Algae Turf Scrubber

[Josh@ClearWaterScrubbers]

Thanks for the details. clear water scrubbers are available at brs correct?

Yes sir! They will also be on Marine Depot by the end of the month.

 

[Halal Hotdog]

Pods produce on ATS? Do you run any carbon? Passively or through a reactor?

The combination of the ATS and refugium are my pod factories. My ATS definitely has a significant population of pods and bristle worms on it when I am cleaning the screen, but feel a lot are growing on the refugium side. My ATS sits in a 55 gallon tank right above my refugium. I feel this is a significant reason that my tank is doing well, regardless of how lazy I get. I do not run carbon mainly because I have read it can be one of the factors to cause HLLE in tangs. I don't know how true that is, but I love my purple tang and don't want to chance it.

When I was carbon dosing I was cleaning my glass once every two weeks. With my ATS/refugium I am probably cleaning once every 1-1.5 week(s). Without ATS/refugium I was cleaning once every two days.

 

[KenO]

That is something to take into account. It seems that a few people seem to kill there ATS algae some how and there nutrients fluctuate. So it took ~8 months for the ATS to mature?

It took about 2+ months for the algae to get a good hold on the screen. At 8 months it was running like clockwork. Once a week cleaning and pods everywhere. The key is to just scrape the screen. I used an old credit card. Some folks rinse the screen after cleaning, I didn't bother. I did use an old toothbrush to give a good cleaning where the slot is since the algae will grow up and into it. My NO3 and PO4 were both reading zero. I didn't see any fluctuations with the weekly cleaning. The algae grew back quickly. When I dosed my tank with the fluconazole, my NO3 and PO4 both shot up, so the scrubber was doing what it was suppose to do. I will use it again once I get some future tanks setup. For now the chaeto will be faster to get going. For the clear water scrubber depending on where you are going to have it, they sell a lid and a light shield. The lid did keep the noise down. I didn't get the light shield.

 

[Josh@ClearWaterScrubbers]

It took about 2+ months for the algae to get a good hold on the screen. At 8 months it was running like clockwork. Once a week cleaning and pods everywhere. The key is to just scrape the screen. I used an old credit card. Some folks rinse the screen after cleaning, I didn't bother. I did use an old toothbrush to give a good cleaning where the slot is since the algae will grow up and into it. My NO3 and PO4 were both reading zero. I didn't see any fluctuations with the weekly cleaning. The algae grew back quickly. When I dosed my tank with the fluconazole, my NO3 and PO4 both shot up, so the scrubber was doing what it was suppose to do. I will use it again once I get some future tanks setup. For now the chaeto will be faster to get going. For the clear water scrubber depending on where you are going to have it, they sell a lid and a light shield. The lid did keep the noise down. I didn't get the light shield.

Lids are included in all units now. Light covers are the only thing that is extra now.

 

[ReefFreak@]

Yes sir! They will also be on Marine Depot by the end of the month.

Whos cheaper lol

 

[ReefFreak@]

The combination of the ATS and refugium are my pod factories. My ATS definitely has a significant population of pods and bristle worms on it when I am cleaning the screen, but feel a lot are growing on the refugium side. My ATS sits in a 55 gallon tank right above my refugium. I feel this is a significant reason that my tank is doing well, regardless of how lazy I get. I do not run carbon mainly because I have read it can be one of the factors to cause HLLE in tangs. I don't know how true that is, but I love my purple tang and don't want to chance it.

When I was carbon dosing I was cleaning my glass once every two weeks. With my ATS/refugium I am probably cleaning once every 1-1.5 week(s). Without ATS/refugium I was cleaning once every two days.

I currently run carbon through a brs reactor and both of my tangs are doing great. I think HLLE is more to do with diet but thats personal opinion not backed up by science. Glass cleaning never really bothered me once i got a magnetic scraper but it is another factor to consider.

 

[ReefFreak@]

It took about 2+ months for the algae to get a good hold on the screen. At 8 months it was running like clockwork. Once a week cleaning and pods everywhere. The key is to just scrape the screen. I used an old credit card. Some folks rinse the screen after cleaning, I didn't bother. I did use an old toothbrush to give a good cleaning where the slot is since the algae will grow up and into it. My NO3 and PO4 were both reading zero. I didn't see any fluctuations with the weekly cleaning. The algae grew back quickly. When I dosed my tank with the fluconazole, my NO3 and PO4 both shot up, so the scrubber was doing what it was suppose to do. I will use it again once I get some future tanks setup. For now the chaeto will be faster to get going. For the clear water scrubber depending on where you are going to have it, they sell a lid and a light shield. The lid did keep the noise down. I didn't get the light shield.

Would you know by chance how much the lid and light shield is? That was one thing i did not like about a little fuge. The light spill grew more algae in my sump than in my display

 

[ReefFreak@]

Lids are included in all units now. Light covers are the only thing that is extra now.

Just saw your message about the light shield. How much extra is it?

 

[paphater]

I love my ATS. I ran a really simple DIY ATS, it was basically the screen hanging over my sump in the open air. I run ATI essentials and I haven't done a water change since September or October and my nutrients are extremely low. I upgraded to a used Turbo now I'm waiting for that to ramp up.

 

[WorldsSexiestGranny]

So how long should it take for an ats to get to the point where it is sucking maximum amount of nutrients out? I just got a clear water scrubber and it’s been running for just over a week and showing some algae growth in the screen

 

[paphater]

It'll go through stages. Do you have any hair algae in the tank? When I set my DIY version up I took some that was growing in the tank and smeared it over the screen to seed it.

 

[Josh@ClearWaterScrubbers]

Just saw your message about the light shield. How much extra is it?

They are $45.00 with free shipping.

 

[Josh@ClearWaterScrubbers]

So how long should it take for an ats to get to the point where it is sucking maximum amount of nutrients out? I just got a clear water scrubber and it’s been running for just over a week and showing some algae growth in the screen

A brand new screen will take between 4-6 weeks for the algae to establish roots and ramp up nutrient uptake. Once the algae has taken hold, it usually doesn’t take but a week to two to start seeing a drop in levels.

As long as you don’t completely clean the screen after that, it will continue to use the nutrients in the water. If you over clean the screen tho, you will see an increase in nutrient level as the screen is having to restart growth. I like to compare them to a lawn. You just want to mow it down some. Not to the dirt because then you have to start over a square one.

 

[Devaji]

this thread has inspired me I need to get my ATS up and running...my DT is looking pretty bad.

 

[ReefFreak@]

this thread has inspired me I need to get my ATS up and running...my DT is looking pretty bad.

Thats great!

 

[SantaMonica]

Will a ats let me stop using NOPOX

Yes this is a common goal.

More oxygen in water, less ph swing, free food for tangs. Are all these acceptable demands for a ATS?

At least. Many others too.

There is fussing with a ATS?

Weekly cleaning. The particular design is what determines the time required. Complex waterfalls, like I invented in 2008, can take a half hour for complete cleaning in your sink. New style waterfalls can take a few minutes. Upflows about the same.

making sure the growth doesn’t redirect flow into a flood situation

This is where the new waterfall styles are good; no overflows. And of course, upflows can't overflow because they are underwater already.

One of my concerns is that nitrates and phosphates will be unstable due to removing the algae and letting it grow back

This is where having two scrubbers is great. Or one with two compartments.

It’s holes drilled into it so they plug all the time

In 2008 I tried holes, and yes they plugged.

IMO ATS is one of the greatest things that have happened in the last few years

You mean in the last 30 years It was invented in 1980 by Adey, and I invented the waterfall version in 2008, and the upflow in 2011.

Also algae is capable of absorbing impurities from the water, like certain metals

Yes, and nitrite, CO2, etc.

Pods produce on ATS?

Tons, if you don't use FW for cleaning.

So how long should it take for an ats to get to the point where it is sucking maximum amount of nutrients out?

A few months. The algae really needs to attach first. The rougher the surface, the better.