Algae Scrubber Basics
- Thread starter srusso
- Start date
iced98lx
New member
indeed. Back on topic.
Turns out I don't have a place to put an ATS realistically in my biocube, but that acrylic piece that dumps water into the media rack was growing GHA due to light spillage from my LED cannon, so, lemons... lemonade, you get the picture. Lets see how much growth I get in this phosphate rich system with the outflow of the skimmer dumping right over it. Originally I was going to glue the toothpicks on so that I could just pull the screen up and clean it, but turns out the other piece comes out easy enough and I should stop over complicating things.
Turns out I don't have a place to put an ATS realistically in my biocube, but that acrylic piece that dumps water into the media rack was growing GHA due to light spillage from my LED cannon, so, lemons... lemonade, you get the picture. Lets see how much growth I get in this phosphate rich system with the outflow of the skimmer dumping right over it. Originally I was going to glue the toothpicks on so that I could just pull the screen up and clean it, but turns out the other piece comes out easy enough and I should stop over complicating things.
_shorty_
New member
right on. That'll be a slick little scrubber. If you end up not getting as much growth as you'd like, I bet it wouldn't be too hard to wire down one or two red LEDs. And output of the skimmer is a bonus! It should be CO2 rich effluent.
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
I would spend a bit more time roughing up your screen.
Brummie
Member
Didn't take too long to show that the idea has some level of merit.
I do plan to give it it's own light source now that it appears it's an OK idea.
There's no doubt horizontals can grow algae (even with relatively low light) but your right, more light = more export, to a point at least. I found increasing the depth of water helps, but maybe your not in a situation to facilitate this.
salty joe
Active member
What did you find to be the ideal depth for the screen?
iced98lx
New member
Sadly can't make it any deeper, so we'll see if it works or doesn't.
Floyd- I knew you'd say that, working on a rougher version, didn't have the proper tools until today.
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
Dang man, I'm getting too predictable!!
iced98lx
New member
I wanted it rougher but also wanted a proof of concept to show it will grow something before I got too out of hand. Will let it go a few days and see what grows!
Brummie
Member
Anywhere from 1 to 2 inches, over a 10 day harvest.
FlyPenFly
SPS Killer
Interesting discussion here about how ATS can be poisonous.
http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f218/macro-algae-vs-skimmers-213031.html
http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f218/macro-algae-vs-skimmers-213031.html
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
It seems that anyone can take a study out of context and raise a red flag. Just in reading the abstracts from these, not the entire study, here is my take
From the above thread:
The relationship of all reef organisms is important. Take one away and the balance is throw off. Algae could be seen to prey on this opportunity.
This above study right off the bat mentions that algal outbreaks occur when nutrients are high, or herbivores are not present. I agree. But this does not mean that the mere presence of algae is a death sentence. Also reefs do not run algae remotely, in a dedicated separate system focused on outcompeting other algaes, so the initial parallel is not even there.
Basically, algae uses chemical warfare. This is not news. So run a skimmer and/or carbon to offset this if you are using an aggressive algae scrubber. If you system is big enough or heavily loaded enough to warrant such a large scrubber, you really need to be running mutli-tiered filtration anyways.
Again, our systems are not an ocean reef. Everything we do in this hobby is some kind of veiled attempt at mimicking an actual reef ecosystem, but in reality it doesn't even come remotely close, and I don't care what kind of tank you run or how big it is.
Again, remove herbivores from reefs and the balance is thrown off. Direct contact of algae with corals does harm. I agree. We are not running seaweed in the tank adjacent to corals. We are running a remote algae scrubber meant to outcompete display tank algae.
If this argument could be used against an algae scrubber, you might as well run it up against any refugium type of filtration system and call them all time bombs, because they are at there essence one and the same.
You are dealing with Algae Scrubber haters. These types are fostered by the claims of the extreme Algae Scrubber supporters who have in the past adamantly claimed that is is perfectly fine to run an algae scrubber as primary and sole filtration on any type of system without any issue. It's simply not the truth, nor is it with ANY kind of filtration. This kind of stance raises the hairs on the backs of people's neck and gets them all in a tussle about how things really work, so they become the people on the other side of the fence, and you get this kind of response you get.
Take everything in context and don't go into this believing that there is any kind of magic bullet. You will simply lose such an argument.
From the above thread:
The relationship of all reef organisms is important. Take one away and the balance is throw off. Algae could be seen to prey on this opportunity.
This above study right off the bat mentions that algal outbreaks occur when nutrients are high, or herbivores are not present. I agree. But this does not mean that the mere presence of algae is a death sentence. Also reefs do not run algae remotely, in a dedicated separate system focused on outcompeting other algaes, so the initial parallel is not even there.
Basically, algae uses chemical warfare. This is not news. So run a skimmer and/or carbon to offset this if you are using an aggressive algae scrubber. If you system is big enough or heavily loaded enough to warrant such a large scrubber, you really need to be running mutli-tiered filtration anyways.
Again, our systems are not an ocean reef. Everything we do in this hobby is some kind of veiled attempt at mimicking an actual reef ecosystem, but in reality it doesn't even come remotely close, and I don't care what kind of tank you run or how big it is.
Again, remove herbivores from reefs and the balance is thrown off. Direct contact of algae with corals does harm. I agree. We are not running seaweed in the tank adjacent to corals. We are running a remote algae scrubber meant to outcompete display tank algae.
If this argument could be used against an algae scrubber, you might as well run it up against any refugium type of filtration system and call them all time bombs, because they are at there essence one and the same.
You are dealing with Algae Scrubber haters. These types are fostered by the claims of the extreme Algae Scrubber supporters who have in the past adamantly claimed that is is perfectly fine to run an algae scrubber as primary and sole filtration on any type of system without any issue. It's simply not the truth, nor is it with ANY kind of filtration. This kind of stance raises the hairs on the backs of people's neck and gets them all in a tussle about how things really work, so they become the people on the other side of the fence, and you get this kind of response you get.
Take everything in context and don't go into this believing that there is any kind of magic bullet. You will simply lose such an argument.
speedo2wet
Sharks!!!!
Finally have my ATS up and running. The screen measures 5" across and I had to expand the length to reach the sump. I am using the 23watts CFL bulb. Originally planned to light both sides and may soon if I can rig it to fit another under the stand.
I am running a Rio 1100, dialed back.
This is my second attempt with much success. I found out my slot was to long and to wide which created uneven flow.
I am running a Rio 1100, dialed back.
This is my second attempt with much success. I found out my slot was to long and to wide which created uneven flow.
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
Finally have my ATS up and running. The screen measures 5" across and I had to expand the length to reach the sump. I am using the 23watts CFL bulb. Originally planned to light both sides and may soon if I can rig it to fit another under the stand.
I am running a Rio 1100, dialed back.
This is my second attempt with much success. I found out my slot was to long and to wide which created uneven flow.
quoted to work around tapatalk bug
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
Slot should be 1/8" and as even as possible. Pipe will tend to pinch in the middle after cutting the whole slot, meaning you'll have to make a second pass to clean it up.
Your light might be a bit too close, causing a photo saturation effect. CFLs should be about 3" away at the closest. Maybe this is a perspective thing, if you end up with a bare spot though that is why.
How long has it been up and running? What are N & P at? Any nuisance algae in display?
Your light might be a bit too close, causing a photo saturation effect. CFLs should be about 3" away at the closest. Maybe this is a perspective thing, if you end up with a bare spot though that is why.
How long has it been up and running? What are N & P at? Any nuisance algae in display?
