Algae Scrubber Basics

[Floyd R Turbo]

Just go to any sewing / fabric store, like JoAnn, or craft store like Michael and as for "Plastic Canvas" 7 Mesh is the size you want

 

[chrissu]

Below are a few pictures of my algae scrubber and the tank. It is a Santa Monica 100 model that I purchased last year when they first became available. It took a couple of weeks for the algae to get established but once it took hold, the growth took off and the water quality improved from Nitrates 25ppm to undetectible in about 2 weeks. So it was 4 weeks from the time I hooked the scrubber up until it finally removed all measurable nitrates. Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate and phosphates are always undetectible nowadays even with up to 5 feedings a day. The feediings include healthy portions of blended oysters, rod's food, DIY food, flake, pellets, blended shrimp, and cylco-peze.

So many folks have already pointed out all of the technical and green merits of a scrubber so I'll instead mention the one thing that stands out the most for me personally. I'm now able to focus on enjoying the hobby again. I've always believed in frequent feedings and since I don't have to worry about water quality nearly as much, I can focus on watching my corals and fish grow without worring about over doing it with the food. I'm also not spending my weekends doing water changes (I think they are way over rated with supplementation available). The SPS are easy to care for with this system too but I think the Neptune apex gets much of the credit there for the PH/Alk and Temp/MH lighting control. I don't spot feed any of my corals as the whole tank gets fed to the point that the tank will cloud of when I add the blended oysters (SPS polyps open up big for those oyster feedings). It's just a much more enjoyable hobby now.

I'm also a big fan of running multiple forms of filtration if you have them. It's worth mentioning that my scrubber isn't my sole filtration system either as I have a rather large 75 gal sump/fug with DSB and live rock. I also run a 950gph pump, a sea swirl, and two tunze 6025 powerheads for the SPS and to keep the rockwork clean from all the food and detrious. It is a very easy system to maintain this way.

If your priority is limited to simply wanting to reduce phosphates and nitrates to undetectible levels, then I'd recommend that you plan to keep running your existing filtration for the next year or so and just add a well designed scrubber to your system. You will enjoy the hobby a whole lot more with the safety net that a simple scubber provides.

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[KafudaFish]

Ok thought about it last night and the only thing I saw was there was another factor influencing the whole one sided deal.

Thanks for the further explaination to it. If I do one I am guessing a vertical one is the way to go since I am already using the space to begin with and I like to maximize things.

 

[cmbspd]

Why use 2700K bulbs? I'm just now setting up my ATS, but most of what I've read suggested >5000K so I'm assuming this is a relatively new innovation. Does the lower K favor green turf algae compared to the higher K bulbs for growing chaeto in a fuge?

 

[BluScrnOdeth]

Ok thought about it last night and the only thing I saw was there was another factor influencing the whole one sided deal.

Thanks for the further explaination to it. If I do one I am guessing a vertical one is the way to go since I am already using the space to begin with and I like to maximize things.

Yeah, verticle is the way to go if you have the room. One sided is for those with limited width area where they want to put them though it requires more sqin of verticle space. Each has their purpose provided the amount of space you have to play with.

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Why use 2700K bulbs? I'm just now setting up my ATS, but most of what I've read suggested >5000K so I'm assuming this is a relatively new innovation. Does the lower K favor green turf algae compared to the higher K bulbs for growing chaeto in a fuge?

From http://www.algaescrubber.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=68

Q: What kind of light do I need?
A: Experience has shown that at least a 23 Watt Compact Fluorescent (CFL) bulb, of the 2700K or 3000K ("œwarm" or "œsoft") color, works best. One on each side of the screen, about 4" from the screen, and pointed to the middle of the screen. And note that 23W is "at least", unless it's for a nano. These CFL lights have also shown to only last about three months before their power drops off, even though they "look" fine. T5HO bulbs have also shown tremendous scrubber growth, although they are more difficult to design and build; their spread of light from side to side is superior to CFL bulbs. There is an upper limit to CFL bulb size; CFL bulbs in the 45 watt range are at the top, whereas anything higher than that will tend to "œcook" the screen in one spot. If you must have more than 45 watts per side, use two smaller bulbs instead. The lighting just needs to be spread out more evenly, and not so concentrated in one spot. If you use CFL bulbs and they are not floodlights (which have built-in reflectors), be sure to get "CFL reflectors" so you can reflect the light to the screen.

So I don't know where you read that 5000K is the proper spectrum, it will probably work and you will get algae to grow (BluScrnOdeth is getting algae to grow using 50/50 PC lamp!!) but the best type of algae that you want will grow best until 2700-3000K grow lamps, like the ones they use for hydroponics. That's how I came across those lamps from Avant Garden Hydroponics (in my build post)

 

[srusso]

Why use 2700K bulbs? I'm just now setting up my ATS, but most of what I've read suggested >5000K so I'm assuming this is a relatively new innovation. Does the lower K favor green turf algae compared to the higher K bulbs for growing chaeto in a fuge?

Yes, use 27k... very easy to find. At homedepot they have 4 23w bulbs in a pack for .97 cent!!!

they are ecosmart brand, stock up on them, you need to replace the bulbs every 3 months. They will still be working by the end if the 3 months but they will have lost most of their par value. I keep my used bulbs in a box to be used in lamps around the house, etc...

They are 23w bulbs that are labeled as 100w equivalent.

 

[cmbspd]

So I don't know where you read that 5000K is the proper spectrum

Thanks! Several threads at algaescrubber.net talk about 5000K bulbs (including the "algae scrubber basics" thread), so I appreciate the updated recommendation.

 

[BluScrnOdeth]

From http://www.algaescrubber.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=68



So I don't know where you read that 5000K is the proper spectrum, it will probably work and you will get algae to grow (BluScrnOdeth is getting algae to grow using 50/50 PC lamp!!) but the best type of algae that you want will grow best until 2700-3000K grow lamps, like the ones they use for hydroponics. That's how I came across those lamps from Avant Garden Hydroponics (in my build post)

BTW, just so you know, i think this weekend i'm going to build a similar system to yours. I can always remove the CFL and put in LED to test them out on one side. I like your layout and it was similar to what i had in mind. Hopefully this wekend.

 

[stevie-o]

I'm now able to focus on enjoying the hobby again. I've always believed in frequent feedings and since I don't have to worry about water quality nearly as much, I can focus on watching my corals and fish grow without worring about over doing it with the food. I'm also not spending my weekends doing water changes (I think they are way over rated with supplementation available).
stc=1&d=1297916470[/IMG]

wait so with an ATS you don't have to do water changes?

 

[srusso]

wait so with an ATS you don't have to do water changes?

Fish Only Tanks... no, just top off the tank and your done

Reef tank... you should do small water changes to keep the ionic balance and replace trace elements.

 

[BluScrnOdeth]

wait so with an ATS you don't have to do water changes?

IF your system is well balanced you may not have to. BUT you will have to use suppliments but I think that is more expensive. I haven't changed my water in about a year and I use supplements. Its easier for me to supplinent my 300gal than it is to do water changes but it costs more.

 

[Allmost]

Are there any successful SPS tanks, running this ?

can we get some pics of SPS corals in ATS filtered tanks ?

 

[stevie-o]

wow off i go to the drawing board. makin myself an ats for my biocube i will definitely start next week when i have the free time.

 

[BluScrnOdeth]

I grow corals in mine with ATS.
<img src="HTTP://WWW.aquatic-refuge.com/RandomPics/15.jpg" width="600" height="450">

 

[Allmost]

but no SPS !

 

[BluScrnOdeth]

but no SPS !

Yes there is. Right behind the neon/brown frogspawn.
an ATS isn't going to prevent anything from growing.

 

[srusso]

I will post pictures of some tanks in a few.

In fact SPS corals are known to grow after in tanks with algae scrubbers b/c of the 24/7 food that is made available from it.

 

[Allmost]

would love to see some nice SPS, who have colored up in an ATS tank .

I never have before.

Santa monica posts pics of his SPS, but they are dead and he thinks the algae on it is coral ...

 

[Nova101]

If there any thought on which style is more efficient comparing the SantaMonica-style (wide but short) vs the Srusso-style (longer but less wide).

I'm not refering to the T5 vs spiral bulbs but the format of the screen. The wide one's have a shorter contact time with the screen vs the longer ones. In addition, the wider ones will require more input flow in order to maintain the 35 gph/in rule.

Also to anyone with an open screen version(like in Srusso's picks) vs those scrubbers enclosed in acrylic boxes, how much do you have to deal with salt creep and/or spray. Do you have to worry about a glogged outlet creating a jet which then sprays all over the inside of your cabinet?