Nopox, algae scrubbers, and you

[KleineVampir]

So about a month ago I got a Drop 1.4 from Santa Monica. Anyways it is an algae scrubber. But it has not been scrubbing...I mean, not much anyways. And at this point, I have a theory as to why. I joked about it in the beginning but I think it might actually be happening.

I think that the GHA in the display is out-competing the scrubber. By day, all the nutrients go into the GHA which is already established in the display. Then the lights go off and the scrubber turns on for the night cycle, but there aren't a ton of nutrients left. And yes I have tried to just remove the GHA by hand. It helps with the look of the tanks but then it just comes back in about a week. So that got me to thinkin': "Well I have this big old bottle of Nopox here. Should I even the playing field a bit?" The downside is that the nopox would hurt algae growth in the scrubber, but it would also hurt algae growth in the display. Could that reset the balance of things and get the scrubber to start out-competing the display? By the way this is a 0 water change system, which is a big part of why I got the scrubber to begin with. You wouldn't think growing algae would be too hard in a system that has literally never had a water change. It's had water added to the system but that's it.

Or, here's theory B and also plan B: The "bio" blocks I put in there, sort of like marine pure blocks but from another company, are in the sump along with the scrubber. Could it be that the water in the sump is fairly low on nitrates (and also phosphates because there's no rock in there?) because of the blocks? In that case the plan wouldn't be to use Nopox, but I'd have to move the scrubber into the display tank. What do you guys think?

 

[ScottR]

I’d maybe adjust lighting to give the scrubber a head start. What’s your lighting schedule like? I used to have a scrubber and I grew lots of algae in it but my nutrients stayed the same and tank algae stayed the same. After a struggle with GHA, I went with vibrant. Dosed 5x at the recommended once per week. So week 5 had the GHA starting to break up and fall off. Everyone has a different experience and I’m sure you’ll get a million different answers here.

 

[KleineVampir]

I’d maybe adjust lighting to give the scrubber a head start. What’s your lighting schedule like? I used to have a scrubber and I grew lots of algae in it but my nutrients stayed the same and tank algae stayed the same. After a struggle with GHA, I went with vibrant. Dosed 5x at the recommended once per week. So week 5 had the GHA starting to break up and fall off. Everyone has a different experience and I’m sure you’ll get a million different answers here.

Man I hate to go any lower than 8 hours a day but I guess I could. I could lower it by 2 hours so there'd be 18 hours of scrubber and 6 hours of daylight. The downside? I gotta mess with my timer gadget thing. But at least it doesn't cost me anything and it's not as risky as putting a chemical like nopox into the tank.

 

[KleineVampir]

Well I did it. 6 hour days and 18 hour nights. That might level the playing field a little.

 

[KleineVampir]

Welp, thanks for the tip man. I didn't want to do it but I had to hear it one more time apparently!

 

[KleineVampir]

Actually I did put some nopox in there. 4 mils. The situation is just too out of control. I need to dial back all the algae one way or another. And hopefully the scrubber will be able to take advantage of the situation.

 

[Dbichler]

I run mine24 hrs no issues have too outcompete tank lights in duration or strength

 

[KleineVampir]

I run mine24 hrs no issues have too outcompete tank lights in duration or strength

Not an subscriber to the "all living things need rest" philosophy, huh? You have a point though. Some way some how you gotta out-compete that display. I'll think about that one. Now with 18 hours a night I think that's pretty good.

 

[Quietman]

Carbon dosing (unless you get too aggressive and run nutrients to zero) won't change the competition for nutrients. I would focus more on getting the scrubber optimized and it can take a while. You didn't get where are in a month, it'll take more than that to correct if you're relying on biological filtration.

Run the light as much as it takes without burning up the algae (not sure you can burn up that film algae in most scrubbers)

 

[Dbichler]

I actually vary my times depending on nutrients Have never seen any negatives with constant lighting though.

 

[KleineVampir]

Carbon dosing (unless you get too aggressive and run nutrients to zero) won't change the competition for nutrients. I would focus more on getting the scrubber optimized and it can take a while. You didn't get where are in a month, it'll take more than that to correct if you're relying on biological filtration.

Run the light as much as it takes without burning up the algae (not sure you can burn up that film algae in most scrubbers)

Are you familiar with the scrubber I have though? The santa monica drop 1.4? Do you reckon I can burn algae with that? I mean the whole thing is submerged and the algae is surrounded with water. Could that be an argument for running it 24/7? That and the fact that my nutrients have got to be sky high.

 

[Quietman]

Should have been more specific apologies....I didn't mean burn as in overheating...I mean burn as in sometimes too much light will interfere with the plants normal processes. This happens a lot with over lighted macro algae in refugiums. This depends on the plants as well as the light. But I also agree with above that I'm not sure algae require 'downtime'.

The bigger issue with scrubbers is making sure it's harvested regularly as if it's not growing it's not removing nutrients, plus I think there's shading that occurs within those thick mats most scrubbers develop.

 

[KleineVampir]

Should have been more specific apologies....I didn't mean burn as in overheating...I mean burn as in sometimes too much light will interfere with the plants normal processes. This happens a lot with over lighted macro algae in refugiums. This depends on the plants as well as the light. But I also agree with above that I'm not sure algae require 'downtime'.

The bigger issue with scrubbers is making sure it's harvested regularly as if it's not growing it's not removing nutrients, plus I think there's shading that occurs within those thick mats most scrubbers develop.

I'd love to have the problem of not harvesting enough. So far I've got next to nothing out of that sweet 240 dollar scrubber. But like I said I think the display has been out-competing it.

I think I should give the 18 hour night a chance...that gives the scrubber that whole 18 hours every night which is quite a lot. Don't know how the nopox figures into this equation. I know it can't be working like it has been though.

 

[Tastee]

In my case I had to stop dosing NoPoX to get rid of my GHA. I was already at very low measurable N/P which was causing it’s own problems. It was suggested that the GHA was actually consuming the NoPoX or at least the bacteria it generated. What I did was stop dosing NoPoX, dosing Reef Flux and adding Money Cowries. That worked a treat. GHA dying within 4 weeks and was gone in 12. After this N initially dropped, I assume because the corals started having a chance to consume it. Over time N and P started to increase and 12 months later I am at 6 ppm and 0.10 ppm respectively and are now back to dosing NoPoX 1 ml/day (65g tank) to maintain levels where I am comfortable at (about this level, would like to get N down and/or P up a little to decrease the ratio).

 

[KleineVampir]

Well it was a looooooooong night for these fishies! And the hair algae isn't looking too good. Imagine that! Though I think I'm done with the nopox again. Seems ok in bursts but not over the long game, given that the corals close up. But maybe if I only put in 1 mil at a time it would be ok. Either way I think I need to see the corals come back before I put nopox in the system again.

 

[joey123]

Did you test your nitrates?

 

[KleineVampir]

Did you test your nitrates?

You know what, I did! Yesterday. Seemed like there was some detectable but not much. Had to be next to 0. Generally speaking the algae is able to keep up with the amount of nitrate in the tank which is why I don't test it very often.

 

[KleineVampir]

The corals are coming back which is good to see, but I'm going to lay off the 'pox for a while to see if I can actually get the algae scrubber to start scrubbing. Now with the 18 hour night cycle.

I was thinking...is it possible to add the nopox at just the right time to inhibit growth during the day but not at night?

 

[Rickyreef]

Not an subscriber to the "all living things need rest" philosophy, huh? You have a point though. Some way some how you gotta out-compete that display. I'll think about that one. Now with 18 hours a night I think that's pretty good.

I may be late on this post but I hope you get to read it. I have a clear water scrubber and watched like an hour video from the creator explaining a lot of how it works, he says that you should run it 24 hours a day unless your scrubber starts out competing your desired nitrate levels. Hope this is useful

 

[KleineVampir]

I may be late on this post but I hope you get to read it. I have a clear water scrubber and watched like an hour video from the creator explaining a lot of how it works, he says that you should run it 24 hours a day unless your scrubber starts out competing your desired nitrate levels. Hope this is useful

Yeah you are nearly 6 months late! But I did read it!

I did run it 24/7 for quite a while, but recently I actually dialed it back to the night cycle again. I got like 5 harvests from it and then it just completely stopped growing anything. 24/7 seems to work provided you have high nutrients, but once those levels drop I think you just start growing slime. I'm hoping going 18 shakes things up a bit and gets it going again.

Also I found algae scrubbers are great for removing nutrients from the water, but not from substrate or rocks!