Scrubber issues...

Ace5high

Ace5high

Reefing newb
Im not sure but I think Im having a few problems with my DIY Scrubber. Its been running solid for over a week and Im not sure if its functioning well...

#1 - Doesnt seem to produce much algae, So far ive only cleaned the screen off once after 8-9 days up and it was barley just slimy green coating (hardly anything)

#2 - I have almost as much green slime forming in the sides back bottom and other parts of the sump as the screen, also my return water line (clear) is starting to turn greenish...

Im afraid that this will progress and Ill have growth everywhere that will require a lot of removing the sump and cleaning out...

When I added the 2 - 18" T5 bulbs I made a new reflector that was suppose to isolate some more light to just the screen, problem is that everything is clear so much light escapes anyway...

Does this sound normal or do I have to make some changes?
 
Last edited:
#1. Clean every 7 days. Do you have pics of the screen after the 8 or9 days of growth?
It does take a few weeks to a month to get good growth. You might try letting it go 10 days and then cleaning one side of the screen, then clean the other side 5 days later. Then go back to the 7day schedule for the whole screen.
#2 If you have light going into the sump you will have growth in it. I don't know how to help you with that. Do you have pics of your set up?
 
If you have algae growing in your sump from the escaping light then, it's competing with your screen and you're not going to see as much growth on it. I haven't decided how I'm going to combat it yet but, I've been thinking about two options 1. Buying some black plexiglass and using it to cover the sump and minimize the light going into it. Or, using the black plexiglass to make a light proof stand for the scrubber. I'm leaning towards the stand only because it will give the sump a cleaner look and cut down on the light escaping under my stand. As far as the green growth in your water lines, you'll either need to find black lines or start cleaning them out regularly. I just had to pull my lines out and run a stick through them to clear them out.
 
Piratefish said:
#1. Clean every 7 days. Do you have pics of the screen after the 8 or9 days of growth?
It does take a few weeks to a month to get good growth. You might try letting it go 10 days and then cleaning one side of the screen, then clean the other side 5 days later. Then go back to the 7day schedule for the whole screen.
#2 If you have light going into the sump you will have growth in it. I don't know how to help you with that. Do you have pics of your set up?
Click to expand...

Pics of the scrubber is in this post :
https://www.livingreefs.com/my-first-sump-refug-advice-needed-t31896p2.html

No pics of screen before clean, Ill take next clean though.

Also, I figured initially it would take some extra time for growth to start and thats why I let it go some extra days. I was under the impression that if light was close and bright enough to the screen that this would prevent growth elsewhere in the system...

Is it possible my light should be improved? The only difference in the setup now is Ive replaced that single CFL with 2 18" T5 Bulbs, I believe they are 10 watt each at 3000k color. I was thinking about replacing these with some 18" T5 HO 6700k bulbs...
 
BL1 said:
As far as the green growth in your water lines, you'll either need to find black lines or start cleaning them out regularly.
Click to expand...

Just curious but what exactly would be the result of these not being cleaned out? Increased ammonia / nitrate?
 
Ace5high said:
Is it possible my light should be improved? The only difference in the setup now is Ive replaced that single CFL with 2 18" T5 Bulbs, I believe they are 10 watt each at 3000k color. I was thinking about replacing these with some 18" T5 HO 6700k bulbs...
Click to expand...

The fixture you have will most likely not run HO bulbs if you just have regular output bulbs in it. HO bulbs have a higher wattage and need a different ballast than regular output bulbs.

For the water lines, you can use electric tape and wrap the lines with it. Get the good stuff. The cheap stuff doesnt stick very well.
 
Just wondering why you changed bulbs....? I just built one (3rd day running,starting to see brownish green growing on it)....Seems the CFL's work just fine on people who have been running them for awhile...
 
did you scrach up the screen b4 you put it in? if the screen is slick algae will have a hard time growing sanamonica normaly says you shouldent be able to see through the screen
 
OhNoNemo said:
Just wondering why you changed bulbs....? I just built one (3rd day running,starting to see brownish green growing on it)....Seems the CFL's work just fine on people who have been running them for awhile...
Click to expand...


Due to the unusually wide wide design of my scrubber 18" wide I didnt feel like I was lighting much of the screen with the CFL. I did notice after the change a more even coverage of slime...

Also, I did rough up my screen but not nearly to the point of not seeing through it, Ill try that!
 
Did you read the DIY for the algae scrubber or did you just decide to wing it?..

1st..your screen is entirely too big..You could put all of your tanks in my tank twice...I don't have an 18" scrubber.

2nd..Your not going to see alot (if any growth) after a week. BUT you clean it anyway. You clean it every 7 days. No matter what.

3rd..Your lights aren't strong enough
 
PRC said:
Did you read the DIY for the algae scrubber or did you just decide to wing it?..

1st..your screen is entirely too big..You could put all of your tanks in my tank twice...I don't have an 18" scrubber.

2nd..Your not going to see alot (if any growth) after a week. BUT you clean it anyway. You clean it every 7 days. No matter what.

3rd..Your lights aren't strong enough
Click to expand...
I wondered about that??
Would he be better off going back to the CFL's ?
 
PRC said:
1st..your screen is entirely too big..You could put all of your tanks in my tank twice...I don't have an 18" scrubber.
Click to expand...

PRC, your scrubber is lit on both sides, isn't it? His is only lit on one side so it's supposed to be twice the size.

Besides that, I thought I had read on SM's forum that there was no such thing as too big of a scrubber?
 
BL1 said:
PRC, your scrubber is lit on both sides, isn't it? His is only lit on one side so it's supposed to be twice the size.

Besides that, I thought I had read on SM's forum that there was no such thing as too big of a scrubber?
Click to expand...

You are correct, cannot be too big in terms of screen size. Also thanks for pointing out that my design is correct according to the design. Since It is not a 2 side light and it is not vertical design.

PRC, I did read Sm's thread as well as a lot of other info on the scrubber forum. I would have some serious talent had I just made that design by wingin it! ;-)

This does still raise the question though if I would have been better off staying with the CFL's... However, according to my current ballast watt and amp rating I should be able to support 2 - 18 watt T5 HO bulbs... humm... :happysun:
 
Return pump is a Rio 1700. It should be moving somewhere between 442 and 531 GPH for the given high.

Flow is pretty good, but I had pointed out in my other thread that I had dry spots on the screen because the screen does not sit flat it has some high spots where the water will flow only underneath. SM made mention that this wouldn't be much of an issue but im beginning to wonder...
 
Part of your issues is that i dont think your t5 lights are putting out the best wavelength for algae growth. Can you find a "grow" bulb for your setup?
 
Head Loss

I'm assuming you've got about 3' of vertical pipe and 3 elbows and 3/4" pipe..I'm only coming up with about 350gph...

I think your headloss calculation may be off a bit...Which would give you the ability to make the screen smaller, making the screen smaller will give more flow, and voila problem solved.

The scrubbers are all about the flow, the more flow you have on the screen, the more green algae....IMO..They're actually more about the flow than the lights...I've only ever used a scrubber, I've tried different lights, different flow, etc...Scrubbers will work with alot of different lights..SM recommends 2700-3000...I actually get my best growth at about 5000k...

But if you don't have the right flow, you get brown sludge...that's it...You can even have more than the recommended amount of flow and it will still work, but too little and you've got mud.
 

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