Various upflow growth pictures

[SantaMonica]

This SURF4 or 4x in a saltwater sump shows clearly the four air bubble pathways that the bubbles make from the bottom of the Surf, through the growth, and up to the light at the top (light is removed for photo). These bubble pathways let light and water pentetrate deep into the growth, thus letting the growth get thicker before dying.

[SantaMonica]

This is the wet side of a HOG3 or 3x or 3xx taken out of saltwater. Almost can't tell which end is up, except for the air tubing on the right side, which is up, which means the bubbler is on the left, which is down.

First, this should have been cleaned/harvested much sooner, because when it gets this thick (about 2 inches) the light can't reach the bottom layers as well, and those layers start dying. The extra light in the 3x and 3xx reach deeper, but still get shaded eventually.

Second, the yellow in the middle is from lack of iron/nutrients, because:

1. The thick growth blocks bubbles from flowing through, thus reducing nutrients to the growth.
2. The thick growth is pushing up agaist the glass, which is nearest to the light, so it gets more light than it needs.
3. The thick growth blocks/covers the water circulation holes in the case, further reducing nutrients getting to the growth.

So for max filtering and nutrient reduction in the tank, this scrubber should probably be cleaned/harvested or fed to the fish every 5 days or so, and when doing so the entire inside of the case should be brushed with a brush in a sink with running tap water to kill the pods.

However if the goal is to just grow pods for the fish, you don't have to clean/harvest at all. Just let it run, and pods will grow and come out of the holes to feed the fish. Maybe you'll need to unclog the circulation holes a bit. Or you could modify them larger, say 1/4" diameter.

Or if the goal is to grow algae to feed to the fish, then you just open the case and let the fish swim in and eat overnight, then put it back into operation for another week.

[SantaMonica]

Here is an old BRS post of I think was a HOG3

[SantaMonica]

This DROP.6 with it's one LED is feeding a lot of snails. If you leave it running and don't open it, the snail eggs will flow out and feed the fish. It won't filter though, because all algae is being eaten; but it could mean you'll have to feed less. Here are other ways to feed from your scrubber:

http://algaescrubber.net/forums/show...Turf-Scrubbers

[SantaMonica]

This is a good example of how a thin coating of slime in the left photo (with the black shade screen to reduce light), after a few brushings/cleanings, can fill with green hair algae on the right.

[SantaMonica]

This HOG3 or 3x or 3xx wet-side looks fairly new, and is still filling in





#algaereactor
#algaescrubber
#ats
#ballingmethod
#biopellets
#bulkreefsupply
#canisterfilter
#carbondosing
#chaeto
#chaetomorpha
#chaetoreactor
#coralvue
#fleecefilter
#fluconazole
#freshwateraquarium
#gfo
#nitrate
#phosphate
#pelletreactor
#plantedtank
#premiumaquatics
#proteinskimmer
#reef2reef
#reeftank
#refugium
#rollfilter
#saltwatertank
#tritonmethod
#turfscrubber
#zeovit

[SantaMonica]

This HOG2 scrubber® is clogged with very dark hair algae mixed with black slime (the dog likes it!). It really needed to be brushed out in the sink long before now, so that the white Green Grabber® surfaces are visible so it can reflect more light back to the growth. The light should go to 24 hours. And cleaning should be every 3-5 days until nutrients come down and growth gets lighter in color.

[SantaMonica]

This SURF8 or 8x is bubbling away. The one airline in the center feeds all the bubbling at the bottom.

[SantaMonica]

This HOG2x scrubber® has just been brushed clean, and is a good example of how the Green Grabber® rough rocky surfaces holds on to remnants of growth to make re-growth faster.

[SantaMonica]

This is probably a HOG3 scrubber® or larger. Can't see the strings, but it would be difficult for a model without strings to hold on to this much growth in saltwater. Even the stronger light in this model is having trouble cutting through the growth to get to the back wall, and thus the growth on the back is darker. So in addition to cleaning off the circulation holes more often, the light should be run 24 hours in this case, and cleaned every 5 days or so, including brushing the Green Grabber® back wall with a toothbrush in a sink, so you see the white again. And of course don't forget to clean the glass before re-attaching the HOG to it.

Or, just put the whole things into the display overnight for the fish to eat.