Hi all, New to Algaescrubber.net
I started an ATS in my sump about a month ago and everything has been going well. Primary reason I started one was to reduce water changes (royal PITA!).
I have quickly dropped N down to about 5 ppm from 15 and P from .25 to 0! Wow, that was quick. Plus, calcium coraline is starting to pop and some hitch hiker clove coral is starting to grow back (disappeared for almost a year!). So far, very impressed.
Ok, found out i will be going out of town for a few weeks and will be having someone staying at the house taking care of the tank. Usually I stop the overflow to the sump, shut the skimmer down, and try to keep it basic. I think there are too many variables with water flowing down to a sump and being pumped back up for someone that has never had a SW tank before. i have done this before for a few weeks and just had them feed lightly and top off the tank every other day by hand with my RO/DI. Upon return I do a good water change to remove the extra N and P. Usually its not too bad because I have them feeding very lightly when I am gone.
Obviously I will be shutting down the ATS. I would like to keep the algae going a little on the screen while I was gone. I was think I would submerge the screen in the sump and run the light a little bit each day. Do you think I would run the risk of the screen releasing nutrients back into the water? Do you think it would be easier to pull and the screen and just start over when i get back? Luckily I don't go out of town much... Thanks for any advice.