If you are looking for a new way to keep your tank clean of nitrate and phosphate, this DIY project might be for you. It works for both fresh and saltwater tanks, it’s effective, easy to build and it’s cheap.

In freshwater aquarium, plants can be use for nutrient export and algae control. The same can be done in saltwater aquarium by using macro-algae and mangrove in a refugium. The Algae filter screen, also known as Turf algae filter or algae scrcubber work the same way. Basically, we create a better growing environment on a screen so that the algae growing on it outcompete those in the tank.

Here’s what you can expect from that filter:
1) Incredibly low phosphate and nitrate
2) Ammonia removal
3) Overfeeding is not a problem
4) Can replace water changes, IF THE PURPOSE of the waterchange is to reduce nitrate or
phosphate or algae growth. Otherwise, it does not replace the water change.
5) Grows swarms of copepods.
6) Increases oxygen which also increases pH
7) It removes algae from the tank
8 ) It’s quiet

WHAT IT IS:

Basically, water goes in the PVC pipe at the top, flows down over the screen, then drains out the bottom. On both sides of the screen, lights are used to support algae growth. The system can be build different ways as long as the basic rules are being followed.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
1) some PVC pipe
2) A screen
3) A pump
4) One or two lights (minimum 23 WattCompact Fluorescent 5100K)
5) A bucket. You won’t need it tf you want to setup your Algae filter screen in your sump.

You need to decide how big your screen needs to be. The basic rule is one square inch of screen for each gallon of tank water. If the screen is lit on one side, the screen should be twice the size.
A 12 X 12 inch screen, lit both sides is enough for a 144 gallon tank.
A 7 X 7 inch screen lit both sides is enough for a 49 gallon tank.
A 3 X 4 inch screen lit both sides is enough for a 12 gal tank.

Any stiff material that has holes in it will do. This could be a knitting backing, plastic canvas, rug canvas, gutter guard, or tank-divider.
Try to avoid using soft screen like window screen; it’s difficult to clean, it will bend and fold too much.

When choosing a pump, keep in mind that the flow should be at 35 gph (gallons per hour) for every inch of width of the screen. Thus, a 2″ wide screen would need 70 gph, and so on. It does not matter how tall your screen is, just how wide it is.

SETUP:

The only difficult part is the “waterfall pipe”, which must have a slot cut lengthwise into it where the screen goes into it. Don’t cut the slot too wide; just start with 1/8″, and you can increase it later if you need to, based on the flow you get. A Dremel moto-tool with a “cut off wheel is probably the best tool for that (see picture on the left side).

Now install the pipe onto the screen/bucket by tilting the pipe and starting at one side, then lowering the pipe over the rest. You may have to wiggle the screen in some places to get it to fit in. Remember that the screen can’t be submerged; that won’t work at all. It can be horizontal, but it becomes harder to keep rapid flow across the whole screen (since the water will want to stop).

Now install the lights. This is the most important aspect of the whole thing; You must, have strong lighting. The higher the power of the lighting is, the more nitrate and phosphate will be pulled out of the tank.

Once everything is done, use your pump to bring water into the PVC pipe and make sure there is a good flow on the screen.

OPERATION:
1) Clean the screen with running tap water (no soap) while scrubbing it with something abrasive. Then, dry it off and sand it with sandpaper on both sides.
2) Get some algae (any type) from your system and rub it HARD into the screen on both sides.
3) Run tap water over the screen again to remove the loose algae pieces. The spores that stick to the screen are too small to be seen, but they are there.
4) Install the screen and turn on the pump.
5) Turn on the lights. You can leave them on for 24 hours a day for the first week if you want to speed up the process. In most cases, 18 hours ON, and 6 hours OFF should be enough.

On day 3 you’ll start seeing some growth, and by day 5 most of the screen should have a light brown coating. If this level of growth does not happen on your screen, your lighting is probably not strong enough, or it’s not close enough to the screen.

Wait until the screen look like the example in picture on the left. At this point, a first cleaning will be needed. When cleaning the screen, remember to only clean ONE SIDE and to NEVER clean it off completely. Wait a week, and clean the other side, etc. Wait another week and clean the first side again, etc. At first, the algae should be easy to remove but after a while you’ll probably need to use a razor blade to scrape it off. For more information about cleaning, refer to following videos:

YouTube – Algae Scrubber: Cleaning/Scraping, part 1
YouTube – Algae Scrubber: Cleaning/Scraping, part 2
YouTube – Algae Scrubber: Cleaning/Scraping, part 3
YouTube – Algae Scrubber: Cleaning/Scraping, part 4

That’s it! As said before the system can be build different ways as long as the basic rules are being followed. For more setup ideas, visit MyFishTank.net

Do you have experience with the Algae filter screen?
Share with us using the comment box bellow.

Article written by www.aquariumslife.com
References: MyFishTank.net
Text and images used with the permission of SantaMonica from MyFishTank.net

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