My SURF2 progress

[nizz]

Here it's the new light scrubber. Still a little slime. So I clean that out. But you can see algae slowly growing on the sides.

[nizz]

Here the old light scrubber. Same thing.

[nizz]

Old led before I brush the inside

[nizz]

New led before a brushing

[SantaMonica]

Is consistent. If you can get the white side walls to show, it would help too.

[nizz]

I do. But it seems the old light has more short growth or base growth if that make sense on the walls.

[nizz]

But I have a feeling the stronger light will grow more once its started

[nizz]

Did a quick test yesterday and this is what I found.
ALK 6.7
CAL 525
NITRATE 16
PHOSPHATE .45

ALK is a little low. Not sure if the scrubbers are our eating that up. But I need to raise out a little higher. Also found out my iron was not being dosed because the solution might be a little thin. So I ended up put a check valve.

[nizz]

Here is the old light scrubber before I did a light wash.

[nizz]

Here is the new light scrubber before a cleaning.

[nizz]

Let the scrubbers grow for two weeks and still getting green slime.

[nizz]

Let the scrubbers grow for two weeks and still getting green slime.

[SantaMonica]

Well slime does hold a lot of nutrients. I bet you have the toothbrush cleaning routine down pretty good.

[nizz]

Yes I do. Lol

[nizz]

Just another update to help me keep track. Still more slime. Kinda seems strange I haven't started getting hair algae yet.

[nizz]

Just another update to help me keep track. Still more slime. Kinda seems strange I haven't started getting hair algae yet.

[nizz]

So is these scrubbers suppose to take this long before growing algae?

[nizz]

So is these scrubbers suppose to take this long before growing algae?

[SantaMonica]

It's growing, it's just a slime type.

What are the current tests and other filters? How is rock algae?

[nizz]

No algae on the rocks still. No new filters. Just the carbon reactor. Dosing Alk and trying to dose Fe. Will get back to you on the test.

[nizz]

Nitrate at 32ppm and phosphate at 3.06ppm. So far it looks like my NO3 and PO4 are going up. I do have a water change I will be doing tomorrow. So those numbers should go down some.

[nizz]

Go pacman!!!

[SantaMonica]

If phosphate really is 3, then that is a pretty good reason for the dark slime scrubber growth, which will have a hard time holding on to the surfaces. Although yours does seem to be holding on enough to get it out of the water.

If your feeding input is less that your scrubber+other output, then eventually nutrients should come down.

[nizz]

I have a automated feeding. So it's the same really.

[nizz]

I am starting to notice cyano in this unit and more algae growth on the LED lights.

[nizz]

This unit is mostly slime green algae still.

[SantaMonica]

In or on the LED?

[nizz]

On sorry. The front of the LED's.

[SantaMonica]

That would seem to say that they want more light.

[nizz]

I will take a picture of the lights next week for the comparison. Right my lights are on 22hrs and off 2hrs

[108rockhurst]

Wow.
Nizz has been at this since August of 2013. Maybe it's time to give up on this form of Algae scrubber and go to a waterfall type.
I have a surf 2 and it grows algae but it never got my display tank clear. I went to a waterfall type of scrubber and my tank cleared up quickly.
This method doesn't seem to be working for him.

[nizz]

I understand what you are saying. But, I don't have issues with my tank not being clear. I just have issues with my tank not coming down on the nutrients.

[nizz]

Now I have not thrown out the idea that a waterfall scrubber my be right up my ally. I am just not ready to say these SURF's scrubber can't do what they are advertised. Something is causing the algae to not grow well in my scrubbers. Funny thing is I don't have an algae outbreak issue in my tank for me to worry about anything but the nutrients.

[nizz]

Here's the new light. I am going to let the unit run another week before cleaning it

[nizz]

Here's the old light. I am noticing more cyano in this unit.

[SantaMonica]

What is alk?

[nizz]

I will test tomorrow and let you know

[nizz]

Sorry you got me curious. My test says my ALK is 10.1 DKH

[SantaMonica]

And remind me if the rocks were every exposed to algaecide or medication

[nizz]

Never, rock was dry when I bought it from BRS and I always had or wanted a reef. So no copper meds

[nizz]

https://youtu.be/R3uTPyzL1YQ

Looks like I am getting cyano in my scrubbers. Probably high nutrients in the tank still

[SantaMonica]

Do you have some gha that you can put in there and see what happens?

Another fun thing to try... maybe dose some vinegar for a few weeks.

[nizz]

I have done that before and it never took off. I could start up the carbon dosing. I just don't have a skimmer on the tank anymore

[SantaMonica]

Just thinking of things to try.

[nizz]

I hear ya. I might try putting gfo online to bring some of the nutrients down.

[nizz]

This is the lower light scrubber. Cyano is more in this unit.

[nizz]

This is the high power light. Less cyano in this unit. Not units didn't have algae grow the on the front of the lights.

[nizz]

Sorry I didn't put any GFO on the system. Just changed the carbon reactor.

[nizz]

This is what the low power scrubber looked like before I took it offline for the SURF4x replacement

[nizz]

This is one week of the SURF4x on low power

[nizz]

2 week no cleaning of the SURF 2x full power

[SantaMonica]

Another week of browning up should be good.

[nizz]

Yep. Seems like it's doing good and right on track

[nizz]

Here is the SURF4x on low power. Seems like this unit has skipped the browning phase and went straight to green. But, still doing good so far.

[nizz]

SURF2x at 3 weeks of no cleaning. Seems like the algae is disappearing. Also, I install my filters sock back on the tank. Was tired of all the waste collecting in the sump.

[nizz]

I am noticing my SURF4x is starting to get green slime now. Wondering if I should start the high beams now?

[SantaMonica]

Yes.

[nizz]

Ok I will turn the other lights on. Here's a picture of it now. Seems to be growing pretty quick now.

[nizz]

Here is the SURF4x. Seems to start growing quickly.

[nizz]

Here is the SURF2x

[SantaMonica]

Looks like a slime cleanout could be use now.

[nizz]

Ok

[nizz]

Here is the SURF4x. Picture 2 is before and picture 1 is after I use the high pressure wash in my sink to clean it. The LEDS are still on high power.

[nizz]

This is the SURF2x. Had to rinse this one early with the slime build up. I might have to rinse more frequent with this one.

[SantaMonica]

Could start some slight vodka dosing now, as an experiment.

[nizz]

Could but vodka never helps with my nitrates. Just my phosphates.

[SantaMonica]

Well I was thinking it would change the bacteria, which might favor the scrubbers.

[nizz]

Ok well I put it online. So we will see

[nizz]

I also put my protein skimmer online because my filter socks started to become my skimmer.

[nizz]

Well had an over dose of vodka. Which I cleared up with a massive water change. But I am still carbon dosing and I have found my nutrients are zero now and my scrubbers are yellow. So I have been starving my scrubbers. I am slowly dropping my carbon dosing to stop the yellowing.

[SantaMonica]

Yellow is better than black tar.

[nizz]

True but I am slowly dialing the vodka back trying to find that sweet spot right now. Just glad my nitrates are down to zero