Algae Scrubber vs Refugium

[ChaetoFarm_Kai]

My experience is probably useless because I've found both to be poor at nutrient reduction if that is your goal. I'm sure it's my overfeeding having 9 tangs begging all day. In my 180g with a chaeto fuge harvesting about 1/2 of a 5g bucket every 7-10 days and NO3 was alway 40-50 and PO4 0.4 0.6. I moved to a 330 running a Santa Monica surf4 and a cryptic fuge with all live rock and NO3 is 40-50 and PO4 0.4-0.9. as mentioned I'm sure its my feeding and don't really fret over it because the tank looks fine. If i had to choose one over the other i would choose a macro algae fuge just for the ability of pods to reproduce.
With a surf floating ATS you could probably run both which might be interesting The surf takes seconds to clean and produces a lot of tang food.
Just reach in and pull the algae out. Gloves are recommended if bristle worms bother you lol

Dude, you just need the RIGHT species of Chaeto, with a good light, you wouldn’t believe how bad the thick curly Chaeto is vs the good stuff and how bad many commercially available fuge lights are. If you get some good chaetomorpha crassa and a kessil tuna sun, your nutrients with be all zeros. Read my articles on chaetofarm.com

 

[ChaetoFarm_Kai]

I've played around with the idea of getting a algae scrubber for my tank since they have become more affordable and common in the hobby, but I already have decent sized refugium that has been set up and established for about a year or so growing dragons breath and grape caulerpa. My biggest concern is that the algae scrubber will not do as well as the refugium, or will need more upkeep and maintenance. To those of you that have experience with both what would you recommend?

I was an ATS guy who went to Chaeto and never looked back, if the macros you have now are controlling nutrients sufficiently for you, stick to that. The problem with ATS’s is that they destabilize your nutrient numbers when you harvest, they’re also messy and sometimes noisy. If you get the RIGHT species of chaeto (not the most common) and you get a good strong light, it will be so effective that you’ll want to start turning down your light to stabilize at the levels you want. I have a few good articles about chaeto strains/species and fuge setup on chaetofarm.com

 

[atoll]

The problem with ATS’s is that they destabilize your nutrient numbers when you harvest, they’re also messy and sometimes noisy.

I experience none of that with my ATS.
Firstly, when harvesting my algae,ulva intestinalis I don't remove it all. I trim it with a pair of scissors.
I dont think they are at all messy am not sure why you think that? Mine takes 4 or 5 mins max a week to service it.
You would be hard pressed to hear mine.
I have a Turbo Aquatics which is the best ATS I have had and I have had a few including Santa Monica HOg and a surf.

 

[VintageReefer]

The problem with ATS’s is that they destabilize your nutrient numbers when you harvest,

I’ve never heard of this. What does this mean exactly, and do you have evidence that this happens, and that it matters in any way? I’m not trying to come across wrong, I’ve been using scrubbers on multiple systems for 12-13 years, and have never had any impact from harvesting the algae out of them

they’re also messy and sometimes noisy.

I guess some are, if it’s a poor design. Most scrubbers are virtually silent and have no spill of algae or light.

 

[atoll]

I’ve never heard of this. What does this mean exactly, and do you have evidence that this happens, and that it matters in any way? I’m not trying to come across wrong, I’ve been using scrubbers on multiple systems for 12-13 years, and have never had any impact from harvesting the algae out of them


I guess some are, if it’s a poor design. Most scrubbers are virtually silent and have no spill of algae or light.

I have heard such negative things about ATSs before usualy by people who have either never owned one or bought a poorly designed one. I have built one, bought 2 Santa Monica scrubbers a HOG and a Surf. However my Turbo Aquatics is a great design and easy to service, it also does a great job.
Because it sit's neatly across my sump it takes up no space within it.
I don't understand why some people have a downers on ATS's

 

[VintageReefer]

I have heard such negative things about ATSs before usualy by people who have either never owned one or bought a poorly designed one. I have built one, bought 2 Santa Monica scrubbers a HOG and a Surf. However my Turbo Aquatics is a great design and easy to service, it also does a great job.
Because it sit's neatly across my sump it takes up no space within it.
I don't understand why some people have a downers on ATS's

I like that it is above the sump (for numerous reasons)

I have a surf 2 on one system and a surf 4 on another. Floating takes up no room in my sump chamber, and below it I have a cryptic zone with live rock, sponge, and a 4-5” sandbed.

I will be replacing one of the surfs with a new drop 3.4, but I’m not sure which system will get it.

 

[SlothMartin]

I tried to run chaeto on a new tank, but the flow in the sump just pulled it apart and through the baffles, it was a mess. Went to a surf 2+ but its only been running a week

the main thing with a fuge that i thought would be great was a place for pods to grow. I threw in a 3d printed "pod hotel" do you think this would work as well as chaeto? is chaeto a better living area for pods?

Would adding live rock as a cryptic fuge under the surf work better for pods? (edit i started with dead rock so my only hesitation to adding the live rock is introducing aptasia or some other pest that i dont have right now, and is impossible to get rid of once you have it)
my phos runs a little high, .24 but the ats is not producing yet

 

[BryanM]

The problem with ATS’s is that they destabilize your nutrient numbers when you harvest, they’re also messy and sometimes noisy.

I am in the same boat, I've been using an ATS of one form or another for 18 months now and have never seen nutrient destabilization. I guess I could see this happening if one were to deep clean the ATS every time, with with an ATS that has good light, just a little left over algae starts growing immediately.

As for noise, I can only guess that poorly designed units do that. THe surf series from Santa Monica needs an air pump, so if you get a noisy air pump thats on you.

I now have a rain 8, it does take a little longer to clean, but its a waterfall type. The only noise I ever get from it is when my ATO is empty, I turn off the pump, and then forget to refill it for 3ish days. The water level in my sump drops, and the water falling out from the ATS does make noise.... That seems to be a user error

 

[PPBlimpy]

I am in the same boat, I've been using an ATS of one form or another for 18 months now and have never seen nutrient destabilization. I guess I could see this happening if one were to deep clean the ATS every time, with with an ATS that has good light, just a little left over algae starts growing immediately.

As for noise, I can only guess that poorly designed units do that. THe surf series from Santa Monica needs an air pump, so if you get a noisy air pump thats on you.

I now have a rain 8, it does take a little longer to clean, but its a waterfall type. The only noise I ever get from it is when my ATO is empty, I turn off the pump, and then forget to refill it for 3ish days. The water level in my sump drops, and the water falling out from the ATS does make noise.... That seems to be a user error

nice reminder to fill your ATO. Not user error, designed backup alert system

 

[exnisstech]

The problem with ATS’s is that they destabilize your nutrient numbers when you harvest, they’re also messy and sometimes noisy

Nay nay this is just not true.