Which algae grows on a scrubber?

[Nstocks]

So I have bought all the LED's heatsink and driver for my algae scrubber and a couple of acrylic fabricators on facebook (also hobbysists) promised that I can have a algae scrubber (minus electrics) for under £100.

The first one never bothered to post it and the second hobbyist wants over £200. Of course I could also make it myself for around £100 too.

However.

If we know the type/species of algae that outcompetes hair algae and grows just as fast, why not use a standard refugium with an algae that grows much quicker than cheato?

I've read Uvla (sea lettuce) works incredibly well but it can spread too quickly (and die quickly too).

What I'm trying to achieve is to use my sump as a refugium and 20 640nm LED's, but somehow contain the light... Mostly to save money over a algae scrubber but also noise and maintenance.

Goal is not to perform water changes or run a skimmer. Feeding 2 cuber per day 800litre system.

 

[Brew12]

So I have bought all the LED's heatsink and driver for my algae scrubber and a couple of acrylic fabricators on facebook (also hobbysists) promised that I can have a algae scrubber (minus electrics) for under £100.

The first one never bothered to post it and the second hobbyist wants over £200. Of course I could also make it myself for around £100 too.

However.

If we know the type/species of algae that outcompetes hair algae and grows just as fast, why not use a standard refugium with an algae that grows much quicker than cheato?

I've read Uvla (sea lettuce) works incredibly well but it can spread too quickly (and die quickly too).

What I'm trying to achieve is to use my sump as a refugium and 20 640nm LED's, but somehow contain the light... Mostly to save money over a algae scrubber but also noise and maintenance.

Goal is not to perform water changes or run a skimmer. Feeding 2 cuber per day 800litre system.

There is more to an algae scrubber than just the species of algae that it grows. It is all about competition. Algae needs the nutrients and light to grow. One big advantage of an algae scrubber is that the lights are very close to where the algae grows which gives it an advantage. You can do the same thing with a refugium, you just need a more powerful light. The type of algae does come into play, but most importantly you need more PUR for the algae in your fuge than it gets in the DT.

 

[Nstocks]

Godo point about the lights and it didn't even cross my mind as I was led to believe the type of algae is the factor here. But of course, a light source 1-2 inches away vs 1-2 feet away is of course going to grow any algae quicker!

I have 60W of red less (3W per led) on two aluminium heatsinks. I could install a large black box with a lid (to trap light) and cut out two rectangles for the heat sinks and see how well it grows. Due to back siphoning of the DT, they would still be around 10" away from the water surface however.

Cheato or Caulerpa?!

 

[Brew12]

Godo point about the lights and it didn't even cross my mind as I was led to believe the type of algae is the factor here. But of course, a light source 1-2 inches away vs 1-2 feet away is of course going to grow any algae quicker!

I have 60W of red less (3W per led) on two aluminium heatsinks. I could install a large black box with a lid (to trap light) and cut out two rectangles for the heat sinks and see how well it grows. Due to back siphoning of the DT, they would still be around 10" away from the water surface however.

Cheato or Caulerpa?!

I wasn't trying to imply the type of algae doesn't also play factor, only that there are more factors than just the one.

I run a Kessil H380 over my fuge at around 12" over the water and the thing grows chaeto like crazy. Need some?

I still get a little nuisance algae in my DT but not nearly like I used to. I used to use an LED flood light designed for fuges but it was so underpowered compared to my DT lights that the chaeto would starve out.

I don't have any experience with Caulerpa so cannot comment intelligently on it.

 

[Nstocks]

I could always try a horizontal scrubber as I have the space for it and the set up would be the same for cheato pretty much. (A black box with lights at the top to contain light/algae)

 

[Brew12]

I could always try a horizontal scrubber as I have the space for it and the set up would be the same for cheato pretty much. (A black box with lights at the top to contain light/algae)

Yup, lots of ways to skin this cat. You just need to find one that works for you.