Do Algae Reactors Work, And Worth It?

[fishbox]

Do they make that material in white? Because the ARID reactor guy said white will reflect light back into the chamber, where black will absorb it.

And how would you implement it? You'd have to cut holes in front of every led, making the led's still almost in contact with the reactor. A clear type of buffer would seem to work better. But this is just a hypothesis.

The corrugated material does not come in Black. However I'm just going to use a larger piece of PVC pipe

 

[fishbox]

Ohh and no holes needed. My reactor is 4" and the pvc is 6". The lights will be mounted on the inside of the pvc and the reactor will just slide into the pvc

 

[Forsaken77]

Ohh and no holes needed. My reactor is 4" and the pvc is 6". The lights will be mounted on the inside of the pvc and the reactor will just slide into the pvc

That's a good idea. I thought you were talking about putting something between the reactor and the led's. Have you figured what lights you're going with yet, or just taking the Amazon gamble, lol?

 

[JoshKReef]

That's a good idea. I thought you were talking about putting something between the reactor and the led's. Have you figured what lights you're going with yet, or just taking the Amazon gamble, lol?

I'm pretty confident the amazon lights will work using the method he talked about, but maybe 2 8ft strips should be considered bc the dimming issue. This would only work for out of sump method.

 

[JoshKReef]

Is that the current model of the ARID where the light tube needs replacing, or an earlier model? Because the guy from Pax Bellum told me they did many improvements from feedback of the original model.

I posted this earlier in this thread, but I spoke with an led manufacturer and he said that a 16ft/5M length strip will not work because it's too many led's without enough power. That's why he suggested getting two 8ft rolls because the LEDs towards the end of a 16ft roll will be much dimmer.

Also, if it's possible to actually find an IP68 roll, which is meant for continual submersion (and less heat because each led is encapsulated), the in-sump model of this should dissipate the little amount of heat it will give off to the water. But the same strategy for an out-of-sump reactor will cause significantly more heat around the reactor without the water to cool it.

The Amazon lights are IP67, which is not meant for constant submersion, only 30 minutes, and are being marketed as "waterproof." Some of the sellers lights run hotter than others as well.

So if we can actually find IP68 lights for an in-sump model, in the correct spectrum, and use white vinyl wrap of some sort to cover the reactor to reflect light back in, it should work.

Or, for an out of sump model, put a clear buffer between the led's and reactor, still wrapped in white vinyl.

I have been speaking with led manufacturers around the US and won't give up until I can find one that can make these. But they will not be as cheap as the crappy Amazon Chinese lights that weren't even designed for this purpose. Those Amazon led's are meant for indoor gardening type setups. So heat isn't one of their priorities.

We will eventually get there, even if I have to have a manufacturer design these lights specifically for this purpose and I'll sell them myself. It seems like something that should already be available, but isn't.

Have you seen these? They have color options, and different K ratings. On clearance too

https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...-with-18-smdsft-1-chip-smd-led-335/102/#notab

Also, here is an amazon roll that specifies itself as IP68, it also can change colors. Its 20 bucks.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NAFQA2...t=&hvlocphy=9026561&hvtargid=pla-320493107185

This one is 60 bucks for a 16 foot reel.

https://www.aspectled.com/collectio...CDjZM4Ew0Zu9Groi8maexibB70aAha-EALw_wcB#tab-1

 

[fishbox]

I have not fully decided on the lights yet. But I don't think I'm going to go with the Amazon ones simply because of how many complaints of them stopping to work

 

[Turbo's Aquatics Verified Sponsor]

Have you seen these? They have color options, and different K ratings. On clearance too

https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...-with-18-smdsft-1-chip-smd-led-335/102/#notab

These are side emitting, so they would not work well on an algae reactor. But that's going down the right path

 

[JoshKReef]

These are side emitting, so they would not work well on an algae reactor. But that's going down the right path

I edited my post above with a few more options.

 

[hart24601]

The 80 degree water flowing through the reactor with the lights directly touching it is probably the best heatsink you can get. If you put a space in between you will lose that.

I was thinking the exact same thing. Just keep the flow moving in the reactor at a decent clip and don't run the lights when the feed pump isn't running.

 

[AcanthurusRex]

Is that the current model of the ARID where the light tube needs replacing, or an earlier model? Because the guy from Pax Bellum told me they did many improvements from feedback of the original model.

I posted this earlier in this thread, but I spoke with an led manufacturer and he said that a 16ft/5M length strip will not work because it's too many led's without enough power. That's why he suggested getting two 8ft rolls because the LEDs towards the end of a 16ft roll will be much dimmer.

Also, if it's possible to actually find an IP68 roll, which is meant for continual submersion (and less heat because each led is encapsulated), the in-sump model of this should dissipate the little amount of heat it will give off to the water. But the same strategy for an out-of-sump reactor will cause significantly more heat around the reactor without the water to cool it.

The Amazon lights are IP67, which is not meant for constant submersion, only 30 minutes, and are being marketed as "waterproof." Some of the sellers lights run hotter than others as well.

So if we can actually find IP68 lights for an in-sump model, in the correct spectrum, and use white vinyl wrap of some sort to cover the reactor to reflect light back in, it should work.

Or, for an out of sump model, put a clear buffer between the led's and reactor, still wrapped in white vinyl.

I have been speaking with led manufacturers around the US and won't give up until I can find one that can make these. But they will not be as cheap as the crappy Amazon Chinese lights that weren't even designed for this purpose. Those Amazon led's are meant for indoor gardening type setups. So heat isn't one of their priorities.

We will eventually get there, even if I have to have a manufacturer design these lights specifically for this purpose and I'll sell them myself. It seems like something that should already be available, but isn't.

I'm sure the quality varies significantly. I purchased a roll of similar LEDs and the waterproof rubbery coating turned brown on the reel after a few months. The main issue for what we are doing here is the heat. Each one of the LEDs is a 1-3W unit. One watt of heat will burn your finger wen concentrated on an area the size of one of these LEDs. Semiconductors fail when they get hot. Look at the heat sinking on the LED display fixtures. If they don't get painfully hot to the touch it may be OK but without doing the math you really can't be sure.
The Pax Bellum guy said this in an interview at MACNA 2017. Part of his argument that a quartz sleeve is bad; which has me concerned about all those UV sterilizers out there. Decent heat sink and it looks like a good unit but a bit proud IMO. External only which won't work for me.

 

[bo0sted2g]

Following for my new sump build!
my refugium produced great for a month or so then stopped growing anything

may try out the reactor in my new sump

 

[Forsaken77]

Have you seen these? They have color options, and different K ratings. On clearance too

https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...-with-18-smdsft-1-chip-smd-led-335/102/#notab

Also, here is an amazon roll that specifies itself as IP68, it also can change colors. Its 20 bucks.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NAFQA2...t=&hvlocphy=9026561&hvtargid=pla-320493107185

This one is 60 bucks for a 16 foot reel.

https://www.aspectled.com/collectio...CDjZM4Ew0Zu9Groi8maexibB70aAha-EALw_wcB#tab-1

I've spoken with the 2nd and 3rd options you have linked. The 2nd option, from Amazon can only display one color at a time. They don't have an option where it's 3 red to 1 blue led. I see there's a purple button, so maybe it will turn on both red & blue? But they said you pick a preset color from the remote, the colors aren't mixed like grow lights are. Plus it's also a 16ft roll for $20. I don't think they offer 8 ft rolls.

The last link you provided was actually the 1st place I contacted (the $40-$50 ones). They couldn't give me any information because they're just resellers and said the info posted was all they were given. They couldn't even recommend a power supply for it. Those are also singular colors, but they list spectrums that would work. I just didn't want to spend the $50 and match it with an incorrect power supply or have others spend the money and fine out it doesn't work.

Can't tell if it's a place that buys Amazon lights and just resells them or not. They also aren't plant lights, they're accent led's, which is why they only do one color.

But good job on the finds and links.

 

[JoshKReef]

I've spoken with the 2nd and 3rd options you have linked. The 2nd option, from Amazon can only display one color at a time. They don't have an option where it's 3 red to 1 blue led. I see there's a purple button, so maybe it will turn on both red & blue? But they said you pick a preset color from the remote, the colors aren't mixed like grow lights are. Plus it's also a 16ft roll for $20. I don't think they offer 8 ft rolls.

The last link you provided was actually the 1st place I contacted (the $40-$50 ones). They couldn't give me any information because they're just resellers and said the info posted was all they were given. They couldn't even recommend a power supply for it. Those are also singular colors, but they list spectrums that would work. I just didn't want to spend the $50 and match it with an incorrect power supply or have others spend the money and fine out it doesn't work.

Can't tell if it's a place that buys Amazon lights and just resells them or not. They also aren't plant lights, they're accent led's, which is why they only do one color.

But good job on the finds and links.

What do you look for in the specs of the lights?

Here is another that looks promising, but I doubt you'll be able to get info, they are straight from China.

Its 3.50 per meter, which is reasonable enough to just try IMO. Also, I've read on several sites that connecting strips together that are three feet long is good up to 7 runs (21 feet), before you need to run a new line from the power source. Below is also classified as a "grow light strip"

http://hanronlighting.manufacturer....6557/Waterproof-IP68-LED-Grow-Light-Strip.htm

One more edit, they also have more expensive ones with more LEDs per meter, this is the 60 LED per meter version.

 

[Forsaken77]

What do you look for in the specs of the lights?

Here is another that looks promising, but I doubt you'll be able to get info, they are straight from China.

Its 3.50 per meter, which is reasonable enough to just try IMO. Also, I've read on several sites that connecting strips together that are three feet long is good up to 7 runs (21 feet), before you need to run a new line from the power source. Below is also classified as a "grow light strip"

http://hanronlighting.manufacturer....6557/Waterproof-IP68-LED-Grow-Light-Strip.htm

One more edit, they also have more expensive ones with more LEDs per meter, this is the 60 LED per meter version.

Some strips take different power supplies, like 12V and 24V.

I'm trying to find one that is IP68 rated, so it can be used in the sump or externally, I try to find one that comes with a power supply so there's no incompatibility (especially with these cheap Chinese ones that could be different voltages), I try to find ones meant for grow lights or full spectrum, the grow lights will usually have 3 or 4 red to every 1 blue or it can have white mixed in as well.

Someone else on this thread said that the blues take a different ohm or have a different resistance or something along those lines, which is most likely why people are having issues with the blues burning out (because the cheap Chinese ones are most likely using the same specs for all of the led's).

I believe it was the person who showed the picture in this thread of making a reactor out of a canister filter. He used 3 different strips with each strip being just the 1 color. He had 1 red strip, 1 blue strip, and 1 white strip. If you can find his post it'll explain it better. You can't miss the picture of the big canister filter, but it was a post not too far after that by him.

That's why I've been contacting led manufacturers in the US, so they are made to a better quality, or at least made right. But I haven't found one that offers what we're looking for, with different colored led's on the same strip.

So far the best I found was that site you linked to where the lights were $40-$50. Because even though they can only be set to one color at a time, there are spectrums, like the 6500K that will grow Chaeto.

I mean if a place is selling them, they should at least be able to recommend the power supply for it, and they couldn't. They knew absolutely nothing about the lights aside of what was posted online. Which leads me to believe they're just reselling the same crap that's on Amazon. This was through email btw.

A LOT of people have bought their lights from Amazon and very few haven't had problems. Some people say the whole thing burnt out after a few days, some say the blues burned out, and one of the Amazon sellers (the one who references corals in the title of the lights) said that they only offer the 8 foot because the 16 feet is too long and will get weaker towards the end of the roll. But I don't know if that applies to just 12V alone, or both 12 & 24.

So far Skimz and Pax Bellum have had led's made for their products, so I know it can be done properly. I just wish I knew who made those led's.

It's been very problematic finding led's meant for this purpose. Because the Amazon ones are meant for gardening, not algae reactors, lol.

 

[JoshKReef]

I have not fully decided on the lights yet. But I don't think I'm going to go with the Amazon ones simply because of how many complaints of them stopping to work

I got excited a bought a reactor locally, so I'll be setting it up this weekend.

I went with a vertex uf-20 reactor, picked up a 6 inch diameter pvc riser (9 bucks), and some Amazon lights. Is a maxijet 1200 enough flow thru it do you think? Below are the lights I went with (they won't be submerged, just around the inside of the pvc, if not enough I'll add another strip). I'm in it about 90 bucks total.

ABelle LED Strip Light Plant Grow Lights 16.4ft 5050 SMD Waterproof Full Spectrum Red Blue 4:1 Growing Lamp for Aquarium Greenhouse Hydroponic Plant Garden Flowers (5 M) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NAC7ZOC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_BzDSzbHEA93WD

 

[fishbox]

A maxijet 900 or 1200 should be fine. Those are the lights I originally planned on getting as lots of others used them to but now I'm starting to see bad reviews on them

 

[Forsaken77]

I got excited a bought a reactor locally, so I'll be setting it up this weekend.

I went with a vertex uf-20 reactor, picked up a 6 inch diameter pvc riser (9 bucks), and some Amazon lights. Is a maxijet 1200 enough flow thru it do you think? Below are the lights I went with (they won't be submerged, just around the inside of the pvc, if not enough I'll add another strip). I'm in it about 90 bucks total.

ABelle LED Strip Light Plant Grow Lights 16.4ft 5050 SMD Waterproof Full Spectrum Red Blue 4:1 Growing Lamp for Aquarium Greenhouse Hydroponic Plant Garden Flowers (5 M) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NAC7ZOC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_BzDSzbHEA93WD

If I were to buy any LED's from Amazon, it would probably be THESE.

This is the guy that said a 16ft/5M roll will get dim towards the end, so his are 8ft long and said to run 2 in parallel. They are also 24V, not 12.

He also sells a super bright version HERE. It's the same thing except the super bright has two 8ft rolls instead of one.

The big difference is they are not SMD 5050, they are 5730. The 5730 is a bigger led chip with a wider and brighter angle of light (120° angle). They are also IP68, but says the operating temperature is -20 to 50 degrees. I don't know if that's Celsius or Fahrenheit.

I found a company in the UK that makes "commercial" grade LED tape and uses brand name LED's. The name of the company is called InStyle. I was going to contact them as well. If you look at their site, at the bottom where it says "about commercial grade," they go into the heat aspect. They say they use a wider board for heat dissipation and the cheap Chinese ones use a thinner 10mm board, which holds more heat. They also say they use the proper resistors for each color of led.

The lights I linked to from Amazon above use the 10mm board. But out of all the Amazon lights, those are the only IP68 rated ones that mention "Coral" in the title. And if anyone buys them, I would use two in parallel because in my research I read that the Chinese lights will try to use a 24V power supply to make the lights brighter, but burns them out faster. The adapter isn't included with those lights, but he lists the part in the description.

I'm not vouching for the quality of these at all, just to be clear. I've never used them and they definitely are Chinese lights.

Oh, and the guy from Pax Bellum said an MJ-900 pump is what they recommend for their ARID reactor. About 150 gph.

 

[JoshKReef]

If I were to buy any LED's from Amazon, it would probably be THESE.

This is the guy that said a 16ft/5M roll will get dim towards the end, so his are 8ft long and said to run 2 in parallel. They are also 24V, not 12.

He also sells a super bright version HERE. It's the same thing except the super bright has two 8ft rolls instead of one.

The big difference is they are not SMD 5050, they are 5730. The 5730 is a bigger led chip with a wider and brighter angle of light (120° angle). They are also IP68, but says the operating temperature is -20 to 50 degrees. I don't know if that's Celsius or Fahrenheit.

I found a company in the UK that makes "commercial" grade LED tape and uses brand name LED's. The name of the company is called InStyle. I was going to contact them as well. If you look at their site, at the bottom where it says "about commercial grade," they go into the heat aspect. They say they use a wider board for heat dissipation and the cheap Chinese ones use a thinner 10mm board, which holds more heat. They also say they use the proper resistors for each color of led.

The lights I linked to from Amazon above use the 10mm board. But out of all the Amazon lights, those are the only IP68 rated ones that mention "Coral" in the title. And if anyone buys them, I would use two in parallel because in my research I read that the Chinese lights will try to use a 24V power supply to make the lights brighter, but burns them out faster. The adapter isn't included with those lights, but he lists the part in the description.

I'm not vouching for the quality of these at all, just to be clear. I've never used them and they definitely are Chinese lights.

Oh, and the guy from Pax Bellum said an MJ-900 pump is what they recommend for their ARID reactor. About 150 gph.

Awesome. I have no problem leaving a bad review and sending something back on amazon, so I'll let you know how these work out.

I have a ball joint on my reactor already, so I can limit the flow if need be.

I was wondering about how people run these. I was planning on running mine the opposite of my display light to eliminate a PH swing. If I do that, would I leave the maxijet running and just turn the LED off? Or do I kill both?

 

[Forsaken77]

Awesome. I have no problem leaving a bad review and sending something back on amazon, so I'll let you know how these work out.

I have a ball joint on my reactor already, so I can limit the flow if need be.

I was wondering about how people run these. I was planning on running mine the opposite of my display light to eliminate a PH swing. If I do that, would I leave the maxijet running and just turn the LED off? Or do I kill both?

I think I read the optimal way is about 18 hours a day with the majority being overnight and over lapping a few hours before & after lights out.

I would also leave the pump running 24/7. Because the algae uses oxygen in the dark. So if there's no flow in the dark it could be deprived of oxygen.

 

[Forsaken77]

Awesome. I have no problem leaving a bad review and sending something back on amazon, so I'll let you know how these work out.

I have a ball joint on my reactor already, so I can limit the flow if need be.

I was wondering about how people run these. I was planning on running mine the opposite of my display light to eliminate a PH swing. If I do that, would I leave the maxijet running and just turn the LED off? Or do I kill both?

If that doesn't work well, try 12/12 hours.