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Diy sprayer

Discussion in 'Algae Scrubber DIY' started by vereecjw, Feb 4, 2016.

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  1. vereecjw

    vereecjw New Member

    Turbo,

    A while back you had a version that didn't use a spray bar and instead filled a rectangular top with a slot cut into that.

    Did you have performance issues with that setup?
     
  2. Turbo

    Turbo Does not really look like Johnny Carson Staff Member Site Owner Multiple Units! Customer

    That wasn't me, I've always used a slot pipe.
     
  3. vereecjw

    vereecjw New Member

    Perhaps you have had different experiences from mine.

    I really should setup a multi tank testing system, but that is a separate topic.

    I started with 1 typical waterfall scrubber on a aggressive tank. Triggers and puffer. They are fairly tough and very messy. I am more inclined to test on that tank than reef or seahorses.

    I went through the break in period and got to a regular cleaning schedule.

    Nitrates and phos at 0. Tested at cleanings.

    This troubled my logic, because the effectiveness is/should be tied to the quantity of algae available for filtration.

    After a cleaning there has been an export of nutrients and available filtration capacity.

    So I began testing 3 times a day.
    I would see a small (barely detectable and possibly human reader error) amount of nitrate after cleanups.

    This and my belief in my unproven hypothesis led me to triple my algae scrubbers, and my feedings. I plumbed in another tank and created a clown harem. (The test was a partial excuse).

    At this point I cleaned 1 of the screens at a time.
    Nutrients at 0. Tested 3 times a day.

    So I said great, let's test if I clean all at once...

    I saw a definitive (in my case) detection of nutrients that then reduced over a 57 hour period.

    While this is far from proven, and very much in the hypothesis phase, I have noticed that the largest pain is the removal of the screen from the spray bar in my setup. (Zipties).

    I am now redoing my scrubbers the best friendly to a 33% cleaning in a single unit.

    My frustration with Zipties will likely get worse.

    I am trying to investigate different options for the spray bar / screen components to fit my hypothesis. So far, adding guides in acrillic seems the best option.

    If I find anything that is functionally better, I will share, or if anything sucks, I will share that as well.
     
  4. Turbo

    Turbo Does not really look like Johnny Carson Staff Member Site Owner Multiple Units! Customer

    That's some very good data, testing 3x day. The "57 hour period" is curious...why 57 and not 50 or 60? Just wondering

    What size screen?

    I hate zip ties. Try taking a pipe coupler and cutting a ring out of it. So if you use 3/4" pipe, take a 3/4" slip x slip coupler (try to find a "deep socket" one, they have these at Menards) and use a vice and a hacksaw and cut a ring about a little less than 1/4" wide/thick and then clip a section out with a wire cutters, round with sandpaper, snap over pipe, cut one of the "+"s out of your screen in the right location, bam rotatable ring.

    As for the acrylic guides, I'm not sure what you are referring to here.
     
  5. vereecjw

    vereecjw New Member

    I can grab my logs when I get home.

    I am head of engineering for a pharmaceutical company so testing is a way of life for me.

    That said, I did not use calibrated digital readouts, I used hobby grade tests. So the results should be taken with a grain of salt as color matching brings inaccuracies and human error.

    6x6 screens dual sided.

    My real goal is the partial screen cleanings and to come up with a valid testing environment, process, and procedures.

    For partial screen cleanings, I want to avoid disturbing the other sections, and I want to move this back to a single unit.
     
  6. Matt Berry

    Matt Berry Active Member Trusted Member

    The next scrubber I'm building uses a slot pipe laser cut from acrylic.
    I'll be sending the laser cutting files early next week, so should have it built in the next week or two.
    Will post pics and progress of it.

    Edit, hold up with SteveLEDs so my package won't be shipped until the week starting the 16th of this month. Was supposed to be shipped at the start of this week.
     
    Last edited: Feb 5, 2016

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