Refugium/Scrubber concept

As said on Garfs Badass thread I am trying to create a larger area of 3D algae growth.

The first attempt (which can be seen here ) wasn't very successful. There was a little 3D growth but not anything like as much as required (left it for 9 or 10 days)

So this is the version 2 (video quality not good, but you can see what it is)



I nicked Garfs cable ties idea and relocated the powerheads to one end of the screen. The overflow from the DT now discharges around the powerheads so that they suck in some of the air mix and blow it out across the screen as microbubbles.

2 x 15w CFLs replaced with 2 x 15w LED grow bulbs.

No idea if this will work but here's hoping.

 

Yes, I tried sandpapering a couple but it didn't seem to touch em so didn't bother.

Thinking of dipping em in silicon and then sand or maybe shoving some roughed up airline tubing over the top of em

 

It was a bit quick, although probably not as fast as a waterfall scrubber.

This version is slower as the powerheads are blowing along the length of the screen, instead of the width, and there is the cable tie forest to provide some resistance.

 

Sounds about right.

Also, I'm not sure that the roughing up process makes very much difference to the ultimate growth potential of a surface (it will grow on glass for instance, given enough time) but having a rough surface will allow it to get a hold quicker in high flow.

That said, some plastics may be smoother than glass at a microscopic level I guess.

 

Update, one week in from my revision and this thing has grown.... absolutely bugger all.

There are a few very small discoloured patches on some of the cable ties but I suspect that these are just captured debris rather than algae growing.

Possibly the concept is completely useless but I'm a little suspicious of these Chinese LED growbulbs (which, to be fair, could be positioned a little closer to the water surface)

I'll leave it for another week and see what happens.

 

Cheers. Might be a plan. I'll turn the pumps off and let it carry on with just the flow from the DT

 

Another week with not much to show for it.

A little 3D growth on the bottom but not enough to do any significant filtering

Still bugger all on the cable ties

Will carry on but not very hopeful for this idea

 

lol, are you stalking him now?


Yes I turned the powerheads off a week ago. There are still some bubbles from the inlet on one small area of it but there is hardly any growth in that part. The best growth, for what it is, seems to be in an area with no bubbles and low flow.

 

I sandpapered a couple of them but it didn't seem to make any difference (they are very hard plastic) and I've no idea which ones.

But I'll fish it out later and try what you say above.

Also, as I mentioned before, I had an idea of cutting some lengths of air hose and pushing them over the ties, having first roughed them up in some way (air hose is much softer plastic so will be easier to rough). So I'll do a few of those too while I'm at it.


I should also move the lights closer, need to incorporate some sort of splash guard first though.

 

Revision 2

Took the thing out & it looked like this



No point having the ties above the water line so gave it a haircut



Roughed up a few of the ties and rubbed some green on em like so



Added some roughed up airline to some others and rubbed in green also



Built a floating splash guard and lowered the lights



Also moved the whole thing 6 or 8 inches away from the pumps and turned em back on (no bubbles this time though)

And now it looks like this

 

Yes, they don't look too bright either, supposed to be 15w each but I have my doubts.

I'll leave it a week and see how it looks.