Introducing the new Turbo Algae Scrubber! (Rev 4)

[Turbo's Aquatics Verified Sponsor]

@b4tn
Fill me in quick on this so I don't have to dig it up...
how long it's been up and running
how many times you've cleaned it
when the last cleaning was
what's your photoperiod
What is your intensity at

 

[TherealplexiG]

Sickest scrubber ever!
Turbo you have over exceeded expectations, wonderful product. Highly recommend it..

 

[b4tn]

@Floyd R Turbo and @805reef, My scrubber has been up since the first week of June. I let it run for about 3 weeks with the light set at 7 O'clock for 17 hours a day and got virtually the same type of red/yellow/green slime. The algae was thick and stuck pretty well to the screen. I ramped up the light to the 5 O'clock position, dialed back the flow for more even coverage, and increased my lighting period to 20 hours and it looked like this after 1 week.

So now I could tell the flow was near perfect for full coverage but to much light. With Turbo's recommendation I dialed back the light to the 8 o'clock position still for 9 hours. After 1 week it looked like this.

Still looking like too much light, but even though its hard to see in the pic green was starting to come in. I cleaned it off carefully without removing any of the cement and left it at the 8 o'clock position still for 9 hours for two weeks and this is the most recent pic.

Now its starting to look like I want it. I was cleaning every week regardless of condition but now I am lightly brushing every two weeks when I do water changes. I brushed this off and put it back in and will check again in 2 weeks. Depending on what I see I may try bumping the photo period another hour or two.

I feed the equivalent of 1 cube a day homemade food and 2x2 sheet of nori daily. My live stock is as follows.

One spot foxface
Yello Tang
Coral beauty
2 occeleris clowns
Blue green chromis
Corris wrasse
Cleaner shrimp
Tons of cerith snails
A few hermits
And lastly some nerrites.
Corals are an assortment of LPS, SPS, and Zoas.

 

[Dumaurier7]

This is a phrase that I'm totally unfamiliar with...

I think he is referring to getting "old" , when you get past a certain age your teeth actually begin to grow again!

 

[PJS]

I think he is referring to getting "old" , when you get past a certain age your teeth actually begin to grow again!

Yes sir, that's what it means. Another unique term referring to age and time invested is "he's got more whiskers", my friend works at UPS and that's how some of them refer to seniority.
Speaking of "whiskers"....oh God of Turf Scrubbing, I'm looking forward to firing up your L4 on my glass box of wonder!

 

[SteadyC]

It's a good start, but with that bioload I think you can drive it harder. It looks a bit dark, but the GHA is starting to show up pretty well so that means you can push it. Go to 4 o'clock along with more hours

Recent growth, before brush cleaning

After cleaning, just brushed the algae with the green and white brush.

 

[Turbo's Aquatics Verified Sponsor]

That algae looks like it's a bit more dense, and maybe it is trapping some detritus (the brown stuff in the top right edge of 2nd pic)...I would thin it out just a bit more. One thing you can try is dragging the scraper "up" the screen - opposite of the water flow direction, in small "strokes" with only a bit of pressure, then drag it sideways to "clear" off anything you detached.

Or, maybe rinse a bit more to clear off the brown stuff. It might just be the pictures misleading me, I just cleaned for I think the 4th time and it was, well, I'll have to let the pics speak for themselves...I'll post them in a bit

 

[SteadyC]

That algae looks like it's a bit more dense, and maybe it is trapping some detritus (the brown stuff in the top right edge of 2nd pic)...I would thin it out just a bit more. One thing you can try is dragging the scraper "up" the screen - opposite of the water flow direction, in small "strokes" with only a bit of pressure, then drag it sideways to "clear" off anything you detached.

Or, maybe rinse a bit more to clear off the brown stuff. It might just be the pictures misleading me, I just cleaned for I think the 4th time and it was, well, I'll have to let the pics speak for themselves...I'll post them in a bit

Pictures are so hard for some reason, they look to dark, green algae looks dark green, so hard . I will clean a bit better next time. Still feel like it is growing out, didn't want to remove much. . I watched your video and didn't want to completely remove all the algae

 

[Turbo's Aquatics Verified Sponsor]

Ok I had a harvest on 7/2 that I posted on YouTube and then another on 7/13 (11 days) that was about the same (took vids, no pics, need to post that vid...). The really nice harvest on 7/24 (11 days), took a short video & here are pics

And then today (16 days) that was not so shabby

 

[Turbo's Aquatics Verified Sponsor]

^^ I got that clean by dragging or "swiping" the scraper in the flow direction to get most of the growth off, then did it the other way (against the flow/grain) in short "strokes". Cleaning with the scraper without actually "scraping" it against the mortar keeps that layer in tact longer. Also, that prevents you from over-cleaning, which is a common mistake I think.

 

[Turbo's Aquatics Verified Sponsor]

^^ this is literally as aggressive as I clean. This is what my screen looked like after harvest, scrubbing the top edge (smooth area), and rinsing under faucet - screen looked like this as I put it back on the tank

 

[Turbo's Aquatics Verified Sponsor]

Pictures are so hard for some reason, they look to dark, green algae looks dark green, so hard . I will clean a bit better next time. Still feel like it is growing out, didn't want to remove much. . I watched your video and didn't want to completely remove all the algae

You'll be fine, the green/blue brush can actually take quite a bit off, it's a good way to "thin it out" without taking too much off

 

[SteadyC]

You'll be fine, the green/blue brush can actually take quite a bit off, it's a good way to "thin it out" without taking too much off

Great info, the examples are very helpful. My stuff definitely looks thicker as you said. I'll,do a bit more cleaning next time to thin it. How is your photoperiod? Your algae is,growing crazy.

 

[Turbo's Aquatics Verified Sponsor]

I currently run mine 24/7 but I have the bioload to support that. Being able to dim the LEDs allows for you to run longer photoperiods on various bioloads without causing photoinhibition though.

 

[Catchemall]

I currently run mine 24/7 but I have the bioload to support that. Being able to dim the LEDs allows for you to run longer photoperiods on various bioloads without causing photoinhibition though.

I think this is partially my problem with no way to dim. So I backed up to 8hours and added a diffuser to see if it helps. My API nitrate test kit shows 0 but I'm sure I have phosphate because I'm starting to get display algae. Next purchase is a Hanna phosphate Checker. I was hoping the scrubber would've just took off and grew good and not have to worry about it haha.

 

[SteadyC]

I think this is partially my problem with no way to dim. So I backed up to 8hours and added a diffuser to see if it helps. My API nitrate test kit shows 0 but I'm sure I have phosphate because I'm starting to get display algae. Next purchase is a Hanna phosphate Checker. I was hoping the scrubber would've just took off and grew good and not have to worry about it haha.

Turbo Aquatics (Floyd R Turbo makes them) turf scrubber has a dimmer, it is fantastic.

 

[Turbo's Aquatics Verified Sponsor]

Turbo Aquatics (Floyd R Turbo makes them) turf scrubber has a dimmer, it is fantastic.

This is actually the thread for that product lol

There is another thread for general troubleshooting/discussion of DIY scrubbers: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/algae-scrubber-basics.63113/

...but discussing here is fine with me too

 

[Catchemall]

Sorry @Floyd R Turbo didn't mean to derail. I went the diy route, wish I'd just spent the coin on yours alot neater and I need the ability to dim. I did just buy the Hanna phosphate checker you recommended for me so I'll see where that number is. Then go from there.

 

[ludnix]

I'm not in need of an algae scrubber, but I wanted to say how impressed I am with your design! You really put a lot of thought, effort and research into making your units and they really show it. Keep up the great work, and keep on inventing!

 

[Turbo's Aquatics Verified Sponsor]

Thanks @ludnix I appreciate the supportive feedback!