How anyone can build an ATS for under $30.00

[laverda]

A Algae Turf Scrubber (ATS) is easy to build and install in just about any tank. The fact is the lights we use to grow corals are not ideal for growing algae. That applies to pretty much any algae. I am not an light expert but inexpensive grow lights work much better than most of the Refugium lights selling for much more. Just type in grow lights in Amazon and you will see lots of options. https://amzn.to/2QhmUWR They have grow lights in all sorts of configurations starting a $.01. Sort by lowest to highest to find $1 ones. Just pick the style you think will work best for you. You do not need real high wastage. The ones I use are similar to this one at only $23.99 https://amzn.to/2zIOuSd

I have 4 mangrove trees growing like weeds under just one of the above lights. By lighting the areas we want to grow algae we can grow it so it can easily be harvested and keep it out of the display tank. The lights and be mounted any way convent to light the surface you want to grow algae on. In reality it will grow on any surface including the sand bed, rocks, glass or acrylic tank or sump sides and partitions. The trick is to grow it on surfaces that are easy to remove and clean. By cleaning the mesh you will be removing nutrients via algae growth. For that we do not need a complicated or expensive ATS. A simple price of needle point plastic mesh is an excellent surface for this. In can be cut with a pair of siccors or an Exacto knife as you prefer. It can be folded and just hung over the side of your sump if you want, as long as you can light it and it has water flowing over of around it. The mesh comes in a verity of sizes and is available from craft stores like Michels for less than $1.00 a sheet or from amazon. https://amzn.to/2Ud7mlf

Roughing the plastic surface helps the algae get started and does not make it any harder to clean really. You really don’t want it supper clean any way. If you clean it to well it will just take longer fo it to be covered in algae again. You can rough it up the mesh in a variety of ways. Sand it with real course sand paper or drag a course saw blade side ways across it.
To be continued...

 

[laverda]

Now you have mesh, all you need to do is figure out where you want to put it. Here are some ideas. Hang the sheets in your overflow so the water flows over them. Or fold in a v and tuck it in the weir of your sump. Or float it just below the surface of your sump. Or hang it on the side or back of your sump. Get creative! Anywhere you have water flow over or through the mesh, as long as you can light it, it will grow algae.

In my experience you can quickly strip all the neturients out of your system once the algae starts growing if you light it 24/7. My corals were clearly not happy when I did so and my cheeto all but died. I adjust my light schedule to keep my nitrate and phosphates where I want them.

 

[laverda]

Building an ATS in your overflow is super easy and a good use of space. Most people will need to shorten your drain pipes to make it work the best. Water splashing will not be a issue, as it will be running down the mesh.

More photos to fallow.

 

[ryeguyy84]

Thought about clipping a piece of that to my sump baffle since it seems to grow algae very well under the fuge light. Thoughts?

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Cool! Thanks for sharing!

 

[laverda]

Thought about clipping a piece of that to my sump baffle since it seems to grow algae very well under the fuge light. Thoughts?

I did that as well and it worked great. I will post a photo later. Is still have it although it does not produce as much algae as it used to do my mangroves growing requiring me to raise the lights plus the leaves block a lot of the light.

 

[laverda]

ATS in weir of sump. I later folded it into a V configuration. This worked well although it primarily grows algae at the 2-3” below water level. It grows a lot in that area though.

The advantage is it cost just $1.00 to increase nutrient export as I was already lighting the Refugium and it just got spill over light from it.

 

[ryeguyy84]

ATS in weir of sump. I later folded it into a V configuration. This worked well although it primarily grows algae at the 2-3” below water level. It grows a lot in that area though.

The advantage is it cost just $1.00 to increase nutrient export as I was already lighting the Refugium and it just got spill over light from it.

What does the v do? Allow water to flow around?

 

[laverda]

It increased the amount of mesh that was near the surface where it is more efficient. Water has to flow through it. In this case it flows upwards. You could also have it on the other side of the weir if you light it there. I did not want to move my light as I did not need more surface to grow algae.

 

[ca1ore]

Very nice! How long lasting have you found that LED panel to be? I've had nothing but trouble with the cheap grow bulbs off amazon/ebay - they either don't work out of the box or fail shortly thereafter. Perhaps the panels are better?

 

[laverda]

I have two, I bought one to try and was very impressed with how well it grew algae and bought a second one a few months later. I bought them both sometime in 2016. My guess one is 26 months old and the other 28 months. One has a few LEDs out at this point. I am happy enough with them, I will buy another when I move my mangroves to a separate tank.

 

[ryeguyy84]

Very nice! How long lasting have you found that LED panel to be? I've had nothing but trouble with the cheap grow bulbs off amazon/ebay - they either don't work out of the box or fail shortly thereafter. Perhaps the panels are better?

I bought one maybe 6 months ago and found it ran really hot and loud. The seller gave me a $10 credit because of how loud it was so I bought a new fan that was quieter and then stuck a bunch (like 10) of little raspberry pi heat sinks on it. It runs cool now and hopefully will last a long time

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

A Algae Turf Scrubber (ATS) is easy to build and install in just about any tank. The fact is the lights we use to grow corals are not ideal for growing algae. That applies to pretty much any algae. I am not an light expert but inexpensive grow lights work much better than most of the Refugium lights selling for much more. Just type in grow lights in Amazon and you will see lots of options. https://amzn.to/2QhmUWR They have grow lights in all sorts of configurations starting a $.01. Sort by lowest to highest to find $1 ones. Just pick the style you think will work best for you. You do not need real high wastage. The ones I use are similar to this one at only $23.99 https://amzn.to/2zIOuSd

I have 4 mangrove trees growing like weeds under just one of the above lights. By lighting the areas we want to grow algae we can grow it so it can easily be harvested and keep it out of the display tank. The lights and be mounted any way convent to light the surface you want to grow algae on. In reality it will grow on any surface including the sand bed, rocks, glass or acrylic tank or sump sides and partitions. The trick is to grow it on surfaces that are easy to remove and clean. By cleaning the mesh you will be removing nutrients via algae growth. For that we do not need a complicated or expensive ATS. A simple price of needle point plastic mesh is an excellent surface for this. In can be cut with a pair of siccors or an Exacto knife as you prefer. It can be folded and just hung over the side of your sump if you want, as long as you can light it and it has water flowing over of around it. The mesh comes in a verity of sizes and is available from craft stores like Michels for less than $1.00 a sheet or from amazon. https://amzn.to/2Ud7mlf

Roughing the plastic surface helps the algae get started and does not make it any harder to clean really. You really don’t want it supper clean any way. If you clean it to well it will just take longer fo it to be covered in algae again. You can rough it up the mesh in a variety of ways. Sand it with real course sand paper or drag a course saw blade side ways across it.
To be continued...

Thanks for sharing,

 

[Scrubber_steve]

I have two, I bought one to try and was very impressed with how well it grew algae and bought a second one a few months later.

Got any pics of your algae growth?

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Got any pics of your algae growth?

Plastic grid from hobby lobby or Internet?

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Plastic grid from hobby lobby or Internet?

Mine? from Spotlite

 

[ryeguyy84]

Well i made the mistake of asking my wife if she wanted to come to AC Moore. . . $100 later I have my plastic sheet.

I roughed it up and clipped it to my fuge baffle. Let's see how this goes

 

[laverda]

I bought one maybe 6 months ago and found it ran really hot and loud. The seller gave me a $10 credit because of how loud it was so I bought a new fan that was quieter and then stuck a bunch (like 10) of little raspberry pi heat sinks on it. It runs cool now and hopefully will last a long time

The ones I use do not have fans, so they are silent. Heat has not been an issue.

 

[laverda]

It is easy to incorporate an ATS into most AIO tanks. Here is how to incorporate an ATS in a JBJ nano cube you need a small peice of plastic needle point mesh available for less than $1 at craft stores. A small red and blue LED grow light avalable on amazon starting at $1. Remove a section of the black sticky plastic from the section of the back you want to put you ATS in. Rough up the mesh so the algae can atach better, Insert the mesh and light it from the back. I would make the ATS 3 sided. Place one peice of mesh vertical opposite the light a second piece I would form into a U or V shape on the sides of the champer. How long you light it will control your nutrient levels. I would light it 24/7 for the first 2 weeks. Once you get noticable growth reduce you light schedule to opposite the display lights. I hope this is clear. Let me know if you have any questions.
This will work in most all in one tanks. The ATS could also be lit from above if you prefer.

I find an easy way to control nutrients and algae in the display is by using an ATS. By making conditions ideal for algae growth in an ATS it will out compete the algae in your display letting you clean up crew and herbavous keep the tank clean. Harvesting the algae from the ATS removed the nutrients from your system. An ATS can be built for very little and is much less expensive than GFO. Dosing small amounts of iron can help the algae grows as you use the existing iron from your system. I woul love to hear your experience.

 

[laverda]

Plastic grid from hobby lobby or Internet?

I get it localy from Michael's craft store.