I built a SM100 clone and started using it in Aug, 2011. I am utilizing a screen that I started with in Nov. of 2010. (see other threads started earlier)
Since moving to the SM100, my tank has really blossomed. numerous feather dusters have sprung up throughout, sponges all over the place, my mushrooms have really taken off. I have seen a reduction in the amount of turf algea on the rocks, but I can not seem to get rid of it, I know I have to make the scrubber stronger. I now have done a water change in 9 months, the skimmer has been gone for a year.
I am feeding probably about 1 cube of flack daily and 1 cube of frozen shrimp a couple of times a week.
I have not been successful at getting the screen green. It has been mainly brown and yellow, except right at where the screen joins the slot and it a great color of green and good growth. Of course that is where the light is not as strong.
Three weeks ago I reduced the size of the screen from 7 1/2" long by 6 1/2" High, to 6 3/4 long (slot length) by 6 1/2 high. I also cut the time from 18 hours to 17 hours. I let it go 14 days, still got the yellow and brown slimy growth and I have always had great 3D growth at the bottom.
7 days ago, I cut the time to 15 hours and started dosing 3 ml of iron solution daily. This week I got dark green slimy growth, no yellow and brown. Still have great green growth at the edge. See pictures attached.
I have now cut the time to 14 hours a day, to see what will happen. Do you think I am on the right track???
Any suggestions are appreciated. I really want to get rid of the algea in the tank.
since making the screen change the only parameter that has change is my salinity it has gone from 1.0225 to 1.0255. NH3 is still 0, Phospate 0, PH 8.2.
Thanks in advance
Kent
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