Algae scrubber vs large refugium

[gary504504]

Have a large 700 gallon display with a 223 gallon sump,my goal would be to reduce algae growth on glass and in display as much as possible since it would be very hard to reach and clean,I've heard good and bad things about scrubbers,but would a scrubber be more effective at reducing algae in the main display than a large fuge,my sump has about a 28"x33" section for a fuge would that size fuge work better than a scrubber

 

[ca1ore]

Mostly they do the same thing. ATS is just more compact and efficient because you can light it from both sides. If you can, raise the sump and light your chaeto from underneath as well as from the top.

 

[wildman926]

I've heard good and bad things about scrubbers

What are the bad things you have "heard" about algae scrubbers? What you may have heard can mostly be attributed to lack of maintenance. If scrubbers are left to grow algae too long, they will leach back what they took out of the water column. This is due to the underlying algae dying off. It will also give the "yellow" water look that some have described. Keep up the maintenance, and you will not have these issues. I have run them on both of my tanks for the last 3 years, and could not be happier.

Find or build the largest scrubber you can fit, and let it work its magic.

 

[gary504504]

@wildman926 do you run both your refugium and the algae scrubber at the same time,also has the algae film on your glass decrease with use of the scrubber and last question is do you recommend I use a scrubber or stick with the fuge,I've heard that refugiums are mostly unedefective because most are to small but I do have a large refugium section, and to the previous comment I can raise the sump it's huge and weigh alot,it's 223 gallons total in the sump,so it sets flat in the bottom of the stand and to prevent any problems I'd like to keep it on the floor of the stand,also I planned on using miracle mud on the bottom wether I use a fuge or algae scrubber

 

[wildman926]

@wildman926 do you run both your refugium and the algae scrubber at the same time,also has the algae film on your glass decrease with use of the scrubber and last question is do you recommend I use a scrubber or stick with the fuge,I've heard that refugiums are mostly unedefective because most are to small but I do have a large refugium section, and to the previous comment I can raise the sump it's huge and weigh alot,it's 223 gallons total in the sump,so it sets flat in the bottom of the stand and to prevent any problems I'd like to keep it on the floor of the stand,also I planned on using miracle mud on the bottom wether I use a fuge or algae scrubber

Hello Gary,

To answer your questions -
1. do you run both your refugium and the algae scrubber at the same time - I don't have a refugium. I run an ATS, and chaeto reactor (due to ats too small, due to space restriction), along with my skimmer and lots of live rock.
2. has the algae film on your glass decrease with use of the scrubber - YES
3. do you recommend I use a scrubber or stick with the fuge - YES, use a scrubber. Get as large as one as you can fit in your space constraints.

I have seen personally what the ATS can do for a system. All the nastiness grows there, not the tank.

 

[hegeh]

Build my own ATS and im.happy with it. I only need to clean my glass once a week compared to previouslu once every 3days. It also help to reduce my nutrient.

Previously run fuge chaeto but hate when some strains die off and float around into my DT.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

 

[ktownhero]

Both are great, but I prefer a refugium especially a "large" one. Refugiums offer a lot more than an ATS. You can add rock for more bio filtration, you can grow any type of macro algae you want, you can use it for a temporary or permanent home for animals/corals that you don't want in the display, and it's most certainly a far better place for pods to thrive. They require almost no maintenance whatsoever, whereas an ATS will require that you clean it regularly. And with that cleaning, the little bit of life that an ATS can support goes down the drain.

Nothing wrong with an ATS, but compared to a "large refugium" I don't think there's even a contest.

 

[wildman926]

The OP can run both, especially with a "large" refugium, as he will need at least a sump to support the ATS. Just note, that when you clean the ATS, you are physically removing the excess nutrients in the system. You have to do the same with a refugium, or else whatever dies off, leaches the excess nutrients back into the system, therefore defeating the purpose of removing excess nutrients. A

ny extra live rock, pods, etc. can be kept in a simple sump, that supports the ATS. I have that in my simple wet/dry converted into a sump.

Here are some old pics of my setup. Only difference to now, is my chaeto reactor is not shown, and I use Reef Dynamics skimmers. Pod grow in the first portion where the live rock is.