Algae issues? Why dont more people use algae scrubbers?

[VintageReefer]

Just want to say I am very happy with what this thread has turned into and I’m glad to see good questions, good advice, and the community working together to help each other!

 

[Reefering1]

Yes if I had a planned event like that I could proactively add on 30 min to the timer let’s say but I have no idea how much time would be needed. I would still monitor tank conditions and go from there



I will be honest - my scrubber does wonders for my tank but I still get bubble algae here and there and manually remove. Now, could I go more aggressive with my scrubber and run it longer and beat the bubble algae also - possibly, but things are going well for me and I don’t want to mess with it and risk stripping too much from the water. I already run on what I feel is the low side for nitrates and phosphates and I don’t think the “potential” benefits are worth taking a risk

If my tank didn’t have a scrubber and was overrun with bubble algae, and I was adding a scrubber, that would be a different story. But I still would manually remove as much as possible first and go from there

Starting to sound more and more like my fuge, except I use. Vodka to handle what it can't(because I don't want to harvest). If you wanted you can tune your ats to maintain a certain amount of algea rather than pruning it... seems like the same thing except I have a extra lever to manipulate

 

[VintageReefer]

Starting to sound more and more like my fuge, except I use. Vodka to handle what it can't(because I don't want to harvest). If you wanted you can tune your ats to maintain a certain amount of algea rather than pruning it... seems like the same thing except I have a extra lever to manipulate

You have a lever and I have a timer lol we can get the same results

As a sneak peak to a thread I will start soon…here is my nano! Coral doing great but algae taking over. I am intentionally letting it grow because next week I am ordering an algae turf scrubber and I will document it fixing this tank, with no other changes!

 

[ingchr1]

Thinking about my post, reads like the start of a list of reasons why one wound not run a scrubber. The question in the OP.

I decided to turn it back on to see what affect it would have on nitrate and phosphate, not for any type of algae control in the display. Why I'm considering turning it back off:

1. The nutrients that its removing, is that going to negatively affect the availability of nutrients needed for the display biome?
2. If it performs as advertised, will there now not be enough algae in the display for the algae grazers?
3. I have an AIO with my own homemade ATS (design changed a little along the way, including the light spectrum). It's a bit of pain to clean and algae ends up loose in the chamber. It would be a lot easier if I just did some form of carbon dosing instead. Which would also benefit bacteria.
4. I'm not really sure if I saw any net positive benefit from running it. It just created more tank maintenance. Not sure what I was expecting different this time.

Yes, it has me considering turning it back off. My corals have never been smothered by hair algae, scrubber running or not. Why would turning the scrubber off cause that to happen?

 

[rja]

The use of algae scrubbers and refugiums is nearly essential in any reef tank. I would never run a tank without one. Absolute game changer.

Sump: looks like a swap
DT: Immaculate

 

[Pntbll687]

I spend zero time growing algae. It just grows by itself in my scrubber. Once every 2 weeks I spend 30 seconds to grab a handful of algae and throw it away.

What do you do to maintain those numbers? I bet it’s more time than I spend on my tank

I put fish food, and coral food in the tank to maintain those parameters. Empty the skimmer when it's full, and scrape the glass. Maybe a water change every couple of weeks.

An algae scrubber is just a tool, just like every other item in this hobby. Use the tools that you feel are best, but don't lose sight of the goal which is growing coral and having an awesome display tank. I think allot of people get caught up in the equipment side of things, and we rarely see the results of all this "stuff".

 

[VintageReefer]

I decided to turn it back on to see what affect it would have on nitrate and phosphate, not for any type of algae control in the display. Why I'm considering turning it back off:

1. The nutrients that its removing, is that going to negatively affect the availability of nutrients needed for the display biome?
   No. I have been running scrubbers for 10 years. I’ve never had any negative effect. You adjust the hours based on your nutrient levels. I keep my tank at .02-.05 phosphate and 2-5 nitrate. I could increase or decrease these numbers based on the number of hours the scrubber leds are on
   
   
2. If it performs as advertised, will there now not be enough algae in the display for the algae grazers?
   
   Possibly, but you can reduce the leds to maintain the balance you need and allow some algae to grow
   
3. I have an AIO with my own homemade ATS (design changed a little along the way, including the light spectrum). It's a bit of pain to clean and algae ends up loose in the chamber. It would be a lot easier if I just did some form of carbon dosing instead. Which would also benefit bacteria.
   
   Carbon dosing does benefit bacteria. Scrubbers remove only bad things (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, copper and phosphate) but leave all the good things (visible food particles, invisible coral nutrition, copepods, microbes, and egg spawnings) in the water. And scrubbers do this continuously (once growing), instead of only at one moment. Also, scrubbers actually add some more good things to the water, like copepods, amino acids, and oxygen.
   
4. I'm not really sure if I saw any net positive benefit from running it. It just created more tank maintenance. Not sure what I was expecting different this time.

I guess that’s from your design, mine reduces maintenance because I don’t have any manual work and don’t perform water changes and don’t run my skimmer

Yes, it has me considering turning it back off. My corals have never been smothered by hair algae, scrubber running or not. Why would turning the scrubber off cause that to happen?

My responses are embedded in the above quote

If you don’t have an issue then you don’t need to run it! If you are using alternate methods to maintain parameters, this is just another method. Many find it easier but you can do whatever you’re comfortable with

 

[Pntbll687]

The use of algae scrubbers and refugiums is nearly essential in any reef tank. I would never run a tank without one. Absolute game changer.

Sump: looks like a swap
DT: Immaculate

If by "nearly essential" you mean "completely optional and not necessary"

You can use a fuge or scrubber all you want, and that's cool. But don't make it sound like they are items that must be used to be successful. I'll point you to WWC farm system as an example of what is possible with no fuge or scrubber.

 

[ScubaSkeets]

I'm glad I started this thread. It has definitely been heated at times, and I apologize to anyone that I may have ticked off.
I have definitely learned alot, especially DON'T EVER post 100%white/0% blue light pics for all the world to see how ugly your tank really is!! LOL.

I remained 100% convinced that my ATS works. While my undersized one may not be as effective as other methods to truly eradicate all display algae, I think it is safer than some methods, like nopox, vodka,
or Vibrant (Had another tank with crazy algae in it. Dosed Vibrant, prior to the findings that it was just a rebranded algaecide. Next day 4 out of the 6 fish were dead. Including some of my very first fish since I had the tank for over 2 years.

I posted a poll on the forum. Please vote!!

Thanks!!

 

[Reefering1]

I'm glad I started this thread. It has definitely been heated at times, and I apologize to anyone that I may have ticked off.
I have definitely learned alot, especially DON'T EVER post 100%white/0% blue light pics for all the world to see how ugly your tank really is!! LOL.

I remained 100% convinced that my ATS works. While my undersized one may not be as effective as other methods to truly eradicate all display algae, I think it is safer than some methods, like nopox, vodka,
or Vibrant (Had another tank with crazy algae in it. Dosed Vibrant, prior to the findings that it was just a rebranded algaecide. Next day 4 out of the 6 fish were dead. Including some of my very first fish since I had the tank for over 2 years.

I posted a poll on the forum. Please vote!!

Thanks!!

That's what you learned from all this? Try to deceive people in order to back up your point? Smh

 

[ScubaSkeets]

That's what you learned from all this? Try to deceive people in order to back up your point? Smh

I HOPE you're kidding, because I was. Hence the LOL. I learned alot more than that!!

 

[VintageReefer]

That's what you learned from all this? Try to deceive people in order to back up your point? Smh

I think he’s just poking fun at himself

And to be fair, his tanks hair algae drastically was reduced, probably by 90% when no other methods helped, with a diy homemade scrubber he figured out how to build on his own with about 80$ in parts

 

[Reefering1]

I HOPE you're kidding, because I was. Hence the LOL. I learned alot more than that!!

Ok.. fair enough!! I thought you were serious

 

[Reefering1]

I think he’s just poking fun at himself

And to be fair, his tanks hair algae drastically was reduced, probably by 90% when no other methods helped, with a diy homemade scrubber he figured out how to build on his own with about 80$ in parts

Yup and yup..

 

[ScubaSkeets]

Ok.. fair enough!! I thought you were serious

Not at all. I have no problems making fun of myself when it calls for it!!!

 

[Garf]

Not at all. I have no problems making fun of myself when it calls for it!!!

Well, to be fair, the other chap has been jazzing it up a bit also;

Hello - Welcome to my (near) Zero Maintenance Reef!

I also run a scrubber and dose all for reef and hadn’t done a water change in 8 months until an “accident” last month led to a few wcs. I love my scrubber and wish I had known about them sooner. You tank looks awesome! Love the vibrant Color’s!

www.reef2reef.com

 

[ScubaSkeets]

Well, to be fair, the other chap has been jazzing it up a bit also;

The other chap was jazzing it up because the ATS works. Just because my tank may still have algae, I do not have the algae problems that I had before using it.
My mistake was jazzing MINE up too much but not realizing how it looks under 100% whites/0% blues.
I can live with what's in the white pics, providing it does not grow into the long hair GHA.

 

[Garf]

Multiple claims of being algae free due to the scrubber.

Actuality;

 

[Reefering1]

The main debate revolved around the words eradicate, prevent, solution, out compete, and control... some say it does, others say it contributes to the bigger picture.

 

[Reefering1]

Blue lights hide alot. I like a full spectrum. Once you have a solid handle on the ugly stuff, you'll likely want to see all the hidden details