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SantaMonica
05-26-2013, 05:36 AM
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SURF2®
SURF2x®
Floating Surface
Upflow Algae Scrubber®
with Green-Grabber(TM) surfaces,
and strings for saltwater


"It Floats Like A Boat!" (TM)






Videos:
Growth before harvest, of similar SURF2xx:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmA7ZxpO7uE
Subsequent harvests/cleanings:
http://youtu.be/yXRhc07mXJo
Next eight cleanings in saltwater:
http://youtu.be/miWb4R8ajXw
Unboxing and Installation:
http://youtu.be/p0kZq88e8Qk
Overview part 1:
http://youtu.be/LlL1xvll1r0
Overview part 2:
http://youtu.be/E6Nc719qgXg
First harvest at 13 days in saltwater:
http://youtu.be/2pxIB7FeJHo




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Growth pictures on a saltwater reef pool, new out of the box, with no pre-seeding:


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Order at Santa-Monica.cc (http://www.santa-monica.cc/product.asp?itemid=40)


Get the no-overflow advantage of an upflow scrubber: since it is ALL underwater, it can't overflow onto your floor.

The SURF2 and SURF2x (TM) is the world's first floating surface Upflow Algae Scrubber® (also called a UAS®). It is also the first Ribbon Scrubber®, which is what allows the algae to be removed from the scrubber with one hand without needing to disassemble anything or take anything to the sink. Simply lift up the lid and pull the algae out. And you can feed some of the algae to your fish and snails if you want to; fresh is best!

This SURF2 and SURF2x floating surface scrubber has over 24 square inches (150 square cm) of extremely rough Green-Grabber® algal growth surface which can grow up to a 2" (5 cm) thick block of green hair algae. This is about two small handfuls, and is designed to absorb the nutrients from this much feeding per day:

2 Frozen cube, or
20 Pinches of flake, or
20 Square inches (125 square cm) of nori, or
5.6 grams of pellets

The physical size or number of gallons or liters of water in your tank or sump does not matter, however the phosphate level does: The SURF2 is for water with phosphate less than 0.2 ppm; if phosphate is higher than 0.2ppm, get the SURF2x. And if you feed more than the above amounts, you can get multiple SURF2 or SURF2x units; multiple units are preferred over one larger unit because you can clean one unit per week, and because you'll always have one unit filtering while the other one starts growing again after a cleaning. Multiple SURF2 or SURF2x units are also good for backup.

Note that if you have rocks which are soaked with phosphate from having been in a problem aquarium, each 50 pounds (110 kg) of problem rock will add 1 cube a day to your feeding amounts; so be sure to account for this when choosing a scrubber size. For example if you feed 1 cube a day, but have 100 pounds of rock that came from a tank with nuisance algae problems, this rock will add 2 cubes a day to your feeding, meaning that you would need a scrubber for 3 cubes a day. This applies even if the rock was dried out and bleached, because this does not remove any nutrients from the rock.

The SURF2 and SURF2x start with two air bubble openings at the bottom, where upflowing air bubbles (from a strong air pump, sold separately) flow up into the growth compartment and bring aquarium water with it. As the bubbles and water enter the growth compartment they rub the algae-attachment ribbons and get blasted by the super-red 660nm LED light. The bubbles then circle around and around inside the growth compartment, rubbing against the ribbons and the Green-Grabber® super-rough rock-hard attachment textures as the bubbles rise up to the water surface. This repeated rubbing of bubbles causes algae to start growing on the ribbons and textures; freshwater grows thin stringy algae, and saltwater grows thicker, denser algae. The air then goes out of the top of the unit, quietly and with very little salt spray, and the water goes down and out two holes in the bottom, without hardly any bubbles remaining.

A few features of the SURF2 and SURF2x provide real usefulness and are available on no other algae scrubber (except the SURF4). First, the enclosed growth compartment increases the dwell time of the water and bubbles inside the unit so that they rub the algae many times before leaving the compartment. This actually reduces nutrients (nitrate, phosphate) to a level lower than the outside water, which allows greener growth to occur sooner (lower nutrients grows greener algae) inside the unit, especially in high-nutrient aquarium water. In other words, the SURF2 and SURF2x creates a lower-nutrient ecosystem inside itself which is different from the rest of the water in your aquarium. Also, the position of the air bubble inlets (below the growth) causes the bubbles to flow through the growth no matter how thick the growth gets. This is in contrast to waterfall scrubbers, which mostly flow water on the outside of the growth, leaving the inner layers of growth without flow.

Another feature which was highly requested was quiet operation. Since the SURF2 and SURF2x do not touch the aquarium glass or sump glass, and since it's made of heavy material surrounded by foam, it is by far the quietest algae scrubber ever made. As a matter of fact it's almost silent (the air pump is usually louder). The thick and heavy gauge plastic growth container is coated internally by even thicker and heaver Green-Grabber textures, and is surrounded on the outside by 1" (2.5 cm) of closed cell polyethylene foam. This stops virtually all sound from going sideways. And the 1/2" (12 mm) thick LED lid is filled with super dense but flexible polyurethane, which absorbs more sound than a rigid structure would, and much more than a non-sealed structure would. Lastly the path that air has to take to get out of the top requires the air to first go sideways towards the foam, and then upwards along the foam; this allows the foam to absorb any remaining sound exactly the way foam absorbs sound in a studio. So while you may hear very muffled bubbling if the filter were next to your bed at night, you will hear nothing if there is any other activity occurring in your house.

Another great feature is the elimination of almost all salt spray (for saltwater). Since the air must come up through the narrow space between the LED lid and the foam, all the salt spray remains in the growth compartment where it is washed away by the water. There sometimes is the occasional bubble that comes out the top, but it's practically nothing compared to the splashing of waterfall scrubbers. And if the unit does ever need to be "washed", you just push the it under the water surface for a few seconds and let water flow over the top; no need to take it to the sink.

Bubble removal is probably the most-requested feature. Any and all algae scrubbers, whether they are upflow, waterfall or horizontal rivers, all have bubbles which must be removed. The internal growth compartment of the SURF2 and SURF2x keeps bubbles inside the almost 2" deep internal water level, only letting water out of the two small holes at the bottom after the air has escaped out the top. Thus, almost no bubbles at all get into the aquarium or sump water; only a little red light, which gets less as growth gets thicker. And of course the quicker you can grow green algae inside the unit, the quicker you will remove nutrients and nuisance algae from your aquarium, and/or the quicker you can supply fresh green seaweed to your livestock.

The Green-Grabber algal growth attachment surface is so rough and prickly that is might be the roughest thing you've ever felt. A cactus might be sharper, but that's about it. Rough surfaces are critical for allowing algae to attach and grow and thus provide strong absorption of nutrients. The rock-hard protrusions stick straight out 1 to 3 mm. Previous algae scrubber screens were made from "slippery" plastic canvas that is used for sewing and knitting; algae take a long time to attach to it. Green-Grabber growth surfaces are not plastic at all; instead they are rock hard and have jagged rough edges and points (don't let children play with them). Green-Grabber surfaces are so good at grabbing algae and letting it grow that you may start seeing tiny growth spots within hours, instead of days. And the white color of the Green-Grabber surface reflects as much light as possible, allowing lots of light to reflect back to the algae.

The main advantage of the SURF2 and SURF2x or any algae scrubber is that if you size and operate it properly, it can be the only filter for your tank, even replacing waterchanges. It can, however, also be used with other filters. Some other filters such as carbon dosing (Zeo, pellets, etc) may slow down the scrubber, but nothing will really "hurt" the scrubber except possibly large amounts of algaecide or copper medications. The SURF2 cannot even dry out, since it's always under water.

The SURF2 and SURF2x will run on both 120V and 240V, and comes with a 10 ft (300 cm) power cord with a U.S. plug. If you require a different plug you can get an adapter at any local hardware or travel store, or online, or you can cut off the U.S. plug and install your own plug from a hardware store. It is a simple 2-wire plug.

Comes with 3 ft (90 cm) of dual vinyl airline, but requires a 2-outlet air pump that can pump 5.0 total liters per minute (0.2 cfm), which small low-cost pumps cannot do. Pumps that say they can handle 10 or more airstones, or pumps with 2 tubing attachments instead of one, are best..You can have as much air as you like, however, 10 lpm pumps are no problem. One powerful pump which works exceptionally well for a low cost is the Fusion 700 from JW Pet, which we sell separately HERE (http://www.santa-monica.cc/product.asp?itemid=39). It is quiet and has two outputs which are adjustable by turning the control knob; the two outputs perfectly match the two air inlets on the SURF2 Another even more powerful and completely silent pump, although more expensive and without a control, is the Whisper 300 from Tetra. The Whisper 150 also works but you will need two of them. Make sure to put any pump above the aquarium so that it will not drain any water if it shuts off.

The SURF2 lid contains 4 red (660 nm) 3-watt LEDs, and the SURF2x contains 6 of these LEDs, which are attached to an aluminum heat sink which is painted black to reduce heat; it does get warm. The LEDs will give the aquarium or sump a slight red color at night when the aquarium lights are off, but this will occur less as the SURF2 or SURF2x fills with growth. You will need to get a timer so you can run the LEDs for up to 22 hours per day (not 24). The LEDs never needs replacing.

The SURF2 and SURF2x will need to be cleaned ("harvested") every 7 to 21 days. Just lift up the LED lid, grab a handful of algae, and pull it out. You can even feed some of the algae to your fish. You do not need to take anything apart, or take anything to your sink.

SURF2 and SURF2x size: 6" wide by 8" long by 3" thick (15 cm wide, 20 cm long, 7.5 cm thick). It requires at least 3" (7.5 cm) of water to operate in.

SURF2 Instructions:
English (PDF) (http://algaescrubber.net/SURF-Instructions.pdf)
English (Word) (http://algaescrubber.net/SURF-Instructions.doc)
Arabic (PDF) (http://algaescrubber.net/SURF-Instructions-Arabic.pdf)
Arabic (Word) (http://algaescrubber.net/SURF-Instructions-Arabic.doc)


Selection chart:
http://algaescrubber.net/WhichOne.jpg

Comments:

"Here is pictures of my Only SPS system in KUWAIT, My system is running without any refugiums, chaeto reactors, Biopellets or any NO3 reduction dosing.. but running only with Surf2 algae scrubber, and reactor for GFO (Rowa) and another for Carbon. Usually I leave Surf until it is full and starts to die and become yellow, then I take it out to the garden and wash it with fresh water with slightly high pressure so all dead algae falls out easily and the green one stays inside then I return it to the sump with 10% water change ... usually this happens every 2 to 3 weeks cuz my system is ULNS" -- Mohammad Abdullah in Kuwait...

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"Bought the SURF2x, absolutely love it! Would never run a system without a SantaMonica scrubber again!" -- Tannum_Paul on the MASA site.

Odilon Zerecero SURF2x from Mexico:
http://www.algaescrubber.net/UasOdilonZerecero-1.jpg
http://www.algaescrubber.net/UasOdilonZerecero-1.jpg



"Working perfectly!! [SURF2x] -- Cristiano Amaral in Brazil

"I have a SURF2 the same manufacturer and it is impeccable, it keeps me PO4 zero distributing 3-4 cubes of food per day" -- Eric75003 on the RF site

"Its a great product!!! [SURF2] I run mine in conjunction w/ a skimmer and cannot run both 24/7 because I cant feed enough to keep at least a little Nitrate in the system for the Acro's" -- TDTA1181 on the R2R site.

"I run one of these and quite like it. Getting similar results to a typical refugium I used to have that was about 6 times the size. I went to this product basically to buy myself some sump space back and couldn't be happier" -- Sam Parker's Tank Of The Month on MASA:
http://www.algaescrubber.net/UasSparkerOnMASA-1.jpg



"I recent removed bio-pellets, GFO, and trimmed off a lot of macro algae. Oh yeah, overfeeding now to try and bring up my phosphates. Since removing a bunch of nutrient exporting systems like bio-pellets, GFO, and a second algae scrubber, my Surf2 has been growing nuts. It's been less then 7 days and I have to remove more. People are surprised when I open up the Surf2 and show them what I pull out with one hand" -- ReeferEric on the R2R site. pic:

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"I see algae scrubbers as the single most significant nutrient exporter you can have" -- Stephen Babcock, The Corner Reef, Columbia, Illinois

"The [SURF2] is really useful and highly necessary for my tank. So I really can't be without it for too long" -- Jason Pappin

"[SURF2x is] growing very well. Love the in sump design. Will probably get another down the road as I increase my bioload." -- Erik Sulman

"The scrubber is working great! getting a lot of nice growth in the SURF2" -- Mike Buechs

"This [SURF2x] is the second scrubber I've bought. Love this product!" -- biggins28 on ebay

"Many thanks for the safe arrival of the SURF2, Thanks again" -- bungy991 on ebay

"Happy with [SURF2], would get another bigger version maybe at some stage" -- juggernoght87 on ebay

"Very reasonable offer [SURF2]" -- edwin65 on ebay

"I stumbled upon [a SURF2] and took a chance ordering one. They are a really great algae scrubber" -- Reeffirstaid on the R2R site.

"I pull a handful out every week [SURF2]" -- Choff on the R2R site.

Matthew Coulthard SURF2:
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"The [SURF2] has really taken off" -- Reefindownunder on the scrubber site:
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"Currently I have two algae scrubbers that I purchased from Santa Monica. SURF2 and SURF4. SURF2 is powered by Fusion 700 and SURF4 is powered by Coralife Super Luft SL-38. I can grow significant amount of algae in both" -- Tomasz Cop pic of SURF2:
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"The [SURF2] at my office is doing great. I would like to order another one for my home tank". -- Thomas Perry 

"This is one weeks growth, I'm pulling out a lot more turf now it's certainly got a hold on the ribbons and the textured walls of the box. I tested phosphates a couple of days ago on the Hanna checker and it was reading 0. I did the test again because I've never had a 0 reading on this tank." -- Blinkyfish on the UR site:
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"I am currently using the SURF2 on my zoa garden. It is way oversized for my system but works well. Just takes a little longer to grow" -- Landon on the NTRF site.

"My SURF2 is doing very very well [...]. i feed 1 cube a day which is enough for the tank, harvest every 14-21 days ish. i saved a lot of money for not spending any money on rowaphos. no algae in display tank. zero phosphate and nitrate" -- Wesley on the UR site:
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"The [SURF2] is great, works perfectly keeps nutrients low. I still have a bit of bubble algae but it's slowly disappearing. Works well and takes less space than the [waterfall] scrubbers" -- Millar on the UR site.

"Very happy with the SURF2 so far" -- Juls on the UR site.

"I used to have so much cheato, I would sell it on RC. Since adding the SURF2, the cheato is just vanishing as the SURF2 grows more and more. The entire middle section of the sump used to be cheato, and as you can see, there is not much left at all. A great product; here's a pic of my growth" -- Dexters Reef:
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Dlstn on the UR site:
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"Works great!" -- Marcelo Silva, Brazil

"Working great" -- Steven Cantor

Pic from Damien Kwok:
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"I'm very pleased with the quality of the SURF2 - it's superior!" -- Sergey Frolovichev

"Using it now in my 60 gal freshwater tank where it works well keeping nitrates below 20" -- Andreas Schaefer

Translated by Google: "I have a SURF2 and it is impeccable, it keeps my PO4 zero distributing 3-4 cubes of food per day. The HOG1 it's the same thing on a smaller scale, it depends on the amount of food that you distribute." (original: "J'ai un SURF2 du même fabricant et c'est impeccable, ça me maintient les PO4 à zéro en distribuant 3 à 4 cubes de nourritures par jour. Le HOG1 c'est la même chose en plus petit, ça dépend de la quantité de nourriture que tu distribues.") -- Eric75003 on the Recifal-France site

Translated by Google: "After seven months, I test two of the [SURF2 units], I find that in the device it crawling with copepods that eat algae, now I swarming zooplankton and in addition I take a lot of seaweed every week in my devices (APPROXIMATELY 80 gr) and PO4 photometers to a decrease of 0.02 to 0.01 photometers. more I give an amount of algae my surgeons". Original French: "pour faire suivre cette enquête au bout de 7 moisj'ai tester deux algae scruber de la societe santa monica (SURF2 floating surface) j'en avais pris deuxrésultat au début assez long à venirensuite baisse très moyen des phosphates j'ai décider de mettre en marche l’écumeur sur 12 heures au lieux de 24 heuresdeux mois après très peut d'algues dans les deux appareilsanta monica m’envoie un mail en précisant de bien rincer les appareil a l'eau du robinet je l'ai fait car j'ai constater que dans les appareil il grouiller de copépodes qui me manger les algues depuis je rince une fois par mois les appareils maintenant je grouille de zooplancton dans le refuge et en plus j’enlève beaucoup d'algues toutes les semaines dans mes appareils (ENVIRON 80 gr d'algues essorer) et PO4 au photomètres a baisser de 1 à 0.02 au photometresde plus je donne une quantité d'algues a mes chirurgiens ET JE DONNE 4 CUBES CONGELER PAR JOURS" - Jegou Alain on the Recifal-France site.

Translated from Portuguese by Google: "Earlier this year the glass of my [DIY] algae scrubber (Model Basso) broke. Due to lack of time and manual skills, not tinkered with skimmer and was only for a few months. decided to spend a little and bought SURF2 of Santa Monica, which measures 20cm x 15cm by 15cm x 10cm outside and inside (area for growth of algae). model is interesting because it is small and is floating in the sump. With that much space gained by removing the previous ATS. SURF2 installed but a few days after my skimmer pump has gone bad. In two weeks the ATS already started forming algae and I played without skimmer for almost one month, only with ATS. Even then parameters were normal. These are photos from yesterday, two months after installation. Already cleaned the box twice and am already almost needs to take algae again. algae that formed in my display during the relax (without ats and skimmer) have gone missing. With the lid closed does not make any noise. You hear only if they get too close" -- Luis Iarossi on the IPAQ site.

Original text: "No início do ano a placa de vidro do meu algae scrubber (Modelo Basso) quebrou. Por falta de tempo e habilidades manuais, não consertei e fiquei só com skimmer por alguns meses. Resolvi gastar um pouco e comprei o Surf2 da Santa Monica, que mede 20cm x 15cm por fora e 15cm x 10cm por dentro (área para crescimento de algas). O modelo é interessante pois é pequeno e fica flutuando no sump. Com isso ganhei muito espaço ao retirar o ATS anterior. Em 01/05/2014 instalei o surf2 mas poucos dias depois meu skimmer deu problema na bomba. Em 2 semanas o ATS já começou a formar algas e eu toquei sem skimmer por quase 1 mês, apenas com o ATS. Até então os parâmetros estavam normais. Essas são fotos de ontem, 2 meses depois de instalado. Já limpei a caixa duas vezes e já estou quase precisando tirar algas novamente. As algas que se formaram no meu display durante o período de relaxo (sem ats e skimmer) já sumiram. Com a tampa fechada não faz barulho algum. Você ouve apenas se chegar muito perto."

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Here is a customer's old SURF2x in saltwater. This old model has the old light-frame which did not block the red light from getting out like the current models do. Light is the same though, pure red 660nm deep red, just like natural seaweed uses at the beach and reefs. Some people ask why the inside of the SURF is white, which you can see with the algae pulled out in the second photo. The reason is because white reflects the red light back to the algae at the farthest point away from the light, which is where the light would be weakest. As opposed to a waterfall, where light travels mostly through air, the growth in a bubble upflow scrubber has to go through algae most of the way. So reflecting it back to the algae keeps it brighter, using the same wattage light. The growth in this photo is almost all Cladphora. Add some vinegar and olive oil, and it's a great salad...

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This customer in the UK has growth that almost looks like green candy in this SURF2 or 2x or 2xx. This scrubber is probably only a few weeks old, because the white Green Grabber rock walls have no growth on them yet. But they will. This type of Surf growth is very rare, but the beauty of scrubbers is that they grow what they need to grow based on conditions. This one will probably start getting some brown slime on the Green Grabber rock walls, and then on the bottom underneath the green. If more food is given to the tank, the bright green will darken up to consume more of the nutrients (darker growth has more nutrients). Also very neat with Surf models with this growth, is that you can just reach in and get a handful. Then just set the light back on it, and you are done. Of course if you are getting dark slime because of very high nutrients in the water, you'll still need to take it to your sink for a brushing...

7980

cdm2012
05-26-2013, 07:46 AM
That's pretty impressive!!

alum
05-28-2013, 09:16 PM
Neat and nice SM!
Is this can handle for larger tank?

SantaMonica
05-28-2013, 10:07 PM
Not tank size. Feeding size.

2 cubes of frozen food per day.

audiemurphy
05-30-2013, 10:43 AM
Looks awesome. Just placed an order.

SantaMonica
06-02-2013, 09:07 PM
Just waiting on the final order of power supplies and foam to come in this week. Boxes / texture / ribbons / tubing are built. So are the LED lenses. Need to test the LEDs before encapsulation at high heat for a few days, and then after encapsulation under saltwater for at least a day.

Today was a record harvest in one of the proto SURF2's in the reef pool: when lifted up and allowed to drain, the growth did not settle at all; it remained 2" thick. And apparently the SURF2's don't cause much evaporation; I'm topping off about 1 gal a day, and there is about 8 square feet of surface area.

All feeding for my reef pool is now done by the scrubbers; thus it is now a closed system, food wise. Even my fire fish has been seen nibbling on small segments of gha.

Garf
06-03-2013, 04:34 AM
So your not throwing away the harvest, your feeding it to your stock ?

Devs
06-03-2013, 05:35 AM
Led lenses ?? Why are you using lenses ?

Do you use a 700mA power supply ?

sabbath
06-03-2013, 07:24 AM
All feeding for my reef pool is now done by the scrubbers; thus it is now a closed system, food wise. Even my fire fish has been seen nibbling on small segments of gha.

Are you feeding just from the scrubber? No meats for the Carnivores?

Garf
06-03-2013, 07:49 AM
Are you feeding just from the scrubber? No meats for the Carnivores?

This can't be right. If you research trophic levels, by the time you go from pods to mysids to fish you would need a massive scrubber (and then one that grew appreciable amounts of micro algae and diatoms). Perhaps SM has no meat eaters!

Floyd R Turbo
06-03-2013, 01:11 PM
Seems like this would work if you had all herbivores or at least omnivores. Outside of that, I think any fish will eat whatever is edible if it gets hungry enough...doesn't mean they will thrive!

When srusso did his freshwater livebearer UAS he never had to clean the screen, similar principle, but again herbi/omnivores only

RkyRickstr
06-03-2013, 08:41 PM
Maybe he means he is not feeding the coral

Devs
06-05-2013, 02:57 AM
Where's he gone, we need questions answered :p

SantaMonica
06-05-2013, 04:10 AM
Diffractors, not lenses.

No carnivours.

Devs
06-05-2013, 06:01 AM
Are those the same things as diffusers ?

SantaMonica
06-05-2013, 10:29 AM
Similar.

Garf
06-05-2013, 03:34 PM
Are there such things as herbivores in a marine setting? At least a few % of tangs diet are the meaties that live on the algae.

Ace25
06-05-2013, 03:53 PM
Are there such things as herbivores in a marine setting? At least a few % of tangs diet are the meaties that live on the algae.

Of course there are.... they just don't come in fish form. One of the most popular herbivores I can think of off the top of my head is a lettuce nudibranch.

Garf
06-05-2013, 04:00 PM
So they don't consume any meat ish stuff, whatsoever ?

Devs
06-06-2013, 12:49 AM
Hey SM

Can you elaborate more (a link maybe) on these diffractors/diffusers...tis the last thing on my shopping list :)

SantaMonica
06-06-2013, 03:09 AM
They are just manually made with glue and plastic. You could use the overhead lightbox ones too.

Devs
06-06-2013, 03:24 AM
OK, I thought you were using something special, so a prismatic diffuser would do ? as I already have a sheet of that i can cut down.

Garf
06-06-2013, 10:28 AM
OK, I thought you were using something special, so a prismatic diffuser would do ? as I already have a sheet of that i can cut down.

Devs - is your tank considered to be a high nutrient tank? If not, you may need bigger holes cut in the bottom, to get some more flow through it.

Ace25
06-06-2013, 03:38 PM
So they don't consume any meat ish stuff, whatsoever ?
I can't say with 100% certainty, but I can't find any info on them eating any type of meat. The opposite actually, they require algae to live.


The Lettuce Nudibranch is a very interesting and useful creature. It helps tackling the unnecessary growth of algae. The Lettuce Nudibranch is photosynthetic in nature, and gets benefits from the chloroplast in their tissue from the algae they eat. It sucks in the chlorophyll contents of algae, and then incorporates that chlorophyll into their own tissues. It belongs to the family Elysiidae. The Lettuce Nudibranch is closely reassembled to a lettuce leaf, which is why it is named the Lettuce Nudibranch. It reaches a maximum size of 3 inch and is very hardy. The Lettuce Nudibranch is passive in nature, and is more active during day time and less at night time. There are no distinctive features that differentiates male from, female. The reef tank should be maintained with 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit for the proper growth and development of the Lettuce Nudibranch. It is a bright green color with ruffles across its back. It has an elongated oval shaped body and due to presence of ruffles it increases its surface area in order to absorb more oxygen for respiration. The Lettuce Nudibranch destroys and eliminates the growth of algae by foraging on live rocks and aquarium glass. Thus, it helps keeping the environment clean and clear. It is non venomous and a very hardy species, which makes it a terrific addition to any reef tanks. The aquarium needs to have some live rocks which serve as a natural shelter for the Lettuce Nudibranch. They belong to Gastropods class who are snail like creature and do not possess any shell for their protection. The Lettuce Nudibranch is very peace loving and gets along with other inhabitants. It surely makes the aquarium more attractive with its interesting appearance and function.

And

http://www.freshmarine.com/lettuce-nudibranch.html

As the name suggests, Lettuce Nudibranch - Bryopsis - Eating Nudibranch feeds exclusively upon Bryopsis Algae and is therefore, Herbivorous in its feeding habit.

SantaMonica
06-09-2013, 07:28 PM
The first four Surf2 lighting units... in a bucket of hot water for their last overnight test...

4401

Devs
06-09-2013, 11:49 PM
Yesterday I fixed the green-grabber material in the box...

Will be trying a different way of doing this on the next one ! I have an idea :)

SantaMonica
06-12-2013, 08:17 PM
Growth sequence pics of the first 13 days are now posted on page 1:
http://algaescrubber.net/forums/showthread.php?2794-SantaMonica-SURF2&p=32187&viewfull=1#post32187

SantaMonica
06-14-2013, 04:09 AM
The last of the pre-order SURF2 units is shipping today; regular orders are now available at:

http://www.santa-monica.cc/product.asp?itemid=40

yanton
06-14-2013, 12:18 PM
excellent, at last a solution to the noise problems. the previous models were far to noisy for home use, this unit looks amazing

yanton
06-14-2013, 12:34 PM
... and just paid for one.

Pny
06-17-2013, 11:35 PM
This looks really interesting!

I believe the only weak spot of this design is the amount of air needed... Why so much air? Does the scrubber need that much air (CO2) or is it needed just to achieve a sufficient flow of water into the box? Couldnt a higher waterflow be achieved with small tubes helping to lift the water into the container, and a lower airflow?

SantaMonica
06-18-2013, 03:05 AM
Photosynthesis is proportional to the algae going through the air/water interface. Since the box can fill completely with growth, it needs that much air for bubbles to reach all the growth. And when empty, it needs that much air so bubbles can reach the sides and bottom of the box.

You could add airlift tubes below it; they would be fragile and they would take up space. But so far it's growing great without them.

Pny
06-18-2013, 03:51 AM
I suppose you already have experimented with more holes for air input, ie dividing the same amount of air flowing into multiple holes in the bottom?

SantaMonica
06-18-2013, 09:14 AM
Well a 2-output pump is about as big as you can get from aquarium places, so that's what it is set up for. When packed full, bubbles are fighting to get to the top, so dividing the bubbles even more would probably require even more air.

Pny
06-18-2013, 10:29 AM
Ok, just trying to convince myself that I need/want/can afford two of these things... ;-)

SantaMonica
06-18-2013, 12:56 PM
Well if it helps, someone else just got two to replace their SM100, because they said they slacked in cleaning because it was so much work.

Mine was the same; I had to pre-plan the day to clean one SM100 of the two I ran, and I always put it off. Now that I replaced those two with four SURF2's, I don't have to plan anything, and it takes seconds.

SantaMonica
06-22-2013, 04:50 AM
Have decided to make non-floating LED lids. The air pocket that was needed to float the lid took up too much room inside the growth compartment; this room is needed when the compartment gets packed with growth (mostly in SW).

You can still, however, drop the lid down into the water when you are harvesting.

q8vw
07-03-2013, 05:47 PM
Will one tetra whisper 300 enough to feed air for the surf2? or should i go with two whisper 150s? I'm looking for something silent and which is available in my country.

SantaMonica
07-03-2013, 06:41 PM
A 300 is plenty. Silent too :)

SantaMonica
07-13-2013, 04:50 PM
4 more harvests/cleanings...
http://youtu.be/yXRhc07mXJo

Pny
07-14-2013, 02:26 AM
Impressive growth!

SantaMonica
09-12-2013, 03:02 PM
Next eight cleanings in saltwater:
http://youtu.be/miWb4R8ajXw

sabbath
09-13-2013, 02:45 AM
Looks good. What king of foods and how many cubes a day are you feeding? Please post pics of your corals and or your FOWLR.

SantaMonica
09-13-2013, 07:31 AM
I'm not feeding (much) to my reef pool. Started giving a little nori as a variety to the large amounts of GHA. The reef pool is just leftovers from the cracked 90 that survived the 92 degree test, iron overdose test, and nutrient spike tests.

Timo
10-01-2013, 03:35 AM
What is the white string at the bottom made of please?

SantaMonica
10-01-2013, 03:29 PM
1.5 mm nylon

SantaMonica
10-09-2013, 08:06 PM
Note to SURF2 owners: If your tank is new, or if your tank has low nutrients because of lots of nuisance algae, your scrubber compartment may stay "paper white" for several weeks because the scrubber light is too strong compared to how many nutrients are in the water. This is solved by placing a stocking, screen, colored cellophane, T-shirt, or some other partially-transparent material over the light for the first month. After growth covers the white textures and strings in the compartment, you can remove the material from the light and get back to full-power growth.

scolley
10-16-2013, 01:07 PM
Thanks for the heads-up. Would this nuisance algae problem also apply equally for someone running successful NO3 and PO3 filtration? For myself that means a productive waterfall ATS. So I've got low phosphates and nitrates as I begin to use the SURF2, just as I would if I had a nuisance algae problem.

Also, if too few nutrients in the water column can create a need to temporarily reduce the light in the scrubber, and if abundant nutrients can cause months of black growth (as described in the SURF2 manual), then what are the conditions that give rise to solid, green algae growth in 14 just days (as found on the SURF2 product page)? Or put another way... both a lack - and an abundance - of nutrients can cause delays in establishing a productive, green algae supporting SURF2. So what's the sweet spot required to get one up quickly?

Thanks for the support.

Floyd R Turbo
10-16-2013, 01:11 PM
Welcome scolley - same one from RC?

scolley
10-16-2013, 01:14 PM
Thanks! Same scolley? You betcha!

SantaMonica
10-16-2013, 04:37 PM
The sweet spot is simply to watch the growth, and adjust the light accordingly. That's the beauty of the timer :)

scolley
10-16-2013, 05:16 PM
Thanks for the reply. But if I'm understanding the issue, it does not answer the question...

I get the fact that increasing the photoperiod will help reduce high nutrients (as evidenced by black algae) faster. But the low nutrient problem's remediation was not changing the photoperiod, but was to reduce the light intensity. As I understand it, in higher order plants these do not equate to the same thing (halving photoperiod does not equate to halving light intensity). Maybe that's not the case with algae, and reducing photoperiod should have been mentioned as a remediation method along with the various means of reducing intensity?

Either way, IF it is true that too many nutrients is a problem. AND IF too few is also a problem. AND IF you could get a broken in screen in SURF2 14 days then THEN there must be some happy medium of nutrient levels that allowed a 14 day break in - less than too many and more than too few. If those statements are true, then can you please describe what that level is? In PPM of some measurable nutrient?

Also, I asked if the "too few" nutrients problem caused by nuisance algae applies equally to a tank that had similarly low nutrient levels, but was caused by a well functioning ATS instead. Would love an answer to that please.

Thanks.

Floyd R Turbo
10-16-2013, 07:42 PM
Scolley, I totally appreciate your questions here. I'm going to try to answer these based on what I have seen in results from customers of mine who run the waterfall scrubbers, as well as my personal experience. Also this is only considering the case of growth spectrum LEDs.

It seems that the 'break in' period is the difference here. What I theorize based on the anecdotal evidence is that when you have a bare screen/substrate, and blast it with high intensity light for a long photoperiod, you get no growth, or very slow growth. It seems that when there is little to no algae to absorb the incident light, it immediately becomes photo saturated, and stops growing all together. The solution is to either reduce the intensity, or reduce the photoperiod. The latter is usually recommended because the former requires a different driver.

In the case of my first revision of my algae scrubber, I put 6 reds 2" on center and a single full-current (700mA) blue in the middle, and used a diffuser as well. Almost without exception, everyone got a bare spot right in the middle of the screen, directly in front of the blue. The solution was to add a black dot with a sharpie or a piece of tape over the blue. This knocked down the intensity and the screens filled in. Once the screen filled in everywhere and growth was good, one could remove the diffuser and growth was not inhibited, as there was plenty of algae to absorb the incident light.

So ideally, the HP LEDs, you do indeed want to reduce the intensity in order to encourage initial growth. After that, it's game on, as long as the nutrients are there for the growth to occur.

Your questions regarding the perfect balance of nutrients required to get the 14 day from zero-to-hero growth are very good, but you likely won't get an answer, because to get this answer requires much scientific testing, none of which anyone has done, really. I can show you examples of people running my scrubbers that go to solid green in 10 days, and others that can't get green to save their life. Everyone's tank is different and I think this is the difficulty. This is why you see examples of people going months with very little growth and struggling to figure out why their didn't go green in 14 days like it did in the product page pics.

So the answer is...we don't really know, exactly, but we can draw pretty good conclusions from what we have experienced. Lack of one nutrient can cause the whole process to stall out. Limitations in N, P, K, and/or many other trace elements can throw things off. This is one of the frustrations, none of this stuff has really been studied in a well controlled scientific manner.

My theory on the algae scrubber is that growth is a direct reflection on the health of your system. If you get gob of green growth, then you're doing things right. If you are having trouble growing green, it's likely not the algae scrubber's fault - something is out of balance in your system. I think if more people were looking in that direction, we might have more answers to questions like yours.

...now I know you're going to have more questions!!

SantaMonica
10-16-2013, 08:13 PM
This is to a large amount what I would have said, with the addition of "photoinhibition". With hardcore photoinhibition, there is too much light for the amount of nutrients. A reduced period won't help, because then it either off, or photoinhibited, neither of which grow. The answer is to dim the light, which normally you never want to do because dim light causes celluose growth to slow and exudates to increase, neither of which removes nutrients.

Another component is organics. Some are consumed by algal growth, especially cladophora, which grows a lot in a SURF2. So this unseen and un-measurable component alters things too, and also feeds into the photosynthesis process.

Thus, the easy solution is to temporarily reduce the light.

scolley
10-16-2013, 08:18 PM
Great replies! Thank you.

But I'm going to have to beg indulgences of you guys. I'm on the right coast. Floyd in the middle and SantaMonica on the left coast. And it's getting late here. So rather than get a reply wrong, please allow me to get back to you on the morrow.

Thanks again! More soon...

Floyd R Turbo
10-17-2013, 05:35 AM
Photoinhibition is a technically incorrect term. Photo Saturation is what actually happens. The cells get saturated with production and cannot perform the secondary process.

...and I have found that reducing the photoperiod does indeed help. Again, only on startup. But what I theorize happens is that during the 'on' period, you get some algae growth started that is not quite visible yet, but if you leave the photoperiod on for too long, this algae becomes to saturated that it is just overwhelmed and dies off, and your screen stays white. Algae will (I should say 'may', but there is evidence that it does happen) continue to grow after the lights are off, so giving it a short photoperiod then allowing recovery will get it started in situations where it is taking longer than it should.

Even a better way to start it would be to flash the algae. Ideally, you would flash at a very high rate like Otto Warburg did in the 1930s with his experiments, which were expanded upon in later years. Flashing at a 1kHz rate with a dark period that is 10x longer than the light period results in the same production rate as constant light, without photosaturation. But, with LEDs on a waterfall scrubber, we are already likely getting this effect because of the sheet water motion. On startup though, this is where a flashing type of cycle may improve the growth rate. You could simply put a timer on your LEDs so that they were on for 3s and off for 1/2s and see what happens. No one has done this yet, and it would be hard to see the effectiveness without a control group.

But the concept is that light causes one bucket to 'fill' and this bucket must be 'emptied' before it can fill again. The 'emptying' is done during the dark period (hence know as the dark process or dark cycle) and without that dark period, the bucket can only overflow. Giving a startup screen this dark period may effectively eliminate the photosaturation effect and cause a screen to start faster in a given environment

scolley
10-17-2013, 07:01 AM
OK. Thanks again for your replies. Let me see if I can recap where my questions stand, and move them forward. The essence of my prior questions were -

"If excess nutrients causes one startup problem, and too few nutrients causes another, what is the sweet spot found in the advertised 14 day breaking in?"
"How is the low nutrient problem caused by nuisance algae any different than a tank that has low nutrients from an ATS?"

And my question in response to the first reply, "Why are you recommending a modified shorter photoperiod now, when the recommendation for low nutrients was reduced intensity? They are not the same."

Let's start with the 3rd question above - about photoperiod vs intensity. Your answers all appear to indicate that reduction in intensity is the answer for a low nutrient situation. They further indicate that it may be appropriate for the startup period in general due to photo inhibition/saturation. That implies that the post suggesting photoperiod adjustment was incorrect - intensity reduction is more appropriate. However, since SantaMonica got a good startup SURF2 in 14 days with no mention of intensity reduction, then clearly it is not needed in all situations. Which leads us back to my initial question - the 1st question restated above about the nature of the 14 day break in sweet spot...

If we take SantaMonica's break in as factual (I do), then we can assume that photo inhibition/saturation does not always occur at levels that require reduced light intensity. As Floyd stated, whether a given system is able to support a fast startup is limited by the availability of macro and micro nutrients, and trace elements. In reply I understand that totally. Except that I disagree that you can never know. Sometime you should be able to KNOW. In a tank that is supporting a viable ATS, then you should know that a SURF2 has everything it needs to grow algae in that water. And as long as said viable ATS is actively growing algae, then it is not a low nutrient situation. And in all likelihood, it's not a high nutrient situation either. That can be tested - though "too high" has not been quantified.

So in my particular situation - SURF2 replacing a viable, growing ATS in a low (but not no or limited) nutrient system - I should be able to assume I'm giving the SURF2 everything it needs as far as nutrients go for productive algae growth. The only other factors are flow rate and light. But I've volume tested my air supply and trimmed it to just a shade over 5 liters per minute. So that's perfect. That leaves light. And unless SantaMonica deviated from the recommended 18 hour photoperiod recommended in the instructions, with no light intensity reduction, then if I set at an 18 hour photoperiod with the LED lid directly on the SURF2 floating scrubber, I should be a prime candidate for a 14 day break in. Particularly since I seeded the Green-Grabber surface and ribbons with nice green algae from my ATS.

The only thing that would cause me to question that conclusion is my 2nd, restated question above regarding the difference between a nuisance algae caused low nutrient tank and an ATS caused low nutrient tank. Since that question has still not been answered, it appears that I have no choice but to begin making assumptions...

EITHER a system that has an ATS that is growing nice, green algae does not fall into the category of "light intensity reduction needed, low nutrient, nuisance algae dominated" systems. In which case there should be no action required for me to get a nice, quick break in.

OR having that viable ATS can generate conditions similar to a "light intensity reduction needed, low nutrient, nuisance algae dominated" system. In which case I'll find that my SRURF2 is slow to break in, until and unless I reduce the light intensity.

Well I'm going to find out which it is. My system has no nuisance algae to speak of (though I do have to clean a small film off the glass weekly), and when I set up the SURF2 in in my system, NO3 was < 0.2 ppm, PO4 0.05 ppm. And I turned the ATS off - it's not competing. In 10 days or so, we should know if it's kicking in.

Thanks for the help. :)

scolley
10-17-2013, 06:30 PM
If you concur with my above post, a post in agreement would be most appreciated. Likewise, if you disagree with my conclusions, a post clearly explaining why would also be much appreciated.

Our goal should be clarity and understanding. I'm not remotely concerned about being "right" or "wrong" personally. I seek clarity through detailed, fact based discourse. My primary concern is making sure the community has clarity around these questions.

Thank you.

Floyd R Turbo
10-17-2013, 07:13 PM
Except that I disagree that you can never know. Sometime you should be able to KNOW.

When I say that you can never know, what I meant was that we only test a limited subset of parameters. The system is not that simple, and there may be something in particular that we don't or can't normally test for (due to expense, complexity, etc) and that item's level may adversely affect growth in the short term and possibly the long term.


In a tank that is supporting a viable ATS, then you should know that a SURF2 has everything it needs to grow algae in that water.

It is my contention that growth on submerged scrubbers (UASs) and vertical/waterfall scrubbers do not correlate directly due to the different implementation. So the statement above is based on the assumption that they are one and the same, which they may not be.


Our goal should be clarity and understanding

I wholeheartedly agree

scolley
10-18-2013, 07:01 AM
Thanks for the reply!


It is my contention that growth on submerged scrubbers (UASs) and vertical/waterfall scrubbers do not correlate directly due to the different implementation. So the statement above is based on the assumption that they are one and the same, which they may not be.Yup. I get that. Thanks. ATSs/UASs - apples/oranges - not necessarily the same. However, in dealing with the question of the conditions necessary to get a SURF2 productive in a system successfully running an ATS, IMO any differences are irrelevant. Here's why...

Marine algae needs (broadly speaking) needs two or three things to grow; light, nutrients, and possibly water movement.

In the SURF2 water movement should not be variable - it's governed by the bubble rate. Get that rate set as defined in the instructions (and I have), and it's set. Whether or not that movement is different that of an ATS in that same environment is immaterial. 5 LPM has been determined to be sufficient. Based on the information so far provided, set the air supply to 5 LPM and it's done.

Light too is not variable in the case of a SURF2. Or at least I'm ASSUMING it's not. The instructions call for an initial 18 hour photoperiod, with nothing done to reduce the intensity of light. A 14 day break in progression has been published - here's where my assumption comes in - and I assume that that progression was achieved the same way as the instructions call for. I.e. - 18 hour photoperiod, no intensity reduction. If that's not the case I'd love to know. But again, how this differs from light provided to an ATS in the same environment is not particularly relevant.

And finally nutrients. If the nutrients were right for growing algae in an ATS, then that same water has the right nutrients for growing algae in ANY other mechanism using that water that is otherwise able to do so. I do believe that is an absolute.

SantaMonica
10-18-2013, 10:04 AM
There are actually many more things needed; but only light, flow and attachment are controllable.

Greenchaos
10-18-2013, 03:47 PM
Makes sense with regard to the nutrient availability bit. Could do with a few pictures of successful Upflow Algae Growing boxes. I know Floyd has one but I don't think he likes it?,

SantaMonica
10-18-2013, 06:12 PM
As I get pics by email, I'll post them. Here is Dexters Reef from RC:

4874 4875

scolley
10-18-2013, 09:06 PM
There are actually many more things needed...Of course there are. Attachment was a good call in this instance - it's relevant. I did not mention it because diatomic marine algae does not always require it. But it IS relevant to this case - growing algae in a SURF2.

So what other relevant things might there be for this discussion - growing algae in a SURF2 - beyond attachment, light, flow. nutrients and attachment?

SantaMonica
10-19-2013, 10:23 AM
Thousand of organics, and some inorganics, which you can't control or adjust.

scolley
10-19-2013, 11:11 AM
How is that different than nutrients in the water? If the water's got what it takes to grow algae in and ATS, then the water should have what it takes to grow it with a SURF2. It should be that simple.

Floyd R Turbo
10-19-2013, 01:21 PM
Thousand of organics, and some inorganics, which you can't control or adjust.

From Algae Scrubber Basic Thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=21476799&postcount=317


No, the algae on screen does not consume organics. If you mean dino's, they only grow the first day or two, and even then they are populating based on the newly available light, meaning they are acting as photoautotrophs and not hetero. They would not have grown with the light off, which hetero's can do. And only hetero's consume organic carbon.

Seems you have changed your mind

Greenchaos
10-19-2013, 01:29 PM
As I get pics by email, I'll post them. Here is Dexters Reef from RC:

4874 4875

Any chance of asking him to test the dry weight ratio. It looks very "watery" to me, so in fact may be at the lower end of the dry weight scale, ie 1 or 2% dry weight mass. This would obviously mean that you need to grow 5 or 10 times as much for the equivalent nutrient removal of an algae at the higher end of the scale, ie 10% dry weight mass.

Greenchaos
10-20-2013, 01:50 PM
I'm English and totally confused. On one thread you show pictures of successfull SURFS2 (?) and another the exact same pictures are described as failing due to iron deficiency. Excuse my ignorance, but the theory seems confused.

SantaMonica
01-03-2014, 11:28 AM
The SURF2 is now also available with a higher-power light that has 6 LEDs instead of 4. It is called the SURF2x and is available by choosing the LED option on the shopping cart page:

http://www.santa-monica.cc/product.asp?itemid=40


If you already have a SURF2 and just want the higher power light, you can get it here also by choosing the 6-LED option:

http://www.santa-monica.cc/product.asp?itemid=41

Choo Choo C.
01-08-2014, 04:51 PM
Got my eye on one of these, but not sure it would work efficiently in my reef tank, which has very low phosphates (undetectable with Salifert kit) but high (20 ppm) nitrates?

The phosphates are low, I assume, due to GFO filtration. If I were to add the Surf 2, would it be advisable to remove the GFO and rely entirely on scrubber and protein skimmer to reduce phosphates?

A few days ago, I started dosing vinegar to try to reduce nitrates. Too early to see any results yet, but what advantages does scrubbing have over carbon dosing?

Thanks,

Thanks.

SantaMonica
01-08-2014, 06:14 PM
Welcome,

GFO and carbon dosing, have in the past caused scrubbers to slow down. It won't hurt them, but they will slow down. So yes I'd get the scrubber growing then remove the GFO and vinegar.

SantaMonica
03-02-2014, 09:17 AM
Looks like scrubbers may grow more pods than first suspected. Especially upflows, when you don't take them to the sink for cleaning (in other words, you just reach in a grab algae). This explains why chromis always hang out downstream of the scrubbers, catching stuff coming by.

My SURF4 was going consistent, and apparently had a huge pod population below the growth, consuming the growth almost as fast as it was growing. It had been running over 3 months without going to the sink, and, fish could not get into the scrubber either, so there was nothing to slow the pods. But then growth slowed down when 2 of the 4 air outlets clogged with carbonate. I did not notice for over a week since I don't pay it any attention. Since the pod population was the same, but growth was less, the pods could keep up with the growth and the growth never increased. When I looked, the pods completely covered the bottom of the scrubber, and would jump right on your hand if you touched the bottom. So I cleaned it in the sink and soaked it for 5 minutes, to kill all the pods. Also cleaned out the air outlets with a paper clip.

This could explain why some SURF2 or SURF4 users have growth in SW but it never "takes off"; it just reaches a certain level and stays there. Pods! Solution: pour some FW in after harvesting. Last resort: take to the sink, and soak it.

SantaMonica
05-16-2014, 10:00 AM
"I am currently using the SURF2 on my zoa garden. It is way oversized for my system but works well. Just takes a little longer to grow" -- Landon on the NTRF site.

"My SURF2 is doing very very well [...]. i feed 1 cube a day which is enough for the tank, harvest every 14-21 days ish. i saved a lot of money for not spending any money on rowaphos. no algae in display tank. zero phosphate and nitrate" -- Wesley on the UR site. Pic:

5130

"The [SURF2] is great, works perfectly keeps nutrients low. I still have a bit of bubble algae but it's slowly disappearing. Works well and takes less space than the [waterfall] scrubbers" -- Millar on the UR site.

"Very happy with the SURF2 so far" -- Juls on the UR site.

"I used to have so much cheato, I would sell it on RC. Since adding the SURF2, the cheato is just vanishing as the SURF2 grows more and more. The entire middle section of the sump used to be cheato, and as you can see, there is not much left at all. A great product; here's a pic of my growth" -- Dexters Reef...
4939

Dlstn on the UR site:
5018

"Works great!" -- Marcelo Silva, Brazil

"Working great" -- Steven Cantor

"I'm very pleased with the quality of the SURF2 - it's superior!" -- Sergey Frolovichev

"Using it now in my 60 gal freshwater tank where it works well keeping nitrates below 20" -- Andreas Schaefer

Translated by Google: "After seven months, I test two of the [SURF2 units], I find that in the device it crawling with copepods that eat algae, now I swarming zooplankton and in addition I take a lot of seaweed every week in my devices (APPROXIMATELY 80 gr) and PO4 photometers to a decrease of 0.02 to 0.01 photometers. more I give an amount of algae my surgeons". Original French: "pour faire suivre cette enquête au bout de 7 moisj'ai tester deux algae scruber de la societe santa monica (SURF2 floating surface) j'en avais pris deuxrésultat au début assez long à venirensuite baisse très moyen des phosphates j'ai décider de mettre en marche l’écumeur sur 12 heures au lieux de 24 heuresdeux mois après très peut d'algues dans les deux appareilsanta monica m’envoie un mail en précisant de bien rincer les appareil a l'eau du robinet je l'ai fait car j'ai constater que dans les appareil il grouiller de copépodes qui me manger les algues depuis je rince une fois par mois les appareils maintenant je grouille de zooplancton dans le refuge et en plus j’enlève beaucoup d'algues toutes les semaines dans mes appareils (ENVIRON 80 gr d'algues essorer) et PO4 au photomètres a baisser de 1 à 0.02 au photometresde plus je donne une quantité d'algues a mes chirurgiens ET JE DONNE 4 CUBES CONGELER PAR JOURS" - Jegou Alain on the Recifal-France site.

SantaMonica
06-08-2014, 07:11 PM
"This is one weeks growth, I'm pulling out a lot more turf now it's certainly got a hold on the ribbons and the textured walls of the box. I tested phosphates a couple of days ago on the Hanna checker and it was reading 0. I did the test again because I've never had a 0 reading on this tank." -- Blinkyfish on the UR site:
5450

SantaMonica
08-05-2014, 03:57 PM
"The [SURF2] at my office is doing great. I would like to order another one for my home tank". -- Thomas Perry

SantaMonica
08-09-2014, 07:24 PM
Updated recommendation:

The SURF2 is for water with phosphate less than 0.2 ppm; if phosphate is higher, get the SURF2x.

SantaMonica
08-10-2014, 05:03 PM
"Currently I have two algae scrubbers that I purchased from Santa Monica. SURF2 and SURF4. SURF2 is powered by Fusion 700 and SURF4 is powered by Coralife Super Luft SL-38. I can grow significant amount of algae in both" -- Tomasz Cop pic of SURF2:
5539

SantaMonica
08-27-2014, 02:56 PM
Pic from Damien Kwok; his SURF2 was put into a newly-moved tank, and this moving of the rocks killed the periphyton on the rocks which stopped the natural filtering and thus the phosphate went up higher than 0.2, which made the SURF2 grow dark:

http://www.algaescrubber.net/UasDamienKwok-1.jpg


A SURF2x with stronger light would be better at this point, but the SURF2 is slowly catching up as long as he does not move the rocks or change the flow.

SantaMonica
08-29-2014, 02:17 PM
Translated by Google: "I have a SURF2 and it is impeccable, it keeps my PO4 zero distributing 3-4 cubes of food per day. The HOG1 it's the same thing on a smaller scale, it depends on the amount of food that you distribute." (original: "J'ai un SURF2 du même fabricant et c'est impeccable, ça me maintient les PO4 à zéro en distribuant 3 à 4 cubes de nourritures par jour. Le HOG1 c'est la même chose en plus petit, ça dépend de la quantité de nourriture que tu distribues.") -- Eric75003 on the Recifal-France site

SantaMonica
09-07-2014, 08:37 PM
5578
5579

Luis Iarossi on the IPAQ site, translated from Portuguese by google: "Earlier this year the glass of my [DIY] algae scrubber (Model Basso) broke. Due to lack of time and manual skills, not tinkered with skimmer and was only for a few months. decided to spend a little and bought SURF2 of Santa Monica, which measures 20cm x 15cm by 15cm x 10cm outside and inside (area for growth of algae). model is interesting because it is small and is floating in the sump. With that much space gained by removing the previous ATS. SURF2 installed but a few days after my skimmer pump has gone bad. In two weeks the ATS already started forming algae and I played without skimmer for almost one month, only with ATS. Even then parameters were normal. These are photos from yesterday, two months after installation. Already cleaned the box twice and am already almost needs to take algae again. algae that formed in my display during the relax (without ats and skimmer) have gone missing. With the lid closed does not make any noise. You hear only if they get too close"

Original text: "No início do ano a placa de vidro do meu algae scrubber (Modelo Basso) quebrou. Por falta de tempo e habilidades manuais, não consertei e fiquei só com skimmer por alguns meses. Resolvi gastar um pouco e comprei o Surf2 da Santa Monica, que mede 20cm x 15cm por fora e 15cm x 10cm por dentro (área para crescimento de algas). O modelo é interessante pois é pequeno e fica flutuando no sump. Com isso ganhei muito espaço ao retirar o ATS anterior. Em 01/05/2014 instalei o surf2 mas poucos dias depois meu skimmer deu problema na bomba. Em 2 semanas o ATS já começou a formar algas e eu toquei sem skimmer por quase 1 mês, apenas com o ATS. Até então os parâmetros estavam normais. Essas são fotos de ontem, 2 meses depois de instalado. Já limpei a caixa duas vezes e já estou quase precisando tirar algas novamente. As algas que se formaram no meu display durante o período de relaxo (sem ats e skimmer) já sumiram. Com a tampa fechada não faz barulho algum. Você ouve apenas se chegar muito perto."

SantaMonica
09-28-2014, 06:52 PM
"The [SURF2] has really taken off" -- Reefindownunder on the scrubber site:

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SantaMonica
11-08-2014, 03:16 PM
"I recent removed bio-pellets, GFO, and trimmed off a lot of macro algae. Oh yeah, overfeeding now to try and bring up my phosphates. Since removing a bunch of nutrient exporting systems like bio-pellets, GFO, and a second algae scrubber, my Surf2 has been growing nuts. It's been less then 7 days and I have to remove more. People are surprised when I open up the Surf2 and show them what I pull out with one hand" -- ReeferEric on the R2R site. pic:
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"I stumbled upon [a SURF2] and took a chance ordering one. They are a really great algae scrubber" -- Reeffirstaid on the R2R site.

"I pull a handful out every week [SURF2]" -- Choff on the R2R site.

Matthew Coulthard SURF2:
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SantaMonica
11-22-2015, 08:51 PM
"Bought the SURF2x, absolutely love it! Would never run a system without a SantaMonica scrubber again!" -- Tannum_Paul on the MASA site.

Odilon Zerecero SURF2x from Mexico:
http://www.algaescrubber.net/UasOdilonZerecero-1.jpg
http://www.algaescrubber.net/UasOdilonZerecero-1.jpg



"Working perfectly!! [SURF2x] -- Cristiano Amaral in Brazil

"I have a SURF2 the same manufacturer and it is impeccable, it keeps me PO4 zero distributing 3-4 cubes of food per day" -- Eric75003 on the RF site

"Its a great product!!! [SURF2] I run mine in conjunction w/ a skimmer and cannot run both 24/7 because I cant feed enough to keep at least a little Nitrate in the system for the Acro's" -- TDTA1181 on the R2R site.

"I run one of these and quite like it. Getting similar results to a typical refugium I used to have that was about 6 times the size. I went to this product basically to buy myself some sump space back and couldn't be happier" -- Sam Parker's Tank Of The Month on MASA:
http://www.algaescrubber.net/UasSparkerOnMASA-1.jpg

SantaMonica
09-12-2017, 06:01 PM
Here are some SURF comments without pictures:

http://algaescrubber.net/forums/showthread.php?3287-Customer-comments-and-pics-of-Santa-Monica-Filtration-scrubbers&p=40155&viewfull=1#post40155

SantaMonica
05-23-2018, 08:48 PM
This similar but more-light SURF2xx is shown here floating for its first day in the sump of a large cylindrical saltwater fish only tank maintained by Jim Stime / LA Fishguys.

The super bright white surfaces keep the algal roots alive when growth gets thick. And the LED light lid is shown in low power mode, with only 4 of the 8 LEDs on (too much light will reflect off of the white surfaces, and slow down new growth).

Also you can hear how the LED lid completely silences the bubbles. The sound of bubbles is always loudest when new, because there is no growth inside to muffle it, but once growth starts it will be quiet even with the lid off.

The first coatings of growth will be visible in about a week:


https://youtu.be/Z6C9kgYAY3w

SantaMonica
12-12-2018, 01:12 PM
"Here is pictures of my Only SPS system in KUWAIT, My system is running without any refugiums, chaeto reactors, Biopellets or any NO3 reduction dosing.. but running only with Surf2 algae scrubber, and reactor for GFO (Rowa) and another for Carbon. Usually I leave Surf until it is full and starts to die and become yellow, then I take it out to the garden and wash it with fresh water with slightly high pressure so all dead algae falls out easily and the green one stays inside then I return it to the sump with 10% water change ... usually this happens every 2 to 3 weeks cuz my system is ULNS" -- Mohammad Abdullah in Kuwait...

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SantaMonica
05-01-2019, 08:29 PM
Growth before harvest, of similar SURF2xx:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmA7ZxpO7uE

SantaMonica
08-31-2019, 01:32 PM
Arabic instructions for SURF scrubbers®

http://algaescrubber.net/SURF-Instructions-Arabic.pdf
http://algaescrubber.net/SURF-Instructions-Arabic.doc

(Need English? http://algaescrubber.net/SURF-Instructions.pdf )

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SantaMonica
09-14-2019, 05:42 PM
Customer's SURF2 or SURF2x floating on a saltwater display. Can't tell which model without looking at how many red lights there are in the lid though.

It's a large surface area display, so the Surf does not block the display lighting. Of course you could also float it in a sump.

Surf models, like our Hog and Drop models, can't overflow like box-style waterfall scrubbers, which often overflow even with an emergency drain (we invented the box-style in 2008).

And like all of our blacked-out designs, all light is kept inside. you can even sleep next to it. Try that with a box-style waterfall.

And of course, no 240/120 volts or metal ever goes near the water. Just low voltage, high PAR LEDs. Highest PAR of any scrubber light per square inch of growth surface.


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SantaMonica
11-03-2019, 05:55 PM
Here is a customer's old SURF2x in saltwater. This old model has the old light-frame which did not block the red light from getting out like the current models do. Light is the same though, pure red 660nm deep red, just like natural seaweed uses at the beach and reefs.

Some people ask why the inside of the SURF is white, which you can see with the algae pulled out in the second photo. The reason is because white reflects the red light back to the algae at the farthest point away from the light, which is where the light would be weakest. As opposed to a waterfall, where light travels mostly through air, the growth in a bubble upflow scrubber has to go through algae most of the way. So reflecting it back to the algae keeps it brighter, using the same wattage light.

The growth in this photo is almost all Cladphora. Add some vinegar and olive oil, and it's a great salad...

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SantaMonica
01-21-2020, 12:41 PM
This is a customer's SURF2 or 2x or 2xx that has been running for quite a while in saltwater. In this photo, the water has been drained out (unlike most floating scrubber photos) so the growth has settled on the bottom, and has mixed with some darker slime where the light is very low (lower light, with higher nutrients, makes dark slime). Also some brown slime is around the edge of the lid light, which is also a low-light area. The Green Grabber rocky surfaces hold on to the slime well.

The strings can barely be seen, but are on the right side:

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SantaMonica
02-18-2020, 06:57 PM
This customer in the UK has growth that almost looks like green candy in this SURF2 or 2x or 2xx. This scrubber is probably only a few weeks old, because the white Green Grabber rock walls have no growth on them yet. But they will.

This type of Surf growth is very rare, but the beauty of scrubbers is that they grow what they need to grow based on conditions. This one will probably start getting some brown slime on the Green Grabber rock walls, and then on the bottom underneath the green. If more food is given to the tank, the bright green will darken up to consume more of the nutrients (darker growth has more nutrients).

Also very neat with Surf models with this growth, is that you can just reach in and get a handful. Then just set the light back on it, and you are done. Of course if you are getting dark slime because of very high nutrients in the water, you'll still need to take it to your sink for a brushing.

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SantaMonica
12-26-2020, 02:18 PM
Like instruction manuals? Here's ours for the SURF models..
http://www.algaescrubber.net/SURF-Instructions.pdf

Also in Arabic...
http://www.algaescrubber.net/SURF-Instructions-Arabic.pdf

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SantaMonica
07-20-2021, 05:21 PM
This is not mud. It is living, growing, macroalgal slime that has consumed nutrients out of the water. The worm-like things are Green Grabber® strings attached to the bottom of the Green Grabber rocky walls.

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SantaMonica
07-23-2021, 05:19 PM
Update: Since the Fusion 700 air pump is no longer available, the Danner AP-4 is now recommended for most scrubbers, except the SURF4 or 4x which can use a Danner AP-8, and the SURF8 which needs a large single-outlet pump.

Note that all HOG and DROP models have 1 air inlet, therefore the 2 outlets of the Danner AP-4 pump can be combined into 1 with a "T" or "Y" fitting, and this will give you a lot of air which can still be reduced with the control knob. If you don't want to combine the outlets, then the smaller Danner AP-3 pump has only 1 outlet, but it also does not have a control knob.

https://www.dannermfg.com/supreme-oxy-flo-low-volume-air-pumps

SantaMonica
09-17-2021, 04:10 PM
The SURF2 scrubber® takes no space above or below it, so it fits almost anywhere.

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SantaMonica
10-06-2021, 03:59 PM
Green Worms! Actually, this SURF2 or 2x scrubber® is just showing an ultra rare type of growth which "fluffs up" on the Green Grabber® strings. It's not better; just different. And it needs to be cleaned off of the strings using your fingers, in your sink, because you generally don't want to use a brush on the strings (although you can still brush the white rocky walls).

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SantaMonica
12-06-2021, 06:17 PM
SURF2 harvest from saltwater. The water level is just below the arrow.

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SantaMonica
02-13-2022, 08:33 PM
A new SURF2 or 2x with light removed, and black shade cloth which was covering the left side. Since the left side was growing more, and was shaded, this tells you that more of the area should be shaded so more can grow. Once growing, the white surfaces will reflect less, and the shade cloth can be removed.

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SantaMonica
03-01-2022, 08:55 PM
Can you spot the SURF2x in this round tank?..

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SantaMonica
10-22-2022, 06:04 PM
Coming back into stock now, the SURF2 scrubber®. Shown here is how you lift up the lid to view the growth.

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SantaMonica
10-28-2022, 07:01 PM
Not as much red in this holiday growth, but there is lots of mashed-up Cladophora, with some yellow slime and some brown slime. This actually should have been harvested/cleaned much sooner, because it just can't grow (filter) anymore because there is no more room inside.

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SantaMonica
10-31-2022, 07:45 PM
This is less Creature Goo, and more Ulva Fasciata from a SURF2 (or 2x or 2xx)

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SantaMonica
12-11-2022, 03:35 PM
Some tanks have no sump at all, not even on the back. If there is enough floating space on top, and it won't block the lights, a SURF scrubber is a possible solution.

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SantaMonica
05-17-2023, 12:34 PM
This SURF2 or 2x or 2xx is shown after being pulled out of a cylinder tank during a water change. Since there is no sump, the SURF floats at the top. And since this is saltwater, a SURF (which has strings) is ok; but if it were freshwater then a model without strings would be best.

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SantaMonica
07-14-2023, 07:45 PM
This SURF2 or 2x scrubber® is in a small saltwater sump compartment, and is not affected by the salt splash buildup.

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SantaMonica
08-06-2023, 03:10 PM
New black epoxy finish:
https://youtu.be/ks9ccPZNu5Y
https://fb.watch/mfQGt2kw22/

SantaMonica
08-19-2023, 09:38 AM
Here is a hand-grab of growth out of a SURF2 or 2x scrubber® floating in a sump. When growth is green hair algae, this is the easiest way.

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SantaMonica
08-22-2023, 03:00 PM
This looks to be a SURF2 or 2x with some Green Grabber® screen cut up to fit in with the strings. Some have said this helped, and others said the strings were enough by themselves.

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SantaMonica
10-13-2023, 03:53 PM
This SURF2(tm) or 2x show an earlier stage of growth on top, and a more filled in stage on bottom. RAINs are for saltwater only. Reach in and grab some :)

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SantaMonica
10-26-2023, 03:07 PM
Looks like the heads of two fish, close together and frozen in time, with so much fresh living algae to eat that they got stuck.

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SantaMonica
11-19-2023, 08:39 AM
This SURF2 or 2x shows one of the upflowing bubble holes in the middle of the algae; these holes allow light to go deeper down into the growth.

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SantaMonica
11-28-2023, 05:09 PM
A SURF2 floating in some extra space in a saltwater sump.

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