Introducing the new Turbo Algae Scrubber! (Rev 4)

[Turbo's Aquatics]

@TaylorPilot you're on it!

 

[TaylorPilot]

Super excited! Have been wanting to try one of your units for years.

 

[TaylorPilot]

What is everyone's favorite submersible pump to run one of these? Silence and reliability are my most important factors.

 

[abinder]

I personally don't have a Turbo algae scrubber, but one of the favorite submersible pumps that is silent and people use for reactors is the Cobalt MJ series of pumps. Very reliable.

 

[TaylorPilot]

MJ 1200? I have a spare one of those laying around. Is it enough pump?

 

[Turbo's Aquatics]

IME MJs have poor head loss characteristics. Similar to Eheim Compact 1000. I ran the latter on an L2 early on and flow started at ~200 GPH but 6 months later I measured it at 65 GPH. That was before I made the light/spray blockers, which do help but you really need a Rio 1100 or a pump with an equivalent head loss curve.

Incidentally that is the reason I replaced 20 Eheim pumps I had sold with Rio pumps early on, at my expense.

 

[TaylorPilot]

Thanks Bud, I'll order a Rio 1100 in preparation. I told Ashley that it will get the fuzz off the rocks and down in the sump where she can't see it, and she was sold.

 

[Turbo's Aquatics]

I also stock these so you can just add it to your order.

Also go ahead and open a support ticket per this:

http://www.turbosaquatics.com/ordering.html

 

[Jlentz]

I ended having to get a rio from
The LFS. If I was doing it again if just get it with the scrubber.

 

[805reef]

So I have been running my L2 for a few weeks now... I moved the knob to point up about a week ago. I haven't cleaned the screen yet. Here are some pics from last night. Should I be cleaning it now?

Thank you

 

[Turbo's Aquatics]

So I have been running my L2 for a few weeks now... I moved the knob to point up about a week ago. I haven't cleaned the screen yet. Here are some pics from last night. Should I be cleaning it now?

Thank you

I would give that a "swipe & rinse" at this point. you want to clear off the slime growth (the darker/reddish areas) and those will come off with the swipe of your palm and/or a very light drag with your fingertips, but the GHA clumps should stay attached and are not thick enough to block any light, so you pretty much want to leave those alone. You can pick at them if you want to thin them out by about 50% but no more than that. That is OK to do, because much of what is attached will stay attached and re-grow so that is optional.

 

[VegasUSP]

Looking good @805reef Can't wait to get mine!

 

[Mike H]

How do you know what size scrubber you need ? I have a 500 gal plus system with a 180 gal sump....72x24x24

 

[Turbo's Aquatics]

That's a pretty big system, so you're going to push up into the larger size range most likely, depending on what you want to get accomplished. Got your PM, will take this over there...

 

[805reef]

I would give that a "swipe & rinse" at this point. you want to clear off the slime growth (the darker/reddish areas) and those will come off with the swipe of your palm and/or a very light drag with your fingertips, but the GHA clumps should stay attached and are not thick enough to block any light, so you pretty much want to leave those alone. You can pick at them if you want to thin them out by about 50% but no more than that. That is OK to do, because much of what is attached will stay attached and re-grow so that is optional.

I just cleaned it up. A lot of it was stuck to the screen. Seems to be growing really well.

Also it was very clean/easy process to clean! Very happy with that. The system was designed very well! Thanks Bud!

 

[Black Pearl]

Any updates on the L4

 

[Turbo's Aquatics]

I did get a few of the parts in, but I'm waiting on the rest of them. Here's a teaser though...

The L4/L8/L16 Growth Chamber is a modular design. It is a 2-part mold, a "bottom" part and a "side": 1 bottom + 2 sides = L4. 1 bottom + 4 sides = L8, etc

I'm testing out bonding & sealing methods so for now here are a few pics of everything dry-fitted together & held in place with blue painter's tape. It actually holds together pretty well on it's own but give it a good shake and it falls apart like a house of cards

L4 Growth Chamber

L8 Growth Chamber

L16 Growth Chamber (it's a monster)

Closeup of the overlapping joint area: it's designed with "keys" so that it minimizes the stupid factor (on my part, as in "you didn't line that up when you bonded it, stupid!!") and plenty of overlap for a good seal and strong joint. I have yet to put it to the drop-test...

Here's the Slot Pipe, there were some shrinkage/cracking issue with the samples but they have since resolved this

Slot pipe & L16

The Heat Sink End Caps for the L4/L8/L16 fixture turned out perfect.

In case I didn't cover it, the ends of the Heat Sinks have a rail built in so that they can be slid together side-by-side. You can see them in this pic

 

[Turbo's Aquatics]

I'm still waiting on the 2 other major components: the Base and the J-Channels. These are also a modular design. The Base & J-Channels snap together, which means the whole system can be shipped as parts (more compact) and is easy to assemble (no bonding of the Base + J-Channels). Also, an L4 can be converted to an L8 by swapping parts (or to an L16, or L8 to L16)

 

[fab]

I have yet to put it to the drop-test...

... And the 3-axis hammer test????

 

[fab]

Also, an L4 can be converted to an L8 by swapping parts (or to an L16, or L8 to L16)

Which parts swap?

L2 => L4 => L8 => L16 ???

I am particularly interested in what it takes to upgrade from an L8 to an L16. Are there any wastage/leftover parts after converting an L8 to an L16?