northernreefe
New member
hey Floyd if I recall you have had a scrubber for a few years now. Any issues with the tanks?
thx for all the great reading.
thx for all the great reading.
Algae Scrubber Advanced
- Thread starter maglofster
- Start date
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
On the tank in the dentist's office, not really. I slacked off on maintaining Cal and Alk and lost a big red cap, but other than that, coming up on 4 years with nothing but a scrubber.
My personal tank is doing very well also, at least 2 years on that one, nothing but a scrubber.
As a side note, I don't keep any "difficult" corals in any of these tanks though, mainly because I just don't have the time. One tank is overridden with fuzzy mushrooms, the other has tons of clove polyps but not to the point of choking everything else off.
My personal tank is doing very well also, at least 2 years on that one, nothing but a scrubber.
As a side note, I don't keep any "difficult" corals in any of these tanks though, mainly because I just don't have the time. One tank is overridden with fuzzy mushrooms, the other has tons of clove polyps but not to the point of choking everything else off.
northernreefe
New member
Thx for the reply Floyd. I had a scrubber a few years back and it was fantastic, not even sure why I went back to skimmers. Looking at setting up a new system and I am sure it will be with a scrubber.
Composition of Gracilaria Parvispora
Composition of Gracilaria Parvispora
Floyd,
I have read the first two pages and last two pages of this thread. Interesting stuff. I have never used an ATS but am intrigued. As I focus on macro algae refugiums and macro lagoon tanks, I never had the need. It seems to me that micro algae would be more efficient at processing nutrients per unit mass then macro algae but I have no scientific data to support that.
In some of my small macro algae growout tanks with little bioload, I fertilize with a concentrate kelp plant food that shows
Nitrogen 13%
Potash. 60%
Calcium. 18%
Magnesium. 6%
Sulfur. 3.5%
Cooper. 0.2%
Iron. 0.8%
Manganese. 0.1%
Molybdenum. 0.01%
Sodium. 12%
Zinc. 0.2%
Alaska by Pennington available at Home Depot for $9/QT.
In my large macro growout system, I grow Gracilaria Parvispora (Red Ogo) for human consumption. I recently had it analyzed by an agriculture lab. I suspect that the ratio of chemicals are not fixed and would reflect changes of nutrients in the water. I will know more in upcoming months.
Nitrogen. 2.6%
Phosphate. 0.08%
Potassium. 13.54%
Calcium. .55%
Magnesium. 1.16%
Sulfur. 4.8%
Zinc. 139ppm
Iron. 107ppm
Copper. 7ppm
I am not sure if this information is relevant to micro algae.
Happy trails,
Patrick
Composition of Gracilaria Parvispora
Floyd,
I have read the first two pages and last two pages of this thread. Interesting stuff. I have never used an ATS but am intrigued. As I focus on macro algae refugiums and macro lagoon tanks, I never had the need. It seems to me that micro algae would be more efficient at processing nutrients per unit mass then macro algae but I have no scientific data to support that.
In some of my small macro algae growout tanks with little bioload, I fertilize with a concentrate kelp plant food that shows
Nitrogen 13%
Potash. 60%
Calcium. 18%
Magnesium. 6%
Sulfur. 3.5%
Cooper. 0.2%
Iron. 0.8%
Manganese. 0.1%
Molybdenum. 0.01%
Sodium. 12%
Zinc. 0.2%
Alaska by Pennington available at Home Depot for $9/QT.
In my large macro growout system, I grow Gracilaria Parvispora (Red Ogo) for human consumption. I recently had it analyzed by an agriculture lab. I suspect that the ratio of chemicals are not fixed and would reflect changes of nutrients in the water. I will know more in upcoming months.
Nitrogen. 2.6%
Phosphate. 0.08%
Potassium. 13.54%
Calcium. .55%
Magnesium. 1.16%
Sulfur. 4.8%
Zinc. 139ppm
Iron. 107ppm
Copper. 7ppm
I am not sure if this information is relevant to micro algae.
Happy trails,
Patrick
SantaMonica
Well-known member
Micro is very good at abosorption, but it is a bit difficult to harvest.
Brummie
Member
Algae Scrubber Advanced
Trying low flow on my scrubber as I fear that it's importance may be overrated, particularly when the screen is fully submerged, like mine. There's all sorts of mechanisms which should ensure enough nutrients are available on submerged screens in my view. I guess we will see
http://youtu.be/1TVpGO0sZzY
Only had the scrubber pump turned off for a day or two so far but cleaning today and I'll take a series of pics over the next growth cycle.
Trying low flow on my scrubber as I fear that it's importance may be overrated, particularly when the screen is fully submerged, like mine. There's all sorts of mechanisms which should ensure enough nutrients are available on submerged screens in my view. I guess we will see
http://youtu.be/1TVpGO0sZzY
Only had the scrubber pump turned off for a day or two so far but cleaning today and I'll take a series of pics over the next growth cycle.
Brummie
Member
Algae Scrubber Advanced
The fourth day and photosynthesis well underway;
http://youtu.be/VR-7udnY_qA
The fourth day and photosynthesis well underway;
http://youtu.be/VR-7udnY_qA
Brummie
Member
Algae Scrubber Advanced
I'm wondering if, back in 2008, folks interested in algae filtration were sent down the wrong path. Looks to me like the power consumed by pumps etc would be better spent on increased lighting. These are only initial growth results though, so make of it as you please.
I would particularly like SM to reply to this post, thanks;
http://youtu.be/ri6qH1kKSvI
I'm wondering if, back in 2008, folks interested in algae filtration were sent down the wrong path. Looks to me like the power consumed by pumps etc would be better spent on increased lighting. These are only initial growth results though, so make of it as you please.
I would particularly like SM to reply to this post, thanks;
http://youtu.be/ri6qH1kKSvI
5thChorseman
New member
what are your nitrate and phosphate level with now?
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
Well I suppose some of this depends on the setup as well. I think the waterfall type scrubbers have shown that there is a relationship between too little flow and too much light, which results in bare spots or yellow growth. This is the case with LED and CFL.
Even the SURF scrubbers have this problem, when you have zero growth and lights on full for a long period, the result is zero growth.
The case of a submerged scrubber might differ from these, because of the difference in the mechanism that causes this zero-growth situation (photoinhibition)
So what you're saying B is that you are getting better growth without an agitator pump in this scrubber?
If so, then how would you say it performs on a filtration basis?
Even the SURF scrubbers have this problem, when you have zero growth and lights on full for a long period, the result is zero growth.
The case of a submerged scrubber might differ from these, because of the difference in the mechanism that causes this zero-growth situation (photoinhibition)
So what you're saying B is that you are getting better growth without an agitator pump in this scrubber?
If so, then how would you say it performs on a filtration basis?
the green goby
New member
Here is the screen from my slanted scrubber. Which is like a hybrid vertical/horizontal. I have a 17w cfl an inch away from the screen.
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
That's looking much better compared to the pics you posted in the other thread. Are you still getting the whiting issue right after cleaning?
Subsea, great information here !!
Curious about how much of that fertilizer you use per gallon/liter?... Or to what concentration you aim those nutrients to get substantial algae growth?...
Do you use just water, salt mix and fertilizer???
Thank you in advance...
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
FYI acorral, if you quote a post via tapatalk, in order for it to show up correctly for all of us browser users, after you post your response you have to immediately edit it and then save it (you don't need to change anything). Otherwise, all the BB code shows up instead. It's a known tapatalk bug with the version that RC is using.
Algae Scrubber Advanced
Subsea, great information here !!
Curious about how much of that fertilizer you use per gallon/liter?... Or to what concentration you aim those nutrients to get substantial algae growth?...
Do you use just water, salt mix and fertilizer???
Thank you in advance...
Subsea, great information here !!
Curious about how much of that fertilizer you use per gallon/liter?... Or to what concentration you aim those nutrients to get substantial algae growth?...
Do you use just water, salt mix and fertilizer???
Thank you in advance...
wildman926
Active member
Here is the screen from my slanted scrubber. Which is like a hybrid vertical/horizontal. I have a 17w cfl an inch away from the screen.
Looks great. How long are you running your lights?
SantaMonica
Well-known member
Sounds like subsea has a seaweed cultivator.
Brummie
Member
Algae Scrubber Advanced
It's half a waterfall screen, as the mechanism for growth is identical, ie. fast flow, thin film and unidirectional. No matter if it's vertical or horizontal the growth habitats are the same, except the gravitational stresses and flow stresses are less in a horizontal.
This would indicate that the "updated guidelines" are false.
Was this an attempt to make waterfalls look better than horizontals?
And what's this about?
Do folks believe this? If this were the case then the surface area of the ribbons would be the "screen size". - Ludicrous.
My N is 2 and P 0.2 (not 0.02). It has been this way for the last 2 1/2 years I've been running a scrubber. However, no carbon skimmer or water changes either now.
Sorry to those I offend but I find this manipulation of the facts for personal gain offensive.
For the record, light intensity is relative to growth in a submerged horizontal so a rediculous amount of light can be used if required.
It's half a waterfall screen, as the mechanism for growth is identical, ie. fast flow, thin film and unidirectional. No matter if it's vertical or horizontal the growth habitats are the same, except the gravitational stresses and flow stresses are less in a horizontal.
This would indicate that the "updated guidelines" are false.
Was this an attempt to make waterfalls look better than horizontals?
And what's this about?
Do folks believe this? If this were the case then the surface area of the ribbons would be the "screen size". - Ludicrous.
My N is 2 and P 0.2 (not 0.02). It has been this way for the last 2 1/2 years I've been running a scrubber. However, no carbon skimmer or water changes either now.
Sorry to those I offend but I find this manipulation of the facts for personal gain offensive.
For the record, light intensity is relative to growth in a submerged horizontal so a rediculous amount of light can be used if required.
5thChorseman
New member
Thanks Brummie for your post! I find your straight talking post helpful.
