My Algae Turf Scrubber Build

[BOWHUNTER4250]

https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/algae-scrubber-basics.264/


led grow lights for algae scrubbers

the leds that you want to use for growing algae on an algae scrubber are the exact fixtures that are used to grow plants. There are different plant-growth fixtures available, and some are not what you want. ‘flowering’ lamps have a lot of variety of lamp types that you do not need.

reading this now , very helpful , thank you .... Now i did look at that e shine product before but wasnt sure how many to buy ? I feed about 3 cubes a day , i have a 24 x 9 scrubber ( not hooked up yet ) i have the cfl lights / reflectors for both sides but want to go led becuase of space .... So the million dollar question again is : How many of those bars to buy ? Do i light both sides or only one ?? Want to make sure i get off on the right foot ?
Thanks

 

[labas39]

I'm assuming this is still valid but they say at least 1 watt CFL per square inch of screen and 1/5 of that if LED. I have 24 square inches, therefore 24 CFL watts or 24/5 = 5 LED watts. I was going to get the 10 watter.

 

[BOWHUNTER4250]

i'm assuming this is still valid but they say at least 1 watt cfl per square inch of screen and 1/5 of that if led. I have 24 square inches, therefore 24 cfl watts or 24/5 = 5 led watts. I was going to get the 10 watter.

so 5w of led will take the place of 24w cfl ?? Essentially ? So if i have 2 24w cfl fixtures now i only need 10w of led per side ?

 

[labas39]

New change to note. For the last couple days, my skimmate is now odorless and black; it was always and still is wet.

I've read that this happens with vodka dosing.

Is it pulling more organics now? Is it somehow associated to algae in my frag tank dying even though I don't notice it doing back?

 

[labas39]

so 5w of led will take the place of 24w cfl ?? Essentially ? So if i have 2 24w cfl fixtures now i only need 10w of led per side ?

In theory, 5 should be good enough and 10 even better.

I read that from one of Turbo's posts when I sized my lighting. Maybe he'll be able to chime in.

 

[BOWHUNTER4250]

in theory, 5 should be good enough and 10 even better.

I read that from one of turbo's posts when i sized my lighting. Maybe he'll be able to chime in.

hmmm ??? Ok .... I have a 24 x 9 screen that ill be using for 3 cubes a day

 

[labas39]

That's a big screen. If those guidelines are correct, I get 24x9 = 216 square inches at 1 CFL watt per inch that would be 216 watts or 216/5 or 43 LED watts.

From my first post in this thread and from other guidelines I found on the web, for 1 cube per day, you only need 12 square inches on both sides or 24 for one. You said you're doing 3 cubes per day and if I recall correctly, you only want to do one side. You'd only need 72 square inches of screen. Then, you'd only need 14 watts of LED.

Again, I'm a newbie at this so hopefully someone more experienced can help.

 

[BOWHUNTER4250]

that's a big screen. If those guidelines are correct, i get 24x9 = 216 square inches at 1 cfl watt per inch that would be 216 watts or 216/5 or 43 led watts.

From my first post in this thread and from other guidelines i found on the web, for 1 cube per day, you only need 12 square inches on both sides or 24 for one. You said you're doing 3 cubes per day and if i recall correctly, you only want to do one side. You'd only need 72 square inches of screen. Then, you'd only need 14 watts of led.

Again, i'm a newbie at this so hopefully someone more experienced can help.

so i could cut my screen to make it 72 square inces and light only one side with 14w of led correct ? Does it matter then if my box to hold the screen is bigger ? Currently the screen is 24" wide by 9 " high ... Its not a problem to cut it down or make a new tube to hold the screen

 

[labas39]

Hard to say without seeing your ATS but as long as you also stop the flow in the area no longer with screen, I would image you can cut it.

If it's 24 inches, maybe you can use a 24 inch T5 fixture with 2 pink bulbs. I have those on a freshwater planted tank and the plants love those bulbs. I have grown acropora with two ATI Blue Plus bulbs successfully so I can't imagine 2 pinks won't grow algae.

 

[labas39]

Day 14's Growth

I believe I'm seeing some green hair algae:

I took NO3 and PO4 readings last night with my lousy test kits. NO3 was at about 5PPM. The way I test my PO4 is to run one test on RO/DI water with a specific gravity the same as the tank and one test with tank water; I then look at the difference between the two. Assuming the RO/DI water is at zero, I didn't see much of a difference between the two samples. I'm skeptical of those readings, however.

Reiterating my note from earlier today, my skimmate is now black without odor. It was wet before and it still is wet.

 

[labas39]

New change to note. For the last couple days, my skimmate is now odorless and black; it was always and still is wet.

OK, figured this one out. Some charcoal flushed out of my media reactor into the filter sock and I guess it was tumbling too much in there. For now, I disconnected the media reactor.

 

[Windy]

No wonder! Gasp!

 

[Dannycelluk]

Cool thread, I have also made a scrubber!

32mm pipe with 40mm pipe over the top to reduce spray

Lit by a tmc 1000hd tile

Bracket made out of the next size up pipe, for easy removal and cleaning.

 

[JFrar]

this is cool stuff everyone, im liking it. Never really heard or seen these before.

 

[SantaMonica]

Yes these pipe/screen ones were the original ones I designed in 2008.

Just updated the sizing guidlines, if anyone is currently building one...
New sizing guidelines

 

[labas39]

Day 15's Growth

I didn't clean it this time.

 

[BOWHUNTER4250]

Wholesale Product Snapshot Product name is NEW 10W Blue 554nm Red 660nm Hydroponic Plant Flood LED Grow Lights led floodlight Super Bright

this is the light i ordered to light my screen ?? it will be 11 x 8 and lit on one side

 

[labas39]

Hi Mark! That's the one I was originally thinking about but was scared off by the import costs ebay said weren't included. You'll have to keep us posted on how well it works for you. If my light doesn't work, I'll have to switch.

 

[BOWHUNTER4250]

Hi Mark! That's the one I was originally thinking about but was scared off by the import costs ebay said weren't included. You'll have to keep us posted on how well it works for you. If my light doesn't work, I'll have to switch.

Hey man ! ,
i ordered it direct from that company and their were not any other charges as of yet that i know of ? my plan is to make a board and cut out a square for the light only , black out the opposite side of the box and the top of my scrubber is covered in black acrylic so hopefully it will work ? it wont be here for a while but that will give me time to re do some plumbing and get this ready ?

 

[labas39]

Day 16's Growth