Show off your Turbo's Aquatics Algae Scrubber!

Turbo's Aquatics

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This is the "official" show-off thread for anyone who runs a Turbo's Aquatics Algae Scrubber!

I provide customer support for all users of my products! Whether you bought one from me directly or bought one used (or new!) from someone else, post about your system here!!

My suggestion for what to post:
1) pic(s) of your overall filtration system
2) pic(s) of your scrubber installation
3) pics of your harvest(s)
4) A Full Tank Shot!!

Feel free to include any extra info, like how long you run the lights, how often you harvest the algae, what changes you've seen in the system, etc

If you have a Tank Build Thread on Reef2Reef, post a link to it!!

I'll start off this party with the tanks I run one on, starting with my own!

This is my 120g tank, standard (not reef ready) with the scrubber as the only filtration, mounted on top of the tank. The pump sits in a little DIY "overflow" box (which is 100% inside the tank, so it's not really an overflow). I've been running this setup for several years, basically I just leave the tank completely alone besides feeding the fish a couple cubes/day of DIY food from our club's recipe, harvesting the algae every 10-14 days, and scraping the glass about once a month (it does get pretty gunky after a month, but at 2 weeks it's hardly noticeable so I just let it go). As busy as I am, this is definitely a LARS tank. Mainly softies with one really noticeable softie, obviously....

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Stock is Yellow Tang, Flameback Pygmey Angel, Melanarus Wrasse, B&W clown, 2 Ocellaris Clowns, Clown Goby, 4 B/G Chromis, 5 PJ Cardinals, 4 Lyretail Anthias, and I'm probably forgetting one

Here's the latest harvest of the scrubber after 11 days growth. This is the Rev 4 Turbo L2, water still running in this pic (that's referred to at "3D growth")

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Growth chamber removed from the unit

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Screen & slot pipe removed

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This is what pulled off the screen, stuck to the growth chamber sides

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a couple swipes with a scraper and the algae comes right off

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Here's the screen after scraping it - I leave a good amount behind (don't overclean!)

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Squeezed out

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Here's another system, this is in an office - a 144g Miracles tank I've been maintaining for about 8 years, it's been running on only a scrubber since 10/10/10 (easy date to remember) and it's had a couple different versions on it. Currently it runs an old school Rev 1 Turbo L2.

Stock is Yellow Tang Blue Tang, Neon Velvet Damselfish, 4 clowns (I think one oscellaris, one wyoming white, and two others I can't recall), sixline wrasse, B/G chromis, flame angel, majestic angel, 2 engineer gobies, and probably one I'm forgetting there too

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Sump area

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This is about 2 weeks growth

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Screen before cleaning/harvesting

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After (this one has one single blue LED in the middle, so the growth is inhibited there just a bit and it cleans off nearly completely)

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Squeezed out

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Let's see yours!!!
 

PJS

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Nice thread!

I have a 6' 125 gallon that has been running 3 years now. I started the system with a SRO 3000int Skimmer and 2 TLF 550 reactors for filtration, one for GFO and the other for Biopellets. About a year ago I started having algae issues and realized I had been over feeding. I started rethinking my method of feeding and my filtration choices, which led me to consider the use of a ATS. There is a fish store up in the burbs of Chicago that I really admire and is where I first saw a ATS in use. After doing some research here on this one of a kind super informative killer forum I came to the conclusion that I wish I had started this setup with one. It didn't take long to know that I wanted one and which one I wanted. After looking at Bud's design for the his latest (and greatest!) ATS I knew that this man's invention was going to help me get my tank where I wanted it to be. So a L4 was in order and ordered! The ATS has been hooked up since mid November 2016, the lights come on at midnight and turn off 8pm, the light intensity is presently at the 4 o'clock position. Since the scrubber has been active my PH swings are down to hundredths. The hope is to eventually be able to remove the 2 reactors and run just the beast of a skimmer and the beast of a ATS as my sole filtration, time will tell.
Tank inhabitants include :
1 Kole tang
1 Vlamingii tang
2 Ocellaris clowns
1 Citron goby
1 Clown goby
1 Mandarin
1 Mccosker's wrasss
1 Solaris wrasse
3 Pajama cardinal
2 Bimaculatus anthias
2 Lyretail anthias

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imustbenuts

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Nice!

I'll play along Bud.

I have a rev 4 L2 on an 80g. It's been running for 2 months. I have it plumbed to a waveline DC2500H. I feed frozen and nori about 2 cube equivalent per day. I have ramped up the lights to 18 hours per day at full power. I have a 20g sump. The unit sits on top of a piece of acrylic. I cut the acrylic to span across the sump and drilled out holes for the drains and supply. I am running a BM curve 7 skimmer and filter sock on the drain. I still run a reactor with carbon. The LED's are plugged into a monoprice digital timer. I just cleaned the unit tonight. Pics below.

Stock:
Yellow tang
Swallow tail angel
Melanurus wrasse
2 clowns


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Turbo's Aquatics

Turbo's Aquatics

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revhtree

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When my tank is ready I'll be adding a ATS!
 

Salty1962

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I don't have any pics yet but after 3 days I'm starting to see some algae growth. It's covering nice and even across the screen. I hope to see some nutrient reduction when the algae really starts to take off. Will post more as it matures.
 
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Turbo's Aquatics

Turbo's Aquatics

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My first weeks growth. Nice and even coverage, running @12 hrs. at the 7 o'clock position.

ATS Wk1_1.jpg


ATS Wk1_2.jpg


ATS Wk1_3.jpg
That's very nice and even growth! When you do the harvest for the first month or so, don't take very much off. Looks like you left plenty, can probably add hours (add hours first, then increase intensity a bit, then add hours, etc)

Intersity is usually the factor that causes issues of increased too fast, but usually if growth is good, you can safely add hours
 

Salty1962

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That's very nice and even growth! When you do the harvest for the first month or so, don't take very much off. Looks like you left plenty, can probably add hours (add hours first, then increase intensity a bit, then add hours, etc)

Intersity is usually the factor that causes issues of increased too fast, but usually if growth is good, you can safely add hours
Thx Bud, will turn up the photoperiod up some.
 
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Turbo's Aquatics

Turbo's Aquatics

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Will an algae scrubber eliminate algae from my tank?
I would say that it can, but each system is different so there really is no "guarantee"....but that goes for about any solution, really. An algae scrubber will usually do the trick, but how long it takes will depend on many factors.

For instance, if you start out with a major algae problem and put on a scrubber that is sized appropriately for your system based on feeding/stocking/etc, then it could take months with the scrubber working at full capacity to start winning the battle. So it would likely win on the long term, but the short term battle might need to be attacked from a couple different angles.
 

O'l Salty

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My tank is 2 months old and so far only diatoms. I prefer the natural methods in this hobby but I do want a very clean tank as far as algae is concerned. I have GHA in my sump so I'm thinking about a scrubber to head off any problems down the road. I saw some pictures of the L2 on an eshopps sump I believe it was the R200 and it sat over the top of the fuge. Do you have any direct experience or information about integrating the two? Thanks.
 

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