Algae scrubber

[reefernc02]

I am considering purchasing an algae scrubber for my reef tank have also considered buying a doser for kalk and wondering if the adding of trace elements would offset the effect of the ats. Any thoughts?

 

[Hishman]

Why would dosing trace elements offset the ATS?

 

[reefernc02]

I had thought I heard that part of what made the scrubber work was the depletion of certain trace elements that algae needs to be able to grow in the dt

 

[VintageReefer]

I had thought I heard that part of what made the scrubber work was the depletion of certain trace elements that algae needs to be able to grow in the dt

It’s a theory but I wouldn’t get caught up in it.

Dosing elements in your tank won’t negate the scrubber

 

[reefernc02]

I greatly appreciate it I’m going with the aw200 from Clearwater probably won’t dose anything but kalk and mabye aminos

 

[Hishman]

Oh, I thought you meant dosing trace would offset the benefit of ATS.

If you aren’t dosing trace today, you can dose something like ChaetoGrow that includes the trace and micro elements chaeto typically pulls from the water column. I would confirm you actually need it though. WC is enough for many.

 

[reefernc02]

Agree I’ve struggled with constant nutrient problems in the larger system no matter what I do change filter socks every two days , 20% water changes proper sized skimmer and certain lanthum based phos removers as well as cutting down on feedings

 

[vetteguy53081]

I am considering purchasing an algae scrubber for my reef tank have also considered buying a doser for kalk and wondering if the adding of trace elements would offset the effect of the ats. Any thoughts?

Its a great component and lowers nitrates easy to clean and service and quiet running

 

[reefernc02]

I am considering purchasing an algae scrubber for my reef tank have also considered buying a doser for kalk and wondering if the adding of trace elements would offset the effect of the ats. Any thoughts?

Its a great component and lowers nitrates easy to clean and service and quiet running

Awesome is it effective at controlling phos or should I rely more on the binding effect of the kalk for that

 

[Hishman]

Awesome is it effective at controlling phos or should I rely more on the binding effect of the kalk for that

My experience is with Chaeto fuge but it knocks down phos to zero if I run the photoperiod too long. I think hair algae is typically associated with high phos more so than nitrate so my theory is that it would knock down your phos even more than a fuge

 

[VintageReefer]

Awesome is it effective at controlling phos or should I rely more on the binding effect of the kalk for that

They will help but you need to understand if you have phosphate issues it likely is bound up in rock and sand and as you absorb/remove phosphate from the water, it unbinds from the rock and sand and the numbers return what they were yesterday. You need to continuously remove phosphate until the rocks are cleaned out, before the numbers start to drop. I feel scrubbers are one of the easiest and efficient ways to do this, but it is not the fastest. Faster methods do have potential of being more dangerous though.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Awesome is it effective at controlling phos or should I rely more on the binding effect of the kalk for that

To a low degree, yes

 

[bcarl77]

What is everyone using for scrubbers these days?

 

[VintageReefer]

What is everyone using for scrubbers these days?

I am a huge fan of the Santa Monica surf product line. I use a surf 2, and know several people using surf2 and surf4. It works very well and is easy to add to an existing system

 

[bcarl77]

Great thanks! Will look into it!

 

[UncommonSense]

What is everyone using for scrubbers these days?

I also recommend looking into the vertical waterfall style scrubbers! Double lit ones specifically… — they are more efficient than floating style ATS units, and require less space to achieve the same effect!

Regarding nuisance algae favoring the ATS over the display; this is typically achieved by running a longer photoperiod on the ATS than on the DT (at least in my experience with the double lit vertical waterfall style ATS)… this is typically also a reversed photoperiod from the DT, which helps maintain a more stable day/night system PH!

Edit: just found my initial reference material for my first DIY ATS from back in the day… — It’s still an interesting read!

http://algaescrubber.net/forums/showthread.php?1291-Algae-Scrubber-Basics-The-Summary

 

[VintageReefer]

I also recommend looking into the vertical waterfall style scrubbers! Double lit ones specifically… — they are more efficient than floating style ATS units, and require less space to achieve the same effect!

Regarding nuisance algae favoring the ATS over the display; this is typically achieved by running a longer photoperiod on the ATS than on the DT (at least in my experience with the double lit vertical waterfall style ATS)… this is typically also a reversed photoperiod from the DT, which helps maintain a more stable day/night system PH!

Edit: just found my initial reference material for my first DIY ATS from back in the day… — It’s still an interesting read!

http://algaescrubber.net/forums/showthread.php?1291-Algae-Scrubber-Basics-The-Summary

I do believe the surf is more efficient than water flow scrubbers, because of the nature of the compartment the surf grows a brick of algae 2” thick, and is very efficient and productive for its size. Also, the position of the air bubble inlets (below the growth) causes the bubbles to flow through the growth no matter how thick the growth gets. This is in contrast to waterfall scrubbers, which mostly flow water on the outside of the growth, leaving the inner layers of growth without flow.

It’s also quieter, has no salt spray, and in event of power outage the algae stays submerged and doesn’t risk drying out

I maybe wrong though, I do know the double lit are efficient, but so is the upflow style on the surf.

 

[UncommonSense]

I do believe the surf is more efficient than water flow scrubbers, becise of the nature of the compartment the surf grows a brick of algae 2” thick, and ie very efficient and productive for its size. Also, the position of the air bubble inlets (below the growth) causes the bubbles to flow through the growth no matter how thick the growth gets. This is in contrast to waterfall scrubbers, which mostly flow water on the outside of the growth, leaving the inner layers of growth without flow.

It’s also quieter, has no salt spray, and in event of power outage the algae stays submerged and doesn’t risk drying out

I’m far from an expert on the topic, as far as I understand it though; the vertical waterfalls high water flow rate is better suited to cultivate GHA, than red/brown turf algae!

Typically, the established double lit vertical waterfall scrubbers are maintained once weekly; scraping algae off one half of the screen… this prevents overgrowth to the point where you start seeing die-off from lack of flow or light!

I completely agree that the floating style ATS is quieter, has no significant salt spray, and mitigates any substantial maintenance in the event of an extended power outage!

 

[VintageReefer]

I’m far from an expert on the topic, as far as I understand it though; the vertical waterfalls high water flow rate is better suited to cultivate GHA, than red/brown turf algae!

Typically, the established double lit vertical waterfall scrubbers are maintained once weekly; scraping algae off one half of the screen… this prevents overgrowth to the point where you start seeing die-off from lack of flow or light!

I completely agree that the floating style ATS is quieter, has no significant salt spray, and mitigates any substantial maintenance in the event of an extended power outage!

The surf scrubber does not grow red/brown turf algae. I know many people with it and have used mine daily for 10+ years. Never saw red/brown algae.
Scrubbers shouldn’t be growing hair algae either. It should develop and grow its own type of algae

The surf grows a bright green form of sea lettuce / ulva I believe. It grows faster than chaeto and hair algae and has more nutrient capacity - I’ve read anywhere from 3-5x depending on the source

 

[adsf430]

Hi, posting this in a few chats. I have a 275 gallon fish only predator tank. I'd been doing monthly 20% water changes but its not enough as I have some very big fish. Would a surf 8 even make a dent or should I just go with a biopellet reactor or is nopox with a versa doser the best solution? For context, I already have a Regal 300 INT Protein skimmer which is amazing but clearly not handling the load even though its rated for a heavily stocked 500 gallon.