After over a year of testing, here is the first functional prototype of the Santa Monica 25 Nano scrubber, made pretty much from the plans that were posted here last year.
Mega Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover - DIY!
- Thread starter SantaMonica
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SantaMonica;4998889; said:
I shouldn't get a skimmer at all even if I wasn't planning on using a scrubber or would I need one then? I've had several people tell me I would "starve" my corals if I use a skimmer. I understand this partially. It's because the skimmer takes the food out of the water along with the "bad" stuff? If so... how do people with corals filter their water and keep the nitrates and phosphates low enough without using a scrubber?
SantaMonica;4998891; said:After over a year of testing, here is the first functional prototype of the Santa Monica 25 Nano scrubber, made pretty much from the plans that were posted here last year.
How many gallons would this one be good for?
Up to 35 gal.
For your filtering question, Yes skimmers remove food from the water. Skimmers do not remove any "bad" stuff. They say that they remove the food before it breaks down into "bad stuff", but then you are removing the food that the corals need. If you will not be using a scrubber, then nitrates can be removed with deep sand beds, sulphur denitrators, and carbon dosing. Phosphates can be removed with GFO and carbon dosing. Also some people use macro algae in a refugium, which basically is a weak scrubber.
For your filtering question, Yes skimmers remove food from the water. Skimmers do not remove any "bad" stuff. They say that they remove the food before it breaks down into "bad stuff", but then you are removing the food that the corals need. If you will not be using a scrubber, then nitrates can be removed with deep sand beds, sulphur denitrators, and carbon dosing. Phosphates can be removed with GFO and carbon dosing. Also some people use macro algae in a refugium, which basically is a weak scrubber.
Yeah it doesn't remove "Bad" stuff that's why I put it in quotations. Sounds expensive. That's why I'm doing the scrubber.
I am going to be filtering 500 to 800 gallons of fresh water tanks.
What are your thoughts about a two panel system.
two 40" x 10" panels, each panel would be inside a 1/4" acrylic with 2 two to inch drains at the bottom top would have a 2" lip with a rubber gasket and thumb screws. Each panel would have a single 1.5 quick connect at top for easy removal.
My thought was to have of these screens total, then switch one out at a time as they need to be cleaned.
I was thinking two 30" t5 fixtures per side per screen.
This is for a semi sealed system 2 to 6 tanks will drain in to a large settling tank, with heaters. This setting tank will feed a sand filter, would feed a large sump that would house the ceramic and k3 media. I The scrubber would be feed from this sump, my hope is that this way the scrubber will work more with nitrate and also keep algae down. I was hoping that the protected bio media in the sump would have better access to the ammonia and nitrite.
What are your thoughts about a two panel system.
two 40" x 10" panels, each panel would be inside a 1/4" acrylic with 2 two to inch drains at the bottom top would have a 2" lip with a rubber gasket and thumb screws. Each panel would have a single 1.5 quick connect at top for easy removal.
My thought was to have of these screens total, then switch one out at a time as they need to be cleaned.
I was thinking two 30" t5 fixtures per side per screen.
This is for a semi sealed system 2 to 6 tanks will drain in to a large settling tank, with heaters. This setting tank will feed a sand filter, would feed a large sump that would house the ceramic and k3 media. I The scrubber would be feed from this sump, my hope is that this way the scrubber will work more with nitrate and also keep algae down. I was hoping that the protected bio media in the sump would have better access to the ammonia and nitrite.
Placement would not matter, just size and wattage. I'd shoot for one watt per gallon, but you'd want at least 0.5. If it's a breeder, you'd want 3.0.
im glad to see this thread is still alive and well!