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Is there any reason why I shouldnt install the screen outside the slot?

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by jimxms, Dec 4, 2015.

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  1. jimxms

    jimxms New Member

    5
    0
    UK
    Following various guides online I installed the plastic screen on my waterfall scrubber right inside the slot that I had cut into the PVC pipe.

    The issue with this (for me) has always been that this has caused occasional streams of water to squirt out from the slot in random directions...sometimes out of my sump and onto the floor :mad:

    So today I moved the screen outside of the slot and left a 2mm gap between the exit of the slot and the plastic screen. The water flowing down my screen has never been so even! It covers the entire screen in quick flowing water and there is absolutely no spraying in random directions. Furthermore I'd be willing to bet that algae doesn't find its way into the slot and small particles of gunk wont build up in there either.

    So why doesn't everyone do it this way?
     
  2. Turbo

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

    That's why I came up with my light/spray blockers, which prevent this from happening
    Light Blockers are in production!

    Can't say that I've even tried suspending the screen below the slot, I guess I just came up with a different solution to the same issue. What I have found though is that algae will grow wherever there is flow and light - and it will attach to the slot pipe. So you may find that, over time, this doesn't completely solve the issue, so please report back after a few growth cycles. I would imagine that if algae grows and attaches to the slot pipe, it would probably not result in sideways spray because the algae growth will sort of act like a light/spray blocker, but I can't say for sure I guess.
     
  3. jimxms

    jimxms New Member

    5
    0
    UK


    Strangely before I saw your invention, I came up with something similar (but not as good). I found a length of hose that I cut a straight line down with a scalpel. I could then open it up into a sort of C shape and slot it over the top of the pipe. It then wrapped around the pipe and touched both sides of the algae screen. My only issue was that higher pressure water would run along the length of the hose and out of the ends.

    Another advantage I've found is that its really easy to clean the inside of the slot without removing the screen. I suppose time will tell if there is any disadvantages that haven't shown up yet. I will keep this thread updated.
     
  4. Turbo

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

    I wouldn't call it an invention, just a production version of the garbage-bag idea. The cut hose was something I saw, in fact that might have been you because I think it was someone in the UK that posted that.

    One of the advantages of the light blockers is that algae never grows in the slot/screen junction. My cleaning process for the slot pipe itself is limited to the area around the rotatable ring, and the very ends where the light blocker stops, takes literally 10 seconds to clean it, if I even bother doing it
     

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