Introducing the new Turbo Algae Scrubber! (Rev 4)

All the barbed fittings are for standard 3/4" ID vinyl hose. Compatible with the metric equivalent as well.

 

I'm still looking at the end of May for the L4, but I'm going to spend some time this week evaluating my production speed and the L4 deal demand and I would be able to give you a better indication at that point. I would fill orders based on the first contact date so that means you would be intermingled with L2 placeholders a bit, so if everyone took the deal that would still put you at least a month out I'm guessing - so you would get the L2 about 30-45 days ahead of when the first L4 is shipped, but then you would have the L2 going and may decide you don't need the L4. What size tank do you have?

 

I edited the prior post about this offer and placed it on my support site so that I could keep it updated and reference people to it. Just FYI

 

It depends a bit on your setup but in general, the L2 works for a tank up to the 100-120 gallon range pretty well, when you hit about 150 or so that's where it can work well depending on a few conditions, such as:

• How much you feed
• What other filtration you have in place, and what role you intend for the scrubber to play in the overall system
  
• Overall bioload (fish and corals)
• How hard you "push" the L2

The first one is the main basis: L2 = 2 cubes/day of filtration, L4 = 4 cubes/day. That is the primary method for sizing a scrubber to a system.

The Other Filtration factor comes into effect when you are running filtration that is already pretty effective, like a decent skimmer + GFO + carbon and maybe Biopellets, and you just want to add the refugium factor for pod production, completing the Food Web, etc. In that case, the L2 can go on just about any size tank. If all devices were sized according to what kind of feeding volume they could handle, things would be a lot easier. But I doubt we will get the skimmer community to convert from tank size to feeding volume anytime soon.

Similarly, the role is a factor. If you want the scrubber to act as the primary or stand-alone filtration, then you might push the scrubber (next paragraph) or run a larger unit, or multiple units.

Overall bioload adjusts things as well: heavy load compared to tank volume might mandate a larger scrubber, or additional filtration.

On the last one, basically the L2 "standard" flow rate is about 210 GPH, +/- 20 GPH nominally, but you can push that up to ~300 GPH so that you have a bit higher turnover rate, and then at the same time you can increase the light intensity and duration to maximize it's capacity. The overall turnover rate of the water across the scrubber compared to the tank volume is the secondary factor, IMO the ideal range is 2:1 (scrubber turnover rate is 2x tank volume, so L2 @ ~200 gph on a 100g tank = 2:1) once you approach 1:1 then I recommend either increasing flow or going with a larger unit.

I don't have any benchmark-tests that show what combination of flow, lighting, duration, etc will result in what level of filtration - this is more based on user experiences than anything else (for the higher capacity operation). There does appear to be a point of diminishing returns as far as flow goes, and that seems to be about 300 GPH (which is 50 GPH per inch of screen width) but again, that is anecdotal. I've had people run an L2 on a 180 + sump pushing 400+ GPH and feeding 6+ cubes/day (along with a big skimmer) and grow tons of algae, each case is different.

I hope that helps!!!

 

Some installation pics from my customers:

(light fixtures are upside-down, but he corrected that!!)


Nice DIY mounting bracket using PVC pipe




A view inside the Growth Chamber done be removing the End Cover Plate (viewport to see growth progression)


Here's one using some aluminum extrusion bars


Some nice 3D printed brackets!

 

@b4tn I got your message, going to reply via a PM

 

The L2 will do pretty well for a heavily stocked 90. If your upgrade it a ways off, I would go with that. There has always been a pretty good market for my used units, and I plan to add a section on here where you can list it for sale also.

 

Got my shipment of 100 LED and 50 Driver boards from Steve's LEDs today (Friday)! They were quite backed up, plus a temporary machine failure didn't help, but they came through just in time!!



Plus a batch of 3D printed potentiometer enclosures, also by Steve's (nice quality!!)







Some potentiometers, knobs (I like the black ones!) and Controller Interface boards (these work to allow Apex and ReefKeepers to control the driver boards directly)



While I've been waiting for those, I've been working on getting everything else ready...

Bases with J-channels bonded in



Heat sinks drilled and ready for the next 50 units



Plenty more where those came from, plus a whole pallet I haven't cracked



Slot pipes prepped



Screens soaking (more already soaked, not shown)



...it's gonna be a busy weekend. On schedule to ship 25 units next week, and 25 more the week after!

 

Soon, just not a high priority - I have way too much going on!

 

That's awesome!! Do you have any pictures of your screen?

I really need to get a break-in process written up - with the mortar screen, you really want to be gentle with that when cleaning it for the first few months, as the mortar easily releases if you scrub it. Don't scrub it, even with the toothbrush. Just lightly "drag" the scraper across the screen (I do that over a cutting board or in a small plastic tote) and then rinse with room temp tap water under faucet, not the sink sprayer or anything like that. Leave alone any growth that stays attached, let it grow out is the rule of thumb for the first month+