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Thread: 1st test run one sided algae scrubber...

  1. #1
    poksal's Avatar
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    1st test run one sided algae scrubber...

    So point out likes and dis-likes.. don't be shy.

    The light is a two florescent sump lamp the canvas is draped over with clingwrap (I don't really have a clue of the wattage but plenty!). Yes it is roughed with (OMG I used a different sized hole saw) a hole saw and that works amazingly well. I'm not sure about the water flow but it is clipping along fairly good. At this time it is on a 12 hour cycle at night running on the same relay as my main lights but on the opposite set of contacts (when they are off). Size.. darn.. you will ask that.. well do realize this is a test run but the size is ... I have to go measure it... ok.. 5" wide and 7" out of the water but.. only about 3" of that height is in serious light. The picture lies as to how bright the light is and where. As the title states it is one sided. I figure if I can get a good green culture growing I will have learned what I really want to build and much more by then. At that time I can take the culture and "go for it".

    I will began to wean off my skimmer, GFO, and carbon as something starts to happen.. correct me if I'm wrong. I can't be risking any nitrogen or ammonia spikes... there is too much to loose. The Vertex reactor you see the top of in the foreground is a LR reactor. Yes, Live Rock Reactor... one of my brain storms and I love how it is performing... it is one heck of a buffer... apparently. I figure it as a stand-in for the surf surging through LR on the real reefs.

    This better work I just stole the light off my K-toe.
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  2. #2
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    Welcome.

    Probably want to remove the GFO... will really slow the scrubber growth.

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    Poksal! Good to see you...

    You will probably get better growth with a smaller screen. Are you feeding about 3 cubes worth of food? If not, I would downsize. It's a good start!

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    Ok, GFO and carbon pair, on same circuit, valve off. Will, reduce the size of the screen tomorrow evening.

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    The first day I started my scrubber I cut off my skimmer and never looked back. I couldn't be happier.

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    My skimmer makes lots of gunk... I'll start to wean it off in a bit.. I realize it is removing nutrients, I get the whole eco thing. It is all energy being exchanged in forms.. it does not go away. It goes somewhere. What is flushed from the skimmer is taken away. but, I have living life forms to protect as I attempt to make the change. I started out, day one, a couple of months ago at this reef tank hobby saying, we should not be having to make water changes. We have the technology and earth sciences to do better than that now. I see these algae scrubbers for a reef tank as the under gravel filter is to a fresh water tank... the magic link.

    When I first read that reef tankers were in a constant fight against algae, I thought to myself, then it needs to be there or the tank eco would not keep blooming it. Not wanting it in the tank for visual reasons is fine, so give it a better place where it will be even happier.. bang.. you just balanced the system. As long as you replace the energy losses of/with a few trace elements and light. Yes it turns into a science, but the basics is just common sense. Harvesting is a win/win way to rid the tank of accumulated bad stuff the natural way. Working with nature is always going to be a more effective way... I'm aboard... always was just hadn't heard about "this" .. and would of eventually worked it out. Most likely I would of ended up with a green algae coated refuge and harvested it.... eventually.

    It is a little like the woman who stopped me in a Wallymart (in my uniform). She said to me with her hands on her hips, "I've trapped 23 raccoons in my back yard". I said, "Then it isn't working". She looked at me and said, "twenty three!...??" I said, "If it was working you would of trapped three or four and there wouldn't be any raccoons in your yard". She just stood there stunned... and I could see the light bulb blinking on in her head as I walked away. The eco system in her yard and surrounding area is going to support a quantity of raccoons.. removing them only makes room for new ones to move into the void. ... applies to algae... applies to life... it IS life.

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    My skimmer makes lots of gunk... I'll start to wean it off in a bit.. I realize it is removing nutrients
    Skimmers remove food particles. They do not remove Ammonia/Ammonium, Nitrite, Nitrate, Phosphate, metals and CO2. Algae does.

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    Quote Originally Posted by SantaMonica View Post
    Skimmers remove food particles. They do not remove Ammonia/Ammonium, Nitrite, Nitrate, Phosphate, metals and CO2. Algae does.
    Yeah! ..I get that.

    ...on another front... just left my favorite LFS and they are having a buy-one-get-one sale on Saturday/Sunday.. and it includes corals... yiiipeee....

    EDIT: oh.. this counts... they have lots of nice corals and frags
    ...I've cut my skimmer back... I dauh know.. to around 60%

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    Personally, I left my skimmer running for 3 or 4 weeks till the screen started to develope.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Garf View Post
    Personally, I left my skimmer running for 3 or 4 weeks till the screen started to develope.
    Mine is still making snot.. and I'm going to be careful... and test test test

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