Lowest cost and easiest way to eliminate green hair, bubble, turf and slime algae
- Thread starter SantaMonicaHelp
- Start date
Thanks Kaia.
Reflectors: What does everyone suggest???? EDIT: for in-tank reflectors (that contact saltwater)
I'm not sure what's best. Mirror glass/acrylic has a sprayed silver chemical on the back that can't be tank-safe, mylar disintegrates per other threads on algaescrubber.net, can't seem to find a place that will laminate foil or mylar for me ("fire hazard", yeah right).
I thought about putting a mirror in an extra large ziploc storage bag, but don't want to trust that thin later of ziploc to protect my tank. Right now, I have laminated pieces of white paper.
This will be for ~180 square inch UAS.
Thanks!
Reflectors: What does everyone suggest???? EDIT: for in-tank reflectors (that contact saltwater)
I'm not sure what's best. Mirror glass/acrylic has a sprayed silver chemical on the back that can't be tank-safe, mylar disintegrates per other threads on algaescrubber.net, can't seem to find a place that will laminate foil or mylar for me ("fire hazard", yeah right).
I thought about putting a mirror in an extra large ziploc storage bag, but don't want to trust that thin later of ziploc to protect my tank. Right now, I have laminated pieces of white paper.
This will be for ~180 square inch UAS.
Thanks!
Last edited by a moderator:
Sorry, I took too long to respond.
Are you doing a single sided UAS?
180 square inch UAS will be huge. It will be handling about 7-8 cubes of food a day.
Make sure that your size is according to the feeding guide line.
For a screen size of screen size is 3 X 4 inches = 12 square inches of screen. It can handle:
1 frozen cube per day (2-sided screen), or
1/2 frozen cube per day (1-sided screen), or
10 pinches of flake food per day (2-sided screen), or
5 pinches of flake food per day (1-sided screen), or
10 square inches (60 sq cm) of nori per day (2-sided screen), or
5 square inches (30 sq cm) of nori per day (1-sided screen), or
0.1 dry ounce (2.8 grams) of pellet food per day (2-sided screen), or
0.05 dry ounce (1.4 grams) of pellet food per day (1-sided screen)
For the reflector, the cheap and easy way will be using a thin plastic sheet.
The LED light you listed above will work great with the UAS. Just make sure that you have half watt per square inch of the screen.
Are you doing a single sided UAS?
180 square inch UAS will be huge. It will be handling about 7-8 cubes of food a day.
Make sure that your size is according to the feeding guide line.
For a screen size of screen size is 3 X 4 inches = 12 square inches of screen. It can handle:
1 frozen cube per day (2-sided screen), or
1/2 frozen cube per day (1-sided screen), or
10 pinches of flake food per day (2-sided screen), or
5 pinches of flake food per day (1-sided screen), or
10 square inches (60 sq cm) of nori per day (2-sided screen), or
5 square inches (30 sq cm) of nori per day (1-sided screen), or
0.1 dry ounce (2.8 grams) of pellet food per day (2-sided screen), or
0.05 dry ounce (1.4 grams) of pellet food per day (1-sided screen)
For the reflector, the cheap and easy way will be using a thin plastic sheet.
The LED light you listed above will work great with the UAS. Just make sure that you have half watt per square inch of the screen.
Kaia - thanks! Yep, this is a biggie, sized about right for gallons and feeding. The laminated paper probably will work the same as a plastic sheet, but was hoping to find a mirror. Oh well, I may use the glass mirror with a ziploc moving bag wrapping. I wasn't sure if/when you'd stop back by, so I set up a separate build thread on MASC with my rough start (below) - appreciate any other comments here or there.
http://www.marinecolorado.org/forum...-180G-capacity-Upflow-Algae-Scrubber-Feedback
http://www.marinecolorado.org/forum...-180G-capacity-Upflow-Algae-Scrubber-Feedback
Re: Lowest cost and easiest way to eliminate green hair, bubble, turf and slime algae
Random question, can I put the screen wrapped around the inside of a TLF reactor? That way its contained and you don't need to worry about lights touching the saltwater.
Would this be a regular ATS? If I put a skimmer pump to power it, would it be an UAS?
Would this even work?
Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk HD
Random question, can I put the screen wrapped around the inside of a TLF reactor? That way its contained and you don't need to worry about lights touching the saltwater.
Would this be a regular ATS? If I put a skimmer pump to power it, would it be an UAS?
Would this even work?
Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk HD
You need to make sure the conditions is met for UAS to work.
1)Big bubbles that flow across the screen
2)Suitable lighting
3)rough screen
Also the screen in the tube might be hard to clean.
I have saw a design on another site. He used PVC tube as the container.
I have pm you the light so you can get some idea from the design.
1)Big bubbles that flow across the screen
2)Suitable lighting
3)rough screen
Also the screen in the tube might be hard to clean.
I have saw a design on another site. He used PVC tube as the container.
I have pm you the light so you can get some idea from the design.
SantaMonicaHelp, any tips on dealing with growth on the glass? I get algal growth at the same rate on glass as on screen. Am I not spacing things out enough, overpowered on light/reflection, etc. Otherwise I've done everything correctly in air that matches LPM guide, water flow, lighting matching the screen size etc.
It's not a big deal scraping the glass, but obviously that defeats the purpose of using the scrubber...since it doesn't achieve nutrient export...
It's not a big deal scraping the glass, but obviously that defeats the purpose of using the scrubber...since it doesn't achieve nutrient export...
Air Pump Recommendations for UAS® upflow algae scrubbers®. Having bought and tried all of these, here are the best ones:
Flow (highest to lowest):
Coralife Super Luft... TONS of flow for multiple outlets or multiple scrubbers
Tetra Whisper 300... High flow if both outlets are combined into one
JW Aquatic Fusion 700... High flow if both outlets are combined into one
Tetra Whisper 150... Good flow for one outlet
Coralife Luft (regular)... Good flow for one outlet
Noise (most to least):
Coralife Super Luft... (Loud; vibrates)
Coralife Luft (regular)... (Vibrates)
JW Aquatic Fusion 700... Slight vibration
Tetra Whisper 300... Silent
Tetra Whisper 150... Silent
Size: (big to small):
Tetra Whisper 300... Large
JW Aquatic Fusion 700... Medium
Coralife Super Luft... Medium
Tetra Whisper 150... Medium
Coralife Luft (regular)... Small
Cost (most to least):
Coralife Super Luft
Coralife Luft (regular)
Tetra Whisper 300
Tetra Whisper 150
JW Aquatic Fusion 700
Overall winner for a single UAS scrubber used at home: JW Aquatic Fusion 700 (also is the only one with adjustable flow)
Overall winner for multiple UAS scrubbers if noise if ok: Coralife Super Luft
Flow (highest to lowest):
Coralife Super Luft... TONS of flow for multiple outlets or multiple scrubbers
Tetra Whisper 300... High flow if both outlets are combined into one
JW Aquatic Fusion 700... High flow if both outlets are combined into one
Tetra Whisper 150... Good flow for one outlet
Coralife Luft (regular)... Good flow for one outlet
Noise (most to least):
Coralife Super Luft... (Loud; vibrates)
Coralife Luft (regular)... (Vibrates)
JW Aquatic Fusion 700... Slight vibration
Tetra Whisper 300... Silent
Tetra Whisper 150... Silent
Size: (big to small):
Tetra Whisper 300... Large
JW Aquatic Fusion 700... Medium
Coralife Super Luft... Medium
Tetra Whisper 150... Medium
Coralife Luft (regular)... Small
Cost (most to least):
Coralife Super Luft
Coralife Luft (regular)
Tetra Whisper 300
Tetra Whisper 150
JW Aquatic Fusion 700
Overall winner for a single UAS scrubber used at home: JW Aquatic Fusion 700 (also is the only one with adjustable flow)
Overall winner for multiple UAS scrubbers if noise if ok: Coralife Super Luft
1982: The original dump-bucket style algae scrubber (works, but very hard to build, install, operate, and harvest)
2008: Waterfall style algae scrubber (works good but hard to build and install; must be removed to harvest)
2011: Upflow style scrubber (work goods, easier to build and install on the glass; must be removed to harvest)
2013: ??? (work great, all 3D growth, easy to build, and instant in-place harvesting without needing to remove anything or turn anything off).
2008: Waterfall style algae scrubber (works good but hard to build and install; must be removed to harvest)
2011: Upflow style scrubber (work goods, easier to build and install on the glass; must be removed to harvest)
2013: ??? (work great, all 3D growth, easy to build, and instant in-place harvesting without needing to remove anything or turn anything off).