DIY Algae scrubber

[tarheel96]

I was thinking ... phosphate could be the limiting factor for people who haven't had much luck with algae scrubbers ... especially with RO, ion-exchange or other water filtration systems. Plants and especially algae remove phosphates quickly from the water. I add phosphate to my planted tanks to keep the levels from dropping too low.

 

[markstrimaran]

I will try adding some, on my 30 gallon.

 

[markstrimaran]

Nitrogen bubbles, my old denitrator media, is still viable.

 

[tarheel96]

Nitrogen bubbles, my old denitrator media, is still viable.

Have you kept it refrigerated all this time?

If you could sell it in vials you'd make a fortune.

 

[Angelphish]

Have you kept it refrigerated all this time?

If you could sell it in vials you'd make a fortune.

https://www.amazon.com/Prodibio-Dig...UTF8&qid=1490316100&sr=8-1&keywords=biodigest

 

[markstrimaran]

It was inside pumice rocks. 2 gallons of pumice, In a 2.5 gallon tank, that was inside my 30 gallon.

I think I will fire it up and see how fast, I can denitrate a 5 gallon bucket. Then see how fast a Daphnia magnus colony can eat 8 billion bacteria.

 

[markstrimaran]

Light and pumps arrived. The 90 watt is bigger than the 150 watt. The 90 has 3 fans, and is much brighter. No standards, just advertised it as what ever.

 

[markstrimaran]

My waterfall scrubber, after installing a 400gph circulation pump, with 15 watts, of 660nm led.
This is how it looked with 90 gph, with 30 watts. 660 nm led.

 

[tarheel96]

@markstrimarman - So increasing the water flow results in more growth ... not necessarily increasing the lighting. The algae must be limited by oxygen, carbon dioxide, ammonium/nitrate, phosphate and/or other nutrients/elements, and more light isn't going to help.

It's similar to a regular biofilter. Higher flowrates supply more ammonia for nitrifying bacteria to grow. Lower flowrates = smaller colonies.

 

[markstrimaran]

@markstrimarman - So increasing the water flow results in more growth ... not necessarily increasing the lighting. The algae must be limited by oxygen, carbon dioxide, ammonium/nitrate, phosphate and/or other nutrients/elements, and more light isn't going to help.

It's similar to a regular biofilter. Higher flowrates supply more ammonia for nitrifying bacteria to grow. Lower flowrates = smaller colonies.

That is probably whats, going on. The other might be that with a fast flow only the green hair algea, can get a grip.

I also up the flow in the drip thru scrubber, 260 GPH. With a new powerhead, as a pump. Filter floss wrapped around the intake.

It has the same lights as above. The crawfish killed a 2" cichild, so nitrate reading of 10ppm in the 30 gallon drip scrubber is invalid.

The basement 30 is on a 150 watt that is more like 40 watts, bases on the light. out put. On the larger 90 watt.
One had 50 3watt bulbs. The other had 90 one watt bulbs. My plan is to remove, and install a bunch of 660nm led. They were dirt cheap. So it's practice time.