Mega-Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover Replaces Skimmer, Refugium, Everything

[aztec reef]

I'm the ONE who has been saying for many times that nutrient -poor environments are the way to go...
Back to your question:
"Creating an area that absorbs those nutrients so it doesn't develop in the display tank".
Sure, isn't that the whole idea behind any type of biofilters?
The point here is ,the less abundance of nutrient in water coulumn the less need for this extra filters/nitrifiers ..especially in enclosed systems..
like that saying goes, if it ain't broke don't fix it..
those nutrients are developing back in water column via pod infestation..
Pod infestation is the result of high nutrient available in water column..
Its all about balance!!
Unless you're a proctologist like santamonica, an have the ability to use an endoscope to look for filter feeding sponges in all crevices..

 

[stdreb27]

Originally Posted by Aztec Reef
http:///forum/post/2786145
Sure, isn't that the whole idea behind any type of biofilters?
The point here is ,the less abundance of nutrient in water coulumn the less need for this extra filters/nitrifiers ..especially in enclosed systems..
like that saying goes, if it ain't broke don't fix it..
those nutrients are developing back in water column via pod infestation..
Pod infestation is the result of high nutrient available in water column..
I'm a little confused. "those nutrients are developing back in water column via pod infestation.."
Then saying "Pod infestation is the result of high nutrient available in water column.." is kind of like asking what comes first the chicken or the egg.
We introduce nutrients into our tank with food, and salt. We've got to remove it somehow.
I guess I don't see your point, if you are using this to prove that this idea doesn't work, or useless.

 

[aztec reef]

theres a difference between pod infestation and pod abundance..
pods are part of the food chain, so they will always be present..
regular feedings and saltmixes will not give u pod infestation whatsoever.
However, excessive feeding and additives which usually result unmetabolized by your ecosystem will cause decomposition..thus resulting in Nitrogen compounds and pod infestation..

 

[reefkprz]

I have never heard having an abundance of pods called an infestation. unless its a newbie witnessing a pod populatiobn burst in a nerw tank wondering what the infestation of little bugs is. I dont understand this concept.
a pod "infestation" is IMO more preferrable to a bristle worm infestation, which is by far the more common result of excess foods.

 

[santamonica]

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Builds Of The Day:
This one is from "Sandztorm" on the RP site; it is a version of the nano that I listed on page 1, where a simple screen replaces the foam filter in the hood, and a light is added on top:

This one from "Coopattack" on the FG site wraps the PVC around the bottom of the screen to hold it in place:

Here is a trough version by "framerguy" on the CR site (the lights have since been lowered closer to the trough):

This one from "Labman" on the MD site wanted a taller one in a more narrow size, so he attached two plastic canvas screens together:

"Johntanjm" from the MD site placed screens on both sides of the bulb, instead of a bulb on both sides of the screen:

"Mrobo77031" on the UR site just attached the pipe and lights to the stand, and put some reflective material around it:

And "Mudshark" on the MASA site just drilled the pvc with holes, and wrapped a screen around it:

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[sly]

Originally Posted by SantaMonica
http:///forum/post/2778525
What is this.... dinner?

...Nope, it a week of growth from just one side (the 6500K side) of my acrylic unit.
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That trough scrubber is awesome...
Here's a pic of my latest harvest. Add a couple of pounds of salad to that dinner?

 

[mmedley]

I have a floresent light from a 10g tank hood, would that be suffient light for this project or should i go ahead and get the bulb listed in earlier posts?

 

[santamonica]

No, you would need to get the CFL bulb.

 

[santamonica]

Not to be outdone by Sly, I weighed mine Here is my 7-day cleaning from yesterday. First, here's the screen before cleaning, looking at the the edge:

Here's the screen after cleaning:

And here's what was removed:

So it was a half-pound of wet green hair, about the same as last week. Once thing about cleaning green hair compared to real turf (my other screen that's now at the LFS) is that it slides off so easy, it's hard to leave any on the screen. I tried to only clean one side, but some of the other side detached too. You can almost just run tap water over it, and the loose stuff comes off. Maybe a better design is two half-screens, so you can just pull one out and clean it completely, while not touching the other one.

 

[santamonica]

Reminder Of The Day:
Why Larger Is Not Better: A larger screen, by itself (without larger lights), is not better than a smaller screen. This means that if you want more nitrate and phosphate removal from your water, the best way to do it is by getting stronger lights, or by moving the lights closer to the screen. If all you do is get a larger screen, the new larger edges of the screen will be too far from the light to have any effect. Of course, the most effective way to increase nitrate and phosphate removal is to do all three: Increase screen size; add more lights to cover the new screen parts; and position all the lights closer to the screen.

 

[santamonica]

Text Version:
Food --> fish,corals --> Organic Nitrate, Organic Phosphate.
Organic Nitrate, Organic Phosphate --> Bacteria --> Inorganic Nitrate, Inorganic Phosphate.
Inorganic Nitrate, Inorganic Phosphate --> Algae --> Oxygen

 

[reefkprz]

your missing something in your flow charts. corals eat fish poo, micro fauna eats fish poo etc. also by your chart fish and corals poo out nitrate and phosphate..... not bad but needs some work IMO bacteria can also consume nitrate. and so on. there are a bunch of well I'm not sure what to call it, Gaps or holes in information there.
I realize your trying to simplify a very complex process. but I think you have over simplified it.

 

[santamonica]

Yes had to over simplify it in order to get an understanding of just N and P.

 

[santamonica]

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Reminder Of The Day:
Feeding: Here are the two building block articles by Eric Borneman that cover what happens when you feed your tank. This information is what you need to know to understand what scrubbers do:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-01/eb/index.php
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-03/eb/index.php
Here is an excerpt from the second one:
"Detritus [waste] ... is the principal food source for the many bacterial species that work in various nitrification and denitrification activities. Before reaching the microbial community, however, [waste] acts as a food source for the smaller consumers such as amphipods, copepods, errant polychaetes, protozoans, flagellates, ciliates and other animals whose activities contribute to the stability and productivity of a coral reef and a coral reef aquarium."
and
"Of the many food sources available to corals and already discussed in this series of articles, particulate organic material [waste], dissolved organic material [DOC/DOM], and bacteria are the most universally accepted food sources"
and
"The use of detrital material, or particulate organic material, as food source is a cornerstone of coral reef ecology and forms what is well accepted to be the base of the entire food chain"
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[jhuggins]

I have looked at this thread a couple times in the past. It is certainly interesting. Actually I made one of these by accident and have been using it for 18 months now. Mine is just a piece of acrylic in my sump. Water flows down about 14 by 14 inches and then goes into my return pump. I have a pc light over it. I clean off that algae every 3 to 4 weeks. I have never had a problem with algae in my tank. I never knew why but I guess I do now.

 

[santamonica]

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Here's one reason I really like using scrubber without a skimmer. My purple gorg and red feather star stay open and extended all day and night, even though they naturally do so only during the night. But since there is no skimmer removing organics (food), and since the scrubber adds pods to the water all day, not only do they eat well, but they do so 24/7. Note: You cannot keep filter feeders likes these if you have a skimmer...
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[jhuggins]

well I found as old picture and you can see what i am talking about in the picture. I acutally just cleaned it last night and got about 2 cups off of it. Do you think this is working the same as what you are doing?
If you look to the left of the picture you will see the long piece of acrylic. The water from the tank enters on the other side of it(skimmer is located in there) Then the water runs all the way down the side. You can see the pc light

 

[santamonica]

Yes it seems you have a scrubber. You could improve it if you glue some plastic canvas to the top of it, so the algae won't be completely removed.

 

[thauro77]

So, how often we have to remove the alage. My filter has being set for almost 3 months by now and the algae growth is not near in ammount as the pictures above. I see something growing on the filter but not as much yet. Am I doing something wrong?
Also is there something I can do to "muffle" the driping noise. Tank is in my bedroom and the driping is driving me nuts!!!
I have nowhere else to place the tank since I live with 3 other people so my space it's only my bedroom.

 

[santamonica]

You should have been cleaning one side weekly, in the sink. Have you? Let's see pics of the growth.
What dripping noise? Your pics of the your original setup showed that the screen was setting in the water, and so there should be a silent flow into the sump. Can you post a video of the dripping, or at least pics?