Lowest cost and easiest way to eliminate green hair, bubble, turf and

[sherman 130]

My 2 sets of ATS

[sherman 130]

1st set of ATS using red leds only

[sherman 130]

1st set of ATS using red leds only

[sherman 130]

2nd set using mix led

[sherman 130]

Harvest from 1st set ATS

[sherman 130]

Harvest from 2nd set

[xiggie 74]

Sherman , how many watts led is that? And does it get very hot ? And u harvest at 6weeks ? Tot it was supposed to be weekly.

Santa Monica , please advice if it's ok to let the algae grow for more than a week , coz I've been reading , to clear the algae weekly even if there is not much growth .

[sherman 130]

All LED used is 3 watt per piece. As per my observation when u first time introduce ATS into the tank it takes longer then normal for the first harvest. Subsequent the harvest cycle is usually shorter. This is my experience. Others may be different

[SantaMonica 21]

Every 7 to 21 days. Usually every 7 to 14 day.

[SantaMonica 21]

Scrubbers compared to refugiums

If you are starting a new tank, then the obvious difference is that a scrubber gives you the option of not having a fuge at all because an upflow scrubber can be placed on top of, in, or behind, the display. There are other uses for a sump/fuge of course, but we'll only cover the filtration concerns here.

A not-so-obvious difference is that a scrubber, if run together with a fuge with macros, will kill the macros even though the macros are much larger. This is because the scrubber thinks the macros are nuisance algae. Some people do run both together without killing the macros, but this is just because their scrubber is not strong enough, and actually the macros might even be slowing down the scrubber because the scrubber thinks it has to remove the macros, along with the nutrients in the water and the nuisance algae in the display. However if this works for them, good.

But assuming you have to decide on either a sump/fuge or a scrubber (not both)...

o Filtration with algae is proportional photosynthesis, which is proportional to Light X Air Water Turbulence Flow X Attachment. Meaning, stronger light grows more algae; stronger air/water interface turbulence grows more algae; and stronger attachment lets more algae grow without it detaching and floating away. A scrubber is thus designed to maximize Light, Flow, and Attachment.

o The main problem with macros in a refugium is the self-shading that the macros do. Any part of the macro which is not directly in front of the light at any moment is not filtering. And any macro inside of a "ball" of macro (like chaeto) is self-shaded all the time. Only the surface macro that is directly in front of the light is doing any real filtering. A scrubber is designed to have all the algae in front of the light at all times. Rotating the macro does not solve the problem, because the time that the macro is rotated away from the light is time that the macro is not filtering. This is why it takes a much larger size of chaeto to do the same filtering as a scrubber.

o Self-flow-blocking is another problem of macros in a refugium, for the same reason as light-blocking. And the thicker the "ball" of macro, the worse the flow-blocking.

o Particle trapping is another result of a ball of macro. These particles need to cycle back around to feed the corals, but instead they get trapped in the macro and they rot, and in doing so they block even more flow and light.

o With a scrubber, there is very little water standing in the way of the light. Also, the light is (or should be) very close to the scrubber... 4 inches (10cm) or less. The power of light varies with the inverse square of the distance, so going from 8" to 4" actually gives you 4X the power, not 2X. And the nutrient removal power of algae is proportional to the power of the light, because it's the photosynthesis that is doing the filtering.

o Rapid flow across the algae in a scrubber gives more delivery of nutrients, compared to the slow moving water in a fuge. Filtering is proportion to nutrient flow.

o The turbulence of water moving over the sections of algae in a scrubber help to remove the boundary layer of water around the algae. This boundary layer slows the transfer of metabolites in and out of the algae. There is no turbulence in a fuge (if there were, you'd have waves and bubbles). The interface between the air and water is what provides the most turbulence and boundary layer removal; there is no air/water interface in macros.

o Scrubbers do not let food particles settle like a refugium does; most particles flow right out of the scrubber.

o Scrubbers do not (if cleaned properly) release algal strands into display, like chaeto does.

o Scrubbers do not go sexual, like caulerpa can.

o Scrubbers do grow lots of pods; more than was previously thought, especially if not cleaned with freshwater.

o Scrubber don't, obviously, provide a place for snails and crabs, etc.

However, if you already have a sump with an empty compartment, and you don't mind using all of it and putting a light over it, then maybe it's easier and cheaper to try macros first.

[ahchris 122]

I just started a new tank and this thread is very helpful to me. Thanks guys for sharing. Gonna do my diy algae scrubber soon.

[SantaMonica 21]

Pics please

[xiggie 74]

I recently build a UAS (upflow algae scrubber),the previous ATS a down flow one was giving problems with water and salt spray.

And the results of the UAS was astonishing ,just look at my recent harvest !! This is a weeks worth of algae..

[flankell 4]

wow, impressive! Thanks for sharing

[SantaMonica 21]

Thanks! Post some pics of one if you build one.

[SantaMonica 21]

Cleaning Off Slime On New Scrubbers

When scrubbers are new, they will almost always first develop a slimey first layer of growth. This is because diatoms and dino's, which make up most of the slime, are the quickest to be able to "colonize" a new surface, sort of like weeds in a new garden.

This slime layer will not get any thicker, however, because slime cannot attach well (it has no "roots") to the growth surfaces of the scrubber, and thus will get washed away when it gets thick, Also, it prevents green hair algae from attaching because of the slippery texture of the slime.

So when your scrubber is new, be sure to take it to the sink and use a toothbrush to clean all the slime off of the growth surfaces so you can see all white surfaces again. You could clean it while still in your tank if you don't mind the slime particles floating around, but most people would probably do better to take it to the sink (or outside; slime makes great fertilizer). Slime, especially when dark or black, is also an indicator that you can use more watts or hours of light.

Once you have cleaned off the slime for one or more growth periods, you should start seeing green hair algae take hold.

[haroldfock 4]

Dear Santa Monica,

Your idea is brilliant and thank you. You should manufacture it in China and sell this. Here is an idea based on your concept. I use the Innovative Marine Nano Reactor in my Fluval Edge. And it already turns brown. There is a little bit of algae. Why there is no massive algae is because there is water flow pushing upwards and there is no rough surface. So all i need is to insert a roughed up plastic piece inside. Get an airpump and a small airstone. Now you have dual function. The reactor still works because the water flow will move the pellets inside. The air bubbles will move them even more. And algae can grow inside and all I need is to wash the tube. The best part is there is already 4 holes at the bottom of the reactor so I can just shaft an airstone in it. Of course it will look ugly in the tank - a tube of green mess. But I can always build an opaque container around it. Comes maintenance time, I just pull the tube out.

Come to think of it with your upflow algae remover, I may not even need the reactor pellets.

When I got the bandwidth, will work on this project and thank you for sharing!

HF

[anmiheng 30]

Cleaning Off Slime On New Scrubbers

When scrubbers are new, they will almost always first develop a slimey first layer of growth. This is because diatoms and dino's, which make up most of the slime, are the quickest to be able to "colonize" a new surface, sort of like weeds in a new garden.

This slime layer will not get any thicker, however, because slime cannot attach well (it has no "roots") to the growth surfaces of the scrubber, and thus will get washed away when it gets thick, Also, it prevents green hair algae from attaching because of the slippery texture of the slime.

So when your scrubber is new, be sure to take it to the sink and use a toothbrush to clean all the slime off of the growth surfaces so you can see all white surfaces again. You could clean it while still in your tank if you don't mind the slime particles floating around, but most people would probably do better to take it to the sink (or outside; slime makes great fertilizer). Slime, especially when dark or black, is also an indicator that you can use more watts or hours of light.

Once you have cleaned off the slime for one or more growth periods, you should start seeing green hair algae take hold.

http:///www.algaescrubber.net/SlimePics.jpg

Hi SantaMonica,

You mention that remove away the slimey algae as in totally clear it of the white screen?

Should I left some to seed?

Please advise.

Thank you.

[SantaMonica 21]

Yes all off.

[SantaMonica 21]

Thanks Harold, good idea

[anmiheng 30]

Yes all off.

Thank you!

[SantaMonica 21]

PowerPoint presentation for clubs, schools, etc., to learn the basics of scrubbers:

http://www.algaescrubber.net/AlgaeScrubbers.pps

[SantaMonica 21]

Here are some scrubber results I collected:

"[Scrubber] is working incredible well. Went from constant algae outbreaks (3-4 per year), to no algae at all. 10 yr old 250 gal reef tank, started developing blooms at year 7. Nothing else worked, even breakdown and rebuilds." -- Joe Lopez

"I recent removed bio-pellets, GFO, and trimmed off a lot of macro algae. Oh yeah, overfeeding now to try and bring up my phosphates. Since removing a bunch of nutrient exporting systems like bio-pellets, GFO, and a second algae scrubber, my [scrubber] has been growing nuts. It's been less then 7 days and I have to remove more. People are surprised when I open up the [scrubber] and show them what I pull out with one hand" -- ReeferEric on the R2R site. pics:

 

"I pull a handful out every week" -- Choff on the R2R site.

"Everything is working great, got two of them on my system" -- Kenneth Salomon

Dan Budz:

 

"The [scrubber] is working well" -- JT Powell

"All I can say about the [scrubber] is WoW. It completely wiped out my severe case of Cyano Bacteria in 4 weeks, it is working like a champ. I was a little skeptical that it would work at first because it's very compact, but I am completely amazed on how great it's working." -- John Quezada

"My [scrubber] is working great" -- Stefan Kolev

"Happy to report that the [scrubber] is growing lots of hair algae" -- Kidtango on the R2R site

"[Scrubber] is growing thick and fast" -- Carl Knowles

"Boom... 7 days growth from my [scrubber]" -- rdevoe11, pic:

 

Other pics:

Matthew Coulthard:

Nicolay Oganesian:

Yuppy Suhandinata:

http://www.algaescrubber.net/UasYuppySuhandinata-1.jpg 

[SantaMonica 21]

Here are some upflow layout designs to give you ideas of what might fit your tank or ability to DIY better:

Simple upflow screen:
 

Attach to glass:

Bubble remover:

Attach to glass, with compartment:

Attach to glass, small:

Hang on back:

Collector:

Floating: