OK so what is stopping you installing an Algae Turf Scrubber on your system?

[atoll]

Actually, yes.

I built the entire wall to move and I used garage door pulleys for the thing to roll on a thick steel bar 10' long. Doesn't everybody do that?

It's the wall behind that rolling "bench" that moves. It has all those things on a shelf which all moves over about 10'. That plank on top hides the steel roller support

That panel over my tank swings open to the ceiling and there is a wall to the right that slides in front of the tank to reveal the furnace, AC and storage.

I can also walk around behind the tank.

The panel under the tank also swings open.

Paul to the bat cave.
Well done great ideas.

 

[Borat]

Paul to the bat cave.
Well done great ideas.

Nice mancave!

 

[atoll]

But most of us in the UK have houses made of mortar and bricks - not plywood! Space and insulation is an issue though...

Have you seen modern builds. Houses made of sticks straw cardboard and plasterboard. Many will be falling down within 50 years.

 

[Adrift]

At the moment what is preventing me from getting one is the cost and space to put one I don’t have much room under my tank for one. Also when I read the reviews on many they are so mixed. The failures/leaks is what scares me. I also don’t see replacement lights offered on many from retailers.

 

[fishybizzness]

I think I made mine for about a buck quite a few years ago. This is when I first built the thing. It sits over my tank so no enclosure needed.
In this configuration the water that came off of it also few my reverse undergravel filter. I don't have it doing this any more but I may convert it to do that again.

Hi Paul, what type of light do you use on your scrubber? Thanks

 

[fishybizzness]

And do you just use standard crochet mesh for the screen?

 

[Borat]

And do you just use standard crochet mesh for the screen?

Darice 7 count canvas it is (standard)​

 

[atoll]

At the moment what is preventing me from getting one is the cost and space to put one I don’t have much room under my tank for one. Also when I read the reviews on many they are so mixed. The failures/leaks is what scares me. I also don’t see replacement lights offered on many from retailers.

Just one of the reason I believe the Turbo Aquatics models are the best.

 

[Borat]

Just one of the reason I believe the Turbo Aquatics models are the best.

Second best after the Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan!

 

[Brucealmighty]

Ive been running my diy scrubber for about 2 weeks now and has been doing fine during my break in. I've seen people on YouTube with 100+ gallon systems run ats systems and their tank looks beautiful and low maintinence. Seems to be more pros than cons and ill most likely always have one in my sump

Hi may I ask, is that pipe your main drain outlet from your tank or is that a separate pipe? And does it make any noise?

 

[atoll]

Hi may I ask, is that pipe your main drain outlet from your tank or is that a separate pipe? And does it make any noise?

With a properly designed waterfall ATS there should be little noise from it.

 

[Borat]

With a properly designed waterfall ATS there should be little noise from it.

To be honest the drain may make some noise until you master to keep it low (after being an ATS user for good 6-12months).. best design to start with first ATS is to have false bottom with long screen reaching all the way to sump water level. Such design produces almost no noise irrespective..

 

[nrenn]

My other issue and maybe someone can answer this question for me, In an algae based filtration system, how do you limit the algae's ability to scrub the water "too clean". This is the biggest hurdle that no one has been able to answer for me yet. If someone can provide an adequate explaination I might bite on one!

My understanding is you size your screen appropriately, and adjust your photoperiod and/or intensity to limit growth, which limits nutrient uptake. Any filtration system can get the water too clean, you have to throttle them and keep the balance

 

[atoll]

My understanding is you size your screen appropriately, and adjust your photoperiod and/or intensity to limit growth, which limits nutrient uptake. Any filtration system can get the water too clean, you have to throttle them and keep the balance

Spio on. This is it, many people build an ATS too big for the size feeding and stocking of their tank thinking bigger is best. However, sizing isn't so difficult and by adjusting the photo period you can as said control the amount of nuitrents taken up.

 

[Bj’s Reef]

I just bought a clear water scrubber, however I had to go out of town for work two days after it arrived. So I’m looking forward to getting back home in a few days. So I can set it up and monitor it.

 

[atoll]

My understanding is you size your screen appropriately, and adjust your photoperiod and/or intensity to limit growth, which limits nutrient uptake. Any filtration system can get the water too clean, you have to throttle them and keep the balance

With most contained waterfall ATS the drain can enter the sump below the water level keeping it very quiet. Open hanging types often are the noisiest but as you say they need not be noisy at all when built properly. Noise is the one thing many people qoute along with maintenance time. However, there should be little noise and often less than the noise of a skimmer. Ease and time of maintenance depends on how well designed the scrubber is. I can clean mine and have it back.up and running in 4 minutes from turning the feed pump off to switching it back on after cleaning.

 

[Duncan62]

I agree with this. My tanks gone oldschool again because it works. Metal halide and t5s, ats, beckett skimmer. Whats your scrubber growing?

Primarily cheato but there are all kinds of weird little macros and stuff. I let it all grow and harvest weekly. I'll put a pic of a cheap homage scrubber made from a 10 gallon tank.

 

[Duncan62]

I run an ATS on my 90g. Mine is a diy setup that runs off my display tank drain lines (no wasted money on an additional pump for the ATS).

No skimmer - Saved Money.
No gfo/reactors - Saved Money.
No additional pumps - Saved Money.
No extra ongoing electrical costs from additional pumps - Saving Money.

Simple and efficient.

No water changes. Save money.

 

[Duncan62]

With most contained waterfall ATS the drain can enter the sump below the water level keeping it very quiet. Open hanging types often are the noisiest but as you say they need not be noisy at all when built properly. Noise is the one thing many people qoute along with maintenance time. However, there should be little noise and often less than the noise of a skimmer. Ease and time of maintenance depends on how well designed the scrubber is. I can clean mine and have it back.up and running in 4 minutes from turning the feed pump off to switching it back on after cleaning.

Trays aren't noisy and achieve the same thing. Simpler. Just a tray and light.

 

[atoll]

Trays aren't noisy and achieve the same thing. Simpler. Just a tray and light.

Sorry am taking about open hanging screen ATSs not the tray type of which I have no experience. They do seem to take up.a fair bit of space a d unlike a waterfall type are one sided not 2 suggesting they need to be twice the size of a waterfall type lit from both sides. However, they are simpler.