Turf scrubber only growing slime algae?

[VintageReefer]

And here I was perfectly content growing what I now know as subpar algae. Ignorance is bliss! Not sure I can start working on trying to grow that prettier algae. My algae looks like yours. I get big mats of it and clean it every 2-3 weeks by scraping off most of it with a knife into a bucket. I then go through that mess in the bucket to find beneficial life and toss it back in tank. Thus far the ugly alge seems to be exporting nutrients out of the tank and my cuc is able to keep the rest in check.

The ugly stuff will perform nutrient export it’s just more of a pain to remove.

 

[Miami Reef]

This was the algae before my first cleaning

 

[LavenderTi]

I’ve been using the scrubber on this tank for over a year. Just recently I started getting some turf algae mixed in there. I don’t have the time to be cleaning it every few days but it seems when it gets slime to clean it more often.

Here’s my harvest tonight.

 

[VintageReefer]

This was the algae before my first cleaning

Reduce photo period to 10 hours in the early stages

Clean slime like this off every few days, toothbrush scrub it under running water and have the screen look new again

Repeat. Can take 2-6 weeks for turf to grow

As turf starts to grow you can begin increasing lighting duration

 

[VintageReefer]

@Miami Reef @ti_lavender

http://algaescrubber.net/forums/showthread.php?3286-Dark-Slime-and-Black-Slime-what-it-looks-like
http://algaescrubber.net/forums/showthread.php?3740-Slime-is-the-best-filter

 

[Garf]

@Miami Reef @ti_lavender

http://algaescrubber.net/forums/showthread.php?3286-Dark-Slime-and-Black-Slime-what-it-looks-like
http://algaescrubber.net/forums/showthread.php?3740-Slime-is-the-best-filter

I wouldn't believe too much of what you read on the scrubber site, tbh.

 

[VintageReefer]

I wouldn't believe too much of what you read on the scrubber site, tbh.

One post is reference pictures of slime algae on scrubber screens for comparison to confirm they have slime algae

The other is a short article about dealing with slime algae, and the reccomendation is to toothbrush clean it under running water once the screen surface is covered in it.

What are you disagreeing with?

 

[Garf]

One post is reference pictures of slime algae on scrubber screens for comparison to confirm they have slime algae

The other is a short article about dealing with slime algae, and the reccomendation is to toothbrush clean it under running water once the screen surface is covered in it.

What are you disagreeing with?

Well, let's start with the title "Slime is the best filter" shall we? Then we can get onto how the size of the screen compared to display size has an effect on the colour of the organisms on the screen, then perhaps the contradiction that slime works best but only appears on screens that are too small, oh I dunno perhaps then get onto how the nutrient loading of the rocks in the display effects the type of organisms that grows on the screen. So, most of it really.

 

[VintageReefer]

Well, let's start with the title "Slime is the best filter" shall we? Then we can get onto how the size of the screen compared to display size has an effect on the colour of the organisms on the screen, then perhaps the contradiction that slime works best but only appears on screens that are too small, oh I dunno perhaps then get onto how the nutrient loading of the rocks in the display effects the type of organisms that grows on the screen. So, most of it really.

Fair enough. I’ll agree with most of what you said, and don’t need to nitpick nuances. The takeaway is how to get these folks scrubbers out of slime mode and into turf mode. The cleaning advice is solid.

 

[KStatefan]

Following along to see if I can get my scrubber running good.
Last time I tried I ended up taking it off line,

 

[VintageReefer]

Following along to see if I can get my scrubber running good.
Last time I tried I ended up taking it off line,

What issue did you have

 

[KStatefan]

What issue did you have

Same mostly slime and cyano growing.

 

[VintageReefer]

Same mostly slime and cyano growing.

It’s a early startup phase that happens for some people. Everyone’s system and conditions are different. You have to intervene and continue to until the turf takes over. My scrubbers been running 10 years. The only time I had slime was the very beginning and it did take a few weeks of work to get through. A few minutes every few days for a few weeks. Followed by 9.5 years of smoothness

 

[Miami Reef]

Following along to see if I can get my scrubber running good.
Last time I tried I ended up taking it off line,

How long have you ran it for before taking it offline?

 

[KStatefan]

How long have you ran it for before taking it offline?

I do not remember what I did. But it has currently been online since 3/30/2025

 

[Miami Reef]

I do not remember what I did. But it has currently been online since 3/30/2025

And you still have the slime issue, right? Does it look like mine?

I’m wanting to know if waiting 4-6 weeks will actually work. I’m a bit skeptical, and I think I have a reason why.

 

[KStatefan]

And you still have the slime issue, right? Does it look like mine?

I’m wanting to know if waiting 4-6 weeks will actually work. I’m a bit skeptical, and I think I have a reason why.

This is mine on June 22 one week of growth

 

[VintageReefer]

And you still have the slime issue, right? Does it look like mine?

I’m wanting to know if waiting 4-6 weeks will actually work. I’m a bit skeptical, and I think I have a reason why.

Just Waiting won’t work. You need to brush/scrub the slime off every few days for 4-6 weeks. The screen needs to be reset back to new looking. And lighting period should be reduced

 

[VintageReefer]

This is mine on on June 22 one week of growth

Wondering - do the darker sections get more flow or less light?

 

[twentyleagues]

@VintageReefer what would you say to someone that only grows Ulva on the screen? (at least thats what it appears to look like) Sucks up N&P though. Its not turf at least not the kind I think of as turf.