Algae Turf Scrubber

[txg8gxp]

My new build is going to use a ATS as the main source of filtration, anyone else out there have a scrubber setup and running? I have had interest in them for the last year and figured my new prop system would be a great tank to set one up on. So far my plans are a vertical scrubber with lighting on both sides, lighting will be cheap CFL bulbs or red leds. CFL have proved themselves to work good, but I don't know if I care to deal with changing bulbs every 3 months. I'm not sure on what size/shape screen I will run yet, I need to get the tank up and running first so I can test the GPH coming from the overflow drain. I know I will run a screen with 30-40 square inches (tank will be 30-40g), but I wont know shape till I know GPH. The reason I need to know GPH is because I'm going to feed the scrubber screen straight off of the drain line, going that route will keep me from needing a second pump to feed the ATS and will feed all the nutrients from the tank straight to the ATS, plus with one less pump will help keep overall tank wattage down. I will try to go with red leds as the lighting but until I know how big the scrubber screen will be I can't even plan a led build to get an idea on cost. I'm going to try to keep the system happy with just the ATS and rock rubble in the sump as my filtration, I will from time to time add carbon to the sump between water changes( which I hope to only need ever few month, if the scrubber is setup right ). I feel that this kind of filtration w/o a skimmer has potential, I like the N\P filtration added from the green turf algae, plus it will out compete any unwanted algaes from growing in the display. Plus with the scrubber only absorbing N\P instead of all the proteins/solids like a filter sock/skimmer would it should keep alot more useable food in the water column.

[kkiel02]

I've been running mine for about a year now. Works pretty good but I am thinking of going the bio pellet route now. Ill try and answer your questions when I get home from work.

[kkiel02]

Ok I have had decent success with mine. The problem I am facing is that my turf scrubber is too small for my tank. I only got around to lighting one side of mine which as you know takes away some of your square inches from the screen(although I would argue its not 1/2). Nowadays you aren't looking to grow the turf algae anymore. It grows slower and is harder to clean. You are really looking to get GHA. I have mine hooked up to one of my drain lines like you are going to do. You can guessimate your gph from the return pump to give you an idea of what you will be working with. I cut about a 1/4 inch line down pvc with a dremel then just have any extra water flow down that pipe into my sump. I got most my info from Santa Monica or other fellow reefers online. Overall I was pretty happy with it and the theory but you still can have problems as the algae doesn't take up p/n at a 1:1 ratio. I also run gfo every so often and still have hair algae but thats mainly because of the scrubber being too small I think.


Oh and ROUGH up your screen. Then when your done ROUGH it up again. LOL This is why most people can't get their algae growing. Also never completely clean your screen. If you have anymore question just let me know.

[randomfish]

here is a good one http://www.thescmas.com/forums/showt...highlight=turf (http://www.thescmas.com/forums/showthread.php?4464-Algae-Turf-Scrubber-amp-Frag-tank-build.&highlight=turf)

[txg8gxp]

What size tank and what size scrubber, it seems that most agree that the screen doesn't need to be as big as they first thought. Of course with you only lighting the screen from one side doesn't help tons. What lighting are you running? Most seem to also be moving away from the 16/8 lighting schedule and running lights on alot less time but with alot higher lighting. I guess this would be hard to pull off with CFL bulbs, it would take t5's or LED to produce "high light".

Ok I have had decent success with mine. The problem I am facing is that my turf scrubber is too small for my tank. I only got around to lighting one side of mine which as you know takes away some of your square inches from the screen(although I would argue its not 1/2). Nowadays you aren't looking to grow the turf algae anymore. It grows slower and is harder to clean. You are really looking to get GHA. I have mine hooked up to one of my drain lines like you are going to do. You can guessimate your gph from the return pump to give you an idea of what you will be working with. I cut about a 1/4 inch line down pvc with a dremel then just have any extra water flow down that pipe into my sump. I got most my info from Santa Monica or other fellow reefers online. Overall I was pretty happy with it and the theory but you still can have problems as the algae doesn't take up p/n at a 1:1 ratio. I also run gfo every so often and still have hair algae but thats mainly because of the scrubber being too small I think.


Oh and ROUGH up your screen. Then when your done ROUGH it up again. LOL This is why most people can't get their algae growing. Also never completely clean your screen. If you have anymore question just let me know.

[kkiel02]

What size tank and what size scrubber, it seems that most agree that the screen doesn't need to be as big as they first thought. Of course with you only lighting the screen from one side doesn't help tons. What lighting are you running? Most seem to also be moving away from the 16/8 lighting schedule and running lights on alot less time but with alot higher lighting. I guess this would be hard to pull off with CFL bulbs, it would take t5's or LED to produce "high light".

My tank system is around 500 gallons. I bought two of the biggest screens that hobby lobby had. Im not quite sure on the size. I use the 16/8 schedule and use home depot reflectors with 2700k fluoresent bulbs like you would use around your house. Its really cheap this way and I can recycle the bulbs in my house when Im done.

[mistaflicksta]

I used an ATS on my tank for just about a year and I loved it. my screen was 10X12 lid on both sides. It takes some time to take off but once it does you will notice your nitrates and phosphates start to disapear rapidly. I also ran my in conjunction with a skimmer so that helped those two paramaters stay untraceable even with heavy feeding.

[CoryDude]

One thing I would recommend Stephen is to dose iron. It will increase you macro algae growth rate at the expense of the nuisance algae's growth rate.

[kkiel02]

Stephen I find it funny that you used to use biopellets but are now converting to ats and I am using an ats but am converting to biopellets. If you want my screens and pvc you are welcome to it once I get the biopellets running.