Pros and cons of an algae scrubber

[JJ-MIK]

Really interested in building one of these. Do they really work great? Or are there more cons to it? Im running an sps dominant tank. Would you run cheato in a fuge with it. And gfo reactors? Anyone have experience with scrubbers?

 

[Gregcoyote]

I've run one for many years, no cons other than space needed. The more algae you harvest the better. It alone may not get you to SPS quality water on its own depending on the bioload, but it will get you most of the way there.

 

[JJ-MIK]

Do you run gfo with it and or cheato? Or dies it defeat the purpose

 

[Gregcoyote]

Anything additional helps. Some of the algae I grow in the scrubber is chaeto.

 

[JJ-MIK]

Can you send me a pic of your scrubber?

 

[Gregcoyote]

I can, but it is huge and is a dump bucket design. There are smaller footprint designs on YouTube you should investigate.

 

[JJ-MIK]

In going to go big. I'm thinking maybe two rows in a big red tote or something like that... Do you have it just dropping into a tank or is it pumped out? And in what section of sump.. Is it one of the first things your water goes thru? I was thinking scrubber to skimmer to fuge then to return

 

[Gregcoyote]

300 gallon empirs directly into the scrubbers dump bucket, every 13 seconds it dumps a surge of water over the horizontal algae plate. That is all built into a 80 gallon sump. Then that sump connects by secondary loop to a 50 gallon Brute trash can that all three protein skimmers work off of.

 

[JJ-MIK]

So your algae screen is sideways kind of. Like on a slope? I've seen pics of a few like that. Does that work pretty well?

 

[Gregcoyote]

No, mine lays flat and a wave of water goes over it every 13 seconds, like a tidal zone. Takes up more room, but I built it when it was really rare to even read about one. Has worked fine, but it is the size of a 100 gallon tank.

 

[JJ-MIK]

Oh wow. I would love to see a pic!

 

[JJ-MIK]

What causes the tidal wave? Is it like a toppling overflow? When it gets top heavy it tips over?

 

[Scooterdragon]

I would also like to see this work of art

 

[Gregcoyote]

What causes the tidal wave? Is it like a toppling overflow? When it gets top heavy it tips over?

Yes, it creates a 2" high wave that travels the length of the growing mat.
I had a thread about it a while back. Will try to find it.

 

[Gregcoyote]

No, mine lays flat and a wave of water goes over it every 13 seconds, like a tidal zone. Takes up more room, but I built it when it was really rare to even read about one. Has worked fine, but it is the size of a 100 gallon tank.

Will shoot a new video.

 

[KeithFrancis]

Sounds unique, following along to see the pics

 

[Gregcoyote]

The original thread I started was;

The Dynamic Aquarium, algae turf scrubbing

 

[KeithFrancis]

Greg that's super impressive setup you have back there!
Well done

 

[Gregcoyote]

Thanks!

 

[JJ-MIK]

Can you provide a link. Or just post a new video. Haha. In maybe 2 months hopefully... I will be building my basement sump. And an algae scrubber will be on the menu! Heck I think my basement will be more viewed by friends and family than my display!