Mega Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover - DIY!

[SantaMonica]

Just make sure you rough it up.

[keithtanbb]

cannot seem to attach pictures here (give up trying ) so registered on algae scrubber forum -

http://www.algaescrubber.net/forums/viewto...mp;p=2381#p2381

[SantaMonica]

Final screen version

The previous screen material that I had people testing was starting to rip where the tie-wraps went through, so it was not working. I did find a custom manufactured solution to solve this, which used a solid sheet on the inside of the screen, but it was just too much money. So it looks like the best screen material for me to offer is extreme-roughened, double-layered, plastic canvas.

As you know, if you already tried to rough up plastic canvas, all the work is in making it rough. You have to use a hole-saw (by hand), since sandpaper does not leave the "jagged" pieces that you want. You really need the jagged pieces which will grab hold of the algae, so the algae won't let go and fall into the water. This is of course because more algae growth (i.e, more filtering) means more weight. You DO want lots of algae (weight), but you DON'T want it to fall off of the screen. It should look like this:

Since the prickly catcus-like parts don't show well on the camera, I did a towell-drop test on the canvas. Here is the roughed-up version:

http://www.radio-media.com/fish/CanvasTowellDrop1.mpg

Versus the smooth version:

http://www.radio-media.com/fish/CanvasTowellDrop2.mpg

And both sides of both layers needs to be rough, so that algae will stay on the inside (between the layers) of the screen after you clean the outsides. And since the algae stays on the inside of the screen, you can clean the outside as hard as you want (scrape all the algae off) without worrying about "keeping some algae on the the screen".

So since this material has already been proven by hundreds of people who are using it right now (athough I never see it roughed up enough), it is just a matter of how much money is fair for a completed screen. If there is enough interest, then I'll start selling them.

It looks like I can make them for 20 cents per square inch. This is equal to:

0.20 USD per square inch

.032 USD per square cm

2.65 MXN per square inch

0.43 MXN per square cm

0.22 CAD per square inch

.035 CAD per square cm

0.14 EUR per square inch

.023 EUR per square cm

0.12 GBP per square inch

0.02 GBP per square cm

0.28 NZD per square inch

0.45 NZD per square cm

0.28 SGD per square inch

.045 SGD per square cm

1.49 ZAR per square inch

.024 ZAR per square cm

1.31 FRF per square inch

0.21 FRF per square cm

2.20 NLG per square inch

0.35 NLG per square cm

70.0 PHP per square inch

11.2 PHP per square cm

Shipping would be extra of course. Also, the screen area is just the finished screen size; you don't have to think about the multiple layers. So as an example:

A 10 X 10 inch screen = 100 square inches = $20 USD = $265 MXN = $22 CAD etc.

A 40 X 60 cm screen = 2400 square cm = $76.80 USD = $1032 MXN = $84 CAD etc.

A 3 X 6 inch nano screen = 18 square inches = $3.60 USD = $48 MSN = $3.96 CAD etc.

So post on here if you would get one at this price. There needs to be enough people otherwise it is not worth setting up to do it. If there is enough interest (at this price), then I will make them.

[Underwater]

This is the growth after 3 weeks. Lots of green growing on the brown algae.

Since the screen is still not rough enough, bought a rug canvas to try...only S$3 for a big piece in those value dollar shop.

Here it is...but got to wait the algae to re-grow again.

[SantaMonica]

Use some foil on the inside of the light shield.

The rug will grown much faster.

[Underwater]

Use some foil on the inside of the light shield.

The rug will grown much faster.

Oh yes, the light shield has a layer of reflective film on it. Thanks for your comments.

[keithtanbb]

I tried to post pictures here but, no options available to me.......so I link it here

http://www.algaescrubber.net/forums/viewto...p?f=3&t=316

[SantaMonica]

Why Algae Works

More Info:

Algae and Human Affairs, By Carole A. Lembi, J. Robert Waaland, Phycological Society of America

www.PSAalgae.org

www.AlgaeBase.org

Text: 90 percent of all living matter (except bacteria) in the ocean is algae of all forms and colors. The remaining 10% (except bacteria) of all living matter in the ocean is: Corals, Plants, Sponges, Worms, Snails, Clams, Octopi, Shrimp, Crabs, Pods, Urchins, Starfish, Small Fish, Medium Fish, Big Fish, Sharks, Whales, Giant Squids, and Everything Else. The algae is what does all the filtering of the waste from the animals, and the algae is also what feeds all the animals through the various food webs.

Aquariums, however (especially ones without refugiums), have no algae to do the filtering or feeding. So all the filtering has to be done manually with equipment, and all the feeding has to be done manually too. At least with a refugium, there is some filtering and feeding, although most refugiums are far too small to do all of it. Scrubbers are powerful enough to do all the filtering by themselves, and can do a lot of the feeding too, if copepods are the food that is desired.

[matt0005]

Hi all its been 1.5wks into my setting up (have not washed the scrubber) But i see growth of green and some purple algae on it.. about 0.5mm long...

My feeding regime is 4x a day

Henry's Food

Pellet

Pellet

Mysis

no3 to date is 0.5ppm and po4 1ppm (the colour seems lighter than the chart but heck, just put the higher one to be accurate)

will post a pic for comments later (light is off now)

[keemin_sg]

Hi all,

Just curious. Waht happens when algae scrubber is replaced by planting cheatos? Will the results be identical?

Currently am thinking of planting cheatos alone to be the only form of filtratioin. I believe the concept is identical to algae scrubber.

Does the algae on scrubber actually absorbs nutrients faster than cheatos?

[matt0005]

LOL im trying tat out too juz got a little chaeto from a nice reefer last nite

[SantaMonica]

Same concept, but less powerful. Also, chaeto traps food (like floss), and it rots and causes more nutrients.

[SantaMonica]

Successes Update:

Jlinzmaier on the RC site: "An ATS is the easiest and the cheapest DIY project I've ever done. Not to mention it has been more effective at nutrient management than carbon dosing, and has only affected the corals positively (no chance of stripping nutrients too fast or too low as you might run into with carbon source dosing.) The maintenance of it only takes 5-10 minutes once or twice a week. Total cost for the project was no more than $30 and it took about 45 min to build."

Pistolshrimp on the SARK site: "i have one of these in my sump, not eleborate though jus got one cfl spotlight on it, but they do a good job, hardly eva have to wipe my glass, it transfers 90% of the algea growth from my tank to the screen."

Trichome on the CR site: "I installed one on my 29g tank and it is working better than my AquaC Remora that is rated for up to 75g. Best part about it is its cheap as hell to install and i was able to remove a pump from my set up to save money on electricity."

Jennyfish on the AP site: "i use an ATS but i also use a skimmer, i do find since i added the ATS i have no phosphates, and my water is crystal clear with no bad algaes growing."

Schnitm on the algae scrubber site: "Our friend was moving to a new house, and her 90 gallon system wasn't moving with her. So it took 10 hours to move everything [to my daughter's room] and we're just about to put the fish back in. I decide I'll test the water first. I have never seen a nitrate test change color so fast. By the time I'd finished shaking the vial it had maxed out. After some RO/DI dillution I finally got a reading along with some others from my Red Sea Marine Lab kit:

Nitrates: 300

Nitrite: 0.3

Ammonia: 0.25

Phosphate: 5.0

After freaking out and figuring I'd done something wrong and effectively killed my daughter's new aquarium, I decided I'd better test the water the fish were still in. It had come straight from the top of the tank that morning. I got something like:

Nitrates: 400

Nitrite: 0.4

Ammonia: 0.25

Phosphate: 5.0

Seems the fish had been living in this and we'd just dilluted it some with the water change from toping off the tank. 3 anemones and a dozen soft corals were living in this too. So, in go the fish. I'm running around trying to figure out what to do. The protien skimmer is dead and hasn't worked for more than a year (thanks for telling me now!). The LFS store is closed because their moving too. I'd been "priming" an ATS screen in my shop using wastewater from our Bio Cube. It had been going for about 2 weeks and was nicely green but not thick at all yet. What the heck...I slap it in the sump and start it running with 4 CFL floods from WalMart. Then to bed to have nightmares of my daughter waking to a tank full of death.

To my pleasant surprise, the next morning everything was alive and, apparently, well! I go to work installing the hood, chiller, etc. By that evening I took another water sample and got:

Nitrates: 200

Nitrite: 0.2+

Ammonia: 0.25

Phosphate: 5.0

Everything seemed fine. I'm wondering if I'd messed up the readings on Thursday. Saturday was mostly a day off. The ATS had grown thick already so I scraped it. Just a few measurements:

Nitrates: not measured

Nitrite: 0.2

Ammonia: 0.25

Phosphate: not measured

Last night's water parameters:

Nitrates: 15 (I kid you not. 15. Checked this over and over. The 10X dillution I started with showed undetectable. I'd needed a 10X dillution before, just to get a reading. Got this 15 on straight tank water.)

Nitrite: 0.2

Ammonia: trace

Phosphate: 3.0

Thursday night I thought I was in the middle of a slow motion trainwreck, but by today all looks good. Thaks to all who have contributed! You lead me down the right path.

[ambystoma82]

how abt a scrubber capsule ?

some of the reefers dun own a sump...

however due to space constraint they dun wish to use 2 pump (supply and return of algae scrubber) with the concerns of another tank to hold the algae scrubber..

preferbly supply but the return is by gravity flow downwards...

hv u come across any of these designs ???

[SantaMonica]

[ambystoma82]

sorry bro u din type anything

is the pic for me to refer to for concept design?

but this restricts to only LEDS?

was tinkin of a lower cost one

hw abt floruscent bulbs?

[SantaMonica]

go here for ideas:

http://www.algaescrubber.net/forums/viewto...hp?f=3&t=26

[matt0005]

Hmm Santa, just a question... I have just cleaned the screen last wk to wipe off chucks

My no3 is still 5ppm (there was a typo previously, not 0.5) and my po4 remains at 1ppm... is this normal? The algae growth seems to be larger this time.. could it be due to my feeding regime?

[SantaMonica]

You need to clean of three full screens of algae before the nutrients can start reducing.

[matt0005]

i see the logic now thanks!

[SantaMonica]

Update: RC has un-blocked "scrubber", "algaescrubber", and other scrubber-related words.

Update: Algae on rocks: If you are building a scrubber to help remove algae from your rocks, don't remove the algae from the rocks manually. Let it stay there so it can do some filtering while your scrubber starts growing. The algae on the rocks will start disappearing after you have cleand off about three scrubber screens. It's also fun to watch it disappear.

[pokmingsheng]

hey santa... thinking of starting on an algae scrubber..

a question...

do i need to purchase a pump specially for the algae scrubber???

so that water will go up the pipe and down onto the screen...

[tench1]

Hi Santa, i jsut DIY my own scrubber with watever items i can find at home. Please give me your valuable comments for my design.

Is there any other areas i can improve on?

Will my design work?

Utitised the skimmer's and Uv's return output flow as source.

Thanks in advance, Ten

[SantaMonica]

Kiko: You can use the overflow like Tench did, below, if there is enough flow. If not enough flow, you can get a pump, or just make the screen more narrow. Post pics before you install.

Tench: That will work, but will require adjustments as the algae grows, because the growth will block water flow to the areas below it. Make sure the screen is very rough. You are better off making the screen much smaller, so that the water falls off the edges rapidy.

[pokmingsheng]

Kiko: You can use the overflow like Tench did, below, if there is enough flow. If not enough flow, you can get a pump, or just make the screen more narrow. Post pics before you install.

i've 3 compartments in my sump..

so the scrubber shall go into the first compartment?

since i'm using the overflow....