SPS and Turf Scrubbers

[SPotter]

Is anyone on here running a scrubber on an sps dominant tank? If you are, do you add any supplements back to the system?

 

[MSHUR]

tagging along

 

[ale2539]

what is a turf scrubber?

 

[SPotter]

algae turf scrubber....its another way of exporting nutrients. if you look in the advanced topics forum you will find a thread about it.

 

[sabbath]

Subscribed as I wonder the same.

 

[sabbath]

double post

 

[reefkeeper2]

I do. The only additive I use is iodine. I also have a skimmer and biopellets. The combination works great for me.

 

[MSHUR]

I do. The only additive I use is iodine. I also have a skimmer and biopellets. The combination works great for me.

Interesting, why do you use biopellets? scrubber by itself canot remove no3/po4?

 

[tcmfish]

The Smithsonian Aquarium in Ft. Pierce, Fl uses them on almost every display. They have had great success with the endangered Acropora palmata and A. cervicornis. There is a shot of the coral tank in its infancy in The Reef Aquarium Vol. 3.

 

[reefkeeper2]

Interesting, why do you use biopellets? scrubber by itself canot remove no3/po4?

I was already using the biopellets when I made the ATS. Biopellets are great at reducing nitrates. Not so great with phosphates. That was why I added the scrubber. It was just the ticket.
I also have to say I'm a believer in using multiple methods. It's never a good idea to put all your eggs in one basket so to speak. Last month I must have made some error when I was filling my auto-feeder. In one day the entire contents of the hopper went into my tank. A few days later I had cyano cropping up on the sand bed. It took about four weeks for the nutient levels to drop enough for it to disappear. If that had happened using just the ATS or any one of the other methods alone, I would never be rid of the cyano.

 

[SPotter]

I do. The only additive I use is iodine. I also have a skimmer and biopellets. The combination works great for me.

how long have you had the scrubber running for and how has your growth been?

Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk 2

 

[MSHUR]

I was already using the biopellets when I made the ATS. Biopellets are great at reducing nitrates. Not so great with phosphates. That was why I added the scrubber. It was just the ticket.
I also have to say I'm a believer in using multiple methods. It's never a good idea to put all your eggs in one basket so to speak. Last month I must have made some error when I was filling my auto-feeder. In one day the entire contents of the hopper went into my tank. A few days later I had cyano cropping up on the sand bed. It took about four weeks for the nutient levels to drop enough for it to disappear. If that had happened using just the ATS or any one of the other methods alone, I would never be rid of the cyano.

i am planning to use ATS on my future set up, but i dont wanna use any carbon source additives or GFo. Wanna try simple and natural as possable method.maybe i add extra sump with cryptic zone..

 

[reefkeeper2]

how long have you had the scrubber running for and how has your growth been?

Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk 2

The scrubber has been working for about a year. Growth of corals has always been good so I didn't notice any change in that respect. The best part is being able to feed the fish and tank as much as I want with no negative effects like unwanted algae growth or cyano. I also no longer use GFO or carbon on a continuous basis. Once every other week or so when I'm cleaning I throw the diatom filter on with a good charge of powdered norit carbon. My fish are fat and happy.

 

[reefkeeper2]

i am planning to use ATS on my future set up, but i dont wanna use any carbon source additives or GFo. Wanna try simple and natural as possable method.maybe i add extra sump with cryptic zone..

When the biopellets get low, I notice a difference in the appearance of the sand bed and hair algae growth rates increase. Every setup is different, but I would not go with an ATS alone on a heavily stocked and fed reef. I suppose if my scubber was oversized it might help, but like I said I like to use a combination of methods to get where I want to go.
Here is the latest vid of my tank. It's six month old so I need to make a new one soon.
http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pfr4jAxrzgE&feature=plcp

 

[SPotter]

wow great looking tank Paul. How old was the system when you put the scrubber on?

 

[reefkeeper2]

Thanks! About 6 or 7 years old.

 

[EgmontKey]

When the biopellets get low, I notice a difference in the appearance of the sand bed and hair algae growth rates increase. Every setup is different, but I would not go with an ATS alone on a heavily stocked and fed reef. I suppose if my scubber was oversized it might help, but like I said I like to use a combination of methods to get where I want to go.
Here is the latest vid of my tank. It's six month old so I need to make a new one soon.
http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pfr4jAxrzgE&feature=plcp

That's a beautiful reef tank you have and thanks for sharing!!!! :thumbsup:

 

[SPotter]

Thanks! About 6 or 7 years old.

Thanks for sharing! The reason I started this thread is because I too use an ATS and have done so for a 1.5 yrs. I first started with one on my smaller tank and then upgraded to my current tank....450g TWV back in March. At that time I upgraded my scrubber to a bigger one and put it on the tank from the beginning. I am currently experiencing significant problems with keeping sps in my system. I get them, they do great for a couple of months and then they lose tissue and die. It happened the beginning of the summer and again right now. I have been looking back at my logs and trying to find something that I was doing both times that would cause problems with my sps. What I was able to come up with was both times I had recently added a group of fish to my tank and increased the feedings. From that point I experienced what I think are significant declines in po4 in a very short period of time. Both times I saw my po4 drop from .03 to under .01 in a matter of week and then thats when trouble would set in with pale corals followed by tissue loss starting at the base. The loss is rapid....less than 24hrs with most of them.

So, While I am still a believer the functionality of the scrubber I am thinking that is should be added to the system later on once it has matured and has come close to the desired stocking level for fish.

 

[reefkeeper2]

I don't understand why an increase in feeding would decrease your PO4. I would expect just the opposite. If the ATS is stripping the tank water, the cure would be to increase feedings and fish populations.

 

[SPotter]

my understanding of the scrubber that was built based on how much you feed per day rather than tank volume is if you dont feed the tank enough the scrubber wont work properly. So my scrubber is designed for feeding 4-5 cubes per day and I was only feeding 2 cubes per day. My growth was ok at best when feeding less but as I increased my bio load and feedings, my growth on the screen has improved.