Large algae reactor

[maglofster]

Just wanted to show my algae reactor.

It's a Deltec FR 1020 reactor with 100W (20 meters) of waterproof LED tubing wrapped around (2700K white 5050 diodes). It's the largest Deltec reactor of about 20 liters. I used to also have 50W of red LED tubing, but that made it a bit to hot so I removed those. It still grows like crazy.

It's 99% Chaeto in it, but also some other green macro algae. Photoperiod is about 10 hours. Before I ran it 14 hours, but that was too efficient in removing nutrients

The chaeto grows VERY thick.

This is from one cleaning. This amount and just as much on the floor is what I take out of it every other week right now. It's is VERY effective and removes about 5 PPM of nitrate daily from my 90G tank.


There is also a lot of little critters living in the reactor.

All in all, I'm very happy with this. Compared to the different sorts of ATS I have tried I like this better because it's dead quiet. Also I think it works better as a refugium, I see bristleworms, snails and other stuff in here daily.

Questions? Fire away

 

[kenjung]

I love Algae reactor, IMO more effective at nutrient export than refugium. I am still keeping my refugium.

 

[redfishbluefish]

Wow! That thing is a beast! I like it so much, I was going to come over and steal it from you, but I see you have a guard dog watching over it.

Details on were you got the reactor and 20 meters of what I'm going to assume are red LEDs???

 

[maglofster]

Wow! That thing is a beast! I like it so much, I was going to come over and steal it from you, but I see you have a guard dog watching over it.

Details on were you got the reactor and 20 meters of what I'm going to assume are red LEDs???

Got the reactor online, in Germany, but I guess you can get it all over since Deltec is a classic brand. The LED tube is from www.lightinthebox.com (China LEDs I guess). The LEDs are white, 2700K.

 

[cpschult]

Wow! That thing is a beast! I like it so much, I was going to come over and steal it from you, but I see you have a guard dog watching over it.

Details on were you got the reactor and 20 meters of what I'm going to assume are red LEDs???

Definitely white LEDs. Probably eBay or amazon. You can chain some of them together.

 

[maglofster]

Definitely white LEDs. Probably eBay or amazon. You can chain some of them together.

Or just order the length you want. No need to chain them together.

 

[cpschult]

Or just order the length you want. No need to chain them together.

Yeah that would be preferred. Sometimes figuring out length is a pain. I ended up going to short and had to add another couple of feet. Was just throwing it out there. You get off eBay?

 

[maglofster]

Yeah that would be preferred. Sometimes figuring out length is a pain. I ended up going to short and had to add another couple of feet. Was just throwing it out there. You get off eBay?

Got it from www.lightinthebox.com - it's some sort of aliexpress clone. I actually took out the old flexible measuring tape for this one

 

[radiata]

Got the reactor online, in Germany, but I guess you can get it all over since Deltec is a classic brand. The LED tube is from www.lightinthebox.com (China LEDs I guess). The LEDs are white, 2700K.

WOW! 2700K! That strikes me as counter-intuitive - I'd have gone with 6500K or maybe a red/blue combo. But that photo of the removed tube-shaped chaeto is certainly impressive!

 

[maglofster]

WOW! 2700K! That strikes me as counter-intuitive - I'd have gone with 6500K or maybe a red/blue combo. But that photo of the removed tube-shaped chaeto is certainly impressive!

Yeah, I have gotten a lot of questions about that. The light is very yellow. But it works very good.

 

[polifrone]

What size pump are you using for flow and do you draw the water directly from the tank.

 

[maglofster]

What size pump are you using for flow and do you draw the water directly from the tank.

I use a Jebao DC3000 and I draw the water from my sump. Drawing water directly from the tank would work just as well!

 

[polifrone]

That’s awesome idea thanks for the idea.

 

[peterj66]

Very nice, good call on using warm white. Ive been thinking on adding those to my refugium after reading the thread on green light and photosyntesis.

 

[X.x]

Wow very nice
How much does the reactor cost, I’m looking for a big reactor

 

[maglofster]

Wow very nice
How much does the reactor cost, I’m looking for a big reactor

I purchased a Deltec FR 1020. It is 20 liters. I think it was about 600 euros. The light was dirtcheap. So total cost for reactor, light, pump and silicone tubing, 750 euros. A bit steep perhaps, but the cost of running it is very low and it also gives me a refugium with pods and stuff. All in all I'm very happy.

 

[X.x]

I purchased a Deltec FR 1020. It is 20 liters. I think it was about 600 euros. The light was dirtcheap. So total cost for reactor, light, pump and silicone tubing, 750 euros. A bit steep perhaps, but the cost of running it is very low and it also gives me a refugium with pods and stuff. All in all I'm very happy.

Hmmm cool
That’s what I want but I couldn’t find any large reactor like this in US

 

[maglofster]

Hmmm cool
That’s what I want but I couldn’t find any large reactor like this in US

Marine depot could probably help you since they sell Deltec products. Even if they dont have that in stock they could probably order one.

 

[jorahx]

Ever have the issue of the lights getting to hot and cracking the reactor? That’s what’s happening to mine currently. Trying to find a permanent fix before it leaks.

 

[X.x]

Ever have the issue of the lights getting to hot and cracking the reactor? That’s what’s happening to mine currently. Trying to find a permanent fix before it leaks.

What kind of reactor do u used ?