Algae issues? Why dont more people use algae scrubbers?

[Reefering1]

I guess I would say I know my system…my ats won’t bottom me out. I let it do it’s thing and harvest at my convenience. Sometimes I just peek in to check the growth and if there’s room for more I close the lid and check in a few days. If it is mostly full I’ll remove 75% of the algae

On average I harvest roughly every 2-3 weeks. I don’t really have a set schedule or track it.

Actually it will bring me to 0 phosphate and 0 nitrates and I have had those numbers several months in a row. My system still looked great. I do want more room for a margin of safety, so first I started dosing phosphate and nitrate, then thought that was dumb and I should just increase coral feeding. So now I feed the corals 5x a week and I’m steady at .02-.05 phosphate and 2-5 nitrate

Do you manipulate the light duration to tune its effectiveness

 

[VintageReefer]

Do you manipulate the light duration to tune its effectiveness

I did when initially setting up. I’m at 18 hours a day. If I made drastic changes like add 6 fish I would probably monitor numbers for few weeks and alter my hours if needed

 

[billyocean]

I think a ats would be a extreme reaction to control a little frag plug algea in a system that struggles to maintain residual nutrients. Then again, my overgrown fuge sucks out anything extra before you can see it it in a test, doesn't mean its not available. I bet if you left a pile of plugs in your sump,in. A few months you wouldn't have this "problem". But at the same time, I know you know all this, i think your fishing for the quality of answers...

Yeah...I take no sides in the matter and agree that whatever works works. We're all case by case IME but staying versed in case challenges arise on new tank swap.

 

[billyocean]

That’s where I was going to lead to. Leave the plugs in the tank a few weeks/month before adding corals to get them seasoned like rock. They should be exposed to light also.

Ha...I read that like 6 months ago and thought "what a good idea"....then totally forgot. Thank you!

 

[Reefering1]

For what?
I have plenty of vodka! Having some Ketel one on the rocks as I type this.

corey

My tangs love bubble algea and vodka makes my cyano go away(I assume because it goes away if i give extra vodka)..

 

[mizimmer90]

So you see it in those pics? That's the basis of a ats right, that its thre and ready to grow in any system without being added?

That could be consistent with the modeling!

Agree he doesn't need to wash his rocks to prove it?

My gut tells me not to wash the rocks lol

 

[Reefering1]

Yeah...I take no sides in the matter and agree that whatever works works. We're all case by case IME but staying versed in case challenges arise on new tank swap.

Not about sides

I did when initially setting up. I’m at 18 hours a day. If I made drastic changes like add 6 fish I would probably monitor numbers for few weeks and alter my hours if needed

Maybe even anticipate the change right?

 

[biecacka]

My tangs love bubble algea and vodka makes my cyano go away(I assume because it goes away if i give extra vodka)..

That’s awesome! I love vodka (and bourbon) hahaha. so do those work better for you to combat cyano and bubble algae? Was just curious if the scrubber helps defeat them too?

corey

 

[ScubaSkeets]

Yes we agree or tweak to his current ats. We don’t know his hours per day he runs the light. I also don’t know what light he uses. He said a red one he stole from his wife lol he could need more hours, a brighter light, more frequent harvesting etc

His rock appears phosphate bound to me.

I'm not trying to deflect but am I supposed to have literally NO algae in the tank? What are the fish supposed to graze on, besides supplement with Nori?
Its a refugium grow light...not just some random red light bulb. I don't have the specs on it though, but its small enough to fit into a take out container. I've been running it 24/7. Perhaps I do need a bigger brighter light, but I had all the parts already and putting it all together was a spontaneous idea literally meant to just be an experiment, until I noticed the hairy GHA slowly going away, and I thought I was on to something.
I still see it as a success and and I will continue to use it, or put together a bigger, brighter one.

I stand corrected on some of my comments on this thread, but I remain convinced that the thing works very well.


Thanks to @VintageReefer for showing us how well an ATS is supposed to really work!

 

[Reefering1]

Yeah...I take no sides in the matter and agree that whatever works works. We're all case by case IME but staying versed in case challenges arise on new tank swap.

The real question is how are you "nutrient deficient ", keeping acros, and not skimming or using socks? What's missing here, what else is happening in that system?

 

[Reefering1]

That’s awesome! I love vodka (and bourbon) hahaha. so do those work better for you to combat cyano and bubble algae? Was just curious if the scrubber helps defeat them too?

corey

Idk about scrubbers but vodka requires significant attention/research and understanding to not devastate your tank.(my fuge was the only thing to save mine while I learned).

 

[jason2459]

It varies...its not terrible.


That's what I do mostly but like to stay versed on options in case. This hobby is a trove of information..lol.

There's a lot of roads to succeed. If something makes you miserable then do something else. I enjoy using an ATS. Some people find them tedious so it's not for them.

I try to be as consistent as possible and try and change as few variables at a time.

 

[VintageReefer]

Maybe even anticipate the change right?

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

so do those work better for you to combat cyano and bubble algae? Was just curious if the scrubber helps defeat them too

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

 

[Reefering1]

That’s awesome! I love vodka (and bourbon) hahaha. so do those work better for you to combat cyano and bubble algae? Was just curious if the scrubber helps defeat them too?

corey

I like gin, but started sipping the Tito's since always having it for the tank. I'm not ashamed to say that the other day I confiscated some from the dosing container for my cup...

 

[jason2459]

That’s awesome! I love vodka (and bourbon) hahaha. so do those work better for you to combat cyano and bubble algae? Was just curious if the scrubber helps defeat them too?

corey

An ATS could definitely be a part of the solution.

 

[VintageReefer]

I'm not trying to deflect but am I supposed to have literally NO algae in the tank? What are the fish supposed to graze on, besides supplement with Nori?
Its a refugium grow light...not just some random red light bulb. I don't have the specs on it though, but its small enough to fit into a take out container. I've been running it 24/7. Perhaps I do need a bigger brighter light, but I had all the parts already and putting it all together was a spontaneous idea literally meant to just be an experiment, until I noticed the hairy GHA slowly going away, and I thought I was on to something.
I still see it as a success and and I will continue to use it, or put together a bigger, brighter one.

I stand corrected on some of my comments on this thread, but I remain convinced that the thing works very well.


Thanks to @VintageReefer for showing us how well an ATS is supposed to really work!

Are you supposed to have Zero algae? That’s subjective, it’s your reef and also depends on your fish. I personally don’t have any fish that graze on algae so I don’t need algae growing in the display.

If I add hypothetically added a fish like a tang, I would be providing nori almost all the time

And I would say your diy scrubber is a success, it drastically helped reduce your algae and is keeping it mostly managed. In time it may even do more as it clears the phosphates out of the rock.

 

[billyocean]

The real question is how are you "nutrient deficient ", keeping acros, and not skimming or using socks? What's missing here, what else is happening in that system?

I use felt socks. My 125 doesn't have a lot of fish..8 total...2 of them are tangs. Feed frozen 2-3 times a day. Dose phosphate on doser and hand dose nitrates every 3-5 days to stay 10-20. Ph is 8.6ish during the day and 8.1/8.2 at night.

 

[Reefering1]

I'm not trying to deflect but am I supposed to have literally NO algae in the tank? What are the fish supposed to graze on, besides supplement with Nori?
Its a refugium grow light...not just some random red light bulb. I don't have the specs on it though, but its small enough to fit into a take out container. I've been running it 24/7. Perhaps I do need a bigger brighter light, but I had all the parts already and putting it all together was a spontaneous idea literally meant to just be an experiment, until I noticed the hairy GHA slowly going away, and I thought I was on to something.
I still see it as a success and and I will continue to use it, or put together a bigger, brighter one.

I stand corrected on some of my comments on this thread, but I remain convinced that the thing works very well.


Thanks to @VintageReefer for showing us how well an ATS is supposed to really work!

No, you don't need to strive for zero algea in dt. That's my point, it's a personal balance. Being in full, adjustable, control. You did good, made a significant step forward. But you're not done bud... do what you like, learn its limits, control the outcome

 

[Reefering1]

I use felt socks. My 125 doesn't have a lot of fish..8 total...2 of them are tangs. Feed frozen 2-3 times a day. Dose phosphate on doser and hand dose nitrates every 3-5 days to stay 10-20. Ph is 8.6ish during the day and 8.1/8.2 at night.

What's phosphate @?

 

[billyocean]

.08ish