Lowest cost and easiest way to eliminate green hair, bubble, turf and slime algae
- Thread starter SantaMonica
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Maxkolbe
Aquarium Advice FINatic
However once they eat all the algae they can starve, it's not usually a good idea to get a fish just to eat something because if it eats it all it dies.
Floyd R Turbo
Aquarium Advice Addict
This is just my test unit. The test unit as currently posted is a new way of utilizing the algae scrubber concept. I can't tell you at this point that it is as effective as a waterfall scrubber, simply because it's a new concept/approach and is really only in a testing phase. This approach works better for smaller and sumpless tanks but sounds like it will be further refined over the rest of the year with additional methods to solve various construction implementation issues.
As far as my tank being a mess, consider that it has been running with only power heads and live rock since December. I scraped the glass once in the beginning of April and again a few weeks later, and it still looks pretty decently clear.
I have a large elephant ear leather and a couple of big tangs and I don't know if they are a contributing factor in algae growth or lack thereof, but the scrubber didn't go online until the beginning of April and really didn't grow anything of substance until the 3rd week, then I cleaned it a week ago and it really hasn't 'returned' to that growth level yet (going to be doing some mods soon that may change that).
Also I've only done one PWC of about 20 gallons (on a 120 with appr 100g actual water volume) since December and N=5 P~0.15ish (haven't tested in the past 2 weeks though)
And here are some pics right after I cleaned the glass
As far as my tank being a mess, consider that it has been running with only power heads and live rock since December. I scraped the glass once in the beginning of April and again a few weeks later, and it still looks pretty decently clear.
I have a large elephant ear leather and a couple of big tangs and I don't know if they are a contributing factor in algae growth or lack thereof, but the scrubber didn't go online until the beginning of April and really didn't grow anything of substance until the 3rd week, then I cleaned it a week ago and it really hasn't 'returned' to that growth level yet (going to be doing some mods soon that may change that).
Also I've only done one PWC of about 20 gallons (on a 120 with appr 100g actual water volume) since December and N=5 P~0.15ish (haven't tested in the past 2 weeks though)
And here are some pics right after I cleaned the glass
Last edited by a moderator:
Floyd R Turbo
Aquarium Advice Addict
Also the majority of the stock in this tank is not mine, I'm holding it all for someone else who had to moved suddenly a year ago. Since then he has developed health problems and I've just been keeping it since then until he gets on his feet. So I don't do a lot of husbandry. I do however do a very excellent job of collecting frags that I have no place for.
jlk
Aquarium Advice Addict
That is a nice tank!! But I will confess, salwater is beyond my scope of experience! Perhaps, this type of scrubber setup is more suitable for sw, but as I said, maybe Im missing something here. 
Floyd R Turbo
Aquarium Advice Addict
That is a nice tank!! But I will confess, salwater is beyond my scope of experience! Perhaps, this type of scrubber setup is more suitable for sw, but as I said, maybe Im missing something here.
FW scrubbers grow different algae, longer stringy type in general from what I understand. They also reported grow faster. Either way, they are equally as suitable for both systems.
You mentioned that you had a planted tank and I didn't address this - a scrubber will out-compete plants in the aquarium for nutrients if you don't balance it properly. In most cases, scrubbers aren't really suitable for planted tanks.
Easy is a relative term. Algae problems are the #1 topic on almost every forum I visit. People starting new tanks without knowing jack about the cycle etc seems to be #2 esp on FW forums. An algae scrubber solves both of these issues to a very large extent. Ammonia is algae's favorite food so starting an algae scrubber with a brand new tank can actually cause a "silent cycle" meaning that you will see little to no spike in Ammonia or Nitrite. The cycle will still happen, but it won't be damaging to the livestock.
A scrubber sized properly for the bio-load (feeding) of the system can definitely keep nutrients fully in check. Again, this is all my experience with the waterfall-style scrubber, not the UAS, but I have a feeling that in time the refinements will make it on par with the waterfall scrubber.
I modified my UAS last night and added a few gadgets
I cut a 1/2" PVC pipe lengthwise
Cut a piece of plastic from a report cover
And wrapped it around the pipe. This forces the bubbles up the screen and allows for growth outward still
Floyd's UAS Test, 2012-05-21 Part 3 - YouTube
Floyd's UAS Test, 2012-05-21 Part 5 - YouTube
There are other videos on my channel on my UAS also if you care to check them out
SantaMonica
Aquarium Advice Activist
I'm using waterproof magnets, but suction cups would work too.
SantaMonica
Aquarium Advice Activist
Everybody loves growth pictures:
Day 1:
Day 2:
Day 3:
Day 4:
Day 5:
Day 6:
Day 7:
Day 8:
Day 9:
7 Days of growth after first cleaning:
Video of first cleaning after 9 days of growth from a new screen:
UAS HOG.5 -- Day nine cleaning - YouTube
Video of 7 days of growth after the first cleaning:
UAS HOG.5 -- seven days - YouTube
Time to eat more TV dinners and save those trays
Day 1:
Day 2:
Day 3:
Day 4:
Day 5:
Day 6:
Day 7:
Day 8:
Day 9:
7 Days of growth after first cleaning:
Video of first cleaning after 9 days of growth from a new screen:
UAS HOG.5 -- Day nine cleaning - YouTube
Video of 7 days of growth after the first cleaning:
UAS HOG.5 -- seven days - YouTube
Time to eat more TV dinners and save those trays
SantaMonica
Aquarium Advice Activist
It gives the same results when it grows the same amount of algae. Which right now it is. The main advantage to this hang-on-glass version is that it's out of the way.
Not sure if a floating version would help, since getting light to it would be hard and would probably get in the way.
Not sure if a floating version would help, since getting light to it would be hard and would probably get in the way.
SantaMonica
Aquarium Advice Activist
A useful way to stop bubbles if your UAS is not in a box:
Floyd R Turbo
Aquarium Advice Addict
Polycarbonate is harder to work with. It is softer and "grabbier", so if you haven't worked with acrylic before, I would not recommend working with PC. I was told that if I ever need to make something with PC, to use templates. That is, make an acrylic piece to the dims you need, then double-stick tape it to the PC and then use a flush trim bit to cut it to size. So why bother since you make the acrylic to the size you would need anyways.
IMO the only thing PC is good for is lids, because it has less propensity to warp.
You use the same bonding methods, but the bonds are not nearly as strong, thus the reason why you don't see any polycarbonate aquariums.
IMO the only thing PC is good for is lids, because it has less propensity to warp.
You use the same bonding methods, but the bonds are not nearly as strong, thus the reason why you don't see any polycarbonate aquariums.
SantaMonicaHelp
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Here are the requirements for building a UAS.
Screen material:
1)
Use plastic canvas as the algae screen. Remember to roughen it up properly using a wood saw or hole saw. You can get plastic canvas at craft store (under sewing section) or sewing store or online at places like Everything Plastic Canvas Home Page or ebay. Screen should look like this:
Lighting
2)
The lighting needs to be 1 watt per square inch (6.25 square cm) of screen material. A 3 by 4 inch screen is 12 square inches not 24. Make sure you have enough wattage and use a reflector if the light doesnot focus on screen. For fluorescent bulbs, it needs to have a spectrum of 2700k-3000k. For LEDs, it needs to be red 660nm. You can cut the wattage in half if you are using LED lights. In order for algae to grow, make sure that the light is on for 18 hours a day. Here are some bulbs and reflector type:
Bubbles:
3)
The bubbles need to be rapid and large and distributed through out the screen evenly for algae to grow. The best way to do this is by slicing the air tubing. Make sure the air pump is good so that the bubbles can constantly flow across the screen for 24 hours a day. This is why you need bubbles:
Screen material:
1)
Use plastic canvas as the algae screen. Remember to roughen it up properly using a wood saw or hole saw. You can get plastic canvas at craft store (under sewing section) or sewing store or online at places like Everything Plastic Canvas Home Page or ebay. Screen should look like this:
Lighting
2)
The lighting needs to be 1 watt per square inch (6.25 square cm) of screen material. A 3 by 4 inch screen is 12 square inches not 24. Make sure you have enough wattage and use a reflector if the light doesnot focus on screen. For fluorescent bulbs, it needs to have a spectrum of 2700k-3000k. For LEDs, it needs to be red 660nm. You can cut the wattage in half if you are using LED lights. In order for algae to grow, make sure that the light is on for 18 hours a day. Here are some bulbs and reflector type:
Bubbles:
3)
The bubbles need to be rapid and large and distributed through out the screen evenly for algae to grow. The best way to do this is by slicing the air tubing. Make sure the air pump is good so that the bubbles can constantly flow across the screen for 24 hours a day. This is why you need bubbles:
Floyd R Turbo
Aquarium Advice Addict
Is it me, or did the "collector UAS" post get deleted? I have the post notification in my e-mail, but it's not on here.
I received the notification as well.
Similar threads
