grow cyano? BUT WHY?!!!

[rDr4g0n]

time for a science lesson!!! excerpts taken from PH&G - Issue 18 - Nutrient Scrubbers

Algae, like other plants, must absorb nitrogen and other Nutrients into their body tissues for growth and reproduction. The development of the Algal Turf Scrubber simply simulates the processes that occur in nature on the weather side of coral reefs as the waves break against the reef and cross the reef top. In this area of turbulent mixing behind the breakers, a zone of short, dense, actively growing algae develops.

The underlying principle behind the growth of turf algae is the necessity for grazing by members of the animal population. The algae must be cut back or grazed, much like the grass in your backyard; or other species which are not as efficient at removing nutrients from the system will develop. And the need for nitrogen and other nutrients by algae is obtained from animal wastes, excreted into the water environment, a truly symbiotic relationship.

The Algal Turf Scrubber subsequently developed by the Townsville facility is a simple device that consists of a shallow tray with two removeable coarse mesh screens and a tip bucket at one end, which uses the fulcrum principle for tipping water across the screen. Aquarium water is delivered to the tip bucket, which tips several times per minute, causing a series of waves to rush across the screens. This water turbulence provides good mixing to facilitate gas exchange and nutrient uptake. Algae in the process of growing on these screens, takes up nutrients. Then, at regular intervals, the algae, with the incorporated nutrients, is scraped from the screens and discarded.

The performance of the Great Barrier Reef aquarium algal turf system has exceeded original expectations. This simple system is capable of maintaining low nutrient sea water, removing toxic metals, maintaining seawater pH and oxygen levels, together with possibly providing some degree of ultraviolet sterilisation.

they use 1000 watt metal halides on their turf scrubbers, and use screen instead of roughed up plastic, and use crashing turbulent water instead of a steady flow of water. other than that, its the same basic system as the one we built.

[Woodstock]

*stickied*

Awesome Thread of a DIY algae scrubber!! This is a very good concept and with regular havesting, it will make a superb export machine! Great work guys

Having the large surface area exposed like that also allows for excellent co2 blow off. Nice way to increase the gas exchange

Another thought would be to add a fan blowing at it for cooling purposes. If the fan were on a temp controller, you could easily keep the temp stable! The evaporation would increase so be prepared to top off more often.

I would LOVE to build one of these... just no room right now....

[KodiakBear]

Hmmm... I have a lot of screening material left over from a previous project...

Eagerly waiting to see if this works...

[sasquatch]

Yes, thats true but the algae scrubber I think was meant as a whole system, in a reef setting we strive for near perfect water conditions, yet cyano outbreaks are still common, I dont think you need to create a huge area to grow it,just support it in a contained space, the impact should be minimal . I have way more macro's, filterfeeders and skimming than my bioload requires yet in the sump I have one baffle that is well coated with really dark green,blue and red cyano, Im thinking that if the cyano plate is working the baffle should clear up?

[rDr4g0n]

Originally Posted by sasquatch

Yes, thats true but the algae scrubber I think was meant as a whole system, in a reef setting we strive for near perfect water conditions, yet cyano outbreaks are still common, I dont think you need to create a huge area to grow it,just support it in a contained space, the impact should be minimal . I have way more macro's, filterfeeders and skimming than my bioload requires yet in the sump I have one baffle that is well coated with really dark green,blue and red cyano, Im thinking that if the cyano plate is working the baffle should clear up?

as the main nutrient export the scrubber would need to be large, and much of the time space is a big issue. im sure with some tuning we could reduce the scrubber to a vertical column of mesh trays or something like that so that it can be more compact. like squatch said though, this first device is more of a means of disallowing algael growth elsewhere, which was our main goal anyway. not saying that it wouldnt be fun to make one as the primary filtration though.

[billyr98]

very nice work guys.... can't wait to see that ugly growth!!

[lcstorc]

Please keep us posted on your success or failure on this project. This is something easy enough even I could probably make one. Very interresting idea. I hope it works as espected. Sounds like it will though.

[sasquatch]

Lynn we could send you the excess?lol

[lcstorc]

LOL. No I don't need any thank you. Actually my tank is not bad as far as algae. I had a few battles with cyano but once I got my fighting conchs it went away and so far has not been back. Of course I was also doing a lot of other things to make it go away, but that seemed to tip the scale in my favor.

[rDr4g0n]

no growth so far. i need some way to seed the sheet, but any attempts just washes off.

[boozeman]

patience grasshopper

[KodiakBear]

sorry, not patient enough to wait for yours to start working. I wrapped some screening material around a scrap piece of plexi and wedged it under the pipe feeding my sump. Took some cyano from the tank and mashed it really good into the screen. Probably too much flow for cyano to grow, but here's hoping!

[rDr4g0n]

well the cyano grows literally within hours of my stirring my sand bed so i figured the sheet would be overrun already lol

[sasquatch]

OH NO!! its a revolution, the march of the cyanopeople!!

[rDr4g0n]

a tiny little update:

i see 2 teeny tiny spots of what appears to be hair algae growing on my sheet. thats about it lol