Modern day Algae Turf Scrubber

[Tomoko Schum]

This thread is a bit long, but the new twist on the old algae scrubber is quite promising.

Beaslbob -

I think this would be right up your alley. You should build one of these and give us a report and a demo. How about it?

 

[beaslbob]

This thread is a bit long, but the new twist on the old algae scrubber is quite promising.

Beaslbob -

I think this would be right up your alley. You should build one of these and give us a report and a demo. How about it?

Perhaps. (am building a new house and have to get the old house sold.)

I am honored that someone as well respected as Tomoko would value my input.

Riley is Tomoko not feeling well. :wink:

Anyone who saw my 55g a couple of years ago might actually think the back of my tank is an algae turf scrubber.

And as a backgound on my current tank nitrates and phosphates are unmeasureable even with no water changes.

For people who have not heard the constant rant of the "one trick pony", to me the single morst important thing maintaining any closed environment with animals is the plant life that balances out the resulting animal wastes. Our tanks are no different.

So what I do is start the tank with plant life (FW actual plants, marine macro algaes) during the initial setup. Then add the fish and corals later.

From what I hear algae turf scrubbers (ATSs) were first introduced with the book dynamic aquaria by Dr. Walter Adey and Karen Loveland. Second edition is now available.

The technology is very very old. Like decades.

Dr. Adey and/or the Smithsonian patented the concept which grew turf algae on a screen with surging water flow to simulate tides.

Some comercial firms like inland aquatics have sold ATSs in the past but ran afoul of the patent.

Santa Monica has posted several threads an many many boards promoting the concept. And it turns out they sell ATSs or supplies.

Do they work. Yes.

IMHO one reason they do work is that the algae is very close to the lighting therefore inexpensive lighting can be used. With the high lights such things a cyano can grow should the tank become starved for some nutrient.

Plus they use algae which just shows up and is not invasive to the environment like macros such as the various caulerpas which have devastated wild reefs.

And they do not have the going sexual or sporating problem that macros can have.

Unlike macros they do take some time to mature but then so do macros for that matter.

ATSs also require weekly or so cleanings which is more involved that just grabbing a handful of macros.

ATS or macros do bioaccumulate many things like copper and the like. Plus may suck out potassium, strontium and other reef necessary ions. With those things being unmeasureable with hobby kits that could cause a problem or have to change dosing schemes.

But overall ATSs and macros do work.

But i find the recent interest in ATSs amazing. Just the pendulum of aqauarium keeping swing back to older stuff. Just like planted tanks and refugiums.

If that's true we should see many many articles on dsbs in a couple of years.


my .02

 

[Tomoko Schum]

I am honored that someone as well respected as Tomoko would value my input.

Riley is Tomoko not feeling well.

Now look what you've done. My hat won't fit my head. :tongue:

The concept is old, but their approach with easy to obtain materials and simple to maintain setup is different and quite interesting.

I don't know about the inexpensive lighting part of it, beaslbob. In the thread above, Santa Monica is using two sets of T5's very very close to the sheet of filmy algae (not macro). Heat is a concern in the summer time unless you have a chiller. I expect that water evaporation would be significant if the set up is install mostly above water as some people have done.

IMHO Chaetomorpha in a good size fuge with adequate lighting works just as well after all, and I am not ready to switch to this new type ATS myself. I do have some of those brownish/reddish filmy algae that they are using growing on a baffle plate where water runs down very fast. I like them in my sump. Visible ones in display look too much like unwanted weeds except for turtle grass in some cases.

Both ATS and carbon dosing are old ideas that have made a recent come back like 60's lady's clothing. Just like mini skirts, they will go away but come back again.

 

[beaslbob]

hopefully sack dresses don't come back. :wink:

Yea and santa monica wants like $500+ for that system.

but simple bucket ATSs he showed just used compact spiral bulbs.

FWIW I don't know about voda dosing




untill I turned 21. :sure:

 

[beaslbob]

hopefully sack dresses don't come back. :wink:

....

Oops

From the internet:

The sack dress, originally developed in the 1950s by Givenchy, has come back into style in recent years

 

[inactive]

Oh no, not another thread about SantaMonicas crap. No offense but this stuff is spam all the way. SantaMonica posts on just about every forum and only posts in his/her own thread. All logical questions against their "turf scrubbers" are always avoided.

I hope this does not turn into one of the spam garbage threads I see on EVERY other site.

 

[Tomoko Schum]

I don't think this thread will turn into any such garbage thread. Beaslbob and I are a couple of plant heads or he may like the title of plant nerd better . If SantaMonica posts here, our beasl will show him up by coming up with a cheaper better version (how about it, Bob.)

 

[inactive]

Nice... as long as the spammyness is deaded I'm good!

 

[mike_dani]

I think I will build one for the 300 as I set it up will keep all of you informed

 

[H@rry]

Mini-skirts are coming back? ps:

 

[beaslbob]

I don't think this thread will turn into any such garbage thread. Beaslbob and I are a couple of plant heads or he may like the title of plant nerd better . If SantaMonica posts here, our beasl will show him up by coming up with a cheaper better version (how about it, Bob.)

Tomoko

Don't you think my in tank refugium already fills the bill?

 

[beaslbob]

Mini-skirts are coming back? ps:

Now you know why m@ry doesn't let you out as often as she used too. :wink:

 

[Tomoko Schum]

Oh, poor H@rry... Mini skirts can stay. I was hoping "low rise" will go away soon. These things will make me feel cold just looking at it, and I really don't wanna listen to Reilly and our younger daughter arguing about the size or the length of the fabric.

 

[droog1974]

hey i am really interested in an ATS and was wanting to do an unbiased trial of santamonicas method. i may be a **** but sometimes learning only comes from trying. my only prob is trying to dr it on the cheap and i have NOOOOOOOOO diy skills. (i shock myself tightening screws with a butterknife heh,,...) anyone willing to build one and let me try it on my new 150 lps tank? will make it worth their while and well have a local (southern) point of view on ATS. btw im in orland right now gonna stop by the big ats farm on my way home this friday get a good look at what their doing. yes i know this is an old thread but hopefully someone will read the bits out in the interwebs.

 

[beaslbob]

hey i am really interested in an ATS and was wanting to do an unbiased trial of santamonicas method. i may be a **** but sometimes learning only comes from trying. my only prob is trying to dr it on the cheap and i have NOOOOOOOOO diy skills. (i shock myself tightening screws with a butterknife heh,,...) anyone willing to build one and let me try it on my new 150 lps tank? will make it worth their while and well have a local (southern) point of view on ATS. btw im in orland right now gonna stop by the big ats farm on my way home this friday get a good look at what their doing. yes i know this is an old thread but hopefully someone will read the bits out in the interwebs.

It actually is fairly easy to build but I am sure if you gave us (or me) some specifics we could build something. Of course I'm between houses right now so it may take a little while.

Interesting on the ats farm. I googled and came up with the taylor ats from which is for creeks.

my .02