Converting AQUA Clear 70 to an ATS

[laffingcrow]

Looks good supaboy, great pics...

Is that a fan directly above the ATS? (the pink clip)
Any possibility of moving your light directly above the ATS as close as possible to the screen with out getting it wet??? ... and moving the fan?

This bears repeating... YOU KNOW that it takes 4-5 weeks to grow enough algae to start functioning @ 100% ?????????????
...and that means you will have scraped 1/2 of the screen each 5-7 days alternating so that you have some algae on the screen doing the work.................
..................and to rinse all of the screen in fresh water to kill off (excess) copepods each time you scrape it. If you start getting circular holes where the algae does not seem to be growing it is actually harvest circles from the copepods munching down. You don't want the copepods munching algae in your ATS and don't worry they come back in the millions the next day... you just can't see them.

Also, look inside those clips.... there may be a small plastic (clip) inside the larger clip acting as a spring that may work to hold the screen down to the lip of the housing?...and is not as noticable or that will shade a part of the screen.
Brian

[supaboy1981]

do I clean one side of the screen? or 1/2 of the screen both sides every week?

[laffingcrow]

If you only light the screen from one side, don't worry about the back.
Then scrape 1/2 of the screen each week or 4-5 days.
The idea is to have 50% working while 50% is recovering from the harvest.(harvested algae = nutrient export)

[supaboy1981]

Ok so I scrape around every week half of the screen. Its pretty covered in both algae and a bit of cyno. I have noticed that the Diatom Algae in my tank has pretty much disappeared, I use my mag float maybe once every week and a half as opposed to every few days.

I have noticed I still have a bit of a cyno problem though. I was thinking of taking the maxi jet off the skimmer and using it for better flow along my sand bed. The skimmer isnt doing anything now but providing flow anyway.

Thoughts?

[Pure Magic79]

Ok so I scrape around every week half of the screen. Its pretty covered in both algae and a bit of cyno. I have noticed that the Diatom Algae in my tank has pretty much disappeared, I use my mag float maybe once every week and a half as opposed to every few days.

I have noticed I still have a bit of a cyno problem though. I was thinking of taking the maxi jet off the skimmer and using it for better flow along my sand bed. The skimmer isnt doing anything now but providing flow anyway.

Thoughts?

ALRIGHT! Your ATS is maturing nicely. So now you get rid of the skimmer. I found that it is always better to scrape half the side away from the inlet side. If you see diatom algae growing on your screen, go ahead and rub it off.

Congrats on your ATS working for you.

BTW. I haven't done a water change in a month Parameters are still awesome!

[laffingcrow]

The cyano is also the last to go away... part of the cycle.
Better flow always helps.

[supaboy1981]

Any one have the mounting suction cups for a maxi jet?

[supaboy1981]

OK got the Skimmer out, and my tank is now whisper quiet. You dont realize how much noise a skimmer makes until its gone.

FLow is 10x better should see a decrease in cyno fairly soon.

Also scraped the screen tons of green gooey Algae, I think it might be working!

[619andyp]

Just made one of these to go on a 20g frag tank I just set up. Used the Aquaclear surface skimmer attachment. This will be the only filtration on the tank.

They did not carry the needle point mesh stuff at the Wal-Mart near me anymore. They did have some at Micheal's for fifty cents a sheet.

Thanks for making this thread Rob!

[supaboy1981]

Thinking of putting my skimmer back on, with my new leds its hard to get to the screen to clean it and with no lid the filter drips water out of the top.

I also think it may be robbing my tank of all the trace elements and slowing my growth. Anyone think I am crazy?

[619andyp]

I have heard of others who also think the ATS maybe filtering too much of the "good stuff" out.

[supaboy1981]

I have heard of others who also think the ATS maybe filtering too much of the "good stuff" out.

I use reef crystals and dont dose so I hear this guy may be doing more good than bad, I still have a few small patches of hair algae and I use a fine sand so the if any gets into the impeller it makes alot of noise. I am going to be removing my canister filter this weekend and replace with a higher gph closed loop with a scwd on it for more alternating flow. I'll see how that works for a few weeks and then make a decision on the skimmer

[laffingcrow]

supaboy1981... Do you still have any nuisance algae?
How many gal. is your set up? How big is your ATS screen?
I'm concerned that your ATS may be on the small side for your set up.

LEDs too bright?
The idea behind the ATS is giving the "algae that would grow in your tank" a better place to grow because of better light and flow.
BUT if you run super bright LEDs... would you then need more light on the ATS for it to work better??
I don't know but when I upgrade I am going to use brighter LEDs on my ATS and will know more then.

Also I read somewhere that the ATS removes Iodide which zoos need and I dose for that.
I also dose essential elements but can't compare growth rates because I've only ever run an ATS.
If you do not dose,... then you must keep up on the water changes so that your "reef crystals" keep the recommended amounts of "stuff" in the water.

What other good stuff are you referring to?
Just some thoughts and questions
Brian

[supaboy1981]

Actualy my film algae went down and everything opened up nicely. Main reasom for taking it off is beause it would drip over and with my new led lights it was hard to clean the screen without removing the whole hood. And yes i was reffering to the iodide which softies like xenia and zoos use as well as shrimps. The final straw that broke the camels back was that the pump would shut off and i had to disassemble it, clean it and the restart it only to have it stop again a week or so later.

My setup was a 20 gal and i think it did help my water quality but i did end up with a few small patchez of hair algae in the main tank.

For now im going back to my remora until i change my entire setup for something bigger