3D Printed sump mounted Algae scrubber

[Justfbilly]

I have been working on this algae scrubber design a few months now and I think have gotten all of the kinks worked out and I thought I would share the design if anyone else wanted to use it. I designed a 3 piece 3D printed algae scrubber tray and one of the ends are adjustable that will allow it to fit multiple width sump tanks. I have incorporated multiple angle options for the water inlet cover that has a .625" O. D. hose barb that makes it easy to attach a feed hose and have multiple options for a supply pump.

Thingiverse link: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2832023

 

[Bouncingsoul39]

I know very little about 3-d printing. How would I go about having your design printed for me locally and relatively inexpensively? Is that even possible?

 

[Justfbilly]

If you follow the link blow the picture it will take you to the site where you can download all of the STL files for the scrubber. Then find someone that has a 3D printer that can print the files for you. I think that Thingiverse even offers the option to have them print files for you.

 

[mikesuperrc]

What type of filament would you recommend to be used. I guess it would need to be food safe.

Im looking in to getting a printer so very interested in this project.

 

[Justfbilly]

I am using PLA. Its a bit more brittle than ABS but its easier to work with and its food safe.

 

[JoshKReef]

I am using PLA. Its a bit more brittle than ABS but its easier to work with and its food safe.

Can you show a pic of this in use?

 

[Caswal]

I would use PETG over PLA. Is more durable, and is also food safe. PLA is 'biodegradable', but it seems like it is lucky dip if it will breakdown in an aquarium or not: https://hackaday.com/2016/03/08/ask-hackaday-is-pla-biodegradable/

One of the comments on that article:

mcnugget says:
March 8, 2016 at 5:30 pm
I can confirm this. I printed a thin mesh designed to seed algae for an algae turf scrubber. It was rubber banded to the output of my skimmer overflow (it’s a hang on back design). I have had to reprint the mesh several times because it breaks down in about 6 months, completely failing and crumbling. I knew this would happen. On the other hand I printed a soap tray for a washing machine made by LG. This was a state of the art machine with a flaw so I decided to fix it. I used the same PLA to print the tray. It gets hit with water and detergent at least twice a week. It still looks like the day I printed it.

TL;DR: PLA is biodegradable, not dissolvable by water alone.

 

[Justfbilly]

I would use PETG over PLA. Is more durable, and is also food safe. PLA is 'biodegradable', but it seems like it is lucky dip if it will breakdown in an aquarium or not: https://hackaday.com/2016/03/08/ask-hackaday-is-pla-biodegradable/

One of the comments on that article:

The marketing writes itself. PLA is a natural, bio based alternative to petroleum laden ABS! Sounds (and smells) like you could eat it! I'm a hands on guy so I tried a nib, tastes like plastic. The baked out, boiled down, unsweetened truth is that it is indeed, plastic. Marketeers love to tout the biodegradability of the material, and its true, that at some point it will biodegrade. The reality however, is that this process will take several hundred years in a typical landfill. To biodegrade, PLA requires a laundry list of conditions to effectively break down. Specifically - oxygen, a temperature of 140+ degrees, and a 2/3 cocktail of organic substrate. Collectively, these are absent in any scenario outside of industrial composting facilities. This means that PLA plastic will sit in that landfill right alongside ABS and other plastics for a very long time.

 

[Justfbilly]

Can you show a pic of this in use?

I hope to have it up and running in he next day or so and I will upload a video of it in action

 

[tgp4274]

following

 

[Maggie321]

I know very little about 3-d printing. How would I go about having your design printed for me locally and relatively inexpensively? Is that even possible?

Some local libraries have 3d printers you can use free

 

[radiata]

Did you design a roughed-up bed for the scrubber that would allow algae to more easily attach itself to? Or, are you planning to lay some screening on the bed?

 

[Rick Cavanaugh]

The marketing writes itself. PLA is a natural, bio based alternative to petroleum laden ABS! Sounds (and smells) like you could eat it! I'm a hands on guy so I tried a nib, tastes like plastic. The baked out, boiled down, unsweetened truth is that it is indeed, plastic. Marketeers love to tout the biodegradability of the material, and its true, that at some point it will biodegrade. The reality however, is that this process will take several hundred years in a typical landfill. To biodegrade, PLA requires a laundry list of conditions to effectively break down. Specifically - oxygen, a temperature of 140+ degrees, and a 2/3 cocktail of organic substrate. Collectively, these are absent in any scenario outside of industrial composting facilities. This means that PLA plastic will sit in that landfill right alongside ABS and other plastics for a very long time.

I have tested PLA in a tank for over a year. Still good, it will biodegrade, but it is REAL SLOW. Thin pieces printed in PLA will crack from the absoption of water, thick pieces are not issue. However, I prefer PETG. Great filament with the only bad tendency is poor bridging.

 

[TheLadyCrash]

I’d also go PETG personally. My husband is actually designing some pieces for me right now!

 

[kireek]

Following along as well.I would love to see this piece in action.I would consider it a good couple levels above my plastic canvas contraption.

 

[Webslinger]

I hope to have it up and running in he next day or so and I will upload a video of it in action

How's it working for you?

 

[Dfeagley]

Success or no? I saved it on thingiverse. I'll add it to the print queue if this is working out for you

 

[Justfbilly]

It worked really good, unfortunately I didn’t take any video before I broke that tank down.

 

[Dfeagley]

Is there a reason you chose not to use it on your new set up, or do you not have a tank up right now?

 

[Justfbilly]

It was on a tank I had in my wife’s home office, I don’t have the room in my sump to be able to use it. Trust me I tried to figure out a way to keep it up and running with out having to completely redesign the way it mounts in the sump.

I am in the process of designing a 3D printed Algae scrubber that I can hang on the Side of my sump that will use red LED lights from a Halloween projector that I found on clearance at Home Depot for $3.00 so I bought 5 of them to ha e parts for any new build ideas.

I am using the motor from the same Halloween decoration on a Kalk stirrer that I am designing and test fitting ever. I have designed the motor housing and the stirrer blades so far. Once it’s up and running I will record it in action and then share the link to the files.