Green hair algae battle
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seedlessinseattle
Well-known member
Here is a picture of the algae
Fishsticks86
Well-known member
I believe it's an upflow algae scrubber so an airdrome is needed. Always wanted to try this let us know how it goes.
seedlessinseattle
Well-known member
Is an upflow algae scrubber, it uses an airstone, red led lights
Im hoping it will work, i will keep posting pictures of progress
Here is a picture of day 2, dont really see any changes do
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seedlessinseattle
Well-known member
Is an upflow algae scrubber, it uses an airstone, red led lights
Im hoping it will work, i will keep posting pictures of progress
Here is a picture of day 2, dont really see any changes do
Maxx
Staff Housemonkey
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2003
- Messages
- 2,935
You have chaetomorpha in your sump behind the scrubber?
Chaeto is the best macro algae for nutrient export because it grows faster than anything else.
What are you expecting to get from your ATS that the chaeto isnt doing?
Not being rude or argumentative, just trying to find the rationale behind using an ATS, much less an upflow internal ATS, you've already got a sump filled with chaeto?
seedlessinseattle
Well-known member
Hey Max don't mind constructive criticism at all
Been growing green hair algae in the wrong places lol
So i'm trying to control phosphates and grow GHA in a confined environment other than all over my rocks. The Chaeto is a recent addition, say about 3 weeks or so
Man so many things to learn in this hobby, maybe that's why i like it so much
Been growing green hair algae in the wrong places lol
So i'm trying to control phosphates and grow GHA in a confined environment other than all over my rocks. The Chaeto is a recent addition, say about 3 weeks or so
Man so many things to learn in this hobby, maybe that's why i like it so much
Maxx
Staff Housemonkey
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2003
- Messages
- 2,935
I get it...I've been dealing with algae & phosphate issues too.
Recently, I've been able to get a handle on my phosphate...I purchased an ARID E18 reactor.
I started a thread here about it, but I need to update it. Think cannister filter with LED grow lights in the middle.
I'd tried running a normal fuge to grow macro algae in the past and hadnt had much luck for various reasons, some appear to have been self inflicted in hindsight.
The ATS is a viable and functional method of reducing PO4 & NO3.
But the algae you grow on it will not grow as rapidly as chaeto will, which is why most folks go with chaeto instead.
ATS' seem to really work well when space is an issue in the sump.
If you're growning chaeto, I would not expect much if anything from the ATS or any other macro algae in the tank.
Things to keep in mind with chaeto:
Magnesium levels over 1600 put it in a "dormant" state, meaning it wont grow and if kept there long enough, will wither away and die.
It does best when it tumbles/rolls so that all sides of it are getting lit. If only the top is being lit, you'll get some die off on the underside, which will end up releasing the nutrients you using the chaeto to suck up and get out of your tank.
Finally, unless you prune/remove the algae from the tank, you're not exporting nutrients,( PO4 & NO3), from the tank, you're just temporarily binding them up in the algae til it gets released again.
Recently, I've been able to get a handle on my phosphate...I purchased an ARID E18 reactor.
I started a thread here about it, but I need to update it. Think cannister filter with LED grow lights in the middle.
I'd tried running a normal fuge to grow macro algae in the past and hadnt had much luck for various reasons, some appear to have been self inflicted in hindsight.
The ATS is a viable and functional method of reducing PO4 & NO3.
But the algae you grow on it will not grow as rapidly as chaeto will, which is why most folks go with chaeto instead.
ATS' seem to really work well when space is an issue in the sump.
If you're growning chaeto, I would not expect much if anything from the ATS or any other macro algae in the tank.
Things to keep in mind with chaeto:
Magnesium levels over 1600 put it in a "dormant" state, meaning it wont grow and if kept there long enough, will wither away and die.
It does best when it tumbles/rolls so that all sides of it are getting lit. If only the top is being lit, you'll get some die off on the underside, which will end up releasing the nutrients you using the chaeto to suck up and get out of your tank.
Finally, unless you prune/remove the algae from the tank, you're not exporting nutrients,( PO4 & NO3), from the tank, you're just temporarily binding them up in the algae til it gets released again.
seedlessinseattle
Well-known member
I will try to do updates every day, i know thats a deep commitment for me lol
Maxx
Staff Housemonkey
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2003
- Messages
- 2,935
Here's a link to what I was ralking about in regards to chaeto tumbling:
http://reefbuilders.com/2015/06/04/sea-aquarium-gigantic-ball-spinning-chaetomorpha-algae/
Watch the video ...
http://reefbuilders.com/2015/06/04/sea-aquarium-gigantic-ball-spinning-chaetomorpha-algae/
Watch the video ...
seedlessinseattle
Well-known member
Thank's Maxx
Good information, i would like to tumble chaeto but i have 2-3 inches of sand in sump
Day 3 with scrubber and i dont see any changes
Good information, i would like to tumble chaeto but i have 2-3 inches of sand in sump
Day 3 with scrubber and i dont see any changes
N1Husker
RF Staff
I have seen Carlos's algae problem first hand and have tried to help him with the problem. Fortunately I don't have a problem with GHA. What I have in my sump is chaeto, doesn't tumble, not enough room. I do run the water thru a sock then as the water comes over the last baffle from the intake, it dumps into a bag of Seagel and 3 100ml bags of Purigen that lays on top of the Seagel, then to the chaeto. I also dose a phosphate reducer once a week.
mnewby
always
dose your tank or refugee have a sand bed and if so what type of sand
seedlessinseattle
Well-known member
I have granular sand, i dosed up to 30ml of redsea NO3
O4-x a day for about 3 weeks, algae is receding a the moment
Thank is looking better
On the other hand i checked scrubber today and i dont see any changes, i have the lights on a timmer for 16 hours
daily
Here is day 5
(
)
O4-x a day for about 3 weeks, algae is receding a the momentThank is looking better
On the other hand i checked scrubber today and i dont see any changes, i have the lights on a timmer for 16 hours
daily
Here is day 5
(
)
mfinn
Surgeonfish
Carlos, is there any way you can put a small powerhead down low in the refugium area ( just above the sand level ) and angle the direction of the water flow upwards ( not straight up) so the cheato gets better flow around it?
While it may not tumble, extra water flow around it will help it grow.
I use a tunze 6045 in my refugium and when the chaeto mass is smaller, it will tumble. But as it grows, it stays stationary, but still grows at a good rate.
N1Husker
RF Staff
My tank has a very shallow bed of coarse sand and a couple of chunks of live rock and one turbo snail. The chaeto grows like crazy, almost like a weed. Years ago a friend of mine gave me a small chunk of chaeto and that is growth from the original ball, it never has had to be replaced. I use a regular aquarium light with a full spectrum bulb in it, the one it came with and a blue and white led screw in bulb that Carlos (seedlessinseattle), gave me. My water flows through the sump fairly quickly.
seedlessinseattle
Well-known member
So after 10 days running my algae scrubber
I still don't see any algae growing
light s are on a timer 16 on 8 off, maybe lights are to strong ?
I still don't see any algae growing
light s are on a timer 16 on 8 off, maybe lights are to strong ?
N1Husker
RF Staff
I have my lights 10 hours on 14 off. Hopefully that scrubber is working. Did you make it yourself? Is the rest in the tank dying?
