Muttley000 Posted January 4, 2017 Author Share Posted January 4, 2017 Not sure how good this is going to show but lots more brown on the screen now. Also I can see some wiry pieces like what I have in my displays. Glad to see some growth coming on somewhat quickly! Karmann 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karmann Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 Nice, great start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muttley000 Posted January 8, 2017 Author Share Posted January 8, 2017 Picked up some bulbs to try. They were like 15 bucks at Menards. I'll keep you posted in how they work Screen continues to get covered, still more brown than green though and net enough to harvest yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 I have tried useing the several differant red led bulbs on my scrubber they never seem to produce as much algea for me as the regular spiral compact or 6500k led Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muttley000 Posted January 9, 2017 Author Share Posted January 9, 2017 13 minutes ago, ben said: I have tried useing the several differant red led bulbs on my scrubber they never seem to produce as much algea for me as the regular spiral compact or 6500k led You aren't the first I've heard say that. These say they are dialed into the same 2 wavelengths for both types of clorophyl. If they don't work out I will be going with led 6500k floods Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
music Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 Nicely done! I set up an old CFL over my sump fudge compartment and the algae was gross slimey stuff. I chickened out and removed the light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muttley000 Posted January 13, 2017 Author Share Posted January 13, 2017 On January 10, 2017 at 8:51 AM, music said: Nicely done! I set up an old CFL over my sump fudge compartment and the algae was gross slimey stuff. I chickened out and removed the light. My algae is much the same. I think, but don't know, that this may be due to my measurable nitrates being 0 while there is plenty of phosphates avaliable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muttley000 Posted January 13, 2017 Author Share Posted January 13, 2017 I'm going to get it scraped tomorrow and try to get the new lights on it. I will also do a lot of harvesting in the displays, hopefully the new growth can be concentrated on the screen now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moshtico Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 Looking good, I think it took mine about 3-4 weeks before it just took off like crazy, I bet yours takes off really soon Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muttley000 Posted January 18, 2017 Author Share Posted January 18, 2017 It's really brown and slimey but it's growing, I think the MH is too close. I got a bracket to mount the normal light bulbs built but a bout with the flu last weekend slowed me down. It's painted now so I just need to wire it up and mount it. I'll get these aquaponic LED bulbs tried out then. Also picked up a sheet of corrugated plastic so I could make a splash guard, so hoping to update the thread with those changes this weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muttley000 Posted January 21, 2017 Author Share Posted January 21, 2017 Cleaned about a cup of crap off the screen today, but it was still brown slimey crap. So I went ahead and mounted the new lights. We will see how this goes, and if it doesn't will just get some daylight bulbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moshtico Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 Keep us updated, I was thinking about adding some of those bulbs to mine. I noticed algae coming back in my tank while I had my scrubber down for two weeks to do my repairs. Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muttley000 Posted January 21, 2017 Author Share Posted January 21, 2017 Will do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muttley000 Posted January 21, 2017 Author Share Posted January 21, 2017 Decided to add a splash guard behind this since it is close to my water heater, and it can be a little messy when I take the screen off to clean it. I got a piece of corrugated PVC sheet to do this, I think it will help a lot, and reflect light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muttley000 Posted January 28, 2017 Author Share Posted January 28, 2017 (edited) So here is a 6 day pic. Much greener growth. I have been running 24 hours, going to set up a timer to let it be dark 6 hours a day. Will scrape over the weekend and report results. Edited January 28, 2017 by Muttley000 Forgot the pic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheap reefer Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 Wow muttley you can grow algea like a boss..lol..keep us updated on how this effects your water chemistry though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muttley000 Posted January 28, 2017 Author Share Posted January 28, 2017 My mag and calcium are low, alk has been steady. I have been monitoring closely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheap reefer Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 So what prompted this project?..is there a certain reason?..i just sont get the theory behind it..."to get rid of algea, grow more algea"...this is very intriguing to me..i get the theory behind growing macro algea in a refugium..but i would think the water to algea contact time in an ats would be minimal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muttley000 Posted January 28, 2017 Author Share Posted January 28, 2017 The theory is that the high flow area over the screen provides max nutrients and light doesn't have to punch through water. More raw water touches the algae this way. Same idea as macro fuge but supposedly works faster. Both count on providing a place to grow easier than the display. I just want to get the crap out of my displays! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheap reefer Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 Hhmm..once your ats takes off, im very curious how this affects your no3 and po4...because those are the 2 main chemical culprits of nuisance algea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muttley000 Posted January 28, 2017 Author Share Posted January 28, 2017 7 hours ago, cheap reefer said: Hhmm..once your ats takes off, im very curious how this affects your no3 and po4...because those are the 2 main chemical culprits of nuisance algea. N03 not measurable, never has been since I first cycled it. Bought a Red Sea test kit, still nothing, even if I skip a weekly 5% water change! I just get more algae because it is consumed by algae as soon as it is produced. I think this is why I don't have great luck with zoas, the algae out competes them. I really feel Nitrates limit my algae growth. P04 floats between .01 and .02, when it gets to .02 I drip some Lanthanum Chloride to take it down. I use a Hanna ULR tester for this. This is still leaching from old rock I introduced to the system, but very slowly I think. appreciate the comments, it forces me to keep thinking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 It took my ats at lease 2 months before it started to grow green algae it slowly transitioned from the slimy brown to the green Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muttley000 Posted January 28, 2017 Author Share Posted January 28, 2017 3 hours ago, ben said: It took my ats at lease 2 months before it started to grow green algae it slowly transitioned from the slimy brown to the green What photoperied did you use? Did it suck the algae out of your display or were you lucky enough not to go there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheap reefer Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 Well wait....lets think about this..because if hes trying ro grow algae and its not growing...the waters no3 and po4 maybe be locked up in the dt algae thus causing a mineral deficiency needed by the ats...make sense?..i dont know, im really interested in your project and its effects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muttley000 Posted January 28, 2017 Author Share Posted January 28, 2017 28 minutes ago, cheap reefer said: Well wait....lets think about this..because if hes trying ro grow algae and its not growing...the waters no3 and po4 maybe be locked up in the dt algae thus causing a mineral deficiency needed by the ats...make sense?..i dont know, im really interested in your project and its effects. Very possible. This is where a 3 day blackout may come in for me. First I will keep manual pulling what I can Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.