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Thread: i have a big problem with my Algae Scrubber

  1. #1

    Unhappy i have a big problem with my Algae Scrubber

    hi guys,
    i'm from Turkey so my english is not perfect.
    --i have 500 litres(132 galons) tank
    --my tank is 150 cm x 50cm x 60cm(h)
    --i have 10 discus fish
    --temprature of my tank is 29 celsius in other words 84.2 Fahrenheit.
    --i have a sump
    --my tank has been working for only 4 weeks
    --tank's nitrate is 100 mg/l and nitrite 5 mg/l
    i want to make an Algae Scrubbers and ? did it but ? cant create any algaes.my system is glass which has flyscreen ,and water is flowing in this floor
    --my light system is 60 watt and 24 watt energy saving bulb and 60 watt blue bulb.

    what is the problem with my tank?
    these are my tank and algae scrubber pictures.







    another screen




  2. #2

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    i have a big problem with my Algae Scrubber

    I would say the issue with your setup is that your "grow media" or screen is made of glass. Way too smooth for turf or even hair algae to grow on it. Even if a bit does grow it maybe hard for the algae to stay attached for long. It seems like you put a lot if time into building your setup, however you should try to change it to mimic other successful scrubbers.

    I love discus myself and it was a fish I kept not long ago. They need very clean water and lots of food. A hard thing to provide in an aquarium but a scrubber could provide this clean water and still allow you to feed but it will take time before it is working as needed. In effort to keep your discus healthy I would do a 50% water change. (to all not used to keeping discus this is a normal water change for experienced discus keepers) before I knew of algae scrubbers I would easily do 50 - 100% water changes every three days! This is due to the massive amounts of food these fish need during the growth. also notice that our friend in trouble here has a tank of water and fish... This is to make cleaning food up after they are done eating much easier.

  3. #3
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    Re: i have a big problem with my Algae Scrubber

    Your flow is good.

    Reminder: Horizontal scrubbers need 4 times the area, and 4 times the wattage, as vertical scrubbers do. You have a small bioload now, but it it increases, you will need to use the 4-times recomendation.

    1) Get rid of the blue light; it is not doing anything.

    2) A 60 watts CFL bulb is too much light for one spot, and it does not cover any of the remaining screen. Replace it with 3 "spiral" bulbs of 23 watts each (2700 or 3000k), with a reflector on each one, like this:




    Put all 3 bulbs and reflectors over the screen, from end to end, facing down, so that the screen is covered all over.

  4. #4

    Re: i have a big problem with my Algae Scrubber

    thank you for all comment.

    if my tank hasn't got any algae spore or seed ,scrubber doesn't work? because my tank's biological life is not old

  5. #5
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    Re: i have a big problem with my Algae Scrubber

    With that level of nitrate you'd expect to see some algae either in the tank or on the screen after 4 weeks wouldn't you?

  6. #6

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    Re: i have a big problem with my Algae Scrubber

    Quote Originally Posted by mustafakemal
    thank you for all comment.

    if my tank hasn't got any algae spore or seed ,scrubber doesn't work? because my tank's biological life is not old
    Alga is present if you have a live rock. If you have sterile water and plastic stones and not introduced anything from the wild, that's an entirly different matter, bt then you would not be able to have anything in there for very long anyhow, least way before you would accumulate any real nitrates as nothing would be turning it from ammonia.

  7. #7
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    Re: i have a big problem with my Algae Scrubber

    Quote Originally Posted by Vannpytt
    Alga is present if you have a live rock. If you have sterile water and plastic stones and not introduced anything from the wild, that's an entirly different matter, bt then you would not be able to have anything in there for very long anyhow, least way before you would accumulate any real nitrates as nothing would be turning it from ammonia.

    I would have thought that his discus would be dead by now if there was accumulating ammonia which wasn't being nitrified (unless he's doing very big daily water changes which wouldn't really account for his nitrate and nitrite levels)


    Also, notice the foam in this picture



    What could be causing that?

  8. #8

    Re: i have a big problem with my Algae Scrubber

    this is not foam these are fiber in sump

  9. #9
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    Re: i have a big problem with my Algae Scrubber

    Quote Originally Posted by mustafakemal
    this is not foam these are fiber in sump

    Oh I see now.

  10. #10

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    Re: i have a big problem with my Algae Scrubber

    A vertical scrubber for you would be easy to build from your overflow. Elbow(90) from the overflow. Insert a valve and then configure it to be centered in one section of your sump with a light on each side.
    With proper plants,fish and inverts for freshwater you can just use your sump for normal mechanical filtering. I have a couple of freshwater tanks loaded with plants and have zero issues with algae, nit. or ammon. Not sure what my intank corner filter are doing but giving my shrimp a place to graze all day long. After cycling the tank and having a dirty filter. The snails, scuds and shrimp have cleaned the media to almost white again.
    If no substarte is your plan. I have met a guy that uses potted plants in his tank

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