Banner image

Grigor's ATS Version 2 (1 Viewer)

Second cleaning. No real improvement on algae amount. still around .5 cup whiich is just a fraction of what version 1 produced.

I did get a ultra low phosphurous checker and geting .055-.067 ppm phosphate reading. Nitrates .1ppm So definately not through the roof but still got some work to do.

Tank though still looks awesome, not a lick of algae anywhere but the normal dusting on the glass. So at this point still not worried.

I'll continue with my ramped up feedings back to what I would have been doing with version 1. Keeping light schedule at 14hours. Will see what next week shows. Not quite ready to add more LEDs or larger pump. Will continue to monitor, if start to see visual signs of regressing may make changes sooner rather than later.

Hopefully it's like Taklu mentions that algae is still adjusting to the LEDs since it is radically different type of lighting than version 1.
 
Last edited:
David Grigor said:
Hopefully it's like Taklu mentions that algae is still adjusting to the LEDs since it is radically different type of lighting than version 1.
Click to expand...

Watching you and your progress and wondering out loud, does the quantity of algae have to directly and perfectly correlate with the number of nutrients removed? Could it be that the old algae with the old lights had more cellular structure (or something) to it, so it didn't pack together as tightly and the new stuff is denser and thus removing similar amounts of nutrients? Different light causes it to grow differently or even different species to grow? I don't know. I would assume weight of the algae is weight of the algae and if it isn't as heavy, it can't be pulling out the same amount of nutrients, but I am not a biologist.

I guess what I'm wondering is, does it take the same amount of nutrients to make a 5 pound birch tree as a 1 pound oak? Or alternatively, given different conditions, can a 5 pound birch tree on one side of the hill be consuming a different amount of nutrients than a 5 pound birch tree on the other side of the hill. Something like that.
 
I don't really know. No clue if quantity matters much. I was just going on the notion that the old one was capable of X that it was reasonable to expect at least something in the same ballpark. .5 cups compared to 3.5-4 cups is pretty dramatically different.

I wish I had the test kits and took readings prior to shutting down the old. That would for sure be more conclusive as to what may be going on.

Tank itself looks as good as it ever has so could very well be the 1 pound Oak. Only exception is more dusting on the glass but some of that can be attributed to the extra LED fixture as well.

I took the readings two days after a cleaning when the screens are more bare. I plan to take my readings just before a cleaning each time becuase the levels might have gone up a little becuase of exporting and takes a few days to recover. It's got to be reasonable to expect the most nutrient uptake would be a full screen just prior to harvest.
 
Last edited:
I think there might be something to what I'm speculating due to things you have said in the past. "the algae grows differently depending on nutrient levels in the tank". I believe you said it is darker and slimier the more nutrients in the tank. Gets lighter and stringier the lower the nutrients go. It would seem to me, they are absorbing nutrients at a different rate. How the weight of those two harvests would compare, I do not know.
 
True. You do go through different phases. Part of it I'm sure is nutrient related and some may be just maturity level and what become dominant just overtime. Sine we don't have the ability to test nutrient export based on volume will just have to keep guessing on that one.

Just so long as levels are getting worse just keep at it. It just sucks that you don't really know if can/will get better just left as is or if there are further tweaks that need to be made. That's the magic part of this hobby I suppose.
 
Last edited:
Dave, the extra leds are probably why you have more growth on the glass. When I adjust my brightness I see a difference in my tank.
 
From reading the algae scrubber site, Santa Monica states that the scrubber will remove nutriets/grow algae in direct correllation to the amount that is fed. At least with the upflow scrubber. I would think the same applies here.

I think you will find much more growth once you begin ramping up your feedings again.
 
I was planning to clean it today right at the 1 week mark.

Increased my feeding levels this week back to the same amounts as I was with version 1. Tests are showing it isn't keeping up. Tank itself still looks as good as ever.

Phosphate reading .1 ppm ( up from .05 - .067 last week )
Nitrate .25 ppm ( up from .1 last week ).

Decided to wait 3 more days retest prior to cleaning. See if a more mature screen can bring down the levels before cleaning it again.
 
Last edited:
David Grigor said:
See if a more mature screen can bring down the levels before cleaning it again.
Click to expand...

Unlikely thats going to happen. I'm not testing anything but just going by the looks of the tank and it hasnt improved. BUT, increasing the photoperiod produced more algae within the same 1 week time frame(not by a signifcant difference though.. maybe 25% more).

That is needed for a reef setup, faster growing algae in the same one week frame. I noted that the algae starts to appear "different" if its not scrubbed at the end of 7-8 days. by day 10 although there's more of the algae it looks like its beginning to decompose or the pods are getting the better of it.
 
after all this while I'm not expecting to see anything dramatic like your version 1... makes me wonder what is different in the T5 phosphors compared to the LEDs
 
Two observations when cleaning.

I can see a definately line where the algae is growing best across the whole screen. I purposely didn't mount the LED directly in the center, I lowered a little bit so not to put too much light near the pvc. Well I can definately see the line of growth well below the PVC ( at least 2" ) so I will raise the lights about 1" higher.

Second, even with running my return full throttle and the slot as wide as it will go yet provide flow across the entire screen, you can tell the flow is better on the far end and the algae is growing better on that end. So looks like I'll be stepping up to the next sized return panworld sooner rather than later.
 
Well, David, now you have my attention. You are having the same problems with your LED version that I am. Decent growth, nothing super. I have resolved to continue skimming while running this thing. I may even go back to a short period of GFO daily if I decide my phosphates aren't where I want them to be. I shall leave it to you to find the solution, I'm out of dials to turn. I could go larger on pump, but the last upgrade didn't bring any improvement. I did add another hour to my photoperiod, but it is too soon to know if that will help. For now, what I have is a fairly efficient refugium, not a 'scrubber' so to speak.

Thank you very much for blazing the trail, I hope you find the way so I can follow.
 
up the flow - I did that with a slight twist to the ball valve; did not produce noticeable difference until the photoperiod was increased. but maybe I'm too impatient. the issue has been the algae grows into the slot and by day 5 it cuts into the flow.. its like the light travels up the water. I still have about 2" height to play with... will be building a taller box to see where it goes. however spacing the LEDs any closer is ruled out as it causes burn spots.

Has anyone seen anyone using one of the cheap ebay fixtures that use 1 watt emitters but more of them to get the same intensity?.. I'm thinking a more uniform light vs bright spots would work better. I might have to sell a frag or two to find out for myself... If it did not actually work I would like to hear before burning the cash.
 
Taklu said:
up the flow - I did that with a slight twist to the ball valve; did not produce noticeable difference until the photoperiod was increased. but maybe I'm too impatient. the issue has been the algae grows into the slot and by day 5 it cuts into the flow.. its like the light travels up the water. I still have about 2" height to play with... will be building a taller box to see where it goes. however spacing the LEDs any closer is ruled out as it causes burn spots.

Has anyone seen anyone using one of the cheap ebay fixtures that use 1 watt emitters but more of them to get the same intensity?.. I'm thinking a more uniform light vs bright spots would work better. I might have to sell a frag or two to find out for myself... If it did not actually work I would like to hear before burning the cash.
Click to expand...

When I was reading Floyd's ATS blog on RC I found this light and saved it as a cheap possibility. I haven't kept up with the threads on RC to know if it would work well or not as I started living vicariously through DG's build. :)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/320859726646?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
 
^ looks like you are living vicariously on the edge.. where's you're tank and who are you anyway? an intro with FTS pics would be the right thing to do :book2:
 
I ordered 16 ( +2 spares ) Red Leds. I'm going to add the max amount per ballast which is 22 per side. Currently running 14 per side.

Figured of the two choices more light and more flow, this is the cheaper of the two so I'll start with that but expecting to have to do both.
 
Last edited:
David Grigor said:
I ordered 16 ( +2 spares ) Red Leds. I'm going to add the max amount per ballast which is 22 per side. Currently running 14 per side.

Figured of the two choices more light and more flow, this is the cheaper of the two so I'll start with that.
Click to expand...

I've been lurking. I think you are on the right path here. My screen is less than 1/2 the size of yours and has 14 per side x 3W each (12 red, 2 blue) in 2 parallel strings running at 1.2A (so 600 mA per side with fuses). 16 hours on. I get excellent growth.
 
Cleaning #4. Positive signs quantity wise. 1 full cup. Previous week 1/2 cup. Smell is also much stronger.

Readings somewhere between .5 -1ppm nitrates ( was .25 so appears slightsly higher but not sure how well you can trust the accurary of the kits ), phosphate slightly down .082 ppm ( was .1ppm ).

Show tank itself still looks as good as ever. No signs of algae other than the light dusting on the glass. Corals look excellent haven't skipped a beat.

Changes: On Tuesday replaced return pump with the next size larger panworld 100-px. Hard to guauge gph but estimating increased by 100gph. Thinking its something around 600gph+ but thats just a guess.

So 5 of the 7 days was with the new flow.

I purchased 16 new LEDs may try to install during the Sunday Night game.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top