Algae scrubbers, who knew...

[LardLad]

It’s on a 25 gal aio. I have enough space to run a skimmer and a scrubber. But if I can simplify, I will. It’s a ok so an up flow scrubber that uses air drive so it will get oxygen in the water. Probably not as well as a skimmer.

Speaking of gas transfer across the membrane. Please check out my build from before and you will see that having a CO2 scrubber in line in front of the actual membrane has boosted pH from 7.8 to 8.3. I would say that solidly matches any skimmer performance. And it is tunable. In fact I would say that it would be difficult to get finer control on ph then by this method

 

[LardLad]

I agree that skimmers will outperform UAS for many applications. But you UAS I have found our in optimal method for CO2 scrubbing applications

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Speaking of gas transfer across the membrane. Please check out my build from before and you will see that having a CO2 scrubber in line in front of the actual membrane has boosted pH from 7.8 to 8.3. I would say that solidly matches any skimmer performance. And it is tunable. In fact I would say that it would be difficult to get finer control on ph then by this method

Would you run it opposite of your lights?

 

[LardLad]

Would you run it opposite of your lights?

I run display lights on a 10 hour photo. I run the UAS opposite of that 18 to 6 cycle. So if my display lights go off at 10 p.m. the scrubber lights come on at 8 p.m. .
Then when my display comes back on at noon the scrubber goes off at 2 p.m..
I'm sure that there are other methods but I've had such a good pH response but I don't want to change it.

 

[Gogol_frag]

It’s on a 25 gal aio. I have enough space to run a skimmer and a scrubber. But if I can simplify, I will. It’s a ok so an up flow scrubber that uses air drive so it will get oxygen in the water. Probably not as well as a skimmer.

I would tend to agree with you. An ATS and a scrubber, together, will be an overkill on a 25G setup. If I had to pick one over the other, I would pick ATS.

 

[Mark]

I remember the Inland stuff. Always built my own, so you may be right on the Adey patent ..... Here's mine in 1994 .... well, the box at least.

Do I also spy a Sanders Ozonizer and a Luft pump? I have a bit of nostalgia for those reefing days.

 

[JayStro81]

Good to know! I appreciate the tip. I’ll try that. How long did you keep the black screen in it?

I took it out as soon as I saw the white backing starting to turn a little brown/black

 

[LardLad]

I would tend to agree with you. An ATS and a scrubber, together, will be an overkill on a 25G setup. If I had to pick one over the other, I would pick ATS.

I agree strongly. If I only had one to pick I would definitely choose the UAS/ATS over a skimmer. No doubt about it

 

[JayStro81]

Are these things efficient enough that with an appropriate sized unit one could use a scrubber in place of a skimmer?

I'm personally still running my skimmer, just less hours. I have seen people say that the scrubber allowed them to completely delete their skimmer. I personally think that results are going to vary based on each individual setup. No 2 tanks are the same... Livestock, feeding schedule, dosing, additional filtration, age of the tank, flow, etc... Just monitor your tank and test your levels often, especially when the scrubber starts producing. You may indeed be able to delete your skimmer in time.

 

[LardLad]

A skimmer is an indirect export method. Whereas ATS/UAS are direct export methods.

There are benefits to each of those.

 

[LardLad]

Meaning that a skimmer removes organic matter before it can become a problem before it turns into nitrate and phosphate.
WhereasUAS/ATS ties up nitrate and phosphate directly so I can be physically removed

 

[Turbo's Aquatics]

I'll be very interested in the opinions of more experienced users of the Algae Scrubbers on this question.

Having said that, I have used a skimmer for 3 years, and still use it now, and can note that a skimmer provides some advantages that are just not in the Algae Scrubber's wheel-house.

1. The skimmer does things (like gas injection to the water column) than an Algae Scrubber has no means of doing ... depending on your setup that "gas" in the skimmer could be Ozone, air in your room, or air in your room stripped of carbon dioxide. Each of these can have dramatically different impacts on your aquarium.
2. Some skimmers (like mine) have built in media chambers - which almost negates the need for a seperate media-reactor.
3. In case of an accidental organic/inorganic increase in aquarium - fish-death, introduction of undesirable chemicals etc, a skimmer is your most efficient route to extract these. An ATS has no mechanism to help you.
4. Finally a skimmer and ATS combined introduces redundancies (fall-backs) which lowers the risk in your aquarium-system if/when one of them fails.

Hope this helps. Finally, I am a bit of an old-school - so if you are considering a skimmer you may want to look at Deltecs. - Battle Corals - an SPS-exclusive coral shop sells them in US, as does Deltec USA. - both have solid customer service. Deltecs are built like rocks, are quiet like a Whisper.

^ these reasons are why I jumped off the "hate skimmers" bandwagon a while back....

 

[JayStro81]

I'll be very interested in the opinions of more experienced users of the Algae Scrubbers on this question.

Having said that, I have used a skimmer for 3 years, and still use it now, and can note that a skimmer provides some advantages that are just not in the Algae Scrubber's wheel-house.

1. The skimmer does things (like gas injection to the water column) than an Algae Scrubber has no means of doing ... depending on your setup that "gas" in the skimmer could be Ozone, air in your room, or air in your room stripped of carbon dioxide. Each of these can have dramatically different impacts on your aquarium.
2. Some skimmers (like mine) have built in media chambers - which almost negates the need for a seperate media-reactor.
3. In case of an accidental organic/inorganic increase in aquarium - fish-death, introduction of undesirable chemicals etc, a skimmer is your most efficient route to extract these. An ATS has no mechanism to help you.
4. Finally a skimmer and ATS combined introduces redundancies (fall-backs) which lowers the risk in your aquarium-system if/when one of them fails.

Hope this helps. Finally, I am a bit of an old-school - so if you are considering a skimmer you may want to look at Deltecs. - Battle Corals - an SPS-exclusive coral shop sells them in US, as does Deltec USA. - both have solid customer service. Deltecs are built like rocks, are quiet like a Whisper.

Great info ☝☝☝

 

[LRT]

How are you guys scrubbing your water?
I had a diy ats hooked up on small pump inside my sump just recycling that water and didn't do to much.
I also had another ats hooked up scrubbing my overflow water and noticed a huge difference in algae growth.
Ended up un hooking the one on pump in res and built another one primarily focusing on scrubbing overflow water.

 

[ca1ore]

Do I also spy a Sanders Ozonizer and a Luft pump? I have a bit of nostalgia for those reefing days.

Haha, yes .... along with a bunch of stuff that I don't even recall the purpose. Only thing I still have is the GF+ ball valve ..... pays to buy quality.

 

[Adamantium]

Anyone else running an algae scrubber with success? I've been using the Santa Monica drop 6x for a few months. It took a little while to get started but once it took off my nutrient levels are almost non existent. I have an overstocked 40 gallon (7 nano fish) and I've recently switched to bi weekly 10% water changes in an attempt to raise nitrates a little. I feed reef roids once a week, mysis/brine daily, and dose aminos every other day. I also cut back my skimming to 18hrs a day instead of 24hrs. This thing is incredible!!

You consider 7 nano fish in a 40B overstocked?

 

[LardLad]

You consider 7 nano fish in a 40B overstocked?

Maybe "Nano Tangs".

 

[JayStro81]

You consider 7 nano fish in a 40B overstocked?

Yes and no, its not a 40 breeder. Its a 40 aio, so the display is actually only 30 gallons. I personally dont believe in "overstocked" as long as you're consistent with maintenance, nutrient export, and managing aggression. Still, some may feel 7 fish in a tank my size is too many. So that's why I originally wrote it like that. Maybe I should have put the word "overstocked" in quotations, lol.

 

[JayStro81]

Maybe "Nano Tangs".

If I had a tang in a 40, I'd never admit it here, lol.

 

[LardLad]

If I had a tang in a 40, I'd never admit it here, lol.

With all the advances in the science of genetics going on you think they would come out with a Nano Tang.

If they ever come out with a Nano Panther Grouper I'm getting one