Fresh Water Algae Filter??

[ppsthlm]

I am making a filter like this for my saltwater tank, but I´m also planning on setting up a Discus Freshwater Aquarium. Will it be possible to add an algae filter similar to this for that tank too? Will it do the same sort of wonders to the fresh water as to the saltwater??
:?: :?: :?:

[worley]

Yes, it should work just the same, same principals and calculations apply.

[Rumpy Pumpy]

Been running mine on FW for a couple of months with some success.

See here viewtopic.php?f=3&t=162

I suspect that there is not as much potential benefit (per square inch) for FW as with SW though as you don't get those large seaweed type "turf" macro-algaes in FW.

It may be that, limited to hair and "slimy" algae we will need a larger lit surface area than is necessary on SW systems.

We'll see.


So far, while not really seeing a dramatic fall in tested NO3, I have seen benefits in less algae in my display tank. And that small amount of algae that does still grow there is of a "softer" and thus easier to clean variety.

I used to get quite a lot of that hard "spot algae" on the glass which could not be removed without putting my hand inside and scraping or manually scrubbing it off. I don't get that now. The algae that grows in the tank now is more of a powdery type which comes off easily with a few passes with a magnetic glass scrubber.

I also removed a white rock which was absolutely green with algae two or three weeks ago and cleaned it by boiling. I put it back and there has been no significant algae re-growth on it since.

Since my NO3 has not fallen dramatically I suspect that the reduction of tank algae may be due to the scrubber reducing phosphates (which I haven't tested for) or perhaps some other trace nutrient(s) that algae needs to grow.

[SantaMonica]

FW scrubber do get super growth, just like SW. You are just having the setup/design problems that I mentioned you would have when you started. Can you post current closeup pics of the screen, and maybe another vid of the flow?

[Rumpy Pumpy]

It's still pretty much as it was in the other thread.

The screen is a little nearer the surface.

I'm going to build a new scrubber from scratch soon along the lines of your waterfall design and replace the sump altogether.

I will report when I get it underway.