slime of it. No turf at all...

Will switch to 5 day cleaning now... hope I can see reduction of algae in my display soon.

[kanegan]

Hi SM,

As my screen is the same as steven, if his can work so am I. I think it may be due to the different degree of roughness of the screen applied and I'll try to rough it further and monitor it !

Hi bro,

Just curious, do you have another layer of backing to prevent water from falling through the holes?

[Jameshong]

Hi bro,

Just curious, do you have another layer of backing to prevent water from falling through the holes?

Yes. a layer of clear acrylic sheet.

[kanegan]

Yes. a layer of clear acrylic sheet.

Hmmm.. I don't have that...will have to look into plugging those holes then.

[apple123]

Hi SM,

I'm new to marine tank and am thinking of incorporating a scrubber to my tank (48 inch x 24 x 30). Hope you can give me some guidance

1) for the size of my tank, what should be the size of the scrubber?

2) is there any difference if the screen is vertical (with water cascading down) Vs horizontal (immersed in water)

3) Is there any recommended sequence in the slump? (e.g. scrubber first, filter then skimmer?)

Thanks!!!

[macrobutt]

Hi SM,

I'm new to marine tank and am thinking of incorporating a scrubber to my tank (48 inch x 24 x 30). Hope you can give me some guidance

1) for the size of my tank, what should be the size of the scrubber?

2) is there any difference if the screen is vertical (with water cascading down) Vs horizontal (immersed in water)

3) Is there any recommended sequence in the slump? (e.g. scrubber first, filter then skimmer?)

Thanks!!!

Don't you guys even bother to read the FAQ in SM's signature? Most if not all of the asked questions are inside there.

[SantaMonica]

Yes see the FAQ below

[Eniram]

Hi SM here are the pictures of my scrubber after running it for 4 weeks since Dec 24 09. Algae growth, i would say has grown much more after every cleaning. Here is the picture of the algae growth.

There are green and brown growth and i noticed that some of the algae has grown into little clumps. Is this something i should take note or just leave it to nature?

I use a toothbrush to brush the screen but what ever algae that can't be brushed off i just leave it as it is. Is this alright?

Would love to hear your comments so that i can improve it more.

Specs

Lamp: 15W Warm White CFL (shine on the center of the screen)

Size: 7" x 12"

Run time: 16hrs on 08hrs off

Flow: Didn't measure sorry about that.

[SantaMonica]

Looks great. Notice how the green grown where the light is strongest.

[Eniram]

Looks great. Notice how the green grown where the light is strongest.

Yes totally agree, initially the lamp was placed aiming down but now after some adjustments changed it facing center and notice more growth down the scrubber.

With regards to the algae clump is it normal and if i totally don't clean the scrubber 100% is it ok?

[SantaMonica]

If the clump wants to stay, let it stay.

[Underwater]

Some updates from my scrubber.

After two weeks, this is how my double-layer screen looks like.

Using 2 x 15w warm white energy saving lights, lighting period 16 hrs.

In the initial one week, it was mainly light brown algae, then thick brown algae and some parts were thick & slimy. Then nearer the end of 2nd week, after one freshwater spray, more and more green algae starts to appear on the screen. NO3 was slightly higher than 50ppm based on color (using salifert). Today, the reading was 25ppm! However, l do have some nuisance algae still appearing on my main tank. During these two weeks or since end Dec 09 when my tank was set up, no skimmer was used, no FR, no water change, same feeding with pellets and frozen food, new fishes were added, just water top up using tapwater (tapwater has 2ppm NO3).

Hope to hit lower than 25 ppm!

[Underwater]

Apologies, I've typed too fast, just read that my earlier comments were not structured properly...quite confusing to read.

Re-phrase:

In the initial one week, the screen was mainly light brown algae, then thick brown algae and some parts were thick & slimy. Then nearer the end of 2nd week, after one freshwater spray, more and more green algae starts to appear on the screen. But l do have some nuisance algae still appearing on my main tank. During those two weeks or since end Dec 09 when my tank was set up, no skimmer was used, no FR, no water change, same feeding with pellets and frozen food, new fishes were added, just water top up using tapwater (tapwater has 2ppm NO3). NO3 then was slightly higher than 50ppm based on color (using salifert). Today, the reading was 25ppm!!