How to Seed Your Algae Turf Scrubber Screen.

[Scrubber_steve]

Nyos or Elos.

Just ordered the ELOS po4 kit, atoll. Sounds like its the better one going by Marine Depot

Be interesting to test it out. I've been using the salifert for a long time.

 

[atoll]

Just ordered the ELOS po4 kit, atoll. Sounds like its the better one going by Marine Depot

Be interesting to test it out. I've been using the salifert for a long time.

Let us know your results using it.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Let us know your results using it.

hey atoll; so I ordered the ELOS po4 test kit, online, only to be told a week later they didn't have it in stock :mad:
So I went to one of the local stores to buy their Nyos, but decided against it because it cannot distinguish between zero & less than 0.1ppm (really a high range test kit)

So I bought the RedSea PRO po4 kit, updated version. Excellent kit. It has a high range method & a low range method - 0.00, 0.01 0.02 0.04 0.08 0.12 0.16 :)
My test result was 0.03ppm

Using the salifert test, the test solution would appear to give a zero result, unless another vial of plain tank water was use to compare the test solution against. When this was done the test solution was actually a pale blue colour, giving a result of about 0.02ppm.

So, although I would say the salifert was pretty accurate the RedSea is much easier to read, & this is especially good for low range testing.

 

[atoll]

hey atoll; so I ordered the ELOS po4 test kit, online, only to be told a week later they didn't have it in stock :mad:
So I went to one of the local stores to buy their Nyos, but decided against it because it cannot distinguish between zero & less than 0.1ppm (really a high range test kit)

So I bought the RedSea PRO po4 kit, updated version. Excellent kit. It has a high range method & a low range method - 0.00, 0.01 0.02 0.04 0.08 0.12 0.16 :)
My test result was 0.03ppm

Using the salifert test, the test solution would appear to give a zero result, unless another vial of plain tank water was use to compare the test solution against. When this was done the test solution was actually a pale blue colour, giving a result of about 0.02ppm.

So, although I would say the salifert was pretty accurate the RedSea is much easier to read, & this is especially good for low range testing.

Am thinking Salifert have changed their kit as it was useless before for low range testing anyway.

 

[Khanh]

Dear atoll,
Few months ago, I bought an ATS with 4x 9w led bars (2 bars each side). It runs 1 bar each side 16 hours daily. The screen grows the dark algae only and the NO3 never drops (NO3: 25, PO4: 0.1).
Few days ago my friend give me some ulva intestinalis. Treating hitchhike parasite, bacteria ... I diped it in RO water mixed with Brightwell Recover Fish M in few hours. Later, I seeded it on the screen, but after 2 days it became fade and die off.
Could you please let me know why is my algae die off?
Thanks

 

[atoll]

9w LEDs seem high to me when most scrubbers use 3w. I am wondering if you have overexposed the Ulva to light. How close are the LEDs to the Ulva?

 

[Ly78]

Dear atoll,
Few months ago, I bought an ATS with 4x 9w led bars (2 bars each side). It runs 1 bar each side 16 hours daily. The screen grows the dark algae only and the NO3 never drops (NO3: 25, PO4: 0.1).
Few days ago my friend give me some ulva intestinalis. Treating hitchhike parasite, bacteria ... I diped it in RO water mixed with Brightwell Recover Fish M in few hours. Later, I seeded it on the screen, but after 2 days it became fade and die off.
Could you please let me know why is my algae die off?
Thanks

I think dipping it in fresh water for few hours killed it.

 

[Khanh]

I think dipping it in fresh water for few hours killed it.

Because I used to dip chaeto in RO for 3 hours but no problem

 

[atoll]

I think dipping it in fresh water for few hours killed it.

Quite possibly, however, Ulva intestinalis is very tolerant of SG and is often found in rivers where the meet the sea and the water is more brackish. A few hours and with the other stuff added may have been too long 15 mins should have been more than enough but I still wonder about 9w LEDs being OTT.

 

[AiKkz]

Awesome write up!! I will give this a shot

 

[vetteguy53081]

I clean mine with a toothbrush. Works well.

 

[Khanh]

9w LEDs seem high to me when most scrubbers use 3w. I am wondering if you have overexposed the Ulva to light. How close are the LEDs to the Ulva?

Thanks atoll
This is not my DIY ATS, it works well. The líght is 3.5” from the screen and the screen is 12.5” long. If feeding more they will add one more light, total 18w each size

 

[Khanh]

Quite possibly, however, Ulva intestinalis is very tolerant of SG and is often found in rivers where the meet the sea and the water is more brackish. A few hours and with the other stuff added may have been too long 15 mins should have been more than enough but I still wonder about 9w LEDs being OTT.

The RO was mixed with medicine Brightwell Recover Fish. I’m not sure the RO or the medicine kills ulva or both. I will try again.
Thanks so much

 

[Khanh]

Hey atoll,
I saw your post from another forum that your ulva was disappeared and replaced by dark green soft algae.
What do you think about this? Feeding too much?

 

[atoll]

Hey atoll,
I saw your post from another forum that your ulva was disappeared and replaced by dark green soft algae.
What do you think about this? Feeding too much?

Hmmm I don't recall saying that. I have both Ulva and a short drak green turf like algae growing on my screen.

 

[atoll]

Thanks atoll
This is not my DIY ATS, it works well. The líght is 3.5” from the screen and the screen is 12.5” long. If feeding more they will add one more light, total 18w each size

In which case I suspect you left the Ulva in FW etc far too long.

 

[Khanh]

Hi atoll,

My ulva is still alive and growing. After few months stuck in dark algae my ATS is working well with 2 of light bars, that are working 16 hours daily, I will switch on 2 lights more.

Thanks so much atoll
Khanh

 

[atoll]

Hi atoll,

My ulva is still alive and growing. After few months stuck in dark algae my ATS is working well with 2 of light bars, that are working 16 hours daily, I will switch on 2 lights more.

Thanks so much atoll
Khanh

Your very welcome mate, glad it's kicked in and now growing well for you.

 

[DropInTheOcean Matthew]

How to Seed Your Algae Turf Scrubber Screen.

The hit on the idea of seeding the screen of a waterfall algae turf scrubber to give the screen a good kickstart and speed the process up getting it growing green hair algae and even Ulva intestinalis a lot quicker than just waiting it to appear. People using the method I will describe below report the growth of algae within days rather than weeks s it certainly works and works well.

The whole process is very simple, however, first of all, ensure your screen is well roughed up and if necessary rough it up some more using a hole cutting saw or coarse hacksaw blade.

You only require a few grammes of algae about 20g should do fine. Take half of the algae and squeeze I into a tightish ball. Rub this quite hard over the screen first left to right then up and down and finally diagonally. The screen should be tinged green with all the rubbing and tiny/microscopic amounts of the algae will be attached.

Next, take the remainder of the algae and again squeeze it into a ball, take a toothpick and push it through the ball and through the holes in the screen. This will hopefully push some of the algae further into the screen do this every few inches up around the screen. You won’t see much attach but microscopic amounts will be pushed deeper into the screen.

If your ATS is lit from both sides then repeat the process on both sides of the screen, don’t be concerned that little of the algae will attach, the aim isn’t to get large parts of the algae to attach this is not necessary to seed the screen. The greening of the screen is what matters most to seed the screen.

Once the water is flowing down the screen much of any algae seen on the screen will be washed off, again this is not a concern as enough should remain to germinate from the remaining microscopic amounts left. It may be best if possible to start with a slow as possible flow over the screen while ensuring the whole screen receives a flow of water. Once algae is attached you can turn the flow up a little. In a few days, you should see the beginnings of green algae starting to grow from your seeding. That is all there really is too it.

When it comes to harvesting time, with Ulva intestinalis I suggest you trim it back with scissors do not pull it off esp during the early stages as it needs to get a firm grip.With a little luck, you should be able to trim Ulva at around 7 to 10 days following seeding usually. Ulva grows a lot faster than GHA and needs trimming back regular and in doing so you are giving the Ulva a better regrowth start than if you simply pulled it away from the screen.

I have used reef2reef for over 5 years and never created an account until today.. I wanted to create an account to tell you thank you for this post! I just set up our Icecap-M ATS yesterday. this morning when I went to check it I was expecting there to be growth on it but there was absolutely ZERO!! I searched the internet until I came across your post and went to do this immediately on my own ATS. I didn't do the toothpick thing because it seemed to work just fine rubbing it with a glob that I that I took from my sump, which I was previously growing Chaeto in, and it is already showing signs of growth, I swear. so thank you vehemently for this information! Never would I have thought to seed it. lol

 

[DropInTheOcean Matthew]

How to Seed Your Algae Turf Scrubber Screen.

The hit on the idea of seeding the screen of a waterfall algae turf scrubber to give the screen a good kickstart and speed the process up getting it growing green hair algae and even Ulva intestinalis a lot quicker than just waiting it to appear. People using the method I will describe below report the growth of algae within days rather than weeks s it certainly works and works well.

The whole process is very simple, however, first of all, ensure your screen is well roughed up and if necessary rough it up some more using a hole cutting saw or coarse hacksaw blade.

You only require a few grammes of algae about 20g should do fine. Take half of the algae and squeeze I into a tightish ball. Rub this quite hard over the screen first left to right then up and down and finally diagonally. The screen should be tinged green with all the rubbing and tiny/microscopic amounts of the algae will be attached.

Next, take the remainder of the algae and again squeeze it into a ball, take a toothpick and push it through the ball and through the holes in the screen. This will hopefully push some of the algae further into the screen do this every few inches up around the screen. You won’t see much attach but microscopic amounts will be pushed deeper into the screen.

If your ATS is lit from both sides then repeat the process on both sides of the screen, don’t be concerned that little of the algae will attach, the aim isn’t to get large parts of the algae to attach this is not necessary to seed the screen. The greening of the screen is what matters most to seed the screen.

Once the water is flowing down the screen much of any algae seen on the screen will be washed off, again this is not a concern as enough should remain to germinate from the remaining microscopic amounts left. It may be best if possible to start with a slow as possible flow over the screen while ensuring the whole screen receives a flow of water. Once algae is attached you can turn the flow up a little. In a few days, you should see the beginnings of green algae starting to grow from your seeding. That is all there really is too it.

When it comes to harvesting time, with Ulva intestinalis I suggest you trim it back with scissors do not pull it off esp during the early stages as it needs to get a firm grip.With a little luck, you should be able to trim Ulva at around 7 to 10 days following seeding usually. Ulva grows a lot faster than GHA and needs trimming back regular and in doing so you are giving the Ulva a better regrowth start than if you simply pulled it away from the screen.

how do I get Ulva to grow on this? I seeded it with GHA. that's all that was growing in my sump...