Part 2 of 4
o Is the very smallest size for the amount of nitrate and phosphate removing it does.
o High removal of nitrate and phosphate, low removal of foods (the OPPOSITE of a skimmer).
o Can entirely replace refugium, skimmer, DSB, carbon, phosban, polyfilters, etc. (although
you can certainly keep these items around if you want.)
o Grows copepods and amphipods that will drain right down into your display (if the bucket
is hung above the display).
o Bucket is easily hung above display with its handle, and is lightweight since it holds no water.
o Removes both nitrate and phosphate, unlike rock/sand (which removes only nitrate), or
phosban (which removes only phosphate).
o Bucket version is extremely easy to build, using just a bucket and pvc pipe.
o Version 1 of the in-sump version is so simple, it's just a few minutes to build.
o There are no moving parts at all.
o Provides cooling of water, using increased evaporation, especially with a fan.
o Does not form bacteria or slime like vodka dosing does.
o Increases pH.
o Increases oxygen.
o Does not release strands into the display like chaeto algae does.
o Will not spread into the display like caulerpa can.
o Gets strong light penetration into the turf, since there is no water standing over it.
o Easy to clean; just lift the screen up and "scrape" (i.e., "harvest") it.
o Traps no waste like a refugium or DSB does; waste flows right past the screen.
o There is no odor from the turf (only a slight ocean smell when scraping it).
o There is nothing to break or clog.
o Bucket version is very quiet when flowing, similar to a tabletop decorative waterfall.
o Introduces no microbubbles when adjusted.
o Will not start growing turf in display tank.
o No filtersocks (or any mechanical filter) needed, since you want all the food in the
water to continue circulating until eaten by the corals.
o You do not have to turn a skimmer off when feeding, because a skimmer is not running in
the first place.
o Removes ammonia too, which takes some load off your rock and sand.
o You can even make the bucket portable! Just unplug the lights and fan, lift up the pump
out of the tank water, and go put it in your next tank (or your friend's tank). Don't let
the screen dry out though.
o Works in saltwater or freshwater.
How to build the bucket version: First, choose your pump size (or just try what pump you have; it won't hurt). For my example, about 350 gallons per hour was needed. Here is a guide based on the width of the screen (it does not matter how tall the screen is)...
Screen Width-----Gallons Per Hour (GPH)
2" 70
3" 105
4" 140
5" 175
6" 210
7" 245
8" 280
9" 315
10" 350
11" 385
12" 420
13" 455
14" 490
15" 525
16" 560
17" 595
18" 630
19" 665
20" 700
Also make your pump decision based on how high up the water has to be pumped; my bucket is on the counter by the sink, so the water has to come up 4 feet (4 foot head) from the sump to get to the top of the bucket. So I needed a pump rated anywhere from 500 to 700 gph to begin with, in order to have 350 gph at the bucket. Just make sure you have an adjustable pump output so you can reduce the flow to avoid over-spraying. Get some vinyl tubing of the size that will connect to the nozzle on the pump, and make it long enough to get to where you are going to set the bucket. Make note of the ID (inside diameter) of the vinyl tubing, and don't confuse that with the outside diameter. The ID needed to match my pump was 3/4"
Now, choose a WHITE bucket size that will hold your screen (you should have already figured out what screen size you need). I used a regular 5 gallon salt bucket. (I'd also recommend you get two buckets in case you mess up the first one.) If you don't know how to do plumbing/pipes/tubes/etc, here's how.
First, get one of these hose adapters:
...at your hardware store, or online like here:
Aquatic Eco-Systems: Male Adapters (MNPT x Insert)
...Choose the adapter size that matches the ID of your vinyl tubing (I used 3/4"). Next, get a bulkhead that matches the size of that adapter:
...at your hardware store, or online like here:
Aquatic Eco-Systems: Economy Bulkhead Fittings
...The "size" of the bulkhead is what you want to match to the adapter, and you want a "FIPT SLIP" (female international pipe thread). I used the 3/4" FIPT SLIP 1-3/8" 1", which means: the water passage area is 3/4", female threads, an outside diameter of 1-3/8", and 1" long. So make note of the outside diameter (D) of your bulkhead: this is the size of the hole you need to drill in the bucket. Also, get TWO of these bulkheads, and use the extra rubber washer that comes with the second one, so you'll have two washers together.
Now get a "hole saw" like this:
...at your hardware store, or online like here:
Aquatic Eco-Systems: Holesaws
...and pick the size that matches the OD of the diameter of the bulkhead. (Note that these example holesaws also need an "arbor", which is the piece that goes into the drill; they are listed at the bottom of the same page). Take the nut from the bulkhead, and slide it down the inside wall of the bucket so that it just touches the bottom. If the bottom has a curved corner, don't let the nut on the curved part; you want the nut to only be on the flat part of the wall:
Now get a black marker pen and circle the INSIDE of the nut, nice and dark, so you can see the circle from the outside of the bucket:
Hold the bucket so light goes inside it, and you should see the circle from the outside; Now mark the circle on the outside:
Now use the hole saw to drill the hole in the bottom of the bucket. Clean up the hole very good so that there are not any scraps of plastic left over that will stop the rubber washers from sealing:
Insert and screw together the bulkhead, using TWO rubber washers on the outside (take one from a second bulkhead):
Screw in the hose adapter, using teflon tape to make sure it seals watertight:
Now put your finger over the hole to seal it, and fill the bucket up with tap water to make sure the bulkhead does not leak.