Steve's L2 Algae Scrubber (1 Viewer)

[data_loss]

Update with test results this morning.

Nitrates @ 6
Phosphates @ 0.01

Ran both tests twice. Red Sea Pro for the nitrates (I'm not a fan of this test yet). Hanna Phosphate Checker returned 0.00 and 0.01.

So levels did not go up this week. These test results are without a water change this week like I had originally planned on doing. Really the only issue right now then is that the algae in the display is growing faster than the scrubber right now.

Its interesting, the first link talks of a 1W setup... I hope it will work for me...

I see he no longer specifies which specific LEDs he is using... So is yours using 1W's or three watts...?

I'm not an expert in LED's by any stretch of the imagination but I always thought that a scrubber would do well with more 1W's than it would with the 3W's myself. Keep us posted on how well that works The L2 uses 3W LED's and I'd have to look it up to verify but I think they are running at 750ma.

I know this may be a stupid question but does the L2 come with a already roughed up screen or is that something your supposed to do on your own.

I know Chad was having real problems with his ATS and finally discovered his screen wasn't rough enough.

While I may not be seeing the detail in your photos, my screen is so roughed up that you can hardly see any open area between the little squares.

Regardless, it may be worth a try to rough it up some more........

Bud roughs up the screens for you. I don't think it is a stupid question either. I had roughed up my own screen for an UAS I threw together but only used for a few days. When I received the L2 I was amazed at how much more he had mangled the screen than I had.

 

[David Grigor]

I found your other thread.

Your right, advice is all over the board. I guess it's more of an art then science on getting things tweaked just right.

Your feeding enough aren't you ?

My experiences thus far seems to be there is no such thing as too much flow outside of shooting out the slits.

If this were me, I'd be lowering the hours a little at a time and see if you get more positive results. I'm kinda thinking that the algae is not sticking as well. Even if it feels pretty rough. I'd rough it up even more.

 

[data_loss]

Week 7

Nitrates @ 6
Phosphates @ .02

After cleaning

Changed lighting schedule today to 4 X 2 hours ON with 3 hours OFF between per day, for total of 8 hours on per day.

 

[data_loss]

Progression
Week 1

Week 2

[/QUOTE]
Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

 

[Adam G]

Wow, nice progression shots. You are definately moving in the right direction! So what is the end goal? What will you consider true success? Are you shooting for 0 nitrates and phosphates?

 

[David Grigor]

Pretty sure at this point would be tinkled pink if the algae in the show tank went away regardless what test readings are.

 

[data_loss]

Yep, my primary goal with this is to have it out compete the display tank algae.

Then I'd just like to keep nitrates and phosphates at levels where the coral seems happy (which it does now).

 

[Adam G]

Exactly, that is what we all want, no algae in the display.

Between the algae in the display and in the algae scrubber you are getting some nice low nutrient readings.

So if I have this right an algae scrubber is designed to give ideal conditions for algae to grow (light, flow, rough surface to attach). Eventually the algae in the scrubber will out compete the algae in the display for the available nutrients and eventually the algae in the display will starve and die out. Add in critters that eat it in the display and manual removal and eventually it should be gone.

Been considering one of these for my system. Been reading your thread, davids, and LowersMyBP's thread and just trying to figure this all out.

Should work great in theory. I know some of the guys have been having some struggles as of late. Mostly seems like a very fine balance thing.

 

[NorthSide Reef]

I think an ATS is an awesome tool, it is a great way to remove waste that has already broken down before nuisance algae and cyno become a problem. I think when it becomes THE tool is when folks start running into issues.

Now that is my opinion and it can be taken with a grain of salt. But when you add to that the the very person who made this scrubber also reiterated a very similar variation of those words I hope it lends some insight. Don't limit your tools.

 

[data_loss]

Week 8 - 7 days growth

Nitrates @ 8
Phosphates @ .02

Cleaned only the slot and am going to let grow more. Thinking about adding more light as it appears to have less growth this week than last (this week had an hour less light).

 

[Taklu]

If you are open to the idea... maybe run a skimmer and see what it does? I'm looking for volunteers to help conclude what I see in my tank note that I'm talking LEDs powered ATS's.
T5's have been proven to work without a skimmer but I'm not sure of the wattage necessary to make it work without a skimmer as I have no first hand experience using T5's in the waterfall model

 

[data_loss]

I don't have a skimmer or a place in my system to really put one right now. Although I'm not opposed to running one in the future if I need to I'm pretty happy with how things look in my tank right now and want to give this scrubber everything I got before looking for other solutions.

I really like the idea of letting everything grow a while longer and then cleaning one side so that the roots from the other side don't die off.

I haven't mentioned it in this thread before but I have a 16 hour photoperiod on my display and frag tank with the Radions ramping up starting at 6am and back down by 10pm. I'm not really willing to shorten that right now as sunrise and sunset in my tank are my favorite times of the day. I'm sure in order for my ATS to be able to compete with that though it is going to eventually need more light than I am giving it now.

 

[data_loss]

Week 9 - 14 days growth

Cleaned

Test results later I suppose. Screen seems to be progressing slowly. Display tank looks the same. Blowing off sheets of green algae daily. Cleaning glass daily.

 

[johnny]

My ATS has been up about 5 months now and I still get sludgy growth like that, but just recently the algae in my DT has begun to fade. Still of algae left in the DT though. I figure I may not be feeding enough to provide the lush growth.

Are you feeding the recommended amount for that size screen?

 

[data_loss]

I don't know I haven't really been keeping track. I have been throwing a lot more food in the tank lately, I'd imagine much more than 2 cubes worth a day which is what the screen is rated at, but phosphates seem to always test very low.

I switched the light schedule up to a 4 hours on 4 hours off repeating cycle. I'm going to see what that does for a while. I have a 29 gallon biocube that always tests way high for phosphates. I've been trading water from that into the system as well.

 

[data_loss]

Week 10 - 7 days growth

Progression of growth.

[youtube]1thPpoQ5L6E[/youtube]

Test Results

Nitrates @ 8
Phosphates @ .04

Display tank needs daily glass cleaning and blowing algae off rocks. Small ball of cheato in refugium still growing slowly. Cleaned slot and am letting screen continue to grow.

 

[data_loss]

Week 11 - 14 days growth

Those bumbs are the first real sign I've seen of any kind of "3D" growth. Yay for bumps.

Cleaned screen.

Nitrates @ 8
Phosphates @ .02

Still having to clean the display tank glass and rocks every couple of days. Thinking about adding another powerhead to the display tank to up the flow to see if that slows down growth on the rocks and sandbed.

I am going to do another round of larger water changes, 3 @ 30 gallons each this week. I'd like to get the Nitrates down to below 4ppm.

Lighting this last couple weeks has been 4 hours on 4 hours off repeating. I have observed decent, if not better, growth using this cycle. No way to tell if it was due to the lighting change or the screen maturing more.

Plan from now on is to keep the 4 hour on 4 hour off lighting and to clean only one side of the screen every seven days.

 

[data_loss]

Week 12 - a day late - 8 days growth

Cleaned one side, letting the other go 14 days.

Nitrates @ 8
Phosphates @ .02

 

[data_loss]

Week 13

14 days growth side

6 days growth side

Cleaned 14 days growth side

Nitrates @ 8
Phosphates @ 0

I'm probably feeding 3 maybe even 4 cubes per day some days. I still get quite a bit of algae growth in the display tank and frag tank. I'm thinking about shortening the light cycle on both just a bit.

When I have time to switch around some plumbing I'm going to try injecting bubbles on the screen just for fun.

While I still haven't had the results that I'm looking for, which is this scrubber to out-compete the algae in the display and frag tanks, each week the screen has been better than the last for as long as it has been setup. My tank has never looked healthier, and my nitrates and phosphates are not out of control.

 

[sabbath]

I think that 12 hrs a day is a little too much for how brite Floyd has the led setup. He is saying to run closer to 9 hrs. Althou he just said for me to try 2x 5 hr periods.