Algae Scrubber- But no Algae?

[vetteguy53081]

Air pump?

Ouch meant water pump. Sicce 3.0 is a good unit for this unit as you need a water pump that can pump at least 300 -400 gph to fill up all areas of the screen.

 

[MichaelReefer]

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.

Well, If I increase the light the small amount of algae that is there appears to burn off and die. I went according to Santa Monica's instructions, which is one light for the first month, 24/7 until algae builds up. I leave work in about an hour, and have to stop at LFS. Will send pics when I get home.

 

[MichaelReefer]

Ouch meant water pump. Sicce 3.0 is a good unit for this unit as you need a water pump that can pump at least 300 -400 gph to fill up all areas of the screen.

Yeah. 3.0 is what I'm using.

 

[w8lifts]

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

I don’t know my snails eat it to the root

 

[MichaelReefer]

The other side had half of this side...but that's probably 6 months of growth

 

[Smokey_reefer]

The other side had half of this side...but that's probably 6 months of growth

from the looks of it the yellow "slime" is in the same area of your lights. might actually be too much of a photo period and its killing off the algae or too intense of light in that one area.

 

[MichaelReefer]

from the looks of it the yellow "slime" is in the same area of your lights. might actually be too much of a photo period and its killing off the algae or too intense of light in that one area.

Judt dropped it to 12 hours. Guess we will see if that changes anything?

 

[Screwgunner]

Clean it every week if you have slime 2 times a week the algea will come. And out compete your dt.

 

[Smokey_reefer]

Judt dropped it to 12 hours. Guess we will see if that changes anything?

that what i have mine on is a 12 hour. opposite of the display

 

[Screwgunner]

I run my DT lights 10 hours scubber 14 hours.

 

[Turbo's Aquatics Verified Sponsor]

The other side had half of this side...but that's probably 6 months of growth

This is textbook photosaturation. My guess is that the bare upper area is right in front of the light. The narrow strip above it and the lower half are in an area that gets less intense light, so that area is growing OK.

If this is 6 months of growth, nothing is going to change IMO unless you knock down the intensity by backing the fixtures off, dimming them, or shading them somehow.

 

[Smokey_reefer]

This is textbook photosaturation. My guess is that the bare upper area is right in front of the light. The narrow strip above it and the lower half are in an area that gets less intense light, so that area is growing OK.

If this is 6 months of growth, nothing is going to change IMO unless you knock down the intensity by backing the fixtures off, dimming them, or shading them somehow.

what he said^ definitely too much light

 

[Smokey_reefer]

About 2 weeks growth on the Clearwater scrubber

 

[Screwgunner]

All I know is I went diy and started with 3.5k led lights white. White leds will not grow algea all that well , red and alittle blue is best.

 

[Smokey_reefer]

All I know is I went diy and started with 3.5k led lights white. White leds will not grow algea all that well , red and alittle blue is best.

thats what i have on mine. red with a few blue

 

[MichaelReefer]

Well, unfortunately the Santa Monica dont have a dimmer- you can just change the amount of lights. I reduced the lights to 12 hours a day and will see if I get any different results.

 

[Turbo's Aquatics Verified Sponsor]

You can try shading the lights, doesn't he include a shade cloth with his scrubbers? Or is that only the HOG/SURF units?

 

[MichaelReefer]

You can try shading the lights, doesn't he include a shade cloth with his scrubbers? Or is that only the HOG/SURF units?

Mine didnt come with any kind of shade cloth so I'm not too sure. Was my first Algae Scrubber. My Refugium worked great but it made my sump such a mess.

 

[Smokey_reefer]

Mine didnt come with any kind of shade cloth so I'm not too sure. Was my first Algae Scrubber. My Refugium worked great but it made my sump such a mess.

if you can figure out the connector size (probably a 5.5mm if i were to guess) you can get a inline dimmer for them. if the transformer is a 12v output just google 12v inline led dimmer.

 

[Smokey_reefer]

@MichaelReefer something along the lines of this. this says its 12-24v