ATS vs cheto fuge?

[Devaji]

OK guys I know this can be a hot topic for some. but my tanks need some love I have been supper busy with sick parents, (mum passed ) work and life it self... slicked a bit on maintenance only 20gal WC once a month for the last few... so my tank had this hard film algae covering the LR. not to sure what it is.

anyway I have had an ATS on the system a while back and it was running good but decided to go bigger and better with a water fall ATS but never got it up and running.

I do have a skimmer on the tank and its running good lightly stocked 90 gal with only 4 smallish fish.

SO my question here is ATS vs cheto for algae control.

I know there are a advantages/disadvantages to both. but it was my understanding that ATS where way more powerful at controlling algae. but with the BRS investigates on cheto it got me wondering if I should go that way. god knows I need to do something to get this under control.

oh course the kessil fuge is $$$$$ i wonder if say 4-5 66nm led on heat sink would do the same?

basically what i am asking is cheato fuge or finsh getting the waterfall ATS up and running...

thoughts??

 

[Devaji]

Here are some quick pics if the LR.
As you can see there not looking the best.

I have yet to do test to see where I am at but it's clearly not good.
Also noticed return pump is not working as it should. Gave it a good cleaning but it seams week. It's a ehiem so maybe see if I can warenry that through BRS. But I don't recall it being so low pressure. I added another PH to keep things moving.

 

[Devaji]

anyone care to talk about this??

 

[Murraydar]

I had a chaeto fuge for a while with huge amounts of growth but it barely dented my nutrients. I built a waterfall ats a few months back and its brought my nutrients down to undetectable levels. From what I've read turf scrubbers tend to be quite a bit better at reducing nutrients.

 

[ZaneTer]

I have no experience running an ATS. I currently have a 12"x12"x12" ball of chaeto in my refugium which services a 180g display. I cannot detect nutrients to the point that I have to dose nitrate and phosphate otherwise my corals pale and die within about 4 weeks. I dont do any water changes as i am currently running the triton method. Hope this helps.

 

[Devaji]

yeah that my understanding as well. ATS take more out but are more of a pain to clean where cheato is easier just flip every few days or preferred get it to tumble .

i think I will go with setting up my ATS...good to think out loud and get feed back. I am sure they both will work just fine.

 

[Tom Blevins]

I set up my 750xxl and added both, ran my fug on old tank for years with cheato but did not take care of the issue I had to add nopox, the ATS has cycled and running strong now on the new tank so much my cheato is now dying this is how good it is in my opinion.

 

[Devaji]

nice glad to hear that it has worked out very well for you. I did have a little upflw ATS on this system a while back and it was doing good just got tired of hearing the air pump. I have always been a fan of ATS but with that new kessil light I was just wondering.

 

[Tom Blevins]

Mine has 2- 30 watt LED on each side vertical.

 

[dansreef]

An interesting topic. I have a 180 DT about 225 TWV....and I run an oversized Algae Scrubber from 302 Aquatics. It runs great and I can maintain low levels on Nitrate and Phosphates. I feed my tank like crazy and my fish are fat and happy...and the corals are doing great. The problem....my scrubber is almost too efficient. I have been playing with light cycles and flow which has helped a lot.

I have a neighbor with a 90 SPS dominant tank that had all sorts of issues with Phosphates. He did not have room for a scrubber. He went to a Cheato Reactor and it has done an awesome job of reducing nutrients in his tank. I believe he did a DIY reactor using a TLF reactor and got some LED tape with blue and red LEDs.... wrapped them around the reactor. He seeded it with a handful of Chaeto and was off and running. He has been extremely impressed with both growth of the Cheato and the reduction of nutrients. I also think it is a pretty easy setup and the maintenance is minimal.

I like both of these approaches as they simplify things a lot. I am no longer dosing carbon. I don't run GFO or Carbon. I have been told that you can do less water changes....etc... I still do run a skimmer as I find both the skimmer and ATS compliment each other... Again.... there are some tweaks that you need to manage when using both. You don't want to go to zero on both your Nitrates and Phosphates as you will starve your corals and your tanks micro fauna. As an aside.... I think this is the reason so many hobbyist struggle with dino outbreaks. The micro fauna and algae are starved out of a tank and dinos are left unchecked and explode in population. That is a different topic...amd this is one of the reason for the dino scourge in my opinion... but I think it is something to keep in mind. I also think these methods help grow micro fauna (pods ...etc..) that feed into your tank which is terrific live food.

I hope this helps. I know that Cheato Reactors can be bought from most on-line outlets. I have heard good things about the one that BRS is selling but I have no experience with that model. I have zero complaints with my 302 Scrubber....other than it is too big... but it was a deal I got from the owner....

Good Luck!