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Algae Scrubber Pics as requested

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by jbmartelle, Nov 1, 2010.

  1. jbmartelle

    jbmartelle Inactive User

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    A few people were interested in seeing pics of my algae scrubber.  It's about 760 square inches, horizontal version.  I went with a horizontal to take advantage of my overflow to the basement (about 1600 gph off my Sequence Barracuda).  This allows me to only need three Koralia Magnums in a total 400 gallon system.
    The recommendation on www.algaescrubber.net/forums/ is to have twice the scrubber inches of you main display available, for filtering, if using a vertical version, 4 times the inches available for a horizontal or semi horizontal verison.  I probably have 1" of fall for the thirty inches the water travels across the scrubber. 
    The main tank is a 200g corner pentagon built by Midwest Custom.  It has SPS, montiporas (encrusting and scroll), porites, large frilly mushrooms, and gorgonians.  The newest corals are some blue and gold SPS's versions from Bill in Hillsboro.  You can see some of them in the pics that haven't overgrown the plugs yet.
    Please forgive my pics and their clarity.      I've done no sharing of my system on forums since starting saltwater almost 10 years ago and the pics are blurry.  Tons of reading, investigating, and making mistakes.  But most of what I've done has been learned from Wet Web Media and just last year joining GIRS. 
    The lighting on the scrubber and reef is DIY LED.  The main display has twenty 3w blue LEDs, 10 3w 15k leds, and three 50w 12k LEDs.  All on their own timers.  The pics were taken with some of them off.  I'm not a huge fan of the max blue lighting.  I like an overall color rendition of about 14k.  It seems to show off the reds and yellows in the tank better.  My yellow porite is pretty large and has broken/scattered all over the tank giving it lots of yellow.  That's why I contacted Bill for some additions of color (blue mainly).
    The scrubber has nine led grow bulbs.  One in the 10k range, many of them mostly red with some blue, and two in the warm white.  All the bulbs are in the 7-10 watt range.  I tried using twist bulbs (42 watt) but found using 6 of them was a huge electicity cost.  It's documented you would need 1w of compact flourescent for every gallon of display water.  The bulbs would then need replaced every three to four months.   Too much of a cost for my taste. 
    I'm always about cutting cost out of this hobby and decided to experiment with LED grow bulbs.  After some time went by, I found the mix of red, blue, yellow/white has performed the best.  Mostly red...mostly red...say it again.  A good mix is 75% red and the rest white, with maybe 10% blue.  Still not sure if the blue is even needed.  Algae grows best with red but needs a mix to be the healthiest.
    This statement is purely non-scientific, just base on experience...LEDs seem to have very narrow peaks in spectrum no matter what bulb you use.  As a general rule, keep the reds and soft whites for the scrubber.  Use at least 7k or higher when DIY'ing a display reef light.  Keep the reds out of the display.  It really seems doing this gives the least fuel for the algae in you main tank.  Corals love the 7k or up lighting.  Algae not so much.
    Back to the scrubber, if you build one, you can't have too much flow.  You can have too much light.  The algae will be more yellow if the flow isn't good.  After starting the scrubber I experienced the black slime type algae referenced on the website, then with patience and weekly cleaning, my nutrients started going down and greener algae grew on the scrubber.  The last phase to happen is for you live rock to slowly leach out all the phospate that's built up in them.  This reducing level of fuel in the tank eventually clears up your live rock.  As a visual rule, you scrubber has to have more surface area than the main display algae is taking up.
    I've been experimenting with this filter for almost two years.  Seemed to have found a sweet spot now and the display looks better, very little to no algae.  I've had no skimmer for two years.  No carbon, no GFO expense either.  I might change 20 gallons, or so, every two weeks just to vacuum the display and sumps.  Call me anal, a believer in maintenance, or just want to feel like I'm contributing.  The acrylic viewing panes need cleaned once a week or so.  Much less than the 8 years I struggled with conventional methods.  The attached websites moderator hasn't changed water for two years.
    The only products I use for additives are:  dow flake for calcium, baking soda for alkalinity, and turbo strontium.  I feed the tank at least 20ml of Oyster feast every other day plus small amounts of phyto.  Otherwise the fish (mac angel, naso, trigger, red coris wrasse, rabbitfish, 9 yellow tail damsels) get overfed with New Life Spectrum mixed with Formula 2 pellet.  It seems you can't feed the tank enough.  The moderator mentioned before feeds 48ml daily on a 100 gallon reef (but has a stronger filter than I do for the gallons cared for).
    It's stated the algae creates it's own amino acids and vitamins for the tank.  I would have to agree.  I haven't added anthying like that for the two years either.
    I just wanted to share this with GIRS since a couple of members asked.  I don't intend to draw criticism...this industry has created a cycle of putting things in your tank and then selling you things to remove them.  I like feeding, and overfeeding, and having the inhabitants benefit.  The algae eats the amonia, nitrates, and phosphates.  The excess food doesn't need to be removed by a skimmer.  It just circulates throughout the system until something eats it or it decomposes and the algae consumes it.
    Full tank shot-I'm not an experienced pic taker.
    [​IMG]
    Pic of first basement sump full of rock.  Majority of flow goes from this sump to the scrubber sump via six 1' pvc pipes.
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    Full length view of scrubber in second sump
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    Pic of horizontal flow.  All algae growth should be covered when using a vertical or horizontal model.
    [​IMG]
    Some of the right side closer view.  The Briareum just went into a growth phase and doesn't have polyps out.
    [​IMG]
    Some of the left side
    [​IMG]
     
  2. jbmartelle

    jbmartelle Inactive User

    32
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    Forgot to list Epsom Salt as my Mag additive.  Can't live without Mag...
     
  3. PotRoast

    PotRoast Well-Known ReefKeeper

    999
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    +24 / 0 / -0
    Thanks for sharing all this with me. I am not ready to make the switch over. I just got my system the way I want it, at a cost of thousands of dollars I admit. I love DIY projects and this is cool for sure. And from a hobby standpoint, this is fascinating. Further, I learned a few things along the way that is def going to help me in the hobby. Thanks again.
     
  4. maxst2

    maxst2 Inactive User

    5
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    I'll be building in a scrubber into my system as well, to avoid the costs lol.

    Your system looks pretty sweet. Lots of water there.
     
  5. ransomed4ever

    ransomed4ever Inactive User

    91
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    would it be possible to get some good pics of your display lighting, and a little explination with it? It sounds like you're using a lot fewer LEDs than most, but at higher wattages per LED. Just interested in how you did it and a general cost outline.
     
  6. mthomp

    mthomp Inactive User

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    can someone explain to me what a algae scrubber is in laymans terms?
     
  7. Guest

    Guest Guest

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    Algae eat bad water stuff, oxygen good.
     

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