Anyone used Santa Monica algae scrubbers?

hllb · Jan 27, 2020

I’m considering adding one to my 32g biocube in chamber 2. Which is better? The drop in or the hang on glass? I think I have room for either.

Currently trying to use fluconazole to eliminate GHA and apparently need better nutrient export then skimmer and water changes.

CavalierReef · Jan 28, 2020

Following.

hllb · Jan 28, 2020

I've done a bit of research but everything I'm finding is pretty old. One thing of note, if you use the HOG model, the algae will grow on the glass, so you have to not only clean the algae screen, you have to clean the glass as well. For that reason, I'm leaning towards the drop in model.

I emailed the company questions on the two versions and which would work best in my tank.

hllb · Jan 28, 2020

Here's the response I got from the company. Sounds like the drop in is the way to go:

The Drop is more quiet, with less red light visible. So if in a bedroom or
near a TV, you would want the Drop (just measure the space to be sure). The
Drop.6 and 6x are somewhat quiet; the 1.2 and 1.2x are more quiet, and the
1.4 and 1.4x are most quiet, because of the extra epoxy/rocks they have
inside to block the sound.

atoll · Jan 28, 2020

I have had both a HOG and a surf ATS from SM. I experienced a number of issues with both but esp the HOG. It was noisy, the airline constantly blocked with calc but worst of all the magnets on the wet side holding it together rusted badly. Lots of people had the same issue and it was clearly a manufacturing/design issue. The company didn't want to know and offered nothing.
The surf also suffered from calc buildup in the airline and reduced bubbling in it. Not as noisy as the HOG apart from the air pump which was my own but few air pumps if any are quiet. I got shut of both and replaced with waterfall ATSs which are far far better esp as they are lit from both sides and grow so much more algae on the screen.
A friend of mine also has a surf and after 18 months the LEDs are very faint. He contacted the company but he says they are so expensive as not worth buying and being sealed in resin he can't even replace them himself so in the bin it went.

H2Orchard · Jan 28, 2020

I just got a drop 1.2 on Monday. It was very easy to set up. I need three extra things. Extra airline tubing, an outlet time and a two prong air pump. So far it's working well! Their customer service was also great. I don't have a sump. 33 gallon.

atoll · Jan 28, 2020

H2Orchard said:
I just got a drop 1.2 on Monday. It was very easy to set up. I need three extra things. Extra airline tubing, an outlet time and a two prong air pump. So far it's working well! Their customer service was also great. I don't have a sump. 33 gallon.

Working well after one da, I assume then its growing GHA already to be working well.

H2Orchard · Jan 28, 2020

atoll said:
Working well after one da, I assume then its growing GHA already to be working well.

Oh i didn't mean its growing anything yet. Sorry. I just meant that it wad easy to set up and is working. Think it takes much longer for things to start growing.

hllb · Jan 28, 2020

I appreciate the info from users. An external algae scrubber isn't possible/desirable for me, so it's either something like this, that fits in my AIO filtration area, or nothing.

hometown9 · Jan 28, 2020

I have a drop 1.4 on my 50G. Took about 2 months to get any growth, but eventually it took and now I'm happy. Has greatly reduced NO3 and PO4, but not to zero. I've stopped all dosing and considering removing my skimmer and GFO.

hllb · Jan 28, 2020

hometown9 said:
I have a drop 1.4 on my 50G. Took about 2 months to get any growth, but eventually it took and now I'm happy. Has greatly reduced NO3 and PO4, but not to zero. I've stopped all dosing and considering removing my skimmer and GFO.

How messy is it to 1) remove from the tank for cleaning and 2) actually clean it?

atoll · Jan 28, 2020

H2Orchard said:
Oh i didn't mean its growing anything yet. Sorry. I just meant that it wad easy to set up and is working. Think it takes much longer for things to start growing.

Agreed, however to be working well I would suggest it's doing what it's supposed to do, grow GHA. Simply being lit and bubbling isnt really working as yet. I am sure it will however in time. Mine did but as said in my previous post I had issues with it. Keep an eye on those magnets and check it's bubbling across the whole screen as with mine the airline and outlets tended to clog with salt, crud and calc. Good luck with it I hope it serves you well and you don't experience the issues I and others had. Perhaps newer models are better, I hope so.

hometown9 · Jan 28, 2020

It's fully self-contained. I just remove it from the chamber and use a dish scrubber or toothbrush to clean it off. I do it every other week.

hllb · Jan 28, 2020

atoll said:
Agreed, however to be working well I would suggest it's doing what it's supposed to do, grow GHA. Simply being lit and bubbling isnt really working as yet. I am sure it will however in time. Mine did but as said in my previous post I had issues with it. Keep an eye on those magnets and check it's bubbling across the whole screen as with mine the airline and outlets tended to clog with salt, crud and calc. Good luck with it I hope it serves you well and you don't experience the issues I and others had. Perhaps newer models are better, I hope so.

I don't believe the drop models have any magnets, so shouldn't have to worry about rust. They just sit in the filtration area.

atoll · Jan 28, 2020

hllb said:
I don't believe the drop models have any magnets, so shouldn't have to worry about rust. They just sit in the filtration area.

Yes sorry my bad Inwas referring to the HOG I had.

Jud · Mar 2, 2020

Hey @hllb did you ever pull through trigger on this? Have been contemplating a drop myself for a 40 gal AIO, but hear they are kind of noisey?

hllb · Mar 3, 2020

Jud said:
Hey @hllb did you ever pull through trigger on this? Have been contemplating a drop myself for a 40 gal AIO, but hear they are kind of noisey?

No, I didn’t get it. Still might but nothing yet.

hometown9 · Mar 3, 2020

Jud said:
Hey @hllb did you ever pull through trigger on this? Have been contemplating a drop myself for a 40 gal AIO, but hear they are kind of noisey?

They're only noisy if you submerge completely so the bubbles escape. Otherwise if you keep just the surface exposed and allow air to escape through the top, it's pretty quiet. Not silent, but not terribly loud either. I'd put on a pare with a skimmer in terms of noise.

kasso187 · Apr 24, 2020

I recently put a drop 1.4 in my reefer 170. Looking forward to getting growth. The bubbles are loud, but IMO, its a bit more pleasing than the monotonous drive of a pump or fan.

Gary Ellis · Apr 28, 2020

My Rain 2 has been running for 3 weeks. I have no algae on the screen yet. I have only one light running as per instructions. Should I plug in another light?