Algae Scrubber Basics

[Floyd R Turbo]

IMO, yes. I'm not saying you can't get it without the bottom of the screen in water, but with a wider box for a bulkhead, I think it's necessary. The thickness of the algae screen build up the further down vertically you get from the slot, and if there's a pool of water at the bottom the algae flares out and make contact with the sides of the box, and this triggers a buildup effect. I have had the algae mat in contact with the side of the box from top to bottom in the middle and then is drops off like a bell curve to the sides. My drains are located on both sides though, instead of the middle or offset from the middle, and it works for my setup. With a center drain the mat will build up more evenly.

 

[parrotchute]

That's really interesting; going to have to experiment with that for sure once I get some growth.

 

[muttley000]

Could someone please answer a question that came up in one of the newbe forums? If live rock is leaching phosphates, could an ATS be implemented while keeping the rock in the dark? Would nitrates become the limiting factor before the phosphates petered out? Could this method be utilized when curing freshly harvested and shipped live rock? Can I be pointed to any reading on examples?

Any thoughts? Am I asking in the wrong place?

 

[parrotchute]

I would say yes, it should work just as it works if the lights are on in a tank. Not sure about nirates becoming a limiting factor...

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

It depend on how the rock starts out. If you're talking about live rock that you bought online or at an LFS that was out of water and will have a death cycle, you will have plenty of ammonia and nitrite/trate. If you're talking 100% dry base rock, it will have neither (at least not long term). I thnk you're talking about the former, and in this case, the scrubber should soak up the P pretty well. If it stops and N=0, then add N in the form of Calcium Nitrate http://www.aquariumfertilizer.com/i...rnEdit=2&Returnitemname=&ReturnShowItemStart=

 

[parrotchute]

Ok, here are my numbers, as promised:
pH - 8.1
Am/Ni/Na - 0
Calcium - 550
Alk - 7.4dKH
Phosphate - .02 (Hannah test kit)

I'm thinking about buying a small skimmer to help get out suspended debris, since the tank is looking a little nasty. I know this could potentially slow down the scrubber...any thoughts?

 

[redneckgearhead]

Ok, here are my numbers, as promised:
pH - 8.1
Am/Ni/Na - 0
Calcium - 550
Alk - 7.4dKH
Phosphate - .02 (Hannah test kit)

I'm thinking about buying a small skimmer to help get out suspended debris, since the tank is looking a little nasty. I know this could potentially slow down the scrubber...any thoughts?

Some argue that the debris is coral food. If it where me I would put in a filter sock at least temporarily, if I just wanted to catch the debris. I believe the affect would on your ATS would be minimal and it would leave the smallest particles to feed your coral. Not to mention the price difference between sock and skimmer.

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

+1 on that. Run a filter sock until your scrubber gets growing properly. At that point, you should be able to remove the sock and the scrubber will keep the water clear. I never had an issue with clarity after the scrubber. Before when I did PWCs I would pull out brownish water, within a month after starting the scrubber when I pulled water out into a clean white bucket it looked like freshly mixed SW.

 

[parrotchute]

Ok, will do!
Thanks guys. First cleaning after the mod coming up on monday, I'll put up pics. My scrubber LEDs are now off for 8 hours of the day instead of 6. If the growth looks yellow I'll back off to 12.

 

[SPotter]

zero growth

zero growth

So I am in the process of my upgrade which had me move everything from my 40g to my new 80g frag tank and then eventually move everything into my new 315g dt in a couple of months. Within the last couple of days I have noticed a lot gha growing in the tank and no algae growing on my scrubber screen. My nitrates and phosphates are coming up zero which I know is false because the algae in the tank is consuming it. What should I do?

 

[zhewitt04]

Ok guys I am struggling. Had my scrubber running a little while now maybe two months and the algae is not any less. I can't get it to stop growing in my display expecially in my birdsnest. I have changed lights on the display to MH and have added more flow and a higher turnover rate. My screen was really getting green and looking good until my pump quiet working last week. I have not done a water change since September and every test I do my trates are 0. I have not tested for P. Anyways, I have two(one on each side) 36W cfl on a 7.5x10 screen(for my 65gallon) I am sick of not getting results what can I do to get results quicker. I thought about adding another bulb and fixture to each side and going to 4 23W bulbs (2 on each side) but that would only add 10 watts a side. I clean my sides every 7 days but just this week start every 3 days alternating sides. Anyways please help.
O and yes this might help. My tank will look so good as far as algae not growing maybe even decreasing then i wake up one morning and it is like growing like wildfire. Just wanted to share that tid bit. Everytime I think here we go gona start decreaseing that HA "BOOM" it comes back. I had a boom this morning! ****es me off! Thanks

 

[redneckgearhead]

@SPotter, how old are your bulbs? Is it the same scubber you used in the 40?

@zhewitt04 Try decreasing your light cycle on the DT, maybe even consider cutting the lights for a few days. Your wattage does seem low. I would add another 36 watts per side and turn down my light on time if it burns the algae. You want the HA to like the screen more than your DT. Also check your GPH, make sure it is adequate.

 

[SPotter]

same scrubber, using leds.

 

[parrotchute]

Spotter, what LEDs are you using?

 

[muttley000]

It depend on how the rock starts out. If you're talking about live rock that you bought online or at an LFS that was out of water and will have a death cycle, you will have plenty of ammonia and nitrite/trate. If you're talking 100% dry base rock, it will have neither (at least not long term). I thnk you're talking about the former, and in this case, the scrubber should soak up the P pretty well. If it stops and N=0, then add N in the form of Calcium Nitrate http://www.aquariumfertilizer.com/i...rnEdit=2&Returnitemname=&ReturnShowItemStart=

Sweet! Thank you!

 

[parrotchute]

I redid the scrubber, making a new slot and a shorter distance to the slot. I also angled the LEDs to test the light - see if it grows more or less at different distances.

As of right now, the growth looks just as marginal as before I shortened the screen. Spots of brownish-green algae here and there, but not really growing much...

I also added a T, as shown below - it makes it so the slot can't slide laterally off the box and start pouring water on the floor. It happened a few times, and it was annoying!

 

[SPotter]

i know this has been posted in this thread but can't seem to find it. What does yellow slimey growth equal???? lack of flow or lack of food?

 

[parrotchute]

A scrubber expert on another site just advised me to feed more -- but there's already a fair amount of algae in the DT already, so wouldn't that indicate there's already plenty of excess nutrients?

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

the yellow 'rubbery' algae is due to too much light in relation to the amount of nutrients delivered to the screen. This mean either not enough flow, or if flow is right then not enough nutrients (i.e. feed more).

The yellowing-green snot-like slimy algae is basically inbetween the green stage and the yellow rubber stage.

I read back a bit and saw that you just upped your flow and got green growth. Is this before you moved everything to the 80g from the 40? Where are you at now? Also are you still at 16 on 8 off?

 

[parrotchute]

By the same point to SPotter, I'm thinking you would agree for mine - feed more?