Algae issues? Why dont more people use algae scrubbers?

[Reefering1]

And how often do you harvest?

 

[VintageReefer]

It varies! I really have no set schedule. I do it as I feel like it/remember. Typically sometime every 10-20 days.

I have gone longer but my ats growth compartment becomes full, then algae grows over the led lens cover, and then growth slows down.

It’s best to fine tune the scrubber by adjusting the hours per day the leds are on

 

[ScubaSkeets]

You do have gha in your display still, the ats may have contributed to a +/- 90% reduction of it though. No argument that it's a powerful tool. But that last 10% will require the next step. After that you may find you don't need the ats... potentially

If what you saw in my pics is GHA, then I'm way mistaken. I've always thought GHA was what is in this pic (taken from another thread on R2R)
That is what was in my tank.
That is what I do not have in my tank any longer

 

[Reefering1]

It varies! I really have no set schedule. I do it as I feel like it/remember. Typically sometime every 10-20 days.

I have gone longer but my ats growth compartment becomes full, then algae grows over the led lens cover, and then growth slows down.

It’s best to fine tune the scrubber by adjusting the hours per day the leds are on

Conversely, I run my fuge lights 24/7 and tune the vodka. I use the chaeto as mechanical filtration that "the bugs" keep clean, and as a visual que to nutrient levels. I don't test n/p. If fuge algea is declining, less vodka/more food. If its overly thriving/ stuffed= more vodka. At the same time, if its declining/ dying back, it releases its nutrients back into the water- acting as a buffer against bottoming out/starving corals. I never clean or harvest from this fuge, just try and balance the size of algea pile

 

[Reefering1]

If what you saw in my pics is GHA, then I'm way mistaken. I've always thought GHA was what is in this pic (taken from another thread on R2R)
That is what was in my tank.
That is what I do not have in my tank any longer

Not saying all of it is.. but, without looking back, I remember seeing light colored short fuzzy algea. This is gha. Trust me, I noticed it in the blue pics(that's why i asked for white light). Significant progress, yes. Mission complete, not yet. I'd bet that if you added 4 or 5 fish(and change nothing) it will show itself. The fresh fuzzy stuff is new gha growth. Weather its being eaten and regrowing or cycling between growth/ decline as you harvest ats- idk last time I added a fish, I had to add 4 extra(anthias. To disperse aggression) and 4 cleaner shrimp the next day. My nutrients didn't flinch. The fuge got a little fuller and my dt gha patch got a little bigger. I have months to respond via vodka. Zero cleaning or pruning. And it works both ways..

 

[VintageReefer]

He has stated this is more of a staining / coloration of the rock and not actually fuzzy, and scrubbing / power washing doesn’t remove it

 

[Reefering1]

He has stated this is more of a staining / coloration of the rock and not actually fuzzy, and scrubbing / power washing doesn’t remove it

Give me a min. I'll find the pic..

 

[Reefering1]

I had a feeling someone was going to say that. I took these at the same time as the others, but my bright white tank is really ugly. Lol.

 

[VintageReefer]

I agree it appears to be algae, at first, and I asked him about how it feels and he said to me:
It seems like it's just coloring. There's really no "feel" to it as far as I can tell.

And posted that power washing externally didn’t remove it.

I know rocks can develop coloration, it’s not always coralline that grows on the surface. It’s hard to tell without seeing it in person but from his description it possible it isn’t algae

 

[Coral therapy]

I love algae scrubbers, I clean this one weekly.

 

[Reefering1]

.

 

[VintageReefer]

Another one on team scrubber!!! I know there are more out there!
Nice sump by the way, very cool. Whatcha got goin on in there

 

[VintageReefer]

Ok I can’t be sure from the pics because the description doesn’t match up. But. I am willing to admit it is possibly algae.

And the reason he has some leftover could be because of an undersized / powered scrubber of a diy design. It could be eliminating 90% of algae but not strong enough for the rest. Or. His rocks could be phosphate bound, leaching phosphate out, it develops into the very early stages of HA, but then doesn’t have the nutrients to develop more.if this is true, this is a phase that will correct itself in time of the scrubber is properly designed

 

[ScubaSkeets]

Not saying all of it is.. but, without looking back, I remember seeing light colored short fuzzy algea. This is gha. Trust me, I noticed it in the blue pics(that's why i asked for white light). Significant progress, yes. Mission complete, not yet. I'd bet that if you added 4 or 5 fish(and change nothing) it will show itself. The fresh fuzzy stuff is new gha growth. Weather its being eaten and regrowing or cycling between growth/ decline as you harvest ats- idk last time I added a fish, I had to add 4 extra(anthias. To disperse aggression) and 4 cleaner shrimp the next day. My nutrients didn't flinch. The fuge got a little fuller and my dt gha patch got a little bigger. I have months to respond via vodka. Zero cleaning or pruning. And it works both ways..

Thanks. With my other bouts of "little furry animal" GHA, it seemed like it came out of nowhere. It didn't coat the rocks with a thin coating and then very slowly grew. And when it was furry, the fish didn't seem to touch it. They do graze on it now.
On one hand, I plan to see what I can do with what's there. However, on the other hand, as long as it stays the way it is, I'd be fine with that too. It's certainly better than what it was, and for a longer period of time...with the help of the ATS!!!

 

[danreef55]

Very nice sump.

 

[Reefering1]

.

 

[VintageReefer]

Thanks. With my other bouts of "little furry animal" GHA, it seemed like it came out of nowhere. It didn't coat the rocks with a thin coating and then very slowly grew. And when it was furry, the fish didn't seem to touch it. They do graze on it now.
On one hand, I plan to see what I can do with what's there. However, on the other hand, as long as it stays the way it is, I'd be fine with that too. It's certainly better than what it was, and for a longer period of time...with the help of the ATS!!!

Build a larger one with a bigger hob filter and add more leds

 

[ScubaSkeets]

He has stated this is more of a staining / coloration of the rock and not actually fuzzy, and scrubbing / power washing doesn’t remove it

Next day of decent weather, I will do a small water change (to have dirty water) and pressure wash one of the rocks again. And will post before and after pics

 

[Reefering1]

Thanks. With my other bouts of "little furry animal" GHA, it seemed like it came out of nowhere. It didn't coat the rocks with a thin coating and then very slowly grew. And when it was furry, the fish didn't seem to touch it. They do graze on it now.
On one hand, I plan to see what I can do with what's there. However, on the other hand, as long as it stays the way it is, I'd be fine with that too. It's certainly better than what it was, and for a longer period of time...with the help of the ATS!!!

Time my friend, time. Keep the ats, get a solid herbivore or 2(or try carbon dosing), take control of that last 15%. All it would take is a dead fish to upset your balance. I never even remove anything that dies, back to the tank from which it came

 

[Reefering1]

Next day of decent weather, I will do a small water change (to have dirty water) and pressure wash one of the rocks again. And will post before and after pics

Stop washing your rocks!!!