Scrubber Issues........

[Toddo]

Ok...so I have had this scrubber set up on a 125 fresh tank for one year now, and it has been working flawlessly. About two months ago the algae started growing in the water only and no more on the screen. There is algae on the screen, but now it never grows more...only in the water. (see pic...the light on that side was moved for the photo) Several cleanings and it keeps doing this.

I cant figure this out.

[sklywag]

Maybe time for a new screen with a new roughed up surface for the algae to hold on to.

[SantaMonica]

It's the lights. They MUST be replaced every 3 months. I'm guessing your have never been replaced.

It's not the flow, because the screen is evenly covered; but you should still check to make sure a waterfall is coming off the bottom.

[Toddo]

Funny you say the bulbs....this started just about the time i replaced my cfl bulbs. I bought the same 2700K bulbs that i had before. I wonder if something is up with them. I'll put the old bulbs back in to see if there is a difference. Thx.

[SantaMonica]

Actually I did not see all that growth in the water below the screen; when you said "in the water" I thought you meant in your display.

So, what happened was that the new bulbs made the growth so much more that it grows so fast that it goes into the water. It is a good problem to have. Keep the new bulbs, and just clean the screen almost completely clean. If you leave it long enough for it to stream down into the water, it's too long and they will break off.

[Toddo]

OK cool. I'll leave the new bulbs in and keep cleaning. Fwiw..my tank parameters haven't changed a bit. Thanks.