Algae Scrubber Advanced

Target is 35 GPH/in of screen width, actual flow across the screen.

However, when you are starting a new screen, going with a lower flow rate is fine - all you "need" initially is even coverage across the screen. So you can just eyeball this at first, and keep in mind that for the first couple hours to the first couple days, a new roughed-up canvas screen will forms "streams" where the water won't evenly sheet, but rather the water will congeal into "strips" because the initial slime layer hasn't really formed. If you do the mortar screen, this will sheet pretty much right away (it's a surface tension thing)

So back to the flow, once the "streaming" is gone, crank up the flow until you see it "pile up" or "arc" across the screen at the end opposite the water flow source. This is "too much flow".

Now back it down until you start to lose coverage on that same end (opposite the source), this is your "too little flow" point. Start out just above that point - where you are just getting even coverage.

If you can't get it just right, now worries. It will fill in and even out. Then, you can increase the flow more. The point is, initially, lower flow is OK because it won't wash algae off the screen (allowing *slightly* faster attachment to occur)

Also, when monkeying with flow, keep in mind that nutrients available + flow = lighting is the kind of equation you are dealing with. So if you reduce flow, you should reduce lighting. This is why with high power LED and reduced flow, you crank it way down. As you start to get growth, let it prove itself, and make small changes
 
Floyd R Turbo said:
Target is 35 GPH/in of screen width, actual flow across the screen.

However, when you are starting a new screen, going with a lower flow rate is fine - all you "need" initially is even coverage across the screen. So you can just eyeball this at first, and keep in mind that for the first couple hours to the first couple days, a new roughed-up canvas screen will forms "streams" where the water won't evenly sheet, but rather the water will congeal into "strips" because the initial slime layer hasn't really formed. If you do the mortar screen, this will sheet pretty much right away (it's a surface tension thing)

So back to the flow, once the "streaming" is gone, crank up the flow until you see it "pile up" or "arc" across the screen at the end opposite the water flow source. This is "too much flow".

Now back it down until you start to lose coverage on that same end (opposite the source), this is your "too little flow" point. Start out just above that point - where you are just getting even coverage.

If you can't get it just right, now worries. It will fill in and even out. Then, you can increase the flow more. The point is, initially, lower flow is OK because it won't wash algae off the screen (allowing *slightly* faster attachment to occur)

Also, when monkeying with flow, keep in mind that nutrients available + flow = lighting is the kind of equation you are dealing with. So if you reduce flow, you should reduce lighting. This is why with high power LED and reduced flow, you crank it way down. As you start to get growth, let it prove itself, and make small changes
Click to expand...

10/4 thank you!!!!
 
Floyd R Turbo said:
I would use 4 660s, just because it's more even coverage, and the 660 is the primary driver for production.

I would run the violets at 50% of the reds, however you manage to do that.
Click to expand...

thanks Bud, this project has taken way longer than I thought it would.
was just setting down to get the LEDs added to the H.S some how I need to order 2 more 660 damn I was not sure what I was thinking when I ordered.

questions:
I have both Rb and some warm whites that I am not using.
guessing the RB would be better to ad 1 to each side if I decide not to go with 660 reds. would like to use what I have but dont mind getting 2 more reds if needed. that prob. the "best" yes?

my layout will be like the 5 on a dice with the 420 UV in the middle.

now to power them I was hopping I could just run them all @ 700ma only taking 1 spot on my new apex prime real estate you know :)
but I do have a small "night light" driver that will push them at 300-400ma but would need to take the spot on my power bar if I plan to do on off schedule and I think I will for the 1st few months anyway until there is a nice think growth.
so what better run it 50% like bud suggested or wire them all together off of one driver?

when I fire this bad boy up do you guys think I will need a screen to cut down the intensity ( cant dime of the driver) or should I do shorter light cycles something like taking breaks in the night?

thanks again all you ATS reefers out there!
 
Here is a quick pic of the layout i am doing for me new waterfall 2 cube a day ATS.
b0ad44a93a3aaa345eaeda3e1a841ac1.jpg


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk
 
You can run them all in a series, you might get a bit of a hotspot in the middle but with 420 Violet that won't be as bad as it would be with 455 RB
 
salty joe said:
Thanks, I like that heatsink and no fan I assume. Nice.
Click to expand...

yeah no fan. if I am having heating issues. I can cut the acrylic in two then add a 1" wide or so fined H.S to release the heat. i think I will be fine tho time will tell. I'll keep you all posted.
 
Here are some more pics. I will rewire the UV in to the series that will save a bit of mess & a power plug on my apex.

I did decide to order 2 more 660 reds so it will be 4 reds and 1 UV on each side.

2nd pic is the array in the
78c5338ce4436c56dc5cd9afc96f34ed.jpg
ecddb3f1f9a9d2740d6d9da17c75b172.jpg


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk
 
Those are low-power LEDs, so it will do OK but if you get algae that is thick enough, the fixture might not have enough "punch" to get light down to the base layer,so you might get some detachment a little earlier than if you used a fixture with high-power LEDs. Also that fixture is 13" in diameter, so it would be for a pretty large screen.

What size tank?

How much do you feed?
 
120 display with 25 in the sump. Feed about 2 cubes/day. Going to start my build with 23w cfl 2700k but looking to identify an off the shelf LED solution once I get it running and established. BTW, been reading all your stuff on algae scrubbers thanks for the contribution to the hobby!
 
With a tank that size & feeding that rate, you really only need about 4x6, 6x6, 7x7, something along those lines. Concentrate the screen down in size a bit from 9x10, that gets you extra flow and forces the algae to grow in a smaller space. That will likely get you a bit better results.

CFL selection is good, if you go 6x6 or even 5x5 you can use a CFL spotlight and then you don't need dome reflectors, just a socket.

Then you can research an equivalent LED fixture - I would be wary of that large round one. It could work, so you might try it, but one side at a time so you can compare.
 
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