Mega-Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover Replaces Skimmer, Refugium, part 1-4

This is awesome, wish I read this before I gave up on my old saltwater setup due to maintenance.

My question is, how much of a pH increase can I expect when using this in a freshwater scenario? I'd like to implement this in a discus tank, but not sure how much pH will be affected.
 
Finally got a finished acrylic box to work with:

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Did a flow test:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4HJilDbX10

Then did a melt test; put the bulb in, and let it set with no water flow for a half hour. No acrylic softening. Then, poured boiling water into the compartments; still ok...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar82ZM8W_y8
 
SM,
I finally got my scrubber going after trying 3 different designs. I had trouble with the idea of slitting the pipe all the way to the end so I could slide the screen out of the pipe.
Anyways, all I have is 2 13w curly bulbs on it ATM (too broke to buy better ones till payday) with the clip on reflectors. after 3 days I'm getting a little brown stuff growing mostly outside of the main area where the light is focused. AM I urting anything by using weak bulbs to start? or it jsut won't take off as fast and grow as thick as it will when I get the 26w bulbs?
1 bulb on each side of a single screen like you reccomended. I have 350 GPH flowing over a 10x14screen. very roughed up with the hole saw like you reccomended.
Thanks.
 
yeah, theyare off for the 6 hours that my daylights are on in the DT.
Today I bought 2 bigger bulbs with the curly bulb inside a lensed spotlight looking bulb with its own reflectors. Still not big enough,but I didnt see anything that was 26 or 27 watts only 23 and they were regular 12 bucks marked down to 5each. Problem is they are almost double the wattage but are noticably dimmer than the 13watts with the big metal reflector around them.
Where do you guys get those 26 or 27 watts or whatever? and what brand are they? I found one that was 26 watts but it was HUGE. way to big to even fit where I would need it to go, so that can't be right.
 
looking at your first week (actually 9 days) my growth seems consistant with yours. maybe Im getting worked up for nothing. Also my lights are 2700 was all I could find :( Home depot had a million lights just nothing that looked right.
 
Finally, I have a combination that has some green. Had to up the flow on the one-sided screen from 50 to 75 gph on the one screen (am not currently using the other screen), and reduce the lighting to 16 hours. Bulb is 1 inch (2.54 cm) from the screen. The bulb is setting on the bottom of the box at an angle, and the screen is also at an angle, and that's the reason that the burned-yellow part is at the bottom, and why the waterline is tilted:

(right click and "view image" to see the whole pic)
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I cleaned it today, then sanded the clear window to diffuse the light. The bulb is so near to the screen that you are almost able to see the outline of the bulb in the growth. Scattering the light should help a lot; it's just a matter of how much.

To build this at home, you would just attach vinyl tubing to the pipe, and set the screen down evenly inside the box.
 
Personally, I have plenty of room for the amount of chaeto my tank requires. Thus far it has served me well and as I have a Mardarin Dragonette to feed, the extra pods are a serious bonus.

I do think both systems have their pros and cons and it really depends on the individual to decide which suits their needs the best. This is definately an interesting topic and unique way to approach saltwater aquariums. The more information available, the more people will be able to design a setup that works properly for them and stay interested in the hobby!

Looking through the thread I definately saw more photos of the screens development than I saw actual test results (I think most of the tests were from SM). I would like it if everyone who posts their Turf Screen system could post their test results as they go too, so a wider sample of information could be provided.
 
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