Algae Scrubber Basics

[jerseypete]

I have two of these lights for sale because I have increased my screen size and moved to 30W. These preformed very well

PM me if interested. I will be putting them in the selling forum tomorrow.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VLVY4UE?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00

I use these lights also. They work very well. Worth it.

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Ok I know I've read about those patterns on here but cant remember, so do you mean like scrape patterns like this?

More like this

Oh also I swished in sump to avoid freshwater and killing pods as I thought I read something on here.

Yes, but that really doesn't start happening until you have a lot of algae growth, and personally I never worry about it - I can count the number of times I've cleaned a screen in tank water on one hand in 5+ years.

 

[bheron]

ahhh! ok thanks so much for taking the time to clarify. totally wasnt getting that part.
(and thanks for the part on the FW wash!)

Will scrape and post pics!

 

[ozzman]

I use these lights also. They work very well. Worth it.

Do you guys have pictures of how you mount the lights?

 

[jerseypete]

Do you guys have pictures of how you mount the lights?

I wedged mine on the sump baffel. It just happened to be the perfect size. I did the same on the opposite side.

 

[outy]

Do you guys have pictures of how you mount the lights?

Hung mine on a piece of used phone cord, red neck deluxe :beer:

 

[outy]

Here is 6 weeks on mine, is this color change normal or should something be adjusted?

This was 4 weeks

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

yeah I would be very happy with that color change! Is that drywall over the sump though, or acrylic with the mask still on it?

 

[chema]

That's a beautiful green color! Last Sunday I cleaned my screen which has been maturing for four weeks and I got around 30 g of GHA (after squeezing most of the water). However the color is still a dark brown.

When I have some more time I'll post some picts of the screen and scrubber

 

[outy]

yeah I would be very happy with that color change! Is that drywall over the sump though, or acrylic with the mask still on it?

No its 1/2" foam insulation


My 100g Rubbermaid sump is under the house and its anywhere from 30's - 50's this time of year.

 

[travis9791]

does a algae scrubber perform that much better than just having chaeto in the sump? It seams like it is a lot more maintenance.

 

[outy]

does a algae scrubber perform that much better than just having chaeto in the sump? It seams like it is a lot more maintenance.

ATS will work where chaeto will not, and at a much lower wattage consumption.

I cannot grow chaeto at 20w, but I'm pretty good with algae :clown:

 

[FullBoreReefer]

ATS will work where chaeto will not, and at a much lower wattage consumption.

I cannot grow chaeto at 20w, but I'm pretty good with algae :clown:

I got this idea about a few dsys ago. My ATS is a 5gal bucket with a few uniseals for the drains. I've raised the water level in the bucket to about 4inches, and then threw some Chaeto into the bottom.

I'll grab a pic here shortly, but in your opinion because of low wattage/intensity the chaeto probably wouldn't grow at the base of the scrubber?

 

[MorganAtlanta]

If your scrubber is functioning well, your chaeto will melt away.

 

[outy]

I'll grab a pic here shortly, but in your opinion because of low wattage/intensity the chaeto probably wouldn't grow at the base of the scrubber?

Nope. its water conditions.


If your water is not as clean there is not enough food for chaeto with low wattage, as the ATS will also out compete the chaeto as MorganAtlanta is eluding.


Chaeto grows great in clean water but requires larger amounts of wattage to do so.


If you feed al lot your chaeto could take off, mine always does for about 6 weeks then withers away to nothing and turns yellow.

 

[FullBoreReefer]

Thanks guys that's all I needed to know.

So as my ATS builds more and more growth I can slowly remove chaeto from my fuge? Or should I just yank it out now? Lol

Sorry if I'm thinking to deeply about this haha

 

[outy]

Thanks guys that's all I needed to know.

So as my ATS builds more and more growth I can slowly remove chaeto from my fuge? Or should I just yank it out now? Lol

Sorry if I'm thinking to deeply about this haha

Keep it in there. See how it does and report back to keep us on our toes

 

[SantaMonica]

Yes the nice thing about scrubbers is that they maximize photosynthesis, which maximizes filtering. You can't see it, but the nutrients are pulled away from the chaeto like a magnet, towards the scrubber.

 

[karimwassef]

don't scrubbers also raise pH through photosynthesis?

 

[Spar]

don't scrubbers also raise pH through photosynthesis?

i'd imagine that whatever co2 the algae is consuming is being mostly added back in as the waterfall passes through the open air and splashing into the water (gas exchange).

but in theory, i'd assume that there is some net loss, albeit likely not enough to make a noticeable difference considering the amount of algae vs. tank size. and the ambient co2 would quickly make its way back in some way or another.