Algae Scrubber Advice

[GoogleWasMyIdea]

So tank has been running for about 3 months. I wanted to try and avoid the hair algae stage and got a Clearwater Algae Scrubber. My problem is that the scrubber has not fully seeded (some growth, but not full coverage on screen) after more than 3 weeks of being on and now I am getting hair algae in my DT.

Does the pump flow need to be at a certain level? I followed directions and have the water flowing, but not overflowing.

Should I go ahead and scrape the screen to see if that helps to seed it further?

Should I just reduce lighting time on scrubber even though it isn't fully seeded? Or just switch to running it when DT lights are off?

Water testing has calcium (600ppm+) and magnesium (1515ppm) high with hanna marine master testing, but all else seems good (PH 8.0, Salinity 1.025, Amm 0.05ppm, Rates 0.5ppm, Rites 0.04ppm and Phos 0.07ppm).

Any suggestions/comments would be welcomed.

Thanks and Happy New Year!

 

[FUNGI]

I would run it 24/7 until its fully seeded and then cut back a couple of hours

 

[TX_REEF]

I’d leave it on 24 hours until it’s fully covered, then scrape and ramp down from there. Did you give the growing surface a rough sanding first? That helped me to get started

 

[GoogleWasMyIdea]

I would run it 24/7 until its fully seeded and then cut back a couple of hours

I’d leave it on 24 hours until it’s fully covered, then scrape and ramp down from there. Did you give the growing surface a rough sanding first? That helped me to get started

Okay, thank you both. Will keep it going.

@TX_REEF I did not sand it. Maybe I will pull it and do that to see what happens.

 

[exnisstech]

Please update on how well it works. I've been thinking about trying an ats in a tank of mine.

 

[GoogleWasMyIdea]

Please update on how well it works. I've been thinking about trying an ats in a tank of mine.

Will do @exnisstech. Just hope this go-around does not take as long or you might be waiting a while for a response.

 

[Heres_doe_]

So tank has been running for about 3 months. I wanted to try and avoid the hair algae stage and got a Clearwater Algae Scrubber. My problem is that the scrubber has not fully seeded (some growth, but not full coverage on screen) after more than 3 weeks of being on and now I am getting hair algae in my DT.

Does the pump flow need to be at a certain level? I followed directions and have the water flowing, but not overflowing.

Should I go ahead and scrape the screen to see if that helps to seed it further?

Should I just reduce lighting time on scrubber even though it isn't fully seeded? Or just switch to running it when DT lights are off?

Water testing has calcium (600ppm+) and magnesium (1515ppm) high with hanna marine master testing, but all else seems good (PH 8.0, Salinity 1.025, Amm 0.05ppm, Rates 0.5ppm, Rites 0.04ppm and Phos 0.07ppm).

Any suggestions/comments would be welcomed.

Thanks and Happy New Year!

When the scrubber removes phosphate from the water, the rocks put this phosphate back into the water. This can last for weeks to months, depending on how much phosphate was in the rocks, and how fast your scrubber is removing phosphate.

At first, the phosphate coming out of the rocks can cause additional algae to grow on the rocks, but this will fade away after weeks or months. However, even when it fades away, phosphate is still coming out of the rocks. It has to, until the phosphate "inside" the rocks equals "zero", which is what the phosphate in the water is trying to reach too.

This was something I found because I read this a while ago. This is why you’re getting it in the dt

 

[GoogleWasMyIdea]

Thanks @Heres_doe_ ! That makes sense.

 

[Heres_doe_]

Thanks @Heres_doe_ ! That makes sense.

Np. Looking into a scrubber myself but ended up making one. I can’t see the price justification on these things

 

[GoogleWasMyIdea]

Np. Looking into a scrubber myself but ended up making one. I can’t see the price justification on these things

Unfortunately I have never been that handy to try and make my own, so I have to bite the bullet and buy things.

 

[paintman]

I have a clearwater scrubber also. I can tell you at 3 months you probably won't see much growth on the screen.
Also I doubt it will help much with your ugly phase as your biome in the tank and on the rocks has not fully established. This is just something veryone has to push through. I didn't even turn mine on until about a year into it when I had enough bio load for algae to grow. The way your numbers look.....there is nothing for the algae to feed off of anyway. I wouldn't expect much from the scrubber until you get higher nitrates and posphates. Then be careful as the scrubber will strip your water to clean. You will also have to dose iron and manganese once the scrubber icks in.
heres mine above the sump

 

[GoogleWasMyIdea]

Update on my progress with the scrubber after sanding the screen.

@TX_REEF the sanding of the screen appears to have worked great! Today is 2 weeks after sanding the screen and the growth is even across the whole screen. (Area where light is shining thru looks empty, but it is not) I’m nowhere near being good at photos, but one is below to give you an idea. I’m going to give it another week or so and do a scrape and start to ramp it down a bit.

@exnisstech I’d highly recommend sanding the screen.

Thanks again everyone who posted on this!

 

[TX_REEF]

Update on my progress with the scrubber after sanding the screen.

@TX_REEF the sanding of the screen appears to have worked great! Today is 2 weeks after sanding the screen and the growth is even across the whole screen. (Area where light is shining thru looks empty, but it is not) I’m nowhere near being good at photos, but one is below to give you an idea. I’m going to give it another week or so and do a scrape and start to ramp it down a bit.

@exnisstech I’d highly recommend sanding the screen.

Thanks again everyone who posted on this!

I’m very glad I was able to help!

 

[Jenyphur]

Hi there...I am stalking you and your journey because I"m just behind you in the build and I'm looking to also get the scrubber. Can you please post a pic of where you have it installed?

Is this the one you purchased? CW-50 External Algae Scrubber V2. ?

Thanks again for any and all info.

 

[Troylee]

I have a clearwater scrubber also. I can tell you at 3 months you probably won't see much growth on the screen.
Also I doubt it will help much with your ugly phase as your biome in the tank and on the rocks has not fully established. This is just something veryone has to push through. I didn't even turn mine on until about a year into it when I had enough bio load for algae to grow. The way your numbers look.....there is nothing for the algae to feed off of anyway. I wouldn't expect much from the scrubber until you get higher nitrates and posphates. Then be careful as the scrubber will strip your water to clean. You will also have to dose iron and manganese once the scrubber icks in.
heres mine above the sump

Killer setup man!!!

 

[anthonymckay]

How has it been going in the months since?

 

[GoogleWasMyIdea]

Hi there...I am stalking you and your journey because I"m just behind you in the build and I'm looking to also get the scrubber. Can you please post a pic of where you have it installed?

Is this the one you purchased? CW-50 External Algae Scrubber V2. ?

Thanks again for any and all info.

Apologies @Jenyphur as I completely missed your note and you probably already picked one up, but I have mine sitting on top of the front right corner of my sump tank. Not ideal, but was only space I could squeeze it in as the rollermat takes up a lot of space and I did not want it in the return pump compartment for fear that algae would become dislodged and get sent back to the tank.

 

[GoogleWasMyIdea]

How has it been going in the months since?

It has been awesome since I scrubbed the screen with sandpaper. Hair algae grows no problems. I am cleaning weekly/bi weekly. Still tweeking the on/off schedule, but seems to be good running only when lights are off now.

 

[SantaMonica]

Yes a rough screen is a must. Even better is to scrape it with a wood saw.