DIY Algae scrubber

[markstrimaran]

Currently the water department charges, me $5.70 ( 285 gallons)a week to do a fin level water change. So far I have only been doing 110 gallons each week, $2.20 a week.
I have to heat the water, so submerged led lights provide heat and grows algae.
I am not sure how much it cost to run the hot water heater for water changes. It all adds up.
My budget is slim, my tanks are old and restored.
Sugar dosing was about 2 cents per day. Less the plumbing.

I have a 75 gallon sump to build in the garage, I want to build into a solid algae scrubber system.

 

[markstrimaran]

Week 1 faliure.
The scrubber screen has some green were I was testing the small 660nm led. No new growth, with only nitrates in the water.
If it had ammonia it would probably be green.

300 watts, 4 hours a day.
6 days 25 ppm nitrate.

 

[Fish Tank Travis]

Could be but but i was specifically wondering about the seachem denitrate vs reg media.

For me im going to stay away from something that needs to be re dosed or continually changed.

I agree with not wanting to dose or often change out media, but this stuff from Dr Tims is supposed to last for three to six months before you have to start adding more. I could definitely do that.

 

[Angelphish]

The difference between denitrate and matrix is the size of the media. Denitrate requires low flow, while matrix can be used with stronger flow since it's larger. I llan to use denitrate in my nitrate filter, as I already have 5 liters of it.

 

[markstrimaran]

I made a net screen, added all the algae from my last scrubber harvest. This should green up in a week. Then maybe I will be able to blow threw the 25 ppm nitrate in this 30 gallon tank.

I also added 24" algea/moss river. I will see how it does, as the screen greens up.

 

[tarheel96]

what ls the difference between the denitrate and any other bio media?

Seachem de*nitrate is also a chemical media. It has a porous structure similar to matrix and is marketed mainly as a biomedia for denitrying bacteria but its primary nitrate reduction, at least initially, is the result of its nitrate, nitrite and ammonia absorbing synthetic resins and materials.

"Once de*nitrate™ has been in use for several days, nitrate concentrations should start to fall and level off gradually at a concentration of about 4–5 mg/L as nitrate. As long as nitrate concentrations remain under control, the product is not exhausted."

It takes months for denitrifying bacteria to grow within the internal pores of media, not days. If de*nitrate is replaced whenever 'exhausted' then denitrifying bacteria will never grow in the media. In these cases, nitrate-reduction will be attributed to denitrifying bacteria although it will simply be the result of de*nitrate's "nitrogen retaining materials, such as certain zeolites and synthetic resins."

Couldnt matrix perform the same if used with low gph

I'm sure it could ... as could a lot of porous biomedia like Biohome and eheim Substrate Pro. Matrix is porous and if used for a long enough time period with a very low flow rate and under the right conditions, denitrifying bacteria should colonize in the internal pores.

I don't know if de*nitrate holds any structural or other advantage over other biomedia for growing anoxic denitrifying bacteria. If anyone knows the best media for this please let me know.

 

[jaws7777]

Week 1 faliure.
The scrubber screen has some green were I was testing the small 660nm led. No new growth, with only nitrates in the water.
If it had ammonia it would probably be green.View attachment 1237863

300 watts, 4 hours a day.
6 days 25 ppm nitrate.

Mine failed as well. I think the screen size was too large. Going to set it up on another smaller tank with a smaller screen size.

Seachem de*nitrate is also a chemical media. It has a porous structure similar to matrix and is marketed mainly as a biomedia for denitrying bacteria but its primary nitrate reduction, at least initially, is the result of its nitrate, nitrite and ammonia absorbing synthetic resins and materials.



It takes months for denitrifying bacteria to grow within the internal pores of media, not days. If de*nitrate is replaced whenever 'exhausted' then denitrifying bacteria will never grow in the media. In these cases, nitrate-reduction will be attributed to denitrifying bacteria although it will simply be the result of de*nitrate's "nitrogen retaining materials, such as certain zeolites and synthetic resins."



I'm sure it could ... as could a lot of porous biomedia like Biohome and eheim Substrate Pro. Matrix is porous and if used for a long enough time period with a very low flow rate and under the right conditions, denitrifying bacteria should colonize in the internal pores.

I don't know if de*nitrate holds any structural or other advantage over other biomedia for growing anoxic denitrifying bacteria. If anyone knows the best media for this please let me know.

Thx mike

 

[jaws7777]

5x5 screen 24w full spectrum led. Day 1.

markstrimaran you think i should move the bulb further back to increase the size of the area that the concentrared light beam will cover ?

 

[markstrimaran]

Ideally you want the bulb close to the glass, as this keeps the algea from growing blocking the screen. It's too intense for it to grow well.
25 square inches. To your 25 watt light. Of coverage

 

[jaws7777]

Ideally you want the bulb close to the glass, as this keeps the algea from growing blocking the screen. It's too intense for it to grow well.
25 square inches. To your 25 watt light. Of coverage

So need a lower wattage light ?