Is an ATS worth it if you modify it?

Hi,

I have a small (80L) nano that is running full Zeo.
I am planning for a much larger tank and I'm very keen on the ATS concept.
I follow @Henkie's tank locally and on this forum and have chatted to him on many occasions about his ATS.

So I am confident that an ATS is an extremely attractive and completely viable option for filtration however I need to keep noise to an absolute minimum.
My current tank runs quieter than my (quiet) fridge and the hum of air pumps is something that I dont wish to have.
I don't think I will have space to do a waterfall style.

With this said I started dreaming up ways of using flow pumps to run over an horizantal grid in a box etc. and I suddenly stopped and thought I should just ask a very simple question....
If you don't use the upflow/air bubble option, is it worth modifying or should I try move on and go with Carbon dosing etc?

The tank will be SPS and relatively light bioload - small anthias, chromis etc.
I'll appreciate any input.

Thanks

Well, if silent operation is the requirement, you can design an upflow version to be that way. But also you can do a horizontal or a waterfall and modify it too if you want.

What ever setup you use needs to have water, air, and light. You can make that really complicated.

Attachment 6496

Or you can make it really simple. Sometimes it even grows all on its own.

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I have tried several different algae scrubbers and they all grow algae to some extent. If you got an idea, I say try it out.

OK awesome, thanks guys.

So then I need help lol.

I'm not keen on the waterfall because of the Loadshedding we have had in previous Winters (planned power-outs for 4 hours on average to alleviate an overstrained grid) If that's the case then I cant imagine the algae doing well in the air, dry for that long.
Which leaves upflow and horizontal.
The biggest advantage I can think of is that the Upflow is a great space saver - am I correct?
WRT the bubbles....... They will obviously oxygenate the water but the flow seems rather nice and random as well. Would a small pump with a spray-bar work? I could also try use the venturi to suck in air but that will be heading back towards the noise i think.

I am buying glass off an unbuilt system so all I know is that the tank will be 150cmx60cmx50cm.
I want to build a dry section under that to house the electronics neatly, so I won't have all that space available for the sump.
Display will have minimal rockwork - I will need to create space for bacteria so I'm looking at Siporax or Matrix. If Matrix is used I will need to run it in my Zeo reactor so I can shake it regularly (I have previously found Matrix very prone to clogging and I'm already uaccustomed to shaking the stones every day :P )

Sorry if I seem vague but I firmly believe in designing things with a purpose so I can't even give exact sump dimensions that I'm trying to fit into because the sump will be designed around the filtration options.
I'm also a bit vague about livestock because I've never had a tank near this size so I don't even know what "a light bioload" will be so I'm not sure on the size of scrubber i would need.

....sooooooo how much time you gents have :P

Yes upflows do save space; nothing is above the water. Spray bars with holes work, as do airstones. On larger sizes, holes are better because they give larger bubbles, which are better.

What you might do is build your sump first, then fit the upflow into it. By that time the new GEM5 submersible lights will be available if you want to light the scrubber from both the wet side and the dry side.

Go for a 2 cube size; it's easy to add a second scrubber later if you need to.

If you want a waterfall type scrubber, I wouldn't worry about the algae dying in a couple hours if your power goes out. I had a screen from an old scrubber that was stored in my garage for months. The algae on it was still green, but completely dried out and emaciated. I added it into a quarantine tank and it came right back in a couple of days.

I don't think I'd trust algae that's been dry for many hours. You can, however, enclose a water fall completely in a box, and that will keep it wet longer.

Unfortunately the chances of it being dry on more than one occasion is high, so I think the waterfall is out of the running.
Thanks for the input though :)