Ok, on to maintenance. The first weeks are the most important in growing the correct algae. Every week take the screen out and remove the algae with your fingers not nails. Leave a thin layer of algae behind for growth and remove only one side a week. If you have a salt setup, run under fresh tap water to kill any amphipods that are on the screen. They will look like circles on the screen if you do. Over time it will get harder and harder to remove algae on one side so an ice scraper lightly used will help, remember to leave algae behind. If the algae starts getting more than 0.5” thick then bump up the time between maintenance. If you want to cut the time down before actual filtering tanks place, since it will take months to grow the turf algae, try to get a hold of someone that already grows turf algae and ask them for a starter culture.
It’s like scraping lint off dryer vents
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First thing you want to do is find a container that you’re going to use. A sump or trashcan can be used (a 5g bucket will be used in this demonstration). Drill a hole in the bottom of the bucket so the water can drain back into the take or sump. Or attach a hose fitting so you can place it somewhere else that’s higher than the level of the tank, instead of directly on top. You want to then measure the screen out that you will be using and rough up the surface so the algae can attach its self to the screen. Let the screen stick up a little so you can put about ½ to 1” of it onto the spray bar. A good choice for a screen is using plastic canvas roughed up with a hole saw drill bit.
Second, fashion a spray bar across the top of the bucket. Then measure the screens width that you will be using and mark it on your PVC, then measure how thick the screen is and double that number and mark it on the tube. When using a dremel on PVC make your first cut in the middle first then go back and trim the sides off. PVC as a tendency to curl on you while cutting.
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Now attach your screen to the spray bar and use zip ties to hold them together. It would be a good idea to make groves for the spray bar to sit in while on top of the bucket so it won’t move. Or add paper clips, the black ones that function like a clamp is great. Make sure the screen doesn’t touch the sides of the cut in the spray bar. This will cut down the water flow on that side. Is water movement is to fast and spray out like a hose or blows algae off, make the cut larger or add slights going across your main cut to allow more water flow.
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Finally, attach your pump to the spray bar and set the bucket higher than you tanks water level. Then add a hose going form the bucket to the tank, this will act like a drain. or you can set atop the tank and have the drain focused in a hole in the lid so water can fall in
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Now enjoy your brand new algae scrubber. Watch for all your algae in your tank start to disappear and water clarity improve. Not to mention you will never have to make another water change, EVER!
