Chaeto Test Part III: We've proven it works, now time to up the game! | BRStv Investigates

[Reefcowboy]

Jason, have you been able to efficiently export with that ATS?
I looked into that one, but the screen seemed kind of small, so I decided to make one myself. My Screen is 12"x8" so I think it will keep up with a 150 gal heavily stocked. Turbo Aquatics's unit seems really well made. If I remember correctly you have a large system?

 

[Rick Mathew]

Excellent work...appreciate all your efforts!

 

[Catchemall]

Jason, have you been able to efficiently export with that ATS?
I looked into that one, but the screen seemed kind of small, so I decided to make one myself. My Screen is 12"x8" so I think it will keep up with a 150 gal heavily stocked. Turbo Aquatics's unit seems really well made. If I remember correctly you have a large system?

That's a huge screen it's based on amount of food you feed as opposed to tank size.

 

[jason2459]

Jason, have you been able to efficiently export with that ATS?
I looked into that one, but the screen seemed kind of small, so I decided to make one myself. My Screen is 12"x8" so I think it will keep up with a 150 gal heavily stocked. Turbo Aquatics's unit seems really well made. If I remember correctly you have a large system?

Absolutely have. I have an L3 right now that gives a very good amount of growth. It was looking a bit pale recently and started dosing some iron. Back to very thick dark green growth.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-the-diy-fe-ferrous-citrate-supplement.307168/


Good FAQ with screen size recommendations
http://algaescrubber.zohosites.com

 

[Reefcowboy]

That's a huge screen it's based on amount of food you feed as opposed to tank size.

Agreed, I think the rule of thumb these days goes by mysis cubes/flake food amounts and things of that sort. A 4"x3" screen, used by most scrubbers handle somewhat a small range to what I plan on doing myself.
Using an ATS as main nutrient export for a large system requires a larger screen.

 

[VJV]

This series is amazing! It is real education about reefing based on real experiments, not just heresy which is what most of the advice out there is about. I must say I am really envious of your clean refugiums. The refugium in my tank is always getting covered with GHA which I must clean constantly otherwise it just ends up smothering the Chaetomorpha and it starts to die... And I get tons of GHA micro filaments floating in the water column which makes me wonder if the refugium is doing more bad than good.... I am using a hydroponics Mars Hydro 300 LED that is very purple looking so not sure why this happens in my case when all those refugiums seem to be very clean.

 

[Monkeynaut]

I have a question the entire BRS been debating internally since all this started. If you could only have one method of filtration would it be mechanical filtration like a skimmer or organic like an ATS or fuge? While a lot of us don't have space or budget for both, the center chamber in most sumps can really be used for either and the implementation cost is in the same neighborhood.

I have to say running without a skimmer seems insane because it has been at the core of all our tanks for so long but if the end goal is just nutrient reduction I think there is some debate to be had as to which will perform better.

Presumably the cheato adds oxygen back to the tank. Maybe not as much as the skimmer? I don't know.
I would choose the fuge if I could only have one ( I have both). I like the biodiversity it adds to the tank and it is less maintenance.

 

[Mal11224]

Presumably the cheato adds oxygen back to the tank. Maybe not as much as the skimmer? I don't know.
I would choose the fuge if I could only have one ( I have both). I like the biodiversity it adds to the tank and it is less maintenance.

I have run my tank without a skimmer for a few months in the beginning with 10 fish and a bunch of coral and my phos never rose above zero. But nitrates were too high for my liking and I was cleaning algae off of my glass too often. Was an experiment for me but I had to get the skimmer going. Makes life much easier and water a little clearer.

 

[JamesP]

I'd go with a skimmer if I could only pick one thing. In addition to skimming and oxygenation it opens the door to being able to carbon dose as well. Takes no extra space in the sump to skim and carbon dose so you get both by picking a skimmer as your only filtration. You can run an airline outside to get increased co2 as well. There are so many "add ons" you can do with a skimmer like mentioned above that I cannot see going without one

 

[Reefcowboy]

A skimmer goes well with a refugium, one supplementing the other...why choose one or another?

 

[JamesP]

A skimmer goes well with a refugium, one supplementing the other...why choose one or another?

Because Ryan asked us our opinion and wanted to know which we would choose.

 

[Monkeynaut]

I have run my tank without a skimmer for a few months in the beginning with 10 fish and a bunch of coral and my phos never rose above zero. But nitrates were too high for my liking and I was cleaning algae off of my glass too often. Was an experiment for me but I had to get the skimmer going. Makes life much easier and water a little clearer.

This make me wonder how big the refugium section of your sump was, the flow through it and the lighting used.

We know Ryan will use the H380 on the 160.


I asked the following previously but I think it got buried.

Will BRS increase the flow on the 160 up from the 5 times tank volume?
How big is the refugium section on the 160s sump?

I hope they keep the flow the same and I hope the refugium section is a little small. We could really see the results for a setup alot of us have access to now. With the addition of the high powered h380.

 

[JamesP]

How big is the refugium section on the 160s sump?

I was wondering this too.

 

[Mal11224]

My tank is a 70 gal with a 30 gal sump. The fuge is a decent size. Sump is 4 chambers. Live rock in 2nd and 3rd chamber. I use a fluval sp4 for my return. I have my drain nearly 90% open and my pump wide open. I get a lot of flow through my sump. I imagine it helps a lot. I love the sp4. It is a little big but very quiet. I use the Kessil h80 and get good growth. Never had an issue with phosphates. Tank is nearly 7 months old.

 

[jason2459]

I have a question the entire BRS been debating internally since all this started. If you could only have one method of filtration would it be mechanical filtration like a skimmer or organic like an ATS or fuge? While a lot of us don't have space or budget for both, the center chamber in most sumps can really be used for either and the implementation cost is in the same neighborhood.

I have to say running without a skimmer seems insane because it has been at the core of all our tanks for so long but if the end goal is just nutrient reduction I think there is some debate to be had as to which will perform better.

I've seen successful systems with skimmers, with out skimmers, no water changes, only does water changes, with carbon dosing, with out, etc etc etc...

One thing in common is consistency. And I'm not talking stability. What ever is done or chosen to do then stick to it and keep it consistent. The tank will adapt.

And fwiw to me a successful system is one that has been going for over 10 years. To me there are a lot of beautiful tanks out there but not many successful ones.

To the question I would want to do the algae harvesting if I had a choice on my 180 mixed reef. But my tank heavily depends on my skimmer for aeration. The skimmer increases my pH better then any algae I've grown. But I don't do any other kind of mechanical filtration. The skimmer to me provides just the right amount.

That said on my 20g long mantis tank with softies all I do are water changes.

But I have no idea what it takes for an SPS dominant tank so I don't know what would be best in that kind of system.

 

[Lawlboom]

I really really enjoy the testing videos and all other videos put out by BRS. Those videos helped me turn my tank around and without them I probably would have stayed freshwater. There is a point though where it seems like this hobby becomes 'pay to win'.

 

[Cory]

Id go with a refugium/ ats over a skimmer if i had to choose one.

But since im vodka dosing id choose a skimmer.

Id like to see if the kessil refugium could reverse a tank full of hair algae. That would be sweet to see.

 

[JamesP]

Id go with a refugium/ ats over a skimmer if i had to choose one.

But since im vodka dosing id choose a skimmer.

Id like to see if the kessil refugium could reverse a tank full of hair algae. That would be sweet to see.

So your vote is for skimmer so you can vodka dose? That's essentially what I was thinking too since a skimmer opens up other options such as vodka.

 

[SantaMonica]

I've always said tanks should run like reefs. That's is, all water is filtered by algae.

The video showed the illumination portion of equation of filtration (photosynthesis) = light X attachment X air water interface turbulence.

The increase of illumination increased the filtering.

 

[jason2459]

Don't forget all the other filter feeders, bacteria, protists, etc out there besides just algae. Algae is just one part. For our extremely tiny slice of the ocean there is no way one could copy exactly what it can do.