buffalo123
New member
Tell how your algae scrubber helped your reef or did not help your reef. Tell issues you solved or did not solve.
Have algae scrubber really helped?
- Thread starter buffalo123
- Start date
wildwilly1
New member
I started one 3 weeks ago so really not a lot of growth yet but getting there. I am running a oversized skimmer gfo carbon and biopellets . will be weaning off everything except skimmer when ats gets going good. before I started ats my nitrates were around 25,phosphate around .035,only thing I changed was adding ats tested yesterday nitrates 5 and phosphate .009 so something is working in it to drop n and p when it starts growing good algae I will start to take gfo and biopellets out completely I do feed heavy
I run an ATS as part of my nutrient export system. I also run a large skimmer, GFO, GAC, polyfilters and have a large chaeto refugium. Hard for me to say, therefore, how beneficial the ATS is other than my 'beleiving' it's an important component of the system. My logic is thus:
1. Skimmer removes nominally 30% of the organics before they break down.
2. Of the remaining 70%, some are removed by the GAC, but the majority degrade to nitrates, phosphates, etc.
3. Since my tank is more likely to be nitrate limited than phosphate limited, I assume the GFO removes much of the latter.
4. ATS/chaeto (both grow well) then removes the nitrates and remaining phosphates to the point they are undetectable.
5. GAC removes any greening from the ATS; polyfilter removes any heavy metals that might find their way into the system.
That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!
FWIW, I have 45 fish in a 265, feed a LOT, and have no measurable nutrients. I'm actually experimenting with a DiY chaeto reactor.
1. Skimmer removes nominally 30% of the organics before they break down.
2. Of the remaining 70%, some are removed by the GAC, but the majority degrade to nitrates, phosphates, etc.
3. Since my tank is more likely to be nitrate limited than phosphate limited, I assume the GFO removes much of the latter.
4. ATS/chaeto (both grow well) then removes the nitrates and remaining phosphates to the point they are undetectable.
5. GAC removes any greening from the ATS; polyfilter removes any heavy metals that might find their way into the system.
That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!
FWIW, I have 45 fish in a 265, feed a LOT, and have no measurable nutrients. I'm actually experimenting with a DiY chaeto reactor.
buffalo123
New member
Seem like a good story.
doradosteve
New member
GREAT results using one!
wildman926
Active member
My ATS worked when nothing else would to remove excess nutrients, which caused an algae outbreak and I lost a lot of corals. I also added a chaeto reactor as a back up/supplemental excess nutrient removal. It grows very slowly, but since it is growing nonetheless, it helps my ATS due to its small screen size.
ReefTeacher
Member
I think of my ATS as a 'pod generator. I don't really have a nutrient problem, but I like the way the pods multiply on the ATS. I always wait at least 2 weeks between cleanings. If you have higher nutrients you may not be able to.
buffalo123
New member
Seem like no negatives for algae scrubbers.
outy
New member
I have been running a L4 turbo ATS for just over a year. Although I have done less water changes this last year and I believe the ATS it is helping me feed a lot. I don't think its the best thing since sliced bread... Sure its hard to make an argument against it. Its such a simply concept.
With the ATS I also skim, UV, run NPX and I still get my tank deciding it wants to help with the nutrient output by growing hair algae... My next addition is a algae/Cheato Reactor.
Outy
I wish I knew what I do now 30 years ago...
With the ATS I also skim, UV, run NPX and I still get my tank deciding it wants to help with the nutrient output by growing hair algae... My next addition is a algae/Cheato Reactor.
Outy
I wish I knew what I do now 30 years ago...
outy
New member
Yep.
I was offered the knowledge, it just took me this long to accept it. :sad1: my own fault.
Ive been really successful so not many regrets, but it could havwe been easier,
What I would like to tell green peas getting into it, get a calcium and kalk reactor, run an ATS, no matter what the cost, and sty up on your RO/DI filters.
On a side note, just replaced my pads on my magfloat that was 5 years over due lol I added the coralline scraper from BRS to it.
I feel stupid for not doing this 20 years ago as well.
Outy
I totally agree... but I guess I did know about ATSs (from Inland Aquatics) years before I used mine. I just didn't choose to change I guess...
Information is soo much easier to get now that this internet thing has taken off.
Things are moving much faster now and have improved so much... its amazing when I look back at my 5ft four 4in Limewood skimmer back in the day it was state of the art. I just don't have the heart to throw it out (hoping I can find a use for it again.
MaccaPopEye
New member
My ATS has only been up for a bit under 3 weeks now and I will already swear by them and recommend them.
I have a pretty bad nutrient problem so my algae growth has really taken off. And I have seen a very significant decrease in algae in just the last 3 weeks.
I did a lot of reading about scrubbers before I decided to build one and basically it's just like growing macro algae in a fuge, except the macro is on steroids.
Read the guide on how to size, light and get the correct flow for a scrubber which is found in the posts listed in Floyd's signature, easiest to find in the algae turf scrubber basics thread. Then you can correctly size an ATS for your system so it can really kick ***.
If you don't want to DIY I would suggest a turbo ATS (what I modelled by DIY ATS after), the builder of them is really good and even though he sells fully built algae scrubbers he still goes out of his way to help those who want to build a DIY scrubber and still have it perform just as well as one of his. He really does everything he can to advance algae scrubbers and make them better. To me that is really caring about the method of filtration and it's users rather than just how much he gets in sales. Having said all that his units looks plain sexy and IMO are the best designed off the shelf ATS out there.
The ATS from 302 aquatics all look like they get good results but I really don't like the seller. He is constantly pushing his product and hijacking posts all over facebook pages where the OP is asking about scrubbers (DIY or otherwise) and will insist that unless you buy one of his a scrubber won't work. Edit - The lights they use are also not the best spectrum (although they work) and of the 302 models I have seen there isn't an emergency drain from the scrubber box so it could overflow if the only drain blocks.
I am at work ATM but when I get home I will post some pics of my build, how the screen is maturing and the decrease in algae.
Cheers,
Macca
I have a pretty bad nutrient problem so my algae growth has really taken off. And I have seen a very significant decrease in algae in just the last 3 weeks.
I did a lot of reading about scrubbers before I decided to build one and basically it's just like growing macro algae in a fuge, except the macro is on steroids.
Read the guide on how to size, light and get the correct flow for a scrubber which is found in the posts listed in Floyd's signature, easiest to find in the algae turf scrubber basics thread. Then you can correctly size an ATS for your system so it can really kick ***.
If you don't want to DIY I would suggest a turbo ATS (what I modelled by DIY ATS after), the builder of them is really good and even though he sells fully built algae scrubbers he still goes out of his way to help those who want to build a DIY scrubber and still have it perform just as well as one of his. He really does everything he can to advance algae scrubbers and make them better. To me that is really caring about the method of filtration and it's users rather than just how much he gets in sales. Having said all that his units looks plain sexy and IMO are the best designed off the shelf ATS out there.
The ATS from 302 aquatics all look like they get good results but I really don't like the seller. He is constantly pushing his product and hijacking posts all over facebook pages where the OP is asking about scrubbers (DIY or otherwise) and will insist that unless you buy one of his a scrubber won't work. Edit - The lights they use are also not the best spectrum (although they work) and of the 302 models I have seen there isn't an emergency drain from the scrubber box so it could overflow if the only drain blocks.
I am at work ATM but when I get home I will post some pics of my build, how the screen is maturing and the decrease in algae.
Cheers,
Macca
MaccaPopEye
New member
Just a note: you don't need to have an ATS in a box for it to work well, I just prefer to keep the light contained as my stand is currently open.
Building the DIY box
Finished box over the sump
Screen after 5 days (first cleaning)
Screen after 14 days (second cleaning)
An example of some of my rocks from 4 weeks ago (left) and this week (right). A lot of snails were added 2 months ago but until the ATS was added the algae would grow faster than the snails could eat it. I could pull out 2 cups of squeezed algae and it would be back in a week, even with the snails. Now the snails eat the algae and it doesn't grow back thanks to the ATS.
Building the DIY box
Finished box over the sump
Screen after 5 days (first cleaning)
Screen after 14 days (second cleaning)
An example of some of my rocks from 4 weeks ago (left) and this week (right). A lot of snails were added 2 months ago but until the ATS was added the algae would grow faster than the snails could eat it. I could pull out 2 cups of squeezed algae and it would be back in a week, even with the snails. Now the snails eat the algae and it doesn't grow back thanks to the ATS.
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