Working on setting up my new waterbox 70.3 marine I would like to implement an algae scrubber. I haven't ever used an algae scrubber and would like to know how effective at nutrient reduction they are and suggestions on scrubbers that would work on the 70.3 marine.
Algae Scrubber?
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ChrisQ0904
Valuable Member
I have one on my reefer 350 and it works amazing. I still run a skimmer, but I had to close it alot and takes about 2 weeks now to get a full cup sometimes even longer. I think it is honestly one of the best things I purchased for my tank.
EDIT: nitrates always read 0 now and P04 is .03 or lower.
EDIT: nitrates always read 0 now and P04 is .03 or lower.
What brand would you recommend using. I have had my eye on the new icecap scrubbers but they don't have many reviews.
ChrisQ0904
Valuable Member
This is the one that I use. Only difference is I built the box myself using their plans but I did order their lights and am still running them. On my new tank I am contemplating on buying everything from them.
www.expressions-ltd.com
Here us some typical growth I am getting every two weeks.
Algae Scrubber ATS Plexi Box
Algae Scrubber Box for use in salt water or fresh water aquariums grow the algae on a screen, instead of in the tank, and remove bad or excess nutrients from the water without expensive filtration units needed.
www.expressions-ltd.com
Here us some typical growth I am getting every two weeks.
kidtango
Active Member
Been running an ATS ever since it was introduced about 5 years back? I’m currently running a unit from Turbo Aquatics. My new build is running at ATS only and no skimmer. There is no need for skimmer if you are running an ATS to export nutrients.
The pics are showing the Turbo Aquatics ats without the led light fixtures fitted.
The pics are showing the Turbo Aquatics ats without the led light fixtures fitted.
Devaji
7500 Club Member
IMHO ATS are so over looked and under utilized...
I had great success with a DIY upflow scrubber. cheap and easy to make run off an are pump to move water up the screen take up little space.
how many cube's do you need = size of screen. (scrubber are made for how many cube of food you feed not tank size )
do you want to do 3D? = smaller screen but grows on both sides or a single grow side bigger screen.
as far as brands plp love turbo aquatics next is santa monica clear water came on the scene a while back while ice cap are pretty new.
if you are handy DIY is an option as well I have a water fall style for the RS 750 I am going to use I got off ebay and upgraded the lights.
if space is at a prime in your sump, I really would look into DIY upflow prob can make one for $30 -75 depending on what you have around.
I had great success with a DIY upflow scrubber. cheap and easy to make run off an are pump to move water up the screen take up little space.
how many cube's do you need = size of screen. (scrubber are made for how many cube of food you feed not tank size )
do you want to do 3D? = smaller screen but grows on both sides or a single grow side bigger screen.
as far as brands plp love turbo aquatics next is santa monica clear water came on the scene a while back while ice cap are pretty new.
if you are handy DIY is an option as well I have a water fall style for the RS 750 I am going to use I got off ebay and upgraded the lights.
if space is at a prime in your sump, I really would look into DIY upflow prob can make one for $30 -75 depending on what you have around.
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vetteguy53081
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For me, Very effective
They definitely work, I have noticed a drop in ph after cleaning my screen so tin addition to nutrient control they positively impact my ph
I would recommend turbo scrubber 1st if you don’t mind waiting.
Devaji
7500 Club Member
This is the one that I use. Only difference is I built the box myself using their plans but I did order their lights and am still running them. On my new tank I am contemplating on buying everything from them.
Algae Scrubber ATS Plexi Box
Algae Scrubber Box for use in salt water or fresh water aquariums grow the algae on a screen, instead of in the tank, and remove bad or excess nutrients from the water without expensive filtration units needed.
Here us some typical growth I am getting every two weeks.
that is some good looking turf algae!
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If you end up deciding on one of our units, you would want the CW-50 for you size system.
ca1ore
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I’ve run an ATS on every one of my large reef tanks for more than 20 years - I wouldn’t run a tank without one. An excellent part of a comprehensive nutrient management system. I build my own; in the past because there weren’t commercial options, more recently because I enjoy building things.
vetteguy53081
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I LIKE MINE. IT DID FOR THE FIRST OVERFLOW DUMPING 5 GALLONS TONIGHT ON ME AS THERE WAS SO MUCH ALGAE THAT IT CLOGGED PORTS. I redirected the tubes and now it will flow into my sump in the future
Turbo’s L2 Rev4 ATS user here. I’ve recently decided to keep my skimmer off for the next few weeks to see how things go. I’m harvesting every couple of weeks. Here’s my latest harvest...
A bit longer, about 2007 for waterfalls :)
For DIY sizing:
Scrubbers are sized according to feeding. Nutrients "in" (feeding) must equal nutrients "out" (scrubber growth), no matter how many gallons or liters you have. So...
An example VERTICAL upflow or waterfall screen size is 3 X 4 inches = 12 square inches of screen (7.5 X 10 cm = 75 sq cm) with a total of 12 real florescent watts (not equivalent watts) of light, or half that for LEDs, for 18 hours a day. If all 12 watts (6 watts LED) are on one side, it is a 1-sided screen. If the watts are divided on each side of the screen, it is a 2-sided screen. This should be able to handle the following amounts of daily feeding:
1 frozen cube per day (2-sided screen), or
1/2 frozen cube per day (1-sided screen), or
10 pinches of flake food per day (2-sided screen), or
5 pinches of flake food per day (1-sided screen), or
10 square inches (60 sq cm) of nori per day (2-sided screen), or
5 square inches (30 sq cm) of nori per day (1-sided screen), or
0.1 dry ounce (2.8 grams) of pellet food per day (2-sided screen), or
0.05 dry ounce (1.4 grams) of pellet food per day (1-sided screen)
Problem rocks: Each 50 pounds (2.2 kg) of nuisance algae covered rocks you have adds 1 cube a day.
Flow or air bubbles is always 24 hours; water flow is at least 35 gph per inch of width of screen [60 lph per cm], EVEN IF one sided or horizontal.
FLOATING SURFACE SCRUBBERS WITH STRINGS: Screen size is the size of the box (Length X Width), and is 2-sided because the strings grow in 3D.
Clean algae:
Every 7 to 14 days, or
When it's black, or
When it fills up, or
When algae lets go, or
When nutrients start to rise
Colin_S
Active Member
great post btw and not to highjack it, but i too am building my first algae scrubber after failing with chaeto multipletimes. After reading multiple theads and articles this seems a much more efficient and bennificial way of controling nutriants.
This thread answered some of my questions.
Heres my build dimentions
150g tank, it will be plumbed into my overflow to my sump, and controlled by a ball valve.
Length 30cm x hight 25cm x depth 15cm
i cant change anything other than the depth, is 15cm enough?
Have iworked this out correct?
if mine is 30cm in length at 60l/h per cm = 1800l/h?
How did you get these calculations?
thanks
andyg1960
Well-Known Member
Very effective. I use the Santa Monica Surf 2, a different design in that it floats in the sump and is "powered" by an air pump, not water. Eliminates much of the space concerns of the traditional screen type scrubbers.
"Do you see the loss of gas exchange as a problem with an ats vs a skimmer? I run both, but my skimmer is winning right now"
No, a scrubber has lots of gas exchange; a chaeto reactor however has none.
"Length 30cm x hight 25cm x depth 15cm
i cant change anything other than the depth, is 15cm enough?
Have iworked this out correct?
if mine is 30cm in length at 60l/h per cm = 1800l/h?"
How do you ave depth, a waterfall pipe only has length x height. Unless you mean a floating upflow.
"How did you get these calculations"
Reports from thousands of people over ten years.
No, a scrubber has lots of gas exchange; a chaeto reactor however has none.
"Length 30cm x hight 25cm x depth 15cm
i cant change anything other than the depth, is 15cm enough?
Have iworked this out correct?
if mine is 30cm in length at 60l/h per cm = 1800l/h?"
How do you ave depth, a waterfall pipe only has length x height. Unless you mean a floating upflow.
"How did you get these calculations"
Reports from thousands of people over ten years.
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