Algae Scrubber Basics

[Floyd R Turbo]

Leave lighting as is

 

[sensei]

Is it common practice to use a filter sock in the drain of the ATS?
I have not installed a filter sock, should I??

Thanks

 

[SantaMonica]

I would not, because you trap pods, and it could overflow.

 

[sensei]

I would not, because you trap pods, and it could overflow.

makes sense, thanks

 

[Devolver]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Marine-Magi...748336?hash=item41b8598370:g:nhkAAOSwwbdWLN72

who has experience with this scrubber?

Does it work?

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Algae Scrubber Basics

It's quite possibly the worst design ever. That one keeps popping up all over the place with the same question. There's so many things wrong with that design, from input to drain and just about everything in between

 

[zachtos]

I have been having good success so far, but I'm only a 300G with fish right now, no coral yet. Lot's of ATS growth.

Question:

Is it OK to feed some of the ATS growth to my tangs? They really seem to love actual hair algae over nori (feeding both).

I started feeding the ATS growth in my quarantine tanks and noticed new fish really love the algae and pods, it helped get them eating sooner.

 

[SFish]

All right how's this Floyd?

 

[SantaMonica]

Is it OK to feed some of the ATS growth to my tangs? They really seem to love actual hair algae over nori (feeding both).

Certainly. It's what they eat on reefs. And it keeps you from putting new nutrients into the water.

 

[Fuel Doodle]

Ideally you want 2700-3000K, maybe 3500K. 6500K will still work in some cases but generally not as well.

I came from feshwater planted where 6700k was perfect. Why is this ATS need to be 2700-3000k? Thanks!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

All right how's this Floyd?

Looks good to me! But you really only need 2 zip ties max. That'll make maintenance easier

I came from feshwater planted where 6700k was perfect. Why is this ATS need to be 2700-3000k? Thanks!

It works better for algae. Actually planted tanks grow better under low K light also.

 

[SantaMonica]

For planted, they also want to be able to view the plants. We however don't want to view the algae, so we can use the most photosynthetically effective wavelength of 660 or 630nm.

 

[biecacka]

How do you feed the green algae from the ATS to your fish? Do you attach it to something? Do you worry about it getting loose and behind the rocks?


Corey

 

[zachtos]

How do you feed the green algae from the ATS to your fish? Do you attach it to something? Do you worry about it getting loose and behind the rocks?


Corey

I have been clipping it to the same clips as my nori (so they have both nori and hair algae on the clip). Some of the hair algae will blow away when it goes into the water, but I have a ton of tangs and angels right now that rip it up fast. They don't really go crazy for nori like that, but they are still fairly new additions. I do have to use a tooth brush a few times a week to clean extra hair algae that gets caught in my overflow teeth, or it starts to plug a bit and the tank level rises a bit, causing my sump to overflow when pumps turn off. I needed a bigger sump, but stuck now.

 

[Devolver]

It's quite possibly the worst design ever. That one keeps popping up all over the place with the same question. There's so many things wrong with that design, from input to drain and just about everything in between

thank you for the input. I will scratch that one off my list.

I will just build one that will work the right way.

Do you have a link to a build thread?

im thinking I was a 15" x15" screen or close to it.
will these lights work? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MXE9Q4M?psc=1

 

[SantaMonica]

That's not a bad light, just not very strong for a large spread out size.

 

[Devolver]

what light would work better? 10"x15" might be sized better for my tank anyway.

PS. im looking to do a 3D box with lights from both sides

 

[sensei]

Strategy worked!

Strategy worked!

if you recall the 2 cube was not growing a nice green algae, so I cleaned it pretty well and started a new cycle, with the difference that now I lowered intensity to 80% and leds are on 100min and off 20 min repeating all day.
these are the pics off growth after 12 days
View attachment 362666
View attachment 362667

The funny thing is that in this new cycle the 4 cube in same dt did not grow as well as the 2 cube, here are the pics:
View attachment 362669
View attachment 362670

After the cleaning both ATS the settings for new cycle with be exactly the same for both ATS: 80% intensity with light cycles of 100 min on and 20 min off repeating the whole day to see if both can harvest the same.
Any comments??

here is a pic of the mesh of the 2 cube after cleaning,
View attachment 362668

please let me know if it is good to leave this much algae for next harvest.

 

[sensei]

here are the pics of the 2 cube

 

[sensei]

here the pics of the 4 cube