Algae Scrubber- But no Algae?

[MichaelReefer]

So I have had a Santa Monica Rain 2 for about...six months now. I went from a refugium because my sump turned into a hair algae swamp and figured a scrubber would keep it cleaner and easier to remove. Over the last four months or so I have noticed hair algae beginning to show its ugly face in the display (Not in the sump anymore). I have almost no algae growing in my scrubber, pretty much never have. Some small strains and dead algae but thats all. At first I thought it was because I was only running one light, so tried two and killed the small amount of algae in the scrubber, so went back to one.... I even tried "seeding" it with some hair algae from the display- didnt work.

Does anyone have any ideas on how I could help my scrubber get started? I went as the instructions stated, roughed it up, etc etc but just am not getting the results I was hoping for.... my tank was definitely cleaner with the refugium.

 

[w8lifts]

I turned my DT lights off for 24 hours and put my algae scrubber lights on only, started growing algae in 12 hours.

 

[MichaelReefer]

I turned my DT lights off for 24 hours and put my algae scrubber lights on only, started growing algae in 12 hours.

Hmmm ok. Do you run it opposite display lights?

 

[w8lifts]

Hmmm ok. Do you run it opposite display lights?

No I just leave it on only because I’m to lazy to plug it in my Wi-Fi smart plug and set up a time.

 

[MichaelReefer]

No I just leave it on only because I’m to lazy to plug it in my Wi-Fi smart plug and set up a time.

Thats what I always do, just odd to me that it wont "get going."

 

[w8lifts]

Thats what I always do, just odd to me that it wont "get going."

Turn your DT lights off for awhile

 

[DeniseAndy]

I keep it running for 18 hrs a day, but not during peak hours of my lights. I have one system it will not get going in, but my main one it just took a week or two. I have had a tough time starting them up when not a lot of algae present. I have never tried the display lights off, but maybe I will on my one struggling.

The one hard to begin is the one in a system I used Flox to kill briopsis, so may be that that causes it to not begin easily.

 

[MichaelReefer]

I keep it running for 18 hrs a day, but not during peak hours of my lights. I have one system it will not get going in, but my main one it just took a week or two. I have had a tough time starting them up when not a lot of algae present. I have never tried the display lights off, but maybe I will on my one struggling.

The one hard to begin is the one in a system I used Flox to kill briopsis, so may be that that causes it to not begin easily.

@SantaMonica

 

[MichaelReefer]

I keep it running for 18 hrs a day, but not during peak hours of my lights. I have one system it will not get going in, but my main one it just took a week or two. I have had a tough time starting them up when not a lot of algae present. I have never tried the display lights off, but maybe I will on my one struggling.

The one hard to begin is the one in a system I used Flox to kill briopsis, so may be that that causes it to not begin easily.

I went by the Santa Monica instructions, which was 24/7 until first harvest....but I havent even had to harvest it. Just looks like globs of dead/barely alive algae.

 

[w8lifts]

I went by the Santa Monica instructions, which was 24/7 until first harvest....but I havent even had to harvest it. Just looks like globs of dead/barely alive algae.

You might need to add some iron, mine was very pale tick yellow, I dosed some iron.

 

[Dan_P]

So I have had a Santa Monica Rain 2 for about...six months now. I went from a refugium because my sump turned into a hair algae swamp and figured a scrubber would keep it cleaner and easier to remove. Over the last four months or so I have noticed hair algae beginning to show its ugly face in the display (Not in the sump anymore). I have almost no algae growing in my scrubber, pretty much never have. Some small strains and dead algae but thats all. At first I thought it was because I was only running one light, so tried two and killed the small amount of algae in the scrubber, so went back to one.... I even tried "seeding" it with some hair algae from the display- didnt work.

Does anyone have any ideas on how I could help my scrubber get started? I went as the instructions stated, roughed it up, etc etc but just am not getting the results I was hoping for.... my tank was definitely cleaner with the refugium.

Just for reference, what are the nitrate and phosphate levels? Do you dose trace elements?

 

[MichaelReefer]

Just for reference, what are the nitrate and phosphate levels? Do you dose trace elements?

Phos: .08
Nitrate: 7

I am in the process of going bare bottom- so I am guessing that is part of the reason I am having some algae problems currently :I

I do dose trace. Seachem Plus and Seachem Trace. Also 2 part for Alk/Cal. Trying to get the hair algae under control before it gets too bad.... Was thinking of trying Nopox but I really wanna get my algae scrubber working efficiently.

 

[MichaelReefer]

You might need to add some iron, mine was very pale tick yellow, I dosed some iron.

Wouldn't the hair algae in the display be having an issue if I was low on iron?

 

[Smokey_reefer]

to much or little flow? i ran my lights 24/7 for the first few weeks and then switched it to opposite of aquarium. harvest every 2 weeks now. started out with more slime than hair but after a few months its nothing but green hair now. running a 185gph pump on about half flow. (using a two little fishies ball valve inline)

 

[Smokey_reefer]

what lights are you running on the scrubber? watts, color spectrum?

 

[vetteguy53081]

So I have had a Santa Monica Rain 2 for about...six months now. I went from a refugium because my sump turned into a hair algae swamp and figured a scrubber would keep it cleaner and easier to remove. Over the last four months or so I have noticed hair algae beginning to show its ugly face in the display (Not in the sump anymore). I have almost no algae growing in my scrubber, pretty much never have. Some small strains and dead algae but thats all. At first I thought it was because I was only running one light, so tried two and killed the small amount of algae in the scrubber, so went back to one.... I even tried "seeding" it with some hair algae from the display- didnt work.

Does anyone have any ideas on how I could help my scrubber get started? I went as the instructions stated, roughed it up, etc etc but just am not getting the results I was hoping for.... my tank was definitely cleaner with the refugium.

Assure you have good bubble action from air pump

 

[MichaelReefer]

to much or little flow? i ran my lights 24/7 for the first few weeks and then switched it to opposite of aquarium. harvest every 2 weeks now. started out with more slime than hair but after a few months its nothing but green hair now. running a 185gph pump on about half flow. (using a two little fishies ball valve inline)

I dont think thats the problem, have a sicce running on it. Full coverage on the plastic sheet.

 

[MichaelReefer]

what lights are you running on the scrubber? watts, color spectrum?

They are just the ones that come with the Santa Monica.

 

[MichaelReefer]

Assure you have good bubble action from air pump

Air pump?

 

[Dan_P]

Phos: .08
Nitrate: 7

I am in the process of going bare bottom- so I am guessing that is part of the reason I am having some algae problems currently :I

I do dose trace. Seachem Plus and Seachem Trace. Also 2 part for Alk/Cal. Trying to get the hair algae under control before it gets too bad.... Was thinking of trying Nopox but I really wanna get my algae scrubber working efficiently.

With this nutrient level, I don’t understand the poor growth. Some one mentioned light levels. Can you increase the light level, or maybe you did that already.