Water wheel algae scrubber

Has anyone tried to make a water wheel into an algae scrubber. I got the Idea from an old water wheel at a grits mill in Ga. The water wheel worked like most using the energy from the current to turn the mill. I noticed that there was a pretty good layer of algae on the wheel. So I made a scaled down version using two five gallon bucket lids, plastic coat hangers, and some plastic canvas. I'm going to set it up in an old 10 gallon aquarium that I'm going to drill the end out for a 1 1/2" bulkhead.(I have to come up with the money for the drilling equip. first). Im then going to construct a spill way to help enrich the oxygen and increase turbulent flow. I not sure what kind of flow rate I'll need and I'm open to suggestions. I think I want to keep the screens submerged for 30 seconds and out in the air for thirty seconds. It will probably be up to old trail and error. I also found the CFL that are 6700k I'm going to place them on both ends of the tank. If anyone has any suggestions or question let me know.

 

pic pic pic

and this is a realy good info site Algae Scrubbers • Index page

 

This sounds like a really good idea actually! Hah. It sounds like you're thinking of a 1/3 submerged water wheel where the flow in the tank makes it turn? Or is water falling onto the water wheel to make it turn? Great idea either way since it will take up much less room than surge style algae scrubbers, and won't have the drawbacks of the spraybar ones getting clogged with algae to restrict flow.

 

Eco-Wheel

Check this out:
http://www.3reef.com/forums/3reef-radar/eco-wheel-aquarium-filter-38533.html

 

sounds cool, my only real concern off the top of my head would be containing splashing.

keep us posted

 

This pretty much sounds like a bio-wheel with algae instead of nitrifying bacteria. I like the idea a whole lot.

 

scrubber

I will try to get some pictures on tomorrow. As far as the splashing goes, I'm hoping to nullify it with a slow turning action and the wheel will be turned by water current in the bottom half of the tank and not the spill way. Thanks for all the feed back.

 

the pics I promised

Here are the pics I promised. Im still waiting to buy glass drilling equipment and I'm also setting up a 20 gallon refuge. So the updates are coming they just might be slow. !#@^#%$& Arrrrg. Ok I got that out now could someone tell me how to post pics.