Algae Scrubber Basics

[SantaMonica]

With no waterchanges, and only feeding, I don't see many metals getting in.

 

[karimwassef]

unless your RODI breaks

 

[salty joe]

Unwanted metals can be added when using a calcium reactor or two part as well as supplementing mag.

 

[gurumasta]

How soon into a new setup do you guys recommend adding a scrubber? Is there any draw back from adding one too soon?

Thanks!

ps - I am sure this info is somewhere in these 5000 posts but I am struggling finding it!

 

[Crusinjimbo]

Go for it. Shouldn't be a problem other than slow initial growth due to nutrient levels. It also gets the tweaking started early to remedy setup issues like salt creep, noise, etc.

 

[aiber]

How soon into a new setup do you guys recommend adding a scrubber? Is there any draw back from adding one too soon?



Thanks!



ps - I am sure this info is somewhere in these 5000 posts but I am struggling finding it!

Yes. Go for it. Very easy to do. If you want you could review my posts on the thread. The only real issue I had in the beginning was lighting being too focused/direct. I removed the lens and now getting some good growth.


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[SantaMonica]

Since algae consumes metals, you should be safe in almost all situations.

 

[sensei]

According to your experience,
will an ATS work more lowering NO3 or PO4??

thanks for your answers

 

[jason2459]

Algae will always consume more N then P. As will most everything that consumes both which is most all carbon based life that we know of.

 

[sensei]

Algae will always consume more N then P. As will most everything that consumes both which is most all carbon based life that we know of.

Thanks Jason,

I am a little confused, I have 2 ATS installed in my 600g system, a 2 cube and a 4 cube. both are producing GHA well, but my N is 10ppm and my P is 0 with hanna 713. I feed around 3 sheets of nori and 3 cubes of frozen per day. I have around 28 fish, 10 of them tangs and some are 10 inches big.
any idea of what can be happening? why is my N high and my P so low if I do not have any other nutrient filter beside the ATS?

I have read that there is ratio of 50 -100 of N to P that seems to work better for most tanks. I am a little concerned becuase I am not having good polyp extension in some of my acropora and my tanks seems to be off this N to P ratio. any comments about this?


thanks a lot

 

[jason2459]

Getting out of balance seems easy to do these days. I see many people dosing nitrates or phosphates or both. Adding some phosphates could allow the nitrates to plummet. But then you could become nitrate limited and phosphates sky rocket. Then dose some nitrates and phosphates fall...etc.

I personally just feed more and would up or add some carbon dosing.


Or your readings are just undetectable and with in error range but still there. The 713 isn't as good as the ULR phosphorus checker in the lowest range.


Edit: I also wouldn't worry so much about 10mg/L of nitrate. IMO

 

[sensei]

Getting out of balance seems easy to do these days. I see many people dosing nitrates or phosphates or both. Adding some phosphates could allow the nitrates to plummet. But then you could become nitrate limited and phosphates sky rocket. Then dose some nitrates and phosphates fall...etc.

I personally just feed more and would up or add some carbon dosing.


Or your readings are just undetectable and with in error range but still there. The 713 isn't as good as the ULR phosphorus checker in the lowest range.


Edit: I also wouldn't worry so much about 10mg/L of nitrate. IMO

Yes, I already ordered my phosphorus hanna checker, I am.sure I have some P since I get algae in my glass and need to clean every 4 or 5 days. But before I had 0.09 P and it seems that my P has been decreasing and my N seems to stay in the same 10ppm range. How can this be if only have ATS as nutrient filter??
I do not dose N nor P

Any ideas of what can be happening??

Thanks again

 

[jason2459]

Could be a lot of things. Limits of phosphate detection, nitrate kit error range, nitrate kit interferences, phosphates binding with CaCO3 (your rock and sand), phosphates binding with iron or other chelators, etc.

 

[homer1475]

So I have a fabrication question, or rather an ATS question.....

I made an ATS, basically an acrylic box with 2 bulkheads(ala floyds turbo design), one at the bottom for a drain, and the other on the side as an emergency drain. I have my flow just about right at 35GPH, but the main drain gurgles and is super loud. Would putting a gate or ball valve on the drain cause it to go full siphon and deaden the gurgling?

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Yes. In a closed-box scrubber with an open bottom drain, it will suck air and gurgle or fill up and then siphon/purge & repeat.

Tuning the drain to match the input flow will silence the drain. This is the concept behind the Herbie and BeanAnimal siphon line.

 

[SantaMonica]

That was a problem with my original waterfall design, which I guess is getting close to ten years old now:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1424843

However, by lowering the bottom of the growth box down to the level of the sump water, the problem is fixed:

 

[jason2459]

That was a problem with my original waterfall design, which I guess is getting close to ten years old now:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1424843

However, by lowering the bottom of the growth box down to the level of the sump water, the problem is fixed:

And introduces a whole slew of other potential issues. :thumbsup:

 

[Scuba_Steve]

I have been running my 4x4, 10w each side, 18h on for a few months now. I am coral only right now, so i almost never feed.

My scrubber started nice thick and green. Now i barely collect anything, thin and yellowish.

I would assume this is because i have completely depleted all nutrients the scrubber needs to grow, but I have bad algae issues in the display. Hair and macros going crazy!

Any ideas?

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[Floyd R Turbo]

@Scuba_Steve a few more details would be helpful - pics especially. Type of lamp, proximity, etc.

Without that I'd be guessing but I'd say that it sounds like a pretty textbook case of too might light (intensity) and not enough nutrients, which can result in the growth pattern you describe & allow DT algae to get a foothold.

 

[Scuba_Steve]

Here you go.

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