Various upflow growth pictures

[SantaMonica]

This SURF4 was floated in the display of a reef (so no sump was needed). Most people do put SURF models in the sump, but the display is still an option, which it is not with a waterfall.



The install video is here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JE4fdZcjssE

[SantaMonica]

Here is a bunch of Cladophora algae (it grows in both fresh and saltwater) in a customer's HOG2 or 3 or 3x or 3xx. Since you can't see if strings are under the growth, you can't tell what model scrubber it is.

Cladophora growth can get long, and unlike a waterfall style of scrubber, our upflow styles keep the long growth suspended in the water and inside the case. Waterfall style scrubbers by contrast will let the long growth flow straight down where it gets caught in your other filters and pumps. This is why waterfalls are not recommended for freshwater growth, which tends to grow even longer Spirogyra growth that gets a meter long.

[SantaMonica]

Customer's HOG3 or 3x or 3xx in saltwater, with very light colored growth. Just like vegetables, darker growth means more iron is in the growth, and other nutrients too; so you can add iron to the water (with supplement drops) or feed more seaweed like nori or algae pellets to the fish, which will also eventually get more iron into the water, and make darker growth.

Also note that the filter does not have to be completely underwater; the top part can be above the waterline. This is also the way to block salt spray.

[SantaMonica]

Slime!!

Well, this is good. Dark slime has the most nutrients concentrated in it, taken out of the water. Just clean it often (with a brush, in your sink) before it lets go.

Screens, like on waterfalls, have a very hard time holding on to slime (especially black slime) so you rarely see any. They just have no growth. But rocky textures, like our Green Grabber® growth surface, holds on to slime very well, so you see it a lot.

[SantaMonica]

Customer's HOG3 or 3x or 3xx in a well-seasoned saltwater tank. Growth like this is not common on new tanks with new rocks, which normally get more of a light brown slime to do the filtering.

Air tubing at the bottom should be kept brushed clean.

[SantaMonica]

Here's a customer's HOG1 or 1x in saltwater, although it's also fine with freshwater because is does not have strings. The growth should eventually spread to the sides after a few more cleanings.

This amount growth is about average for saltwater. New tanks will usually be much less, and more of a brownish slime; older tanks can get thick sometimes, and fill up the compartment (but not always).

[SantaMonica]

The smallest upflow algae scrubber® in the world: Here is a customer's DROP.2 in saltwater, which can also be used in tiny freshwater tanks. Note how the strong LED light makes a growth ring in the middle.

Customer also added screen to the door (on the right).

Battery is not used, and is just to see how small the scrubber is.

[SantaMonica]

Here is what most people want: Packed, fluffy green growth not only on the Green Grabber® strings but also on the Green Grabber® rocks, as shown here on this customers SURF4 or 4x.

However, this green growth is not always needed. Dark/black slime is great at absorbing nutrients out of the water when the nutrients are very high. And, light brown growth is good when nutrients are not too high.

But it's ok to have your salad and eat it too

[SantaMonica]

This customer's SURF2 or 2x is in saltwater, and is one of those rare times when pure Cladophora ("angel hair") growth occurs. Even this one example, however, will probably have different growth in a month or two, especially if feeding increases (more nutrients) or if rocks are moved around (kills periphyton on rocks, which makes more nutrients).

Cladophora is great for fish-feed, and salads.

[SantaMonica]

Here is a common growth pattern, shown in a customer's SURF2 or 2x in saltwater. Some green hair is on the Green Grabber® strings, and some dark/black slime is on the Green Grabber rocks. Although there are some differences between the materials of the rocks and the strings, the main reason for the difference in growth is probably the proximity to the lights: More light is in the middle, and more light usually grows lighter/green color growth unless the nutrients in the water are too low: