Algae trough

[Paul B]

I know there are many ways to reduce nitrate, (well not so many that work)
but I figured I would show you what I do. I may have mentioned this before, If I did, just ignore it and read the newspaper. I use a tough which is a Vinyl fence post slit in half. It sits above the water and slightly under the lights. There is a plastic screen in the trough that is impregnated with cement, algae loves cement. The screen can be rolled up, removed and cleaned.
The trough is fed from my skimmer and is on an angle so the water flows all the way from one end of the tank to the other.
The algae "prefers" to grow in the trough because the growing conditions are better than in my reef. It is closer to the lights, it has cement in it and the water flows fast.
I like the benefits of the algae without having it grow much on my rock.
It is not perfect but it helps. I am sure it also adds an awful lot of oxygen and eliminates any residual Ozone from my skimmer.

 

[Quang]

thats a really cool idea paul.

do you have some more pictures?

 

[noodleman]

isn't that also like a turf scubber method :scratchch

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

off topic

From your experience, what material algae do not like but can be used like cement?

 

[Paul B]

Noodleman I guess you could call it a turf scrubber.
Aqua Pro, I am not sure if I understand your question but it seems that most man made materials grow algae faster than natural ones. I would assume it is because man made materials are usually composed of a variety of materials, many of which could be utilized by algae. Natural rock is composed of usually only one substance and being underwater for a long time would tend to wash away anything that would be useful to algae. Cement leaches phosphates, silicates, nitrates, carbon etc. for an extended time and all of those substances are seen as fertilizer to algae.
The only material I could think of that could be used as cement and not as "likeable" to algae is fiberglass. But, unfortunately, it too houses algae only not as fast as cement.
Froggie, I have other pictures but for some reason it is not letting me post them.
Paul