- Today we're installing and plumbing
your new Clearwater Turf Scrubber.
Plus I have a few tips and tricks up my sleeve
for an ultra silent install.
First things first,
let's get this scrubber out of the box.
For this video, I'll be using the CW-200 Combo,
but the install steps are the same for the whole lineup.
Right out of the box,
you should have a fully assembled scrubber,
a pair of screen clips,
Sicce pump,
valve,
plumbing pieces,
and silicone tubing.
But before we talk plumbing, let's talk placement.
Your scrubber is self-contained with gravity fed drains,
meaning the return water needs to flow downward.
So the scrubbers should be placed accordingly,
on a shelf,
on your sump,
or a platform,
which you can easily DIY with some PVC and egg crate.
It's important to have ease of access for your scrubber
as you're going to need to be harvesting your algae.
So give some space for trimming.
Once in place, it's time to plumb.
Start by disconnecting the screen
by loosening the top union and set it aside.
Remove the bulkheads as they are shipped in backwards.
The gaskets should always go in the inside of the scrubber.
The orders should be;
the bulkhead,
the gasket,
push it through the hole
and then tighten the nut.
Hand tightening is all that is necessary.
Then put the screen back in,
tighten the union,
making sure that the gasket
in the union is still in place.
Now it's time to install your feed pump.
Start by attaching the included tubing
to the barb fitting on the scrubber.
Using the included PVC pieces,
hand tighten them together and screw them
to the top of the pump.
Place the pump into the sump and measure the length
of tubing needed to connect to the scrubber
and cut the tubing to fit.
Next we will need to install the valve
which goes in between the scrubber and the pump.
It can be put anywhere,
but make sure to have easy access.
Cut the tube in the middle and install.
Make sure to put clamps on all connections.
A quick check here,
make sure all unions are tight before starting your pump.
For the drains, you do have options.
You can use a soft tubing
and a few additional PVC pieces
and can configure it in a couple of different ways.
Your return options include
the extended elbow to soft tube,
in which case you'll need the following pieces
in both half inch and one inch.
PVC,
silicone tubing,
schedule 80 90 degree elbow slip x thread
and barb male x thread,
or you can plumb your SOP tube
directly from the bulkhead
using a 90 degree barb x spigot,
in both half inch and one inch.
Pick whatever way works best
for you and your setup,
but either way you'll need plastic clamps
to secure your tubing.
Second option, and a pro tip,
if you want an ultra quiet operation,
here's how to plumb your gravity fed drain.
To prevent gurgling noises,
use PVC from the bulkheads
and plumb the drains like a Durso.
It's actually really easy to do,
and I'll walk you right through it.
To do this you'll need a few extra pieces though.
Starting with half inch plumbing,
you'll need half inch T,
and half inch PVC.
You cut it to fit,
only needing about four to five inches,
but get a little extra
just in case you forget
to measure twice and cut once.
For one inch pieces,
you'll need a one inch T and one inch PVC.
You'll cut it to fit,
but depending on your placement of the scrubber,
I'd recommend getting a 24 to 48 inch stick.
Again, have extra,
and make it fun
by using colored PVC.
One final note,
based on the placement of your scrubber
and the lack of water pressure on the drains,
you can pressure fit or glue the fittings.
I always glue them,
but it's ultimately up to you.
Now that you're all plumbed up,
it's time to fire up the pump
and dial in the flow
with the included valve.
Start with your pump at a hundred percent
with the valve fully open.
Dial in by turning the valve.
An important note here is that most reefers start
with too low of flow,
trying to evenly cover the whole screen right away.
However, to start, adjust the valve
so that more water is flowing at
the end of the spray bar.
And over time as algae grows and fills in
it will balance itself out
and cover the screen evenly.
So don't worry.
And as you see here,
the Turf Algae that grows on the screen
may not always be evenly covered,
but again, not to worry,
it will happen over time.
A quick tip for faster, more even coverage.
When you're cleaning a screen,
take some of the removed Turf Algae
and rub it on the bare spots before discarding.
It will help speed up the process.
And since we're talking about algae,
the most common misconception with turf scrubbers
is that you need a special algae to start,
when in fact there's no need to seed.
So don't go looking for algae.
It will happen naturally.
It just takes some time.
Turn on the lights and run it 24/7
until your first cleaning.
Monitor your nitrates and phosphates
and adjust accordingly.
If the nutrients get too low,
put it on a timer and change your light cycle
from 24 hours to 12 hours,
generally opposite of the main display.
How often you clean your scrubber
depends on the nutrient levels
and how fast your Turf Algae grows.
For best results, it's recommended
to alternate sides.
Cleaning off the screen every seven to 14 days.
Which sounds longer than most reefers have heard,
but it's actually far more stable
for nutrient control instead of constant fluctuations
that occur with every three to four day removal.
Plus it's way less work for you.
What should your algae look like?
What you want is luscious even mats
of deep green Turf Algae.
What you don't want is yellow Turf Algae,
which could indicate you're low
on iron and trace,
or it's getting burned.
You also don't want Sludge or Slime Algae.
The scrubber will go through stages.
If you do get the slimy algae,
simply scrape it off
as it is part of the process.
Wait it out,
keep cleaning it,
and Turf Algae will eventually grow.
It's important to note that it's recommended
to dose iron and trace elements
while running your scrubber.
Brightwell and Red Sea have some great dosing products,
which you can find right over here.