Crusinjimbo
New member
Sweet! I have had 4 Expression LED bars in use for 4+ years, good choice. Following
Algae Scrubber Basics
- Thread starter srusso
- Start date
SantaMonica
Well-known member
Should be.
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
The problem is, that's a decorative light / accent light. It will probably grow something, but not sure how effectively.
LeJeune981
New member
My upflow ats..
Recently the GHA growing on it was tooken over and replaced with bryopsis..not by my choice obviously.. I never had it before in my system.. then out of the blue..bryopsis and calderpa popped up in my fuge.. prolly came with a frag but whatever...
This post is just to say.. bryopsis on a scrubber grows like absolute mad!!
I'm hoping it will consume all of its nutrients and die out soon..but in the meantime.. crossing my fingers that it stays on the screen!!!
Sent from my SM-G930VL using Tapatalk
Recently the GHA growing on it was tooken over and replaced with bryopsis..not by my choice obviously.. I never had it before in my system.. then out of the blue..bryopsis and calderpa popped up in my fuge.. prolly came with a frag but whatever...
This post is just to say.. bryopsis on a scrubber grows like absolute mad!!
I'm hoping it will consume all of its nutrients and die out soon..but in the meantime.. crossing my fingers that it stays on the screen!!!
Sent from my SM-G930VL using Tapatalk
SantaMonica
Well-known member
I don't see any bryopsis. Just cladophora.
homer1475
New member
I have a question for Floyd or SantaMonica.....
I've been running a box style ATS for about a year now. While I clean it weekly, I get about a cup of slimy green algae off it. it's never brown or do I have a bald spot on the screen, but it's never nice lush GHA like I see on most screens.
Now I have 0 fish right now, and only feed my corals twice a week. Is the algae this way only because of low nutrients? I have for months been testing super low nutrients, PO4(.004 - .010), and NO3 has always been 0.
It does grow some algae and I have 0 in my display, just curious why the algae is slimy and not lush GHA like I see on most screens.
I've been running a box style ATS for about a year now. While I clean it weekly, I get about a cup of slimy green algae off it. it's never brown or do I have a bald spot on the screen, but it's never nice lush GHA like I see on most screens.
Now I have 0 fish right now, and only feed my corals twice a week. Is the algae this way only because of low nutrients? I have for months been testing super low nutrients, PO4(.004 - .010), and NO3 has always been 0.
It does grow some algae and I have 0 in my display, just curious why the algae is slimy and not lush GHA like I see on most screens.
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
There are a lot of factors that go into algae types and volume, so I think it's a bit difficult to say really. But my gut tells me that a lack of bio-diversity (i.e. no urea from fish) could be the reason. Corals are animals and do consume food and excrete waste, but not nearly to the level that a fish does.
That, and your scrubber will generally grow in proportion to how much you feed...and if you over-drive it and starve it, you'll tend to get slimy growth.
I scanned your thread linked in your signature, how many hours/day do you run the lights? Do you have any way to diffuse them? You can use tape to stick a piece of diffuser to the outside of your box (not the face of the lights) and cut down the hours, that might help grow GHA instead of slime, but it's going to be limited due to minimal feeding
That, and your scrubber will generally grow in proportion to how much you feed...and if you over-drive it and starve it, you'll tend to get slimy growth.
I scanned your thread linked in your signature, how many hours/day do you run the lights? Do you have any way to diffuse them? You can use tape to stick a piece of diffuser to the outside of your box (not the face of the lights) and cut down the hours, that might help grow GHA instead of slime, but it's going to be limited due to minimal feeding
homer1475
New member
Yeah it grows, I have to clean it weekly, but it's just the slimy algae.
Hours a day...hmm I have 2 20W spot light type lights(the pink photosynthesis kind) one on each side of the box/screen. Front light runs from 1pm to 12am, back light goes from 12am to 11am, basically 22 hours. I run them off my apex and can change the timing anyway I want. I tried a shorter photoperiod, but that just had 0 growth on the screen and some algae in the DT.
Like I said though, my DT is algae free and for that I'm happy. Was just curious as to why I have just the slimy stuff and not nice lush GHA like I see on most screens. I had just assumed it was from a lack of nutrients(NO3 and PO4 are basically 0).
Thanks for the help Floyd. :thumbsup:
Hours a day...hmm I have 2 20W spot light type lights(the pink photosynthesis kind) one on each side of the box/screen. Front light runs from 1pm to 12am, back light goes from 12am to 11am, basically 22 hours. I run them off my apex and can change the timing anyway I want. I tried a shorter photoperiod, but that just had 0 growth on the screen and some algae in the DT.
Like I said though, my DT is algae free and for that I'm happy. Was just curious as to why I have just the slimy stuff and not nice lush GHA like I see on most screens. I had just assumed it was from a lack of nutrients(NO3 and PO4 are basically 0).
Thanks for the help Floyd. :thumbsup:
SantaMonica
Well-known member
Most screens are not really lush... that's just what people post. But after feeding fish, it will thicken up.
As for 8 months, yes many people leave their upflow scrubbers just running to feed the fish; they don't detach like waterfalls do.
As for 8 months, yes many people leave their upflow scrubbers just running to feed the fish; they don't detach like waterfalls do.
LeJeune981
New member
Someone on the forums had I'd this as bryopsis.. is deff looks like it.. bit would be great if it wasnt... I dunno if cladophora is any better or worse lol
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Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
Yeah that looks like Bryopsis to me as well
Greetings, I currently have what I think is a successful closed-loop waterfall ATS currently running on my system but feel like I need more water flow. I am currently using the MJ900. Any advice regarding an upgraded pump that I can use to increase the water flow?
Thank you in advance.
Thank you in advance.
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
When you say "closed loop" - what exactly do you mean?
Regarding flow, more info needed - length & width of screen, vertical head (measure from the slot pipe down to the water surface, this is the vertical head, don't include depth of pump)
And of course, pics are worth more than anything!
Regarding flow, more info needed - length & width of screen, vertical head (measure from the slot pipe down to the water surface, this is the vertical head, don't include depth of pump)
And of course, pics are worth more than anything!
SantaMonica
Well-known member
Fun growth pic
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
awesome!
hkgar
Active member
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