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Im cleaning one screen a week. So each screen gets scrapped ever other week.
Not getting loads off of it. But its keeping everything in check and doing the business.
Really starting to think there is something to this Algae Scrubbing.
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Do you guys think its better to clean every week, like ive been doing? or allow it to get really thick first?
Basically as thick as you can get it, with as little die-off as possible.
That looks real good!! I never clean my horizontal before 7 days.
Little update. Im slowly winning the war on Algae. Im still skimming and running GFO for now. Ive turned the skimmer right down to a dry skim though. Hope to be running them on a timer soon.
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Oh, and I haven't done a black out or anything funny. Ive just left it all to get on with itself. 10% water change every month. There has been some algae die off and the CUC is just eating it faster than it grows. There are some small patches of Algae strong hold though :)
It'll take time. The rock itself holds phosphate so it needs to leach out which the scrubber will do. All I get now is the Cyano on my sand bed only. I am convinced that it comes with a tank too warm and the light reflecting off the sand. Not not enough water flow. Because it comes and goes every evening and on coolers days stays somewhat abated till the tank warms from lighting.
I'm not the sterile tank type, but with algae free rocks it looks a little too pristine in there. I should take some new pictures of my current temporary set up.
If I were you I'd shut down that skimmer and yank it from your set up. Sell it and buy something for your display to look at. GFO the same. Skip the water changes and start enjoying your tank.
Thats sounds too perfect :) You've got the right idea though. My old tank was a 250 litre without a sump. was a nightmare to look after. a water change and new gfo every week just about kept the algae at bay.Quote:
Originally Posted by sklywag
I don't think I could ever sell the skimmer. I like to keep it there in case something dies its there to put on full blast.
My plan is to have the skimmer on a timer maybe two days a week and then the GFO one or two days as well. Whatever it takes to keep the tank looking good, I dont clean the back glass or anything. I know what you mean, some tanks look too clean.
Won't help at all. Skimmers don't remove ammonia.Quote:
I don't think I could ever sell the skimmer. I like to keep it there in case something dies its there to put on full blast.
Instead, you'd want to add some Amaquel or Prime (ammonia reducers). Of course, if your scrubber was already growing, you wouldn't have to do anything since the algae would just grow more (ammonia is the favorite food of algae). I have a 3" fish die in my tank every week: a silverside to feed the eel.
I haven't had anything die in my current setup yet. I'd like to see a blue fin/domino damsel die since I can't catch it. But my old system yes. And I'd leave them in the tank for my clean up crew to clean up.
Once that scrubber starts working(matures) or you fix it or build a better one and it starts to work(mature). You'll never regret it. When people come by/buy for something and they see all I have for filtering and haven't done any water changes, fish are fat, corals are healthy and see my little water test kit paperwork with a month or so between tests. They start to research ATS. Some build and some get sucked back in to old ways or afraid because of peer pressure. Am I talking about walking with Jesus or scrubbers?. Either way I have faith in both to save life.
Im slowly getting the faith.
Chaeto was working well for one of my old tanks. When i upgraded the Chaeto with killed off / stopped from growing by Cyano growing all over it.
The funny thing is I came across the idea of algae scrubbing from LA Fish Guys videos. Its working fantastic for me. But he doesn't seem to be having too much success with them.
Im also running bioballs I know they've gotta go.