Which Algae Scrubber???

[Reeftang]

Hi,

What do you guys think which one is better between the 302 Aquatics VS Santa Monica Rain2???

 

[Water Dog]

While I haven’t owned a 302 Aquatics scrubber, I have owned a Rain 2 and a Turbo’s L2 Rev4. Spend a little more and get a Turbo’s Aquatics Scrubber. You won’t regret it.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/introducing-the-new-turbo-algae-scrubber-rev-4.212728/

 

[Tft12]

I haven’t owned either of the two models you mentioned but I have a Turbos Aquatics Rev3 L4 and was very happy with it until my system got way too big.

 

[Salt1972]

How do those comparison with the Clearwater Scrubbers?

 

[Scubabum]

I own both and I prefer my Rain 2. Takes up less space and performs like a champ. Here is a harvest after only a week of growth..

 

[Water Dog]

Of the commercial scrubbers out there, none really compare to Turbo’s scrubbers. His features dimmable LEDs to tune your skimmer through stages of growth (no burnt bald spot on the screen), light blockers molded onto the slot pipe to prevent algae growth between the screen slot pipe junction to maintain even water distribution along the screen (no streamers), removable growth chamber for ease of cleaning and tunable water exit pipe to eliminate noise into your sump. As far as I know, none of the other manufacturers offer these features.

Note that improvements have been made to the Rev 4 scrubbers since this video was made.

 

[Reeftang]

I own both and I prefer my Rain 2. Takes up less space and performs like a champ. Here is a harvest after only a week of growth..

nice i know we are chatting on the other thread, but i would love to see the stand and pump set up. and if you dont mind your display lol.

 

[Scubabum]

nice i know we are chatting on the other thread, but i would love to see the stand and pump set up. and if you dont mind your display lol.

As Requested... Here is the sump, followed by the main display. Rain 2 plumbed on the left valve of my manifold.

 

[Reeftang]

As Requested... Here is the sump, followed by the main display. Rain 2 plumbed on the left valve of my manifold.

WOW VERY IMPRESSIVE!!! Very simple setup. What do you dose?

 

[Scubabum]

WOW VERY IMPRESSIVE!!! Very simple setup. What do you dose?

AquaForest Comp 1 2 3, ABVE, Aquavitro Fuel once a week and Coral Vite once a week.

 

[Reeftang]

AquaForest Comp 1 2 3, ABVE, Aquavitro Fuel once a week and Coral Vite once a week.

cool never heard about this brand only the main stream ones like esv bionic and such always learning.

I see you dont have anything on the rain 2 drain to keep the light from leaking out? do you ever experience algae escaping the drain and into the system?

 

[Waboss]

I agree with @Water Dog , I'd recommend getting the Turbo Aquatics scrubber. I've owned, and had a thread here on my experiences (with videos), of the RAIN2, and while it's a cool design, I wish I'd kept my Turbo Aquatics scrubber.

I've never owned a 302, so I can't comment on that.

 

[Scubabum]

cool never heard about this brand only the main stream ones like esv bionic and such always learning.

I see you dont have anything on the rain 2 drain to keep the light from leaking out? do you ever experience algae escaping the drain and into the system?

Very little algae escapes. When It does, I just grab it and feed it to my tangs.

 

[Water Dog]

Hey @Waboss I was the one that bought your Rain2! Neat little compact scrubber. It’s not at all surprising that it’s working well for @Scubabum given the size of his tank vs the size of the Rain2... is that a Reefer 450? Sweet tank!

Here is Waboss’s thread on his experiences with the Rain2 on his Reefer 170.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/rain-2-installation-and-start-up.272795/

 

[Reeftang]

I agree with @Water Dog , I'd recommend getting the Turbo Aquatics scrubber. I've owned, and had a thread here on my experiences (with videos), of the RAIN2, and while it's a cool design, I wish I'd kept my Turbo Aquatics scrubber.

I've never owned a 302, so I can't comment on that.

Yes you might be right that the turbo is the most professional well thought through and solid looking and built product, however i think the rain 2 is a good competitor here, maybe not as sophisticated looking, but you can't take away the fact of how small and compact the rain 2 is, and also the fact the rain 2 goes into your sump space instead of outside i mean thats a huge plus in addition it was designed to be a very safe unit being that we are using it around water.

 

[Waboss]

Hey @Waboss I was the one that bought your Rain2! Neat little compact scrubber. It’s not at all surprising that it’s working well for @Scubabum given the size of his tank vs the size of the Rain2... is that a Reefer 450? Sweet tank!

Here is Waboss’s thread on his experiences with the Rain2 on his Reefer 170.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/rain-2-installation-and-start-up.272795/

Hahaha! Yeah man, I thought it was you! And I think you're dead on, it'll work great on a larger tank like the 450.

 

[Reeftang]

Hey @Waboss I was the one that bought your Rain2! Neat little compact scrubber. It’s not at all surprising that it’s working well for @Scubabum given the size of his tank vs the size of the Rain2... is that a Reefer 450? Sweet tank!

Here is Waboss’s thread on his experiences with the Rain2 on his Reefer 170.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/rain-2-installation-and-start-up.272795/

what do mean to say, that it was to big for Waboss’s tank?

 

[Reeftang]

Hahaha! Yeah man, I thought it was you! And I think you're dead on, it'll work great on a larger tank like the 450.

oh dang i got it for my 50gal cube i home i wont regret it.

 

[Water Dog]

what do mean to say, that it was to big for Waboss’s tank?

Read the thread I linked to for his experiences. Bald spot, streamers, noise, unsustained growth... all issues addressed by Turbo’s design. Also, if it had dimmable LEDs like the Turbo’s scrubbers, perhaps it would have been able to be tuned via light intensity for a broader range of tank sizes.

 

[Waboss]

what do mean to say, that it was to big for Waboss’s tank?

I had major problems with getting any real growth on the RAIN2. AND once I took it out, I had one of the worst GHA outbreaks I've ever had.

With that being said, I think on a larger tank, or one that's fed a lot more than mine was, there's more nutrients to feed the algae in the scrubber. I mostly like the design of the RAIN2, but based on my experiences, I'd go with Turbo's scrubber (oh, and in case you're curious, I did own Turbo's Rev4, but got rid of it for the RAIN2 because I thought it would fit better in my sump........that's a decision I wish I could take back).