Mega-Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover Replaces Skimmer, Refugium, part 1-4
- Thread starter SantaMonica
- Start date
I am at 5 days with the scrubber on the big tank(350 gals). Iseeded with turf scraped off the pier pilings, easy to harvest with a penknife. Its starting to lengthen, no diatome so far. Lighting is 4 t5s bought from the chinese corner shop(cant imagine why they sell t5s, but they do...hope it works as well as the one I set up on the seahorse tank. I started out as a sceptic, but after spending a fortune on phosphate absorbers, carbon ,sponges, water changes etc Im convinced. Two months in, ive not done a water change or cleaned the glass just to see what happened.Zooanthids are reproducing,seahorses are fat and active, values are reading zeroes.Scallops are happy.Plus I feed a lot.
Well maybe we can indeed seed turf. The red/brown stuff I had, when razor-bladed off, was to small to attach to anything. But maybe the longer stringy stuff that you used works better.
Successes of the Day:
brianhellno on the MFK site: "Just wanted to share my success with a turf scrubber with my freshwater tank. Currently I have a 125 with (5) 6-inch piranha, (6) 4-inch giant danios, about (20) 1-inch baby black cons, (2) 2-inch green terrors, (2) 2-inch jack dempseys, and (1) 2.5 inch blue malawi cichlid. The smaller fish were all supposed to be feeders, but the piranha ignore them. Anyways I've had the scrubber up and running for almost three weeks now and I finally tested the water parameters: Ammonia 0 ppm, Nitrite 0 ppm, Nitrate 5 ppm. Not too bad! Usually the Nitrate sits around 40 to 80 ppm right before a water change, so this is definitely an improvement. All I can say is thanks for the great idea!
worley on the scrubber site: "Well just got my phosphate test kit and did a test... *drumroll* .... 0ppm. It's the API phosphate test kit, and it was the very lightest green on the salt water card (0ppm). That's a great result, especially as I'm now feeding tonnes into the tank, 1 block of brine shrimp and 1 of mysis, plus some live brine (fed with live phyto a an hour before feeding to the fish) and some pellet foods. [...] I still can't get over the phosphate test, and how low the nitrates are considering there's not been a water change in 2 months and so much food has gone in.
jan on the RPhil site: "Today is my 24th day of cycling, I measured my water my parameters and here are the result: Nitrate 0ppm. Turf algae is almost all over my screen Razz !!!! thanks for this great Idea!
brianhellno on the MFK site: "Just wanted to share my success with a turf scrubber with my freshwater tank. Currently I have a 125 with (5) 6-inch piranha, (6) 4-inch giant danios, about (20) 1-inch baby black cons, (2) 2-inch green terrors, (2) 2-inch jack dempseys, and (1) 2.5 inch blue malawi cichlid. The smaller fish were all supposed to be feeders, but the piranha ignore them. Anyways I've had the scrubber up and running for almost three weeks now and I finally tested the water parameters: Ammonia 0 ppm, Nitrite 0 ppm, Nitrate 5 ppm. Not too bad! Usually the Nitrate sits around 40 to 80 ppm right before a water change, so this is definitely an improvement. All I can say is thanks for the great idea!
worley on the scrubber site: "Well just got my phosphate test kit and did a test... *drumroll* .... 0ppm. It's the API phosphate test kit, and it was the very lightest green on the salt water card (0ppm). That's a great result, especially as I'm now feeding tonnes into the tank, 1 block of brine shrimp and 1 of mysis, plus some live brine (fed with live phyto a an hour before feeding to the fish) and some pellet foods. [...] I still can't get over the phosphate test, and how low the nitrates are considering there's not been a water change in 2 months and so much food has gone in.
jan on the RPhil site: "Today is my 24th day of cycling, I measured my water my parameters and here are the result: Nitrate 0ppm. Turf algae is almost all over my screen Razz !!!! thanks for this great Idea!
Builds/Designs Of The Week:
Aqualityplace on the UR site:
Nickq on the UR site:
Dave3441 on the UR site:
RentalDeceptionist on the UR site:
Workers99 on the UR site:
Bluespotjawfish on the RS site:
Reefski on the MD site:
Christophe on the MD site:
Sharkey18 on the MD site:
Loveaneighbor on the MD site:
Dohn on the MASA site; not DIY-able, but good idea for manufacturing:
Riaanp on the MASA site; this is on the back of a nano. The light is actually inside of the compartment, and he says it does not get wet at all:
Franske on the MASA site:
Enatiello on the RS site:
GlaringToast on the MFT site:
Jan on the RP site:
IamFood on the SG site:
Johntanjm on the SG site:
Juzzmarine on the SG site:
Nitschke on the SWF site:
Todj2002 on the SWF site:
Worley on the AS site; this is for a high-power, very thin unit for HOB:
NoOne on the AS site:
Aqualityplace on the UR site:
Nickq on the UR site:
Dave3441 on the UR site:
RentalDeceptionist on the UR site:
Workers99 on the UR site:
Bluespotjawfish on the RS site:
Reefski on the MD site:
Christophe on the MD site:
Sharkey18 on the MD site:
Loveaneighbor on the MD site:
Dohn on the MASA site; not DIY-able, but good idea for manufacturing:
Riaanp on the MASA site; this is on the back of a nano. The light is actually inside of the compartment, and he says it does not get wet at all:
Franske on the MASA site:
Enatiello on the RS site:
GlaringToast on the MFT site:
Jan on the RP site:
IamFood on the SG site:
Johntanjm on the SG site:
Juzzmarine on the SG site:
Nitschke on the SWF site:
Todj2002 on the SWF site:
Worley on the AS site; this is for a high-power, very thin unit for HOB:
NoOne on the AS site:
Now if you take this design below and put a small pump that is on a timer into the first chamber you can achieve the surge.
I just got mine going, below is a link to my video of my sump using this surge method
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-44XUi8gXg
If you watch behind the piping you can see the water start pumping from the chamber, diverting the overflow from the Display tank, lowering the level slightly and thus the flow over screen diminishes as would the tidal flows.
PS I have my LED light panel off for the video
I just got mine going, below is a link to my video of my sump using this surge method
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-44XUi8gXg
If you watch behind the piping you can see the water start pumping from the chamber, diverting the overflow from the Display tank, lowering the level slightly and thus the flow over screen diminishes as would the tidal flows.
PS I have my LED light panel off for the video
Builds/Designs Of The Week:
Aqualityplace on the UR site:
Feeding update: I've begun increased feeding, because my clown tang is getting skinny, and also because I want to try to keep a variety of non-photo NPS corals. So in my 90g with scrubber-only filtration, I'm currently feeding 4 cubes mysis, 5 ml Reed's Shelfish Diet (phyto), 5 ml Reed's Rotifeast, and 5 ml Reed's Arctipods (copepods), and 2 krill (for white eel) daily. Also one whole silverside weekly (for blue eel). For reference, 1 ml is about 2 pumps from a typical phyto pump bottle.
Since I increased to this amount, I'm now getting my first detectable readings in several months (Salifert). Nitrate is a slight pink... varies between .1 and 1. Phosphate is a barely visible blue; sometimes I'm not sure if it's really blue or not, but it's definitely not the crystal clear it used to be.
Pink coralline is continuing to take over, and the last two square inches of nuisance film algae disappeared last week. Some spots of cyano are still trying to hold on, but the coralline is overtaking them.
So the goal now is to see how much I can actually feed while still keeping N an P low. I don't think they need to be undetectable; I think my goal is to keep nuisance algae from forming, while at the same time being able to sustain non-photo NPS corals. BTW I added a few SPS frags on my new frag tray, and they seem to be doing well.
Since I increased to this amount, I'm now getting my first detectable readings in several months (Salifert). Nitrate is a slight pink... varies between .1 and 1. Phosphate is a barely visible blue; sometimes I'm not sure if it's really blue or not, but it's definitely not the crystal clear it used to be.
Pink coralline is continuing to take over, and the last two square inches of nuisance film algae disappeared last week. Some spots of cyano are still trying to hold on, but the coralline is overtaking them.
So the goal now is to see how much I can actually feed while still keeping N an P low. I don't think they need to be undetectable; I think my goal is to keep nuisance algae from forming, while at the same time being able to sustain non-photo NPS corals. BTW I added a few SPS frags on my new frag tray, and they seem to be doing well.
.
Scrubber FAQ 1.0 is now complete, and will be updated periodically:
http://www.algaescrubber.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=68
Scrubber FAQ 1.0 is now complete, and will be updated periodically:
http://www.algaescrubber.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=68
Here is an easy DIY for a nano. This one starts with a Marineland Eclipse 6 gallon, which was chosen because of the easy-to-access hatch on the top:
First thing you need to do to the filter box is cut out this section, using a Dremel cut-off tool, or even a soldering iron:
Doesn't need to be a smooth cut, since water will be draining down through the holes anyway.
Now, test fit the filter box on the back wall:
Looking from the backside, see how the filter box will set on the wall:
use a little bit of scrap plastic to raise this side a bit:
Now, epoxy some plastic sheet (I just cut them out from the hood material) onto the filter box so that it will hook onto the wall; the epoxy will also hold the little plastic scrap in place too:
Mounting done:
Now cut a piece of hard plastic (any color, any thickness) to fit in the filter box. Use sandpaper or a drill or a file to make the surface rough:
Now cut a piece of "Rug Canvas" or "Plastic Canvas" (found at any sewing or craft store, or online) to fit on the backing:
Rug canvas is preferred because it lets the algae to attach better, but since rug canvas is flimsy, you'll need to epoxy it to the backing. Plastic canvas (pictured) is rigid and can just be set down on the backing, but it does not hold algae as well.
Here is the screen finished. Water should flow off the edges and drain out, but if it collects and gets too deep, cut a little section as shown and it will drain out rapidly:
Attach your light; a halide was chosen so as to get good growth, easy attachment to the tank, and strong lighting for corals:
Here is the screen with a fews days of growth (food was put into the water to rot):
A few more days:
Begin to do your weekly cleanings, 1/2 per week:
Cleaning video:
http://www.radio-media.com/fish/6galCleaning.mpg
If the pump ever stops, turn it over and remove the round part, and check to make sure the little wheel can turn freely:
Pump check video:
http://www.radio-media.com/fish/6galPumpStop.mpg
That's it! Post your nano scrubber pics!
First thing you need to do to the filter box is cut out this section, using a Dremel cut-off tool, or even a soldering iron:
Doesn't need to be a smooth cut, since water will be draining down through the holes anyway.
Now, test fit the filter box on the back wall:
Looking from the backside, see how the filter box will set on the wall:
use a little bit of scrap plastic to raise this side a bit:
Now, epoxy some plastic sheet (I just cut them out from the hood material) onto the filter box so that it will hook onto the wall; the epoxy will also hold the little plastic scrap in place too:
Mounting done:
Now cut a piece of hard plastic (any color, any thickness) to fit in the filter box. Use sandpaper or a drill or a file to make the surface rough:
Now cut a piece of "Rug Canvas" or "Plastic Canvas" (found at any sewing or craft store, or online) to fit on the backing:
Rug canvas is preferred because it lets the algae to attach better, but since rug canvas is flimsy, you'll need to epoxy it to the backing. Plastic canvas (pictured) is rigid and can just be set down on the backing, but it does not hold algae as well.
Here is the screen finished. Water should flow off the edges and drain out, but if it collects and gets too deep, cut a little section as shown and it will drain out rapidly:
Attach your light; a halide was chosen so as to get good growth, easy attachment to the tank, and strong lighting for corals:
Here is the screen with a fews days of growth (food was put into the water to rot):
A few more days:
Begin to do your weekly cleanings, 1/2 per week:
Cleaning video:
http://www.radio-media.com/fish/6galCleaning.mpg
If the pump ever stops, turn it over and remove the round part, and check to make sure the little wheel can turn freely:
Pump check video:
http://www.radio-media.com/fish/6galPumpStop.mpg
That's it! Post your nano scrubber pics!
