Mega-Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover Replaces Skimmer, Refugium, Everything

[jpsika08]

Re: Mega-Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover Replaces Skimmer, Refugium, Everythin

Hey guys, this will be my attempt on the ATS.

Here are some renders on how the setup would be done.

This is a very close to real life render of my fishroom positioning and structure, I will place two 50 gal tanks on top of the roof for holding the ATS and macroalgae tank.

The green thingy on the back tank is the algae turf scrubber mesh, and the tank up front is for holding macroalgae, most probably chaeto.

The 1" pipe will come through the roof, water will be pumped in the sump.

Then water transfers to the macro tank and lastly delivered back to the sump before the baffles:

Will it work?

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Re: Mega-Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover Replaces Skimmer, Refugium, Everythin

Hard to say. You need direct / perpendicular light which you won't get this way, and you are banking on every day being sunny or losing filtration.

Also it looks way too big unless you are planning on feeding a ton. See the revised sizing guidelines based on feeding, not tank size or estimated bioload, etc. Properly built, the algae should out-compete any macro or plants. Like SM posted right above yours, 3 weeks until the new design is revealed. Might want to hold back on such a large and involved project until then.

 

[sk8rdn]

3 weeks till the posting of the new scrubber.

I'm waiting (and have been) with interest.........

....Salt Creep Is Everywhere!....

 

[Bearjohnson]

Re: Mega-Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover Replaces Skimmer, Refugium, Everythin

Hard to say. You need direct / perpendicular light which you won't get this way, and you are banking on every day being sunny or losing filtration.

Also it looks way too big unless you are planning on feeding a ton. See the revised sizing guidelines based on feeding, not tank size or estimated bioload, etc. Properly built, the algae should out-compete any macro or plants. Like SM posted right above yours, 3 weeks until the new design is revealed. Might want to hold back on such a large and involved project until then.

Floyd...Wait? This crew? Have you not learned anything along the way? LOL
In our book wait is a four letter word for procrastination.

 

[jpsika08]

Thanks Floyd, I'll wait then

 

[StirCrayzy]

Re: Mega-Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover Replaces Skimmer, Refugium, Everythin

Yould always install mirrors angled to direct light perpendicular to the screen. Ideally if the screen pointed east/west you could reflect to the south side very efficiently. A single side setup would require double surface area, but space is obviously no issue.

i would love to have bragging rights for the first fully solar lit scrubber.

And i would also add that even under cloudy skies, light is still light . And guatemala being a bit closer to the sun cant hurt either.
You could always enclose a single T5 to switch on a photocell/ timer combo for dark stormy days.

Maybe im just inspired by a challenge, but i like the idea.

 

[jpsika08]

Re: Mega-Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover Replaces Skimmer, Refugium, Everythin

Thanks Josh, angled mirrors is a great idea!
And yes, we have lots of sun here even on rainy season, it doesn't pour all day as some other countries.

Thanks for the ideas.

 

[Bearjohnson]

Re: Mega-Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover Replaces Skimmer, Refugium, Everythin

I'm not going to lie to you guys and I certainly don't want to burst anyone's bubble by any means but....I think the idea is a great "idea" however I think getting it from idea to a functioning and successful ATS will be a challenge indeed. With the money you'll be putting into it an LED contained system sounds mighty attractive to me. Just my .02 worth

 

[Clownfishfan]

Re: Mega-Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover Replaces Skimmer, Refugium, Everythin

You are VERY right,my ats for my 125 was a pain! But it didn't take very long and when I have more than just a single fish I will turn it on..

Can't wait until the new scrubber!

 

[Clownfishfan]

Re: Mega-Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover Replaces Skimmer, Refugium, Everythin

You are VERY right,my ats for my 125 was a pain! But it didn't take very long and when I have more than just a single fish I will turn it on..

Can't wait until the new scrubber!

 

[StirCrayzy]

Re: Mega-Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover Replaces Skimmer, Refugium, Everythin

Heres a bit of info i posted in my chronicle about my DIY ATS. figured it may serve some use here as reference.
I will be cutting off 2" from the bottom of the overflow box because the pump volume is not close to draining the box volume at the adjustedproper flow rate.
Also making a new front face because the slots are too deep in the water.

Here are a couple pics. Its Mostly made of tinted acrylic & weldon.
Maxijet 450 gph
LED Christmas lights. one side is cool white, other is warm white.

3 day growth

Lid off

Finally have a functional assembly of a year old project. Since my biggest battle over the years has been with GHA. I decided to build a HOB ATS.
The design specs have changed by now if you follow along in the SantaMonica thread, so what i ended up with now is actually oversized based on my feeding requirements. Never a bad thing right!! Especially with a tank upgrade in order.
the reason i wanted a HOB is for versatility to either leave in tank or if i use in sump on new tank.
There are christmas LEDs providing light temporarily until new DIY LED DT fixture gets made, then i will incorporate all lighting together.
i do have 660nm reds on the list for the finished product.
I have been surprised though to see starter growth after only 3 days running.
Pics up shortly.

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Re: Mega-Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover Replaces Skimmer, Refugium, Everythin

What material are you using for the screen?

 

[StirCrayzy]

Re: Mega-Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover Replaces Skimmer, Refugium, Everythin

Tank divider, barely roughed up. I never got around to ordering the right plastic and this was sitting around begging to help get this running.

Reflectors are polished aluminum step flashing.

 

[SantaMonica]

Re: Mega-Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover Replaces Skimmer, Refugium, Everythin

Less than 2 weeks until the new design is posted...

 

[Clownfishfan]

Re: Mega-Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover Replaces Skimmer, Refugium, Everythin

How about now instead?!

 

[ChrisOaty]

Re: Mega-Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover Replaces Skimmer, Refugium, Everythin

Juan, it's my understanding that an ATS on an opposing light cycle to your DT is best for pH stability and heat purposes. Also, you need weekly access to those screens. Having them on the roof of your fish room may not give you the access you'll require.. I'd just throw a smaller version of what you got into that fish room (if you have the space). I'd mount it to a wall and have it pumped up from the sump and drain back in. Build it with red LEDs and you're set.

 

[foxsavage]

Re: Mega-Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover Replaces Skimmer, Refugium, Everythin

Juan, on the TOTM last month on Reef Central a guy had an ATS using natural sunlight in his fish room. He used glass instead of a screen and he had it at an angle so the water could run down but perpindicular to the sun.

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Re: Mega-Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover Replaces Skimmer, Refugium, Everythin

That system was also located in South Africa (sun year round is better), and the screen was 48" x 48" and no substrate, just growing right on the glass, inadequate flow, I could go on and on about the things wrong with that system and while it may have done some scrubbing, it was/is a far cry from anything efficient and compact, plus under lit so he had dying roots and yellow water requiring him to run a lot of carbon, filter socks to catch detached algae, GFO, skimmer, etc etc. So you go ahead and build a 4' x 4' scrubber that isn't strong enough to be primary filtration if you want.

 

[ChrisOaty]

Re: Mega-Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover Replaces Skimmer, Refugium, Everythin

Slow down turbo. It's an interesting concept but there were, as you stated, many things wrong. All of the problems with this natural light scrubber in South Africa could be solved with some re-engineering save a couple. If one were to put the scrubber on a 45 degree angle, put a screen on top of that glass, and provide adequate flow, this might be a viable option. The downfalls are weather and the absence of an opposing light cycle.

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Re: Mega-Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover Replaces Skimmer, Refugium, Everythin

Some of the best advice I've heard from someone who has experience in running both a horizontal/slanted scrubber and a vertical one was "If you're thinking of running a horizontal scrubber, don't"