Installing an algae scrubber in your refugium or sump - a DIY how to

[Creekview]

This weekend I'll be posting a DIY on how to retrofit an algae scrubber to a sump or refugium. It will be a progressive post as I build out a refugium for my system, and then apply those concepts to a typical acrylic sump. I'm using a $12 off the shelf 5.5 gallon glass aquarium for my fuge. My system is a little different in that I have two tanks, one above the other. This will be an offset fuge to take the place of my existing offset. The only difference for most of you is that my fuge will gravity drain, your application would probably use a pump for return flow. Other than that, everything else is the same.

First step is to baffle the fuge. I had the hardware store cut 4 pieces of double strength glass, 3 of them 8"x6 1/2" and one 8"x7 1/2". I also picked up an 8"x6" plain white ceramic tile. The glass was $8, the tile, $.80. Also a tube of aquarium safe silicone, $3. The tile is to make a light blocking collector covered with very coarse crushed shell and aragonite. Gives the algae a place to hang on, and also is one of the 'pod farms. I use Drylok latex masonry waterproofing to bond the shell and crushed coral to the tile. It's really thick, and bonds well. I've used Drylok for years in ponds, concrete fish production tanks, and in my own tanks. It, for me, has proven perfectly safe once cured. You could also use an epoxy product. Lay on a thick layer of bonding, and pour an excess amount of your crushed coral on the surface. Press it down, and let it cure for 48 hrs. I also throw the finished collector in a 200 degree oven for an hour or so to make sure it is cured.

 

[goma]

Looking forward to this!! :lurk::chair:

 

[Creekview]

Yesterday I glued the glass weirs into the 5.5 gallon standard Marineland glasss aquarium. The position of the weirs determines how water circulates in the scrubber. I call this a counter flow setup, as once in place, water will flow in from the overflow top to bottom. The air bubblers will be lifting water up the collectors from bottom to top. You end up with a circular flow pattern in the scrubber chamber, which is the first chamber on the left.

The right most chamber is where your return pump is typically located. The 3rd weir from the left may or may not exist in your sump. Some have three, some have four. For a scrubber application, it isn't relevant.

 

[Creekview]

Next step is to make the ceramic tile collector. My design for this style scrubber uses the ceramic tile collector as well as a traditional plastic screen collector. The tile has crushed coral bonded in place with Drylok.

I built a dam around the edge of the tile with masking tape. It will keep the Drylok contained while it cures.

Thick layer of Drylok.

Couple handful of coarse stuff. I just grabbed some spare substrate. I've used crushed oyster shells, plain aragonite, crushed coral. Anything that is coarse and tank safe.

 

[Creekview]

I'm off to my friend Ryan's place in Indiana to get the tank drilled. This is specific to my application of this design. I have an unusual plumbing set up that uses a single 800 gph pond pump to provide circulation through both DTs and the scrubber. Ill diagram that out later.

Ryan has a very cool, very large coral farm in his basement. If you live within a 50 mile radius of Louisville, KY , it's worth the drive. We're putting a giant scrubber in his system soon. He has about 1500 gallons in circulation.

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Great pics ! Looking forward to the next installment ! Cheers for the flow arrows !

 

[Ratpack]

This looks interesting, following along.

 

[Creekview]

Here are the lights I'm going to use. They are cheaper than I can make a DIY. They're also in waterproof housings. Not submersible, but better than having stuff exposed. They are 10w. I've never used them, but
I know the LEDs in them grow algae. There are 6 1w 660nm beads and 3 1w 455nm beads on the chip. Good wavelength mix for growing algae. These wavelengths have been show to result in maximum chlorophyll production in marine algae. Here is another instance where theory and application were (and are) out of synch, and another place folks chase some sort of nirvana comprised of green turf algae. Don't worry about what grows in the scrubber. If it's growing in the scrubber it's not in the DT. Dr. Adey theorized that having only green turf algae was the goal. Well, there are thousands of species of algae. They all feed off nitrates and phosphates, which is what we want. They may be green and bristly, brown and slimy, a mix. Don't agonize. It will change over time, as well. Again, don't worry! Be happy stuff is growing! Two of these lights will be used in this design. Found on eBay, $16 each with free shipping.

 

[Creekview]

This post deals with the other collector, a classic plastic mesh screen. Most any craft store has it. It's also called plastic canvas. The one that works best for me is from Michael's Crafts here in Louisville. $1.20 for two sheets. It's bright white, which helps reflect light around. It's also a softer plastic, making it easier to rough up. I use a hole saw, easy to grip. You could also use a coarse sawzall blade. Basically you want to raise "hairs" on the plastic for the algae to grab on to. Don't try to go back and forth. Press down firmly and drag the teeth across the plastic. Do one direction, rotate the screen 45 degrees, scrape again, rotate, scrape, etc., until you have lots of hairs. Do both sides. Another difference with this screen is the mesh size. It's larger than most, making gas exchange potentially better.

 

[Creekview]

This post is aeration. There are plenty of opinions regarding aeration. In my experience, flow volume over the collectors is far more important. This has been verified in several scientific studies, which I can reference if needed.
My own current horizontal flow scrubber works with no aeration of the collectors.

In this application, I've used a standard 4" air stone. It is RTV'd lightly in place. In order to get some bigger bubbles out as well as the ones normally produced, I used a hacksaw to groove the air stone about 1/16th inch several places across the top. It's plumbed with a piece of rigid air line. Position is such that the bubbles will travel up both sides of the screen as well as up the face of the ceramic tile collector.

The two plastic pieces on either side of the stone are plastic square tube cut and glued to support the ceramic collector.

 

[Snid]

Ahhh!!! Too much good stuff here and I don't really have time to absorb it just yet, but I felt compelled to respond. Thanks for posting all that you have so far and looking forward to seeing the end result in action!

 

[Creekview]

Final post - deployment

I put the bulkhead in and also put the tile collector in the oven for a couple of hours to cure. Removed my old scrubber fuge and installed a shelf for the new system. Here is the finished product installed and running.

Here is the gravity feed to the lower tank

 

[Creekview]

Recap and questions.....

Some may be wondering why the dual collector setup. It solves a problem, light bleed into the other chamber, and also provides a breeding ground for 'pods. For the first few weeks, I'll run without the plastic screen collector. Once algae is established on the tile collector, I'll put the screen back. After a significant buildup of algae, I pull the screen and swish it first through my DT to let the 'pods get in the tank. Don't worry about loose algae coming off in the DT. It's food. And it will clear quickly.

How much did it cost?

Tank $12
Tile $.80
Screen $1.20
Glass $8.00
Lights $32.00
RTV. $3.00
Bulkhead $8.00

Had all the other bits and pieces, but wouldn't cost more than $10. Even counting fudge factor, $75.00. If you have your own sump or fuge, knock $30 off. I hope those that want to try this understand where to go from here. If you have questions, be glad to answer.

 

[kwroberto]

Sweet!!

 

[reefle]

looks awesome! could you point me to the exact ebay lights please?

and my setup is very similar to yours so hopefully I can use it as a template.

please post results when they come!

 

[Creekview]

The collector is already starting to green up. Here are the lights.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/25124852971...49&var=550222621113&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
I ordered 2 of the 10 watt models. They are just about perfect. Outstanding collector coverage with very little light bleed. The focal distance I measured to put the collector just the right distance from the lights to prevent hotspots and screen burn.

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

are the lights just mounted to your stand/frame?

Really a great thread, pics & documentation - well done !!!

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

PS - if RS members see the vaule & would like this thread moved to the DIY sub-forum under Equipment & made a Sticky - let me know & I will make that happen

if you like this idea... like this post

I like the idea...

 

[Creekview]

Yes, my stand is made out of 4x4's and 2x4's. I just mounted the lights to a board using their brackets and screwed it to the frame.

 

[Creekview]

Forgot to pull the collector screen out Sunday. No biggie. Pulled it today, and here's what it looks like, after 3 1/2 days. My tank always has grown more of the brown algaes, including brown turf algae, on a new screen. After a few weeks, it will have both brown and green algaes. The tile collector is growing as well. Notice the nice even coverage. I scraped it pulling it out, but other than that, I'm very happy.