Media for algae scrubber

[Scottiemac]

What's some good media for algae scrubber? I was using some GHA from my tank and that did a wonderful job. Yet an unfortunate event, coupled with a lack of forethought on my part, killed it all in the scrubber.
Should I be using chaeto? What are some options? Also, can I put pods in there and will they reproduce?

 

[Aquadude1]

It's kinda strange, but you can't usually seed a scrubber. Algae will grow on its own.

Cheato will not survive in the type of environment

 

[Scottiemac]

It's kinda strange, but you can't usually seed a scrubber. Algae will grow on its own.

Cheato will not survive in the type of environment

So I can only use what's growing in my tank in the scrubber?

 

[Aquadude1]

So I can only use what's growing in my tank in the scrubber?

Just to make you are using a scrubber not a refugium?

You dont have to add anything to a scrubber. Leave lights on it for around 18 hrs a day and it should have growth within the span of 2 weeks.

 

[14 foot reef]

What are you using the Algae scrubber for ? What is the purpose you have this, or want this piece of equipment running ?

 

[Aquadude1]

A picture of your setup would be helpful too.

 

[Scottiemac]

Yes, scrubber.

After a few months of great results after putting some GHA in there (which maybe I didn't need to do), my pump died. I didn't notice this until going to clean the scrubber. Basically all of the GHA had dried up and burned off.

Restarted everything about a month and a half ago but nothing is growing except for maybe a bit of brown diatoms.

 

[Scottiemac]

What are you using the Algae scrubber for ? What is the purpose you have this, or want this piece of equipment running ?

Nutrient absorption.

 

[Aquadude1]

Yes, scrubber.

After a few months of great results after putting some GHA in there (which maybe I didn't need to do), my pump died. I didn't notice this until going to clean the scrubber. Basically all of the GHA had dried up and burned off.

Restarted everything about a month and a half ago but nothing is growing except for maybe a bit of brown diatoms.

Depending on what kind of scrubber you have, it might be helpful to add black cloth to help the algae get going.

If you dont want to use the cloth and seeding it worked I don't know of a reason why you shouldn't do it again.

As for pods it never hurts to add them but some will populate the scrubber naturally once algae gets going.

 

[Scottiemac]

Depending on what kind of scrubber you have, it might be helpful to add black cloth the help the algae get going.

If you dont want to use the cloth and seeding it worked I don't know of a reason why you shouldn't do it again.

As for pods it never hurts to add them but some will populate the scrubber naturally once algae gets going.

If by black cloth you mean a literal black cloth, I do keep a towel over it. It's pretty bright at night.

Yeah that's the issue with seeding. There's no more GHA with which to seed it. That's why I was asking what I can seed it with. What I'm hearing if it's not growing in the tank then adding something might not be necessary.

 

[Aquadude1]

If by black cloth you mean a literal black cloth, I do keep a towel over it. It's pretty bright at night.

Yeah that's the issue with seeding. There's no more GHA with which to seed it. That's why I was asking what I can seed it with. What I'm hearing if it's not growing in the tank then adding something might not be necessary.

I meant thin black cloth between what the algae grows and the light. It can help give the algae more surface area and reduce light intensity for the initial growth. But if your nutrients are good and you don't have algae in the tank then I would keep doing what you're doing.

 

[BryanM]

If it is a santa monica ATS or similar then it needs no seeding.

I had to run half lights, and a black cloth inside covering half the unit for nearly a month before I could get a decent amount in there. Now it churns away doing its job.

I'm assuming you have reasonable nutrients for it to do its job with. If there's very little N and P, then the algae that is supposed to grow in there won't, or will be severely impacted.

 

[Scottiemac]

If it is a santa monica ATS or similar then it needs no seeding.

I had to run half lights, and a black cloth inside covering half the unit for nearly a month before I could get a decent amount in there. Now it churns away doing its job.

I'm assuming you have reasonable nutrients for it to do its job with. If there's very little N and P, then the algae that is supposed to grow in there won't, or will be severely impacted.

Yeah I just tested and my nutrients are very low. 3.0 N and 0.03 Phos. This is around where I want it, though maybe between 5 and 10 on the nitrates. So it may just be that there aren't enough nutrients for the algae to grow.

 

[BryanM]

Yeah I just tested and my nutrients are very low. 3.0 N and 0.03 Phos. This is around where I want it, though maybe between 5 and 10 on the nitrates. So it may just be that there aren't enough nutrients for the algae to grow.

Too low for me, but there's plenty of people that like them this low.

I'm around 20 nitrate and .3 phosphate.

 

[Liquid361]

You don’t seed an algae scrubber. You understand this now, yes?

 

[Bill333]

With nutrients that low, you don't really need the turf scrubber. Maybe wait until your nutrients rise, then turn it back on?

 

[14 foot reef]

With nutrients that low, you don't really need the turf scrubber. Maybe wait until your nutrients rise, then turn it back on?

Bingo, the reason I asked for the purpose of the scrubber

 

[Turbo's Aquatics Verified Sponsor]

Basically all of the GHA had dried up and burned off.

Restarted everything about a month and a half ago but nothing is growing except for maybe a bit of brown diatoms.

Everyone missed this one. When you "cook" a scrubber screen, generally, you have to nuke it completely and start from square one. That means soaking it in vinegar and scrubbing everything off.

When you cook a screen, it typically bakes a calcified layer onto the screen. That layer does not work well for growing algae (for some reason...I thought it would be perfect, but it's not). This is likely the reason why your screen is not re-starting.