Still going, getting some nice turf algea.
Which has be harvested by hand, but is like lawn grass, the roots are attached. So the screen is still "green".
Algae scrubber as bio filter.
- Thread starter markstrimaran
- Start date
Still going, getting some nice turf algea.
Which has be harvested by hand, but is like lawn grass, the roots are attached. So the screen is still "green".
I was gone for a week, I never opened the valve on the 55 gallon WC drum. So it' been 2 weeks without a water change.
Nitrates were up into the 20ppm range, before I was gone, so to close to tell. I opened the valves today.
I let the mechnical filter go for 1 month, and I think they became colonized with ammonia reducing bacteria, I replaced all the floss last week, but failed to open the valve, before I left on the airplane.
So the top log tank is 20ppm +/- 10??
Nitrates were up into the 20ppm range, before I was gone, so to close to tell. I opened the valves today.
I let the mechnical filter go for 1 month, and I think they became colonized with ammonia reducing bacteria, I replaced all the floss last week, but failed to open the valve, before I left on the airplane.
So the top log tank is 20ppm +/- 10??
It takes a day for the water change drum, to mix. All thing cumulative, I am at 18ppm after starting out 2 months ago around 25ppm. With my wife feeding, while doing weekly 40% water changes.
I also neglected to clean the mechanical floss for a month, with out the algea scrubber, I would be in the 40 ppm range easily, and doing a fin level mega change.
The scrubber is growing the long strand turf algea. From all my learning, this in very rare in a fresh water aquarium.
The long strand was collected from a plastic canvas, two years ago, I left in a head water creek, spring fed, about 4 miles from were it started. So It not some thing that is going to grow on its own.
The all male blue pseudo trophus longatus, have been pretty rouph on each other, so far I have not had any issues with them healing up in a week or so after getting injured.
I have one female dragons blood, that has spawned a couple of times, currently holding eggs, again.
I also got 50 real 660nm leds in the mail, so I got some spares.
I also neglected to clean the mechanical floss for a month, with out the algea scrubber, I would be in the 40 ppm range easily, and doing a fin level mega change.
The scrubber is growing the long strand turf algea. From all my learning, this in very rare in a fresh water aquarium.
The long strand was collected from a plastic canvas, two years ago, I left in a head water creek, spring fed, about 4 miles from were it started. So It not some thing that is going to grow on its own.
The all male blue pseudo trophus longatus, have been pretty rouph on each other, so far I have not had any issues with them healing up in a week or so after getting injured.
I have one female dragons blood, that has spawned a couple of times, currently holding eggs, again.
I also got 50 real 660nm leds in the mail, so I got some spares.
The basement fluidised algea scrubber 
I have 4 of these 10 watt chips, set up in pairs, with separate power supplies.
Ph is 8.15 and steady.
I mounted them to pvc boards, on opposite ends of the chamber. With the balls sluffing of algea.
They have been growing mostly thin film algea. It has been holding nitrates steady at 10ppm
I have 4 of these 10 watt chips, set up in pairs, with separate power supplies. Ph is 8.15 and steady.
I mounted them to pvc boards, on opposite ends of the chamber. With the balls sluffing of algea.
They have been growing mostly thin film algea. It has been holding nitrates steady at 10ppm
It started in January with 3 watt leds, The 10 watt chips were not on a board. Then but were facing it.
Since then all my 3 watts leds, failed, " pin holes in the epoxy"
I now have 2 pvc boards. The one covered in algea, and a new white one. The lights are zip sniped on.
Since then all my 3 watts leds, failed, " pin holes in the epoxy"
I now have 2 pvc boards. The one covered in algea, and a new white one. The lights are zip sniped on.
UPDATE 5
Nitrate 10 ppm,
Feeding 4 times a week.
Lighting. 4, ten watt. 660nm x 453nm 8 to 1 cob chip.
40 watts total. Actual about 30 watts.
Clean filters 2x week.
Ph 8.20
Temp 74 F.
Same stocking.
Doing a water change tomorrow, with 10ppm tap water
Continuous drip, but at 100 gph for 30 minutes. 2x per month, The tank is baffled into 8 compartments.
Minimal maintenance grow out tank. Experimenting with a fluidised algea scrubber, as the only biological means of processing ammonia.
This is the absolute, thickest fresh water. Up flow algea scrubber, growth. I have ever seen, or know of.
It uses an experimental screen, and it provides 95% of all the biological filtration. Most of the growth is long strand turf algea.
The drip thru scrubber, has turn into a common native snail hatchery. The screen was 95% white.
The fluidised scrubber, is still at 10ppm.
The upflow scrubber is around 18ppm.
The upflow scrubber is around 18ppm.