How many run an external chaeto reactor, Leaks?

[KnH]

I am looking at running the Tunze external chaeto reactor on my 90g
Ant thoughts of the Tunze MAR-3181
How many people experience leaks while running chaeto reactor externally

 

[bshake]

I just set mine up running inline with a canister filter so it’s external without a sump. In a sump I’m sure it will leave as well but not really sure but it will definitely leak externally. you will need 2 ball valves (or a way to close the water lines) on the supply and return and every time you open the reactor you should have it in some sort of bucket because as soon as you put your hands inside water will come out from the top.

 

[Solo McReefer]

I did

After breaking it down and cleaning it the bottom inlet leaked

I used some scant Teflon grease on the O rings. And Teflon taped the threads on inlet going in the bottom. That stopped that

It still has a very trace leak somewhere up top, I get a scant layer of dried salt creep on the lid after a week or so. No water though. Could be drips from my hands in the tank

Also changed out the Tunze pump for a cheap DC Jeboa pump. Tunze could keep the cheato spinning, not strong enough

 

[VintageReefer]

I don’t know why people run cheato reactors when algae turf scrubbers are more efficient and productive :/

Turf algae grows faster and holds 5-8x the phosphate compared to an equal amount of cheato.

 

[Solo McReefer]

I don’t know why people run cheato reactors when algae turf scrubbers are more efficient and productive :/

Turf algae grows faster and holds 5-8x the phosphate compared to an equal amount of cheato.

I made a DIY algae turf scrubber years ago

Only thing it grew was purple cyano, consistently

My tunze was growing turf, last time I cleaned it. Enough to stop my macro from spinning

/shrug

 

[VintageReefer]

Only thing it grew was purple cyano, consistently

I wonder why? There has to be a reason

Flow, lighting, or oxygen was not ideal

 

[Solo McReefer]

I wonder why? There has to be a reason

Flow, lighting, or oxygen was not ideal

I don't know, it was like 10 years ago

It was pretty actually

Only smelled bad when I cleaned it

I figured, "better growing there than the tank"

I harvested it, just like one would hair algae in a turf scrubber. Exporting whatever was in it. So a win

Probably not enough oxygen

I later ODd that tank on H²0². People were just learning how to use that to kill algae back then. And you could buy 24% on Amazon

 

[TokenReefer]

I've had the tunze Mar for about 6 months. No leaks... Planning to clean it today actually

 

[KnH]

I don’t know why people run cheato reactors when algae turf scrubbers are more efficient and productive :/

Turf algae grows faster and holds 5-8x the phosphate compared to an equal amount of cheato.

Thanks for the reply, could you point me to the info that supports that turf is more effective than chaeto

 

[KnH]

I did

After breaking it down and cleaning it the bottom inlet leaked

I used some scant Teflon grease on the O rings. And Teflon taped the threads on inlet going in the bottom. That stopped that

It still has a very trace leak somewhere up top, I get a scant layer of dried salt creep on the lid after a week or so. No water though. Could be drips from my hands in the tank

Also changed out the Tunze pump for a cheap DC Jeboa pump. Tunze could keep the cheato spinning, not strong enough

I think I read your posts, are you still using the add-on LED AMZN light strips

 

[Solo McReefer]

I think I read your posts, are you still using the add-on LED AMZN light strips

Yup

I think they are working, it looks full and keeps stopping. And I just cleaned out some algae last week, week before can't remember

I'll know when I clean out chaeto tomorrow

 

[Solo McReefer]

I think I read your posts, are you still using the add-on LED AMZN light strips

I would buy a Pax Bellum new, if it did the spinning thing

For some reason, it spinning like it does is like a shiny object

[Spin spin]"Oh, it's working" [spin spin]

I have a used one in my sights, but seller doesn't want to ship. For the big tank

I have half a mind to buy a tube, and make one out of a reactor or an old Vertex Zeovit plunger thingy. That spins

(Checks out videos on how to weld plastics) I can do that

You can buy the Pax Bellum light sleeve online

 

[VintageReefer]

Thanks for the reply, could you point me to the info that supports that turf is more effective than chaeto

http://algaescrubber.net/forums/showthread.php?3637-Chaeto-Reactors-compared-to-Algae-Scrubbers

 

[TokenReefer]

http://algaescrubber.net/forums/showthread.php?3637-Chaeto-Reactors-compared-to-Algae-Scrubbers

Any other sources?

 

[VintageReefer]

A cheato reactor would need to be huge if you wanted 100% filtration for a reef. Same for a refugium.

My entire 75g reef is filtered by a scrubber that’s about 6x4x3

No water changes, no filter floss or rollers, no skimmer, no carbon dosing. Nothing but a medium scrubber that fits in my sump

 

[VintageReefer]

Any other sources?

Yes I have read studies but don’t have them on me at work but this has been proven over and over again that turf algae is more effective than macro for various reason, mainly nutrient density and growth

 

[Court_Appointed_Hypeman]

Any other sources?

I am curious about this too. I have been considering using an algae scrubber. I never considered that I could use an ATS for a fresh tank, we got a few golfish tanks that could certainly use one. But I don't notice where it says which is better in that forum thread. I wouldn't mind at this point switching from chaeto as it grows so fast I have to shake it out every day, if I went ATS only scraping it once a week would be less of a chore. I fear I would need a huge ATS though, my chaeto goes from about .5gal volume to 4 gal volume fast, and I don't see how on earth an ATS can match that without being larger than commercial. I guess by mass they might be more significant. Though I am not finding much on the difference in trace, phos, or nitrate uptake on google at the moment, this will be the largest factor as I have to dose phos several times a day or it hits 0, and if an ATS is any higher than chaeto I won't be able to use it.


Also I Just noticed that site was algaescrubber.net lol

 

[VintageReefer]

And, I’ve witnessed it first hand. I had a full cheato refugium

I would bag this up and sell it online

Nice little bit of extra pocket change every week or two. I was doing this consistently for over a year. But I still had nitrate and phosphate issues in my reef.

Scrubbers were somewhat new to the commercial market. I took a gamble and bought one. connected a scrubber to the system. In less than 2 months, all the cheato was dead and the scrubber was thriving. And, not only did my cheato die, but my nutrient issue was fixed also. The small scrubber outcompeted and outperformed the cheato and I’ve been running scrubbers successfully ever since. About 10 years now

 

[VintageReefer]

Also I Just noticed that site was algaescrubber.net lol

It is but it’s a research forum and there are a lot of cheato reactor users on there. It’s basically info for anyone wanting to use algae in any form as a nutrient control method

It also has the comparison between scrubbers and cheato reactors and was the only article I have easy access to from my current location

 

[Solo McReefer]

http://algaescrubber.net/forums/showthread.php?3637-Chaeto-Reactors-compared-to-Algae-Scrubbers

That's written by Santa Monica