DIY Algae scrubber

[kno4te]

I bought all the materials, to do this, ended up carbon dosing instead, about a year ago. Seen a thread ,about one that was 4' tall. It never continued, for any results.
I will be watching,
I have pondered using ones of these to feed an algae scrubber, extra Co2, and nitrites, from partially anarobicaly decomposed nitrate, and ammonia.
Assuming algae could absorb all the nitrite, ammonia, as fast as bacteria could produce it. It would probably purify 30 gallons a day of 20ppm nitrate water, to 0 ppm. With a 5 gallon bucket sized setup.

I've seen someone post a long time ago with a 8l similar build in a heavily planted tank. Probably 250g and it had undetectable nitrates. Didn't have to do much maintenance. Long term is kind of the big question but potential is atleast good in the short outlook.

 

[Angelphish]

I read something on another site where the guys got 6 months use out of it tjen felt the drop off was due to the medai being clogged up and unable to be cleaned properly. Sheesh at 32 bucks for 4L i wouldnt mind replacing it every 6 months

It works best with foam for that reason. I plan to sandwich the media between two pieces of foam, and place any scraps near the intake of the filter.

 

[Angelphish]

I've seen someone post a long time ago with a 8l similar build in a heavily planted tank. Probably 250g and it had undetectable nitrates. Didn't have to do much maintenance. Long term is kind of the big question but potential is atleast good in the short outlook.

If this works as well as I'd like it to, water changes should only be necessary to lower the hardness, as it would rise as water evaporates or is added.

 

[markstrimaran]

The media in my carbon dose would plug up, even with filtered water.
I would simply have a 5 gallon bucket sitting with stale water. To rinse off media, and reload. Never had any problems rebuilding the bacteria colony.
They bounce back quickly, once established.

 

[jaws7777]

If this works as well as I'd like it to, water changes should only be necessary to lower the hardness, as it would rise as water evaporates or is added.

Have you run any tests yet ?

 

[jaws7777]

This one is working better. Still may close the ball valve a tad bit, pump doesnt go any lower. Nitrates were a tad over 20ppm inbetween wc's. I shoukd have recharged the purigen as it is tannish.

Like an idiot i forgot to install the union smh

 

[Angelphish]

Have you run any tests yet ?

At the moment, no. Amazon has been a little slow on shipping so I won't be able to make the filter yet.

 

[kno4te]

So far day 1 of denitrate, nitrate check is 30.

 

[Angelphish]

I just checked the nitrates in the smaller tanks, as it's been 1 week since I dosed the bacteria. I'm dosing these tanks first because they have low flow filters, and the bacteria should be able to grow in them.

4 gallon:
2 Scarlet Badis
Planted
Too many snails to count
40ppm Nitrates

12 gallon Fluval Edge:
3 Male Guppies
2 Harlequin Rasboras
2 Ghost Shrimp
A slightly lower snail population
Heavily Planted
30ppm Nitrates

16 gallon:
3 Male Guppies
3 Cardinal Tetras
1 Bamboo Shrimp
1 Dwarf Puffer
8 +/-1 Otocinclus
Heavily Planted with extreme algae issue (covers entire tank in about 5 days)
0ppm Nitrates

I was surprised to see the 16g had 0 nitrates, and knowing it has 0 nitrates, I won't need to dose it with bacteria. Before anyone asks, I tested the tank twice, and I used the same test kit to test the other tanks. The kit works fine.

 

[markstrimaran]

300 watt works, great at not growing glass algea. Nitrates never got lower than 5ppm.
The algea was also bleached out, from 24x7 for a whole week.
Gives me some new ideas, about not using submersible lights, and going for higher wattage.

I completely cleaned and refilled, it today.
2700 k cfl, no bubbles, just keeping the screens alive.
640nm. Red led, I was about ready to repurpose them. I noticed they are growing some green on the plastic. So I will run these this week.