santamonica
Member
You just need a larger drain in the scrubber bucket. If that drain is big enough, there is no way for water to build up there.
Mega-Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover Replaces Skimmer, Refugium, Everything
- Thread starter santamonica
- Start date
coralreefer
Active Member
i have a couple of questions regarding my scrubber that i set up in my new 75 gallon reef w/ 55 gallon sump.
1. how often and where do i clean the scrubber? i have light shining on one side of it
2. how often do i run the lights? as in all the time, or in cycles like the regular lights on my tank
thanks
1. how often and where do i clean the scrubber? i have light shining on one side of it
2. how often do i run the lights? as in all the time, or in cycles like the regular lights on my tank
thanks
santamonica
Member
Phoenix: Nice build, will be waiting for other pics. That pump looks small... is it delivering 35 gph per inch width of screen?
Reefer: This will answer everything:
FAQ:
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/330606/mega-powerful-nitrate-and-phosphate-remover-replaces-skimmer-refugium-everything/840#post_3053372
Many examples of scrubbers:
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/330606/mega-powerful-nitrate-and-phosphate-remover-replaces-skimmer-refugium-everything/880#post_3071819
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/330606/mega-powerful-nitrate-and-phosphate-remover-replaces-skimmer-refugium-everything/460#post_2862316
Reefer: This will answer everything:
FAQ:
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/330606/mega-powerful-nitrate-and-phosphate-remover-replaces-skimmer-refugium-everything/840#post_3053372
Many examples of scrubbers:
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/330606/mega-powerful-nitrate-and-phosphate-remover-replaces-skimmer-refugium-everything/880#post_3071819
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/330606/mega-powerful-nitrate-and-phosphate-remover-replaces-skimmer-refugium-everything/460#post_2862316
santamonica
Member
Update: Best way to rough up your plastic canvas:
santamonica
Member
santamonica
Member
Update: Signs of scrubbers wearing out
Since my acrylic scrubber is approching one year old, it's the first one to experience signs of wearing out. Of course I'm also experimenting with large amounts of continuous feeding (which makes things worse), but I'm still seeing some of the same signs in other peoples' scrubbers, even though they are feeding normal amounts, and even though they've replaced the bulbs every 3 months. This is typically what starts happening:
Glass-cleaning is needed more often
Scrubber starts growing darker algae
pH stays at a lower point
Rocks get a light green covering
Cyano starts showing up
Nitrate and phosphate start staying at higher levels
What is probably happening (and what happened to mine) was that the flow had been greatly reduced to the scrubber. My screen is 22" wide, and only half of it was getting any flow at all (I'm surprised half of it did not die); the other half was still getting some flow, but it was so little that the bottom of the scrubber was almost dry. My problem was the pump:
This is a case of scrubbers causing their own unique problem. When you run a scrubber (without skimmers or mechanical filters), not only do the corals and small fish get much more of the food that you feed, but you will also grow all sorts of filter feeders like the ones you see all over the pump in the picture. They grew all through the display, of course (to be eaten by a wrasse), but they also grew up into the impeller area of the scrubber pump, which was the problem. Also in the pic, you can see the brown stuff which was the result of my experiment in large amounts of continuous feeding in a system with a poorly designed sump (which allowed too much settling). The case/impellor was so locked up that I had to soak it in pure vinegar for several hours to even get it open. So while waiting on that, I opened the Eheim 1262 (900 gph) that I ordered as a backup
So now my scrubber pump is pumping 2X as much as my return.
Once the new pump was in place, there was a forceful waterfall across the screen again. There is so much water in the acrylic box now that it is 1" deep before it goes out the drain hole (whereas before it was almost dry).
Point is, check your scrubber pump often for internal fan worms or food buildup. Just like the lights, you may not be able to see the lower output (since it happens very slowly over time), so you have to open it up and check. Running the pump in vinegar every three months should keep it clear (vinegar disolves fan worms).
Since my acrylic scrubber is approching one year old, it's the first one to experience signs of wearing out. Of course I'm also experimenting with large amounts of continuous feeding (which makes things worse), but I'm still seeing some of the same signs in other peoples' scrubbers, even though they are feeding normal amounts, and even though they've replaced the bulbs every 3 months. This is typically what starts happening:
Glass-cleaning is needed more often
Scrubber starts growing darker algae
pH stays at a lower point
Rocks get a light green covering
Cyano starts showing up
Nitrate and phosphate start staying at higher levels
What is probably happening (and what happened to mine) was that the flow had been greatly reduced to the scrubber. My screen is 22" wide, and only half of it was getting any flow at all (I'm surprised half of it did not die); the other half was still getting some flow, but it was so little that the bottom of the scrubber was almost dry. My problem was the pump:
This is a case of scrubbers causing their own unique problem. When you run a scrubber (without skimmers or mechanical filters), not only do the corals and small fish get much more of the food that you feed, but you will also grow all sorts of filter feeders like the ones you see all over the pump in the picture. They grew all through the display, of course (to be eaten by a wrasse), but they also grew up into the impeller area of the scrubber pump, which was the problem. Also in the pic, you can see the brown stuff which was the result of my experiment in large amounts of continuous feeding in a system with a poorly designed sump (which allowed too much settling). The case/impellor was so locked up that I had to soak it in pure vinegar for several hours to even get it open. So while waiting on that, I opened the Eheim 1262 (900 gph) that I ordered as a backup
So now my scrubber pump is pumping 2X as much as my return.Once the new pump was in place, there was a forceful waterfall across the screen again. There is so much water in the acrylic box now that it is 1" deep before it goes out the drain hole (whereas before it was almost dry).
Point is, check your scrubber pump often for internal fan worms or food buildup. Just like the lights, you may not be able to see the lower output (since it happens very slowly over time), so you have to open it up and check. Running the pump in vinegar every three months should keep it clear (vinegar disolves fan worms).
desert fishy
New Member
Santa Monica - where can I get the 1/4" thick "honeycomb" plastic to use for the scrubber? Also, thanks for all the info - it's been fascinating reading and I can't wait to get mine going.
santamonica
Member
They are free... just pay postage. I have a few left so pm me your email.
santamonica
Member
Tarraza on the AS site: "THANK YOU SM. without this site my tank was a mess. Now I can enjoy this hobby for ever. 8 months now and i forget what NITRATE, PHOSPHATE IS ALL ABOUT, AHH!!, WATER CHANGE? NOT FOR ME ANY MORE!!!!! GOD BLESS YOU GUYS!!!!"
Firestarter on the SG site: "I was rather hesitant to change to an algae scrubber at first and doubted it would really work, as it was too good to be true. Almost 1.5 weeks of converting to the scrubber, I can see such great results! My corals are finally doing better, pods population has almost tripled, and I don't even need to clean the tank glass at all (usually by now it would be covered my a thin film of brown diatoms). Its amazing what the results were. Forget expensive skimmers, denitrators etc, just a good light source and good flow will do. One of the main reasons why I changed to a scrubber was because of my high nitrate reading. When I finally bought a test kit and tested it, the reading was more than 100mg/l and now it has dropped significantly to 25mg/l. Another advantage was that I could skip the skimmer pump which resulted in my water temp dropping 0.5 - 1 deg."
Craig on the NZ site: "My tank water is so clear and clean looking, and the sand is clean.
I have a Dragon Goby and he has gotten fat ever since I moved to the scrubber and removed my skimmer, he moves a heck of a lot of sand. But I stirred up my sand like I occasionally do and this time there was no muck coming out as I stirred it. My [nuisance] algaes in my overflow have receded, and the coraline on the rocks has grown quite quickly over the last few days. Even the water in my sump (even thou there is a bit of crap on the bottom) is clear and clean."
Gannet on the NZ site: "i have gone from cleaning the glass on the front of the tank 2-4 times a week to once every 2 weeks ... my nitrates has gone from 80ppm and is now 0-5ppm ... and the pods and mysis, i have that many in my sump now that i scoop them up with a net and feed them to my fish works a treat."
ImDaring on the LR site: "I built mine [scrubber] because I had to clean my glass every day because of green algae, and then to top it off I had a Brown algae breakout... it had covered the bottom of my sand bed it; looked like slime. the first week of having my scrubber hooked up I only cleaned my glass 1 time, now on my 2nd week I have not had to clean it at all, and the brown algae is almost gone."
Firestarter on the SG site: "I was rather hesitant to change to an algae scrubber at first and doubted it would really work, as it was too good to be true. Almost 1.5 weeks of converting to the scrubber, I can see such great results! My corals are finally doing better, pods population has almost tripled, and I don't even need to clean the tank glass at all (usually by now it would be covered my a thin film of brown diatoms). Its amazing what the results were. Forget expensive skimmers, denitrators etc, just a good light source and good flow will do. One of the main reasons why I changed to a scrubber was because of my high nitrate reading. When I finally bought a test kit and tested it, the reading was more than 100mg/l and now it has dropped significantly to 25mg/l. Another advantage was that I could skip the skimmer pump which resulted in my water temp dropping 0.5 - 1 deg."
Craig on the NZ site: "My tank water is so clear and clean looking, and the sand is clean.
I have a Dragon Goby and he has gotten fat ever since I moved to the scrubber and removed my skimmer, he moves a heck of a lot of sand. But I stirred up my sand like I occasionally do and this time there was no muck coming out as I stirred it. My [nuisance] algaes in my overflow have receded, and the coraline on the rocks has grown quite quickly over the last few days. Even the water in my sump (even thou there is a bit of crap on the bottom) is clear and clean."
Gannet on the NZ site: "i have gone from cleaning the glass on the front of the tank 2-4 times a week to once every 2 weeks ... my nitrates has gone from 80ppm and is now 0-5ppm ... and the pods and mysis, i have that many in my sump now that i scoop them up with a net and feed them to my fish works a treat."
ImDaring on the LR site: "I built mine [scrubber] because I had to clean my glass every day because of green algae, and then to top it off I had a Brown algae breakout... it had covered the bottom of my sand bed it; looked like slime. the first week of having my scrubber hooked up I only cleaned my glass 1 time, now on my 2nd week I have not had to clean it at all, and the brown algae is almost gone."
king_neptune
Active Member
I got a phos reactor, will this have an impact on the scrubber I want to implement as well?
posiden
Active Member
Originally Posted by King_Neptune
http:///forum/post/3093774
I got a phos reactor, will this have an impact on the scrubber I want to implement as well?
About the only other piece of equipment I would run with a scrubber would be a skimmer........................................and then, I don't know that I would.
But, that is me.
http:///forum/post/3093774
I got a phos reactor, will this have an impact on the scrubber I want to implement as well?
About the only other piece of equipment I would run with a scrubber would be a skimmer........................................and then, I don't know that I would.
But, that is me.
sir mixxalot
Member
well if you ask me a scrubber removes more than just phos... just as long as there is something to feed on it should grow i believe. maybe santa monica will chime in
king_neptune
Active Member
I think Ill hook the phos reactor up...but leave it off untill the day I need it...same with skimmer.
santamonica
Member
I got a phos reactor, will this have an impact on the scrubber I want to implement as well?
Will just slow it down. But you'll have very low phosphate. If nitrate continues to be high, remove the reactor so that the scrubber can deal with nitrate and phosphate together.
Will just slow it down. But you'll have very low phosphate. If nitrate continues to be high, remove the reactor so that the scrubber can deal with nitrate and phosphate together.
santamonica
Member
Update: Screens that are too small
This is an example of why a too-small screen can cause problems. The algae gets thick too quick, and the bottom layers die and go back into the water, causing cloudiness and lack of filtering. If you must use a too-small screen, clean it every 3 days instead of 7.
Click here if you can't see pic below
This is an example of why a too-small screen can cause problems. The algae gets thick too quick, and the bottom layers die and go back into the water, causing cloudiness and lack of filtering. If you must use a too-small screen, clean it every 3 days instead of 7.
Click here if you can't see pic below
king_neptune
Active Member
speaking of small screens. How soon before you get larger ones? Never heard a reply from the last email I sent you the other day. Ill shoot you a paypal soon as you get em^^
santamonica
Member
Don't recall seeing an email.
I'm waiting on feedback from the current batch of screens that I sent out for free, to see if this material is even worth pursuing. Want to see that it does not rip/disolve/decay, and that it really holds algae in the holes after cleaning, like it is supposed to.
I'm waiting on feedback from the current batch of screens that I sent out for free, to see if this material is even worth pursuing. Want to see that it does not rip/disolve/decay, and that it really holds algae in the holes after cleaning, like it is supposed to.
king_neptune
Active Member
Originally Posted by SantaMonica
http:///forum/post/3095916
Don't recall seeing an email.
I'm waiting on feedback from the current batch of screens that I sent out for free, to see if this material is even worth pursuing. Want to see that it does not rip/disolve/decay, and that it really holds algae in the holes after cleaning, like it is supposed to.
I believe that you are onto a good design. They look like they will do the job so Im willing ot be a test subjec
^
The email in question came from *heinzig@*****.com
maybe that's why you never responded to me asking if you had a larger screen. As soon as you get the new batch of screens lemme know. Ill shoot you a pay pal. I can handle up to 19 inch width, and 30inches tall in my sump(30 is over kill, just letting yo know how high it can go^^)
I picked up a pair of outdoor yard lights. They are 65w Florescent bulbs...i forget the type..but the ones that have half dozen tubes. The box claims they light up a 500 square foot area, the equivalent of a 500w light. $42 each. I got em at lowes in the garden section. Ill have one on each side of the scrubber w/acrylic sheet protecting them from splash. I cant wait to post some pics of it when its all plumbed in.
http:///forum/post/3095916
Don't recall seeing an email.
I'm waiting on feedback from the current batch of screens that I sent out for free, to see if this material is even worth pursuing. Want to see that it does not rip/disolve/decay, and that it really holds algae in the holes after cleaning, like it is supposed to.
I believe that you are onto a good design. They look like they will do the job so Im willing ot be a test subjec
The email in question came from *heinzig@*****.com
maybe that's why you never responded to me asking if you had a larger screen. As soon as you get the new batch of screens lemme know. Ill shoot you a pay pal. I can handle up to 19 inch width, and 30inches tall in my sump(30 is over kill, just letting yo know how high it can go^^)
I picked up a pair of outdoor yard lights. They are 65w Florescent bulbs...i forget the type..but the ones that have half dozen tubes. The box claims they light up a 500 square foot area, the equivalent of a 500w light. $42 each. I got em at lowes in the garden section. Ill have one on each side of the scrubber w/acrylic sheet protecting them from splash. I cant wait to post some pics of it when its all plumbed in.
santamonica
Member
Sounds like a good design. I see your email now... you wanted to wait for larger sizes. Don't know if there will be... depends on feedback from the current testers. You might be better off starting with two layers of plastic canvas, and if the new material becomes available, just layer it over the plastic until it catches on.