Algae Scrubber Advanced

GFO also needs maintenance. Whether you get new media or use acid to regenerate the GFO, it needs to be done.

ATS is cheaper and easier IMO. You just need to export the algae by scraping the screen... no media.

I use both. The GFO is after the ATS. The intent is to have a safety net in case of a nutrients spike.
 
One is backup to the other. Doesn't matter which.

In my loop, the ATS comes first so the GFO cleans up what it doesn't catch. chemical media can absorb more as the waste increases, just as the algae grows more. Both have absorption % and max caps due to surface area/lighting/flow or media volume/flow/freshness.
 
karimwassef said:
In my loop, the ATS comes first so the GFO cleans up what it doesn't catch.
Click to expand...

I think what SantaMonica is trying to say is that your ATS isn't going to miss anything- the nutrients will eventually make their way back to the ATS via your "loop." The nutrients it "doesn't catch" will eventually be caught if there is a spike. There are many people out there that only use an ATS and they're easily found on youtube and google searches.
 
Sure. But growth rate isn't immediate or infinite. It takes time and other mechanisms can kick in to help. Also accidents can happen killing the ATS.

I believe in redundant systems. You can setup two ATSs, or an ATS and GFO, etc... Just plan for terrible awful things to happen and you'll be fine :)
 
As i looked at this design closer, I think I have yet another improvement :)

image_zpsi6abyj5c.jpeg


rather than drilling holes, do a long/thin slit on both "spray bars". This would make a very nice waterfall type feed on both sides. It would lower the pressure of the spray, and it would give a very even amount of water along the bar, especially if you fed it from both ends of each bar.
 
Brown sludge?

Brown sludge?

I have new running for around 2 months or more

10x13 with 2 24w led grow bulbs

I am currently running fallow as my fish are in qt but I have been adding cubes daily

I'm getting brown algae but more like sludge

Will this change when the fish are back in?

Or is this a light issue?

Thanks in advance
 
Since adding a diy ATS I've been table to take GFO reactor offline and see a big reduction in bubble algae. The ATS has been in my sump for almost 3 months. I'm glad I gave it a shot.
 
I want some feed back for this plan.
-20 gallon Brute tote with lid, White in color. Found these at Lowes, 25$, very strong. White color will also reflect light all around maximizing usage.

-1 1/2" uniseal bulk head 1' from bottom

-Line bottom with white egg crate, place a sheet of the common grid plastic messed over that, use zip ties to (loosly) tie the two together at one end. This way for cleaning I can pull both and they butterfly open for easy cleaning.

-Cut hole in cover just large enough for light (MARS LED grow light) to be attached.

-Feed scrubber from main manifold at opposite end of uniseal drain with ~100gph, it will wash over mesh/egg crate and drain direct into sump.

My system is 180 display with 100 gallon sump. SPS, high light, large skimmer SRO-5000, large bio load planned.

What do you guys think? Will this work?
 
Probably going to be a pain. Water will wash through one spot and miss the rest. Will be 1-sided. Particles will collect under the screen and rot. And the white container will glow bright enough to attract aircraft.

Just convert it to at least a tilted river. Or a 2-sided waterfall. Or a bubbling upflow. The upflow would be easiest: just tie some strings to your eggcrate, and put a rock on it to hold it down.

And paint the outside thick black to block the light.
 
SantaMonica said:
Probably going to be a pain. Water will wash through one spot and miss the rest. Will be 1-sided. Particles will collect under the screen and rot. And the white container will glow bright enough to attract aircraft.

Just convert it to at least a tilted river. Or a 2-sided waterfall. Or a bubbling upflow. The upflow would be easiest: just tie some strings to your eggcrate, and put a rock on it to hold it down.

And paint the outside thick black to block the light.
Click to expand...

If I have a 1" of water in the tote then all parts would be wet, as algae grows thicker wouldn't it divert flow to areas of lesser growth?

When I removed the egg crate/mesh for cleaning I could catch anything that flows out with a sock or just let it go into the sump.

I see what you mean about the light, I think you are right about it becoming a beacon. Painting might help, nut it may also just fall off. Will think about that further.
 
That sounds a lot like my sump ATS

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/531DEC6D-4998-446B-ABCE-62FC38C2BE33_zps7dti9kct.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/531DEC6D-4998-446B-ABCE-62FC38C2BE33_zps7dti9kct.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 531DEC6D-4998-446B-ABCE-62FC38C2BE33_zps7dti9kct.jpg"/></a>

I actually have mine just barely under the water level and it rises and falls with the water level.
 
On that note, I was checking the thickness of the algae on that scrubber and realized that its attachment is very weak. It came off in whole turf sections with just my fingers:

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/7086FA9E-B3FD-4BDA-802B-4C789DACC945_zpstquzkb31.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/7086FA9E-B3FD-4BDA-802B-4C789DACC945_zpstquzkb31.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 7086FA9E-B3FD-4BDA-802B-4C789DACC945_zpstquzkb31.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/7D572E41-3423-4CF0-A31F-87CA7B2F9627_zpssjl0hfqj.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/7D572E41-3423-4CF0-A31F-87CA7B2F9627_zpssjl0hfqj.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 7D572E41-3423-4CF0-A31F-87CA7B2F9627_zpssjl0hfqj.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/4B8A0A4B-DE84-42BE-8588-2FFBBF9819BD_zpsvhf5jmxg.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/4B8A0A4B-DE84-42BE-8588-2FFBBF9819BD_zpsvhf5jmxg.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 4B8A0A4B-DE84-42BE-8588-2FFBBF9819BD_zpsvhf5jmxg.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/98E02993-ECC2-4EC5-B7DD-5870C46374F7_zpsudlfur6j.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/98E02993-ECC2-4EC5-B7DD-5870C46374F7_zpsudlfur6j.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 98E02993-ECC2-4EC5-B7DD-5870C46374F7_zpsudlfur6j.jpg"/></a>

Oh.. and apparently, my Xenia scrubber on the side is also an aggressive featherduster scrubber:

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/6A410D08-60DB-4858-ACA4-A499F0E939D7_zpsmtkbjdui.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/6A410D08-60DB-4858-ACA4-A499F0E939D7_zpsmtkbjdui.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 6A410D08-60DB-4858-ACA4-A499F0E939D7_zpsmtkbjdui.jpg"/></a>
 
My ATS keeps nitrate and phosphate ultra low (ie No3=0 No4=0.015,I feed alot but still sometimes dose nitrate and phos to bring these levels up.
Is it possible to increase nitrate and phosphate levels with light duration alone?
 
The horizontal mat of growth has little turbulence in many areas, and thus the roots die. A pool of water is not very turbulent.

Is it possible to increase nitrate and phosphate levels with light duration alone?
Click to expand...

Just feed more. It's a good problem to have.
 
karimwassef said:
On that note, I was checking the thickness of the algae on that scrubber and realized that its attachment is very weak. It came off in whole turf sections with just my fingers:

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/7086FA9E-B3FD-4BDA-802B-4C789DACC945_zpstquzkb31.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/7086FA9E-B3FD-4BDA-802B-4C789DACC945_zpstquzkb31.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 7086FA9E-B3FD-4BDA-802B-4C789DACC945_zpstquzkb31.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/7D572E41-3423-4CF0-A31F-87CA7B2F9627_zpssjl0hfqj.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/7D572E41-3423-4CF0-A31F-87CA7B2F9627_zpssjl0hfqj.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 7D572E41-3423-4CF0-A31F-87CA7B2F9627_zpssjl0hfqj.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/4B8A0A4B-DE84-42BE-8588-2FFBBF9819BD_zpsvhf5jmxg.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/4B8A0A4B-DE84-42BE-8588-2FFBBF9819BD_zpsvhf5jmxg.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 4B8A0A4B-DE84-42BE-8588-2FFBBF9819BD_zpsvhf5jmxg.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/98E02993-ECC2-4EC5-B7DD-5870C46374F7_zpsudlfur6j.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/98E02993-ECC2-4EC5-B7DD-5870C46374F7_zpsudlfur6j.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 98E02993-ECC2-4EC5-B7DD-5870C46374F7_zpsudlfur6j.jpg"/></a>

Oh.. and apparently, my Xenia scrubber on the side is also an aggressive featherduster scrubber:

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/6A410D08-60DB-4858-ACA4-A499F0E939D7_zpsmtkbjdui.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/6A410D08-60DB-4858-ACA4-A499F0E939D7_zpsmtkbjdui.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 6A410D08-60DB-4858-ACA4-A499F0E939D7_zpsmtkbjdui.jpg"/></a>
Click to expand...

looking at this, maybe I need to go bigger.
 
SantaMonica said:
The horizontal mat of growth has little turbulence in many areas, and thus the roots die. A pool of water is not very turbulent.



Just feed more. It's a good problem to have.
Click to expand...

so turbulence is the key then? I want a large scrubber, how can this be done in the water fall style?
 
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