Algae Scrubber

[ravi197699]

Hi guys i need your opnion about algae scrubber that i have going, i have had pretty good growth of algae on the screen and now for past 3-4 weeks i have been gettting brown slime type of algae that takes over the whole screen, not sure what is going on flow is same, light is same and this algae scrubber is horizontal so its laying flat and water runs over the screen. Please i need your help to fituer out why i am not getting green algae grown and why i am getting brown ugly slime algae taking over the screen. i have been rinsiing this off with tap water and it just washes off the screen easily i dont even have to scrape it off the screen. any comments/ idea will help alot,

thanks ,

rav

 

[Mattl22]

Hi rav
R u having any algae in ur display? If not who cares what kind of alage the scrubber is growing?

 

[Jakef150]

I think need to feed tank more..

Check out their forum too.

 

[vio]

Hi guys i need your opnion about algae scrubber that i have going, i have had pretty good growth of algae on the screen and now for past 3-4 weeks i have been gettting brown slime type of algae that takes over the whole screen, not sure what is going on flow is same, light is same and this algae scrubber is horizontal so its laying flat and water runs over the screen. Please i need your help to fituer out why i am not getting green algae grown and why i am getting brown ugly slime algae taking over the screen. i have been rinsiing this off with tap water and it just washes off the screen easily i dont even have to scrape it off the screen. any comments/ idea will help alot,

usually, u got brown slime , first weeks (need to be clean up every 3 days) when u start then the green algae (clean every 7 days) they said brown mean high nutrient , just use Chaetomorpha, Macro Algae( Chaeto) work better then algae scrubber, in my opinion. Vio

 

[Mattl22]

Vio have u run a scrubber?

 

[Mattl22]

Ravi can u post a few pics?
I had Alage issues in my old 75 gal and different algae would take hold I had gha then Dino's then diatoms

 

[vio]

Vio have u run a scrubber?

yes, i make many, i end up w/more evap. more heat from pump, less space on my sump, more maintenance, less efficient then chaeto algae. is good if u have huge PO4 (1 ppm). That my opinion.

 

[ravi197699]

hey guys thanks for the comments so this is the conclusion after 2 weeks of experiment. I made red led light fixture and put that on one compartment and old light that I was using for the other section and I checked yesterday where I have red that mesh has lush green algae and where I have the t5 light that I was using on regular basis there is brown algae and under the brown slime there is green algae but not as much as where I am using red led. So I think this is light issue. My tank has no algae what so ever and I use skimmer once a week. so I am switching to all red led's and that should do it . But algae scrubber is far better than cheato or culerpa for sure. I have this one running from 6 months and I love the results and as far as evaporation I rather have more evaporation at least fresh water is going to the system.

 

[vio]

hey guys thanks for the comments so this is the conclusion after 2 weeks of experiment. I made red led light fixture and put that on one compartment and old light that I was using for the other section and I checked yesterday where I have red that mesh has lush green algae and where I have the t5 light that I was using on regular basis there is brown algae and under the brown slime there is green algae but not as much as where I am using red led. So I think this is light issue. My tank has no algae what so ever and I use skimmer once a week. so I am switching to all red led's and that should do it . But algae scrubber is far better than cheato or culerpa for sure. I have this one running from 6 months and I love the results and as far as evaporation I rather have more evaporation at least fresh water is going to the system.

Then how much is your PO4 ?
"I use skimmer once a week" wow .
"But algae scrubber is far better than cheato or culerpa for sure" , u sure ?

 

[ravi197699]

i will check my parameters and post tonight and i use hanna checkers

 

[vio]

Do after u feed, i am just curios.Thank You.

 

[ravi197699]

hmmm never though of that but what is the difference ?

 

[SanmanReefer]

I agree with Vio, macro algae is far better than a scrubber. I have mangroves, sea grass and Cheato. I feed twice per day now, no algae on my DT and my nitrates and phosphates are undetectable. Hope this helps.

 

[Mattl22]

Idk I used macro in my 75 still had issues I like the idea behind the ats it makes sense ur just giving the Algae that's bound to show up at some point in our systems favorable conditions somewhere outside of the main display !
I've seen ravis tank and display is crystal clear

 

[SanmanReefer]

Idk I used macro in my 75 still had issues I like the idea behind the ats it makes sense ur just giving the Algae that's bound to show up at some point in our systems favorable conditions somewhere outside of the main display !
I've seen ravis tank and display is crystal clear

I hear you, I've tried an algae scrubber before and they work. I don't use them anymore because I'm a freak when it comes to water changes and maintenance so I feel I don't have the need for one in my system. I get your point and it makes sense to grow the algae outside our DT ( it has to grow somewhere, right?)

 

[ravi197699]

Here are the pic's of my hanna checker and this is after I fed the system.

 

[ravi197699]

Just to mention I am still going to experiment of red led and using only one sec of the algae scrubber and rest of the mesh's are without light. once I get my red led's It will be going in full motion with led's more pics to come after I have whole thing going as planned and more test to do lol ...

 

[vio]

Here are the pic's of my hanna checker and this is after I fed the system.

i assume is "0" , because i see nothing ,lol, give up on pic. post #.

 

[ravi197699]

pics

i assume is "0" , because i see nothing ,lol, give up on pic. post #.

Check out pics on page one and readings on my hanna checkers. thanks

 

[SanmanReefer]

Check out pics on page one and readings on my hanna checkers. thanks

Pretty high Phosphates, did you wipe the glass vial good? Last week I did a test and got a 11ppm reading, I forgot to wipe the vial. Did a second test after cleaning the vial thoroughly and got a 0. Nitrates are on the high side, at least for me. Good luck with everything. Have you tried mangroves? My Phospahtes are undetectable and I swear its from the mangroves. Hope this helps.