Brents 150 gallon build

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I'm not talking about decomposing algae. I'm talking about live algae.
What I'm saying is, you just hooked up your refugium and you toss in a giant ball of chaeto. Did your nutrient levels just go up? No. The only time I remove algae is when it's so overgrown that light won't hit all of it.




Using that theory ATS is a waste of time. I disagree. Growing algae is an excellent way of exporting nutrients. Disposing of it insures it won't re-enter the water column if the algae over grows.
 
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Maybe we are just misunderstanding each other's position.
There are only a few ways to eliminate DOCs from a closed system.
Exporting them with water exchanges, waiting until tank biology converts them into nitrogen gas, or binding them with algae and chemicals like GFO for later export. The algae grows faster if you continuously harvest it, making it a more efficient and natural exporter.

I have harvested 5 pounds of algae from my scrubber every 6-8 weeks for 20 years. It works and it works well. Every time I throw that bucket of algae away, I have disposed of a significant amount of organic nutrients.
 
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Ok...so, which will pull more nutrients from the water, a single strand of caulerpa, or a gallon ziplock full? Of course the ziplock full. The reason you remove the algae from the ats is because you run out of space. Wouldn't you benefit from having a scrubber twice the size of the one you have now? Why is it suggested to have as large a refugium as you can fit? It's because you can have a larger algae mass in it, thus absorbing more nutrients.
 
Ok...so, which will pull more nutrients from the water, a single strand of caulerpa, or a gallon ziplock full? Of course the ziplock full. The reason you remove the algae from the ats is because you run out of space. Wouldn't you benefit from having a scrubber twice the size of the one you have now? Why is it suggested to have as large a refugium as you can fit? It's because you can have a larger algae mass in it, thus absorbing more nutrients.


But that logic breaks down because of the fact we deal with limited size. Yes, an acre of algae (live) would be better than a ATS full, but who has that room? There is also a natural balance where the tanks nutrients will only grow so many square feet of algae, after that the algae starts to die from starvation and releases the nutrients back to the water.
 
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Yes, but my point is, more algae in the refugium is better than less, providing there is food for it. If the algae is growing like crazy, why rip it out? Why not wait until it's growth slows maybe?
 
Yes, but my point is, more algae in the refugium is better than less, providing there is food for it. If the algae is growing like crazy, why rip it out? Why not wait until it's growth slows maybe?


I can get behind that. It happens that trimming algae, like most plants, stimulates growth. So cutting it back is a good thing, just not too far. But in a ATS, you can only get about 80% of the algae at a cleaning. That leaves a layer behind that gets light exposure and really takes off again.

Good debate, hope we haven't bored the OP.
 
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Haha you haven't bored me at all, great information and I'm honored to have two of the greats on my build thread!

While I have you here I have a friend in my local reef club that is willing to sell
me his bubble king mini 200 gen 2 skimmer that is about 3 years old but has a new pump that was replaced in September, he said I could have it for 650 since it is no longer being used. Is this worth the extra money vs just getting the reef octopus diablo 200 that I was planning on getting? Or is that even a good price for a skimmer that is 3 years old?
 
Which Diablo are you talking about? If it's the DCS200, I think the Octopus is the better skimmer. If you are talking about the XS200, I'd rather have the Bubble King.
 
And I guess is that a good price on the bubble king? It is basically half off for being 3 years old? I might be getting caught up in the hoopla of it being German and 1300 originally? I don't know if any skimmer is worth that much in my eyes which if it is worth that then it should be a great deal at half off
 
The air draw of the BK is over twice that of the 2 Octo models you are considering. It will perform better.
A good price, is what you feel is good. It's $1200.00 new. I think half of new is a fair price for used equipment.
 
Okay, and with the much smaller footprint of the bubble king vs the 200 which is comparable I think I am convinced that I will be happier with the bubble king vs the less expensive reef octo.

Is there anything I should look closely at when inspecting the bubble king before I hand over the money? Is it innaproroparate to ask a seller to run it for a day or so before I come to make sure that it is preforming properly?

Thanks for all the help btw you are awesome!
 
Na...If the thing turns on, it's going to work. I wouldn't worry too much about it, unless it's cracked up or looks abused. I don't think people who go out and purchase $1200.00 components for their tanks take poor care of them though....and if it's got a new Red Dragon 1500 pump on it, you are in good shape. See if he has the receipt for that.
 
Well after getting the runaround I decided to just go down to my lfs a few days ago and pick up a reef octopus dcs 200 and so far I love it, and am very confused at the same time. They give pretty decent instructions on setting it up but after getting the sump level correct and everything in their I will dial it In so that the big bubbles are popping on the top, it runs great for hours and then I will go check on it and the skimmer cup will.be filled with water. I'm struggling with figuring the dialing it in part. It is definitely pulling all sorts of junk out so I know it's working but the overflowing part is stressing me out
 
Skimmers take time to dial in. Open the pump up as far as you can and let it do it's thing. Slowly start closing it off after a week. A new skimmer has to work the oils off from manufacturing, just like feeding oily foods can make it over flow as it is currently.
 
Should I put the drain tube on the cup and just let it drain back into the sump?

And should I crank the pump up to full and open the gate valve all the way?
 
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