Any Handy Men Out There :)

[heath]

I know that a lot of you guys build some of the things that are needed for your tank.. Has anyone seen the Algae Turf Scrubber by Krackens Cove...
and could one of you guys build me one????
also, if anyone has used one I would welcome your opinion on them..

thanks

 

[Salty Cracker]

I used a turf scrubber for a while there, didn't work near as well as GFO, and required a lot of light. Just my $.02

 

[thehvacman]

They usually only grow hair algae which will help export nutrients, but won't rid your tank of hair algea. Your really just supporting it. Growing different macro algaes that can out compete hair algae is a better route.

 

[Dingets]

I've used one ever since completing my cycle approximately 6 months ago. I have never measured any amount of phosphate with only minimal fluctuations in nitrates. I do not miss seeing my skimmer overflowing or being concerned about the water level of my sump. I use it for nutrient export only and do not expect it to control algae outbreaks in my tank


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[heath]

I should have elaborated a bit, I don't have an issue with algae but, my po4 is high.. I have been battling that for a bit now.. I was thinking that it might help to export the nutrients out of the tank...
A bit of history; the tank is 1.5yrs old, I do/did have a tendency to overfeed, water changes are done every 7 to 10 days and they consist of 30-40g...
My po4 was off the charts and I used Lanthanum Chloride and got it down to 1.0 ppm.. right now there are only softies in the tank and my goal is to add some SPS down the road... I did try GFO and it made no difference but, I think that I used it wrong...who knows..

 

[nathan]

I should have elaborated a bit, I don't have an issue with algae but, my po4 is high.. I have been battling that for a bit now.. I was thinking that it might help to export the nutrients out of the tank...
A bit of history; the tank is 1.5yrs old, I do/did have a tendency to overfeed, water changes are done every 7 to 10 days and they consist of 30-40g...
My po4 was off the charts and I used Lanthanum Chloride and got it down to 1.0 ppm.. right now there are only softies in the tank and my goal is to add some SPS down the road... I did try GFO and it made no difference but, I think that I used it wrong...who knows..

Over feeding will be an issue in my opinion. Way more fish poop.... and if too much uneaten food is sitting in the tank will also cause an issue.... I'd cut back on feeding and try that out Heather.

 

[AdInfinitum]

Keep at it Heather... 1.0 is effectively still "off the charts. Your goal is around 0.03 and lanthanum and GFO are the most efficient and cost effective routes to get there....but it will take some time to remove all of the buildup from your rocks and substrate.

 

[hark]

happy to build you an algae scrubber - i have built one before myself on an old tank. i am not sure i would follow the plan you mentioned, but they are quite easy to do. now i would do this in my spare time, so in lieu of free labor you would have to be ok with waiting as most of my free time is spent in hockey rinks right now. if you find someone to build you one sooner than a month or so, take the opportunity. otherwise let me know, you would be only on the hook for the cost of materials. I ran mine when i had it with a cheap incandesent bulb (it was 15 years ago) and it worked great....i am sure i even have a macro growing flood LED lamp i could sell you brand new from my stockpile (i think they were 15 bucks each) to use.

 

[Salty Cracker]

GFO is far and away the best way to remove PO4 from a tank, bar none.

Get hi-cap GFO from unibob or online sources. Run in a phosban reactor with a tiny powerhead and a fine mesh over the output side. In a smaller phosban I used 4-5 inches of GFO. Set a reminder on your phone to swap the media out every 3-4 weeks max, repeat and test weekly

I did this method and got PO4 from .66 PPM down to .03 Parts per BILLION. It did take 4 months, but it had to pull years of accumulation out of the rocks.

All my algae scrubber did was get gross with HA.

 

[Dingets]

I would have to agree that an ATS might not be the right tool for the job in lowering po4.
It might work well for you in the future to keep the levels down but it won't do any drastic lowering. Carbon dosing may also be an option, be it vodka or using Red Sea's products.


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[EricTMah]

Heather.
My recommendation, like everyone else said. Is to use gfo.
Just spend the money and get a proper reactor for it like Glenn said and be religious about changing it. It will be the best way to lower it.
You probably didn't have luck with gfo before because of how you were using it. But with a proper reactor and the proper flow through it, and you will see results way quicker than an ATS would.

Sony Xperia Z3

 

[Pistol]

I built one of the waterfall scrubbers you are talking about,I ran it for about 4 months and had mostly diatoms growing for about a month, algae finally started to grow however it did little to drop po4 and no3, I finally gave up on it and went back to LC dosing and my sulfur denitrator.
If you were closer I would give it to you.

 

[heath]

They usually only grow hair algae which will help export nutrients, but won't rid your tank of hair algea. Your really just supporting it. Growing different macro algaes that can out compete hair algae is a better route.

I don't have any algae in the tank, that's part of the reason that my po4 got out of control or I think anyway.. it must be in my rock, just trying everything to get my level down to were it needs to be..

 

[heath]

Heather.
My recommendation, like everyone else said. Is to use gfo.
Just spend the money and get a proper reactor for it like Glenn said and be religious about changing it. It will be the best way to lower it.
You probably didn't have luck with gfo before because of how you were using it. But with a proper reactor and the proper flow through it, and you will see results way quicker than an ATS would.

Sony Xperia Z3

pm snt..

 

[heath]

happy to build you an algae scrubber - i have built one before myself on an old tank. i am not sure i would follow the plan you mentioned, but they are quite easy to do. now i would do this in my spare time, so in lieu of free labor you would have to be ok with waiting as most of my free time is spent in hockey rinks right now. if you find someone to build you one sooner than a month or so, take the opportunity. otherwise let me know, you would be only on the hook for the cost of materials. I ran mine when i had it with a cheap incandesent bulb (it was 15 years ago) and it worked great....i am sure i even have a macro growing flood LED lamp i could sell you brand new from my stockpile (i think they were 15 bucks each) to use.

thank you so much for the offer, I am in no hurry so I will take you up on it but, I will pay you to build it...thanks...

 

[AdInfinitum]

thank you so much for the offer, I am in no hurry so I will take you up on it but, I will pay you to build it...thanks...

Just bear in mind that where the ATS may help a bit with nitrates, it will have no significant effect on PO4. If phosphate is the problem a small turf scrubber is NOT the solution!

 

[heath]

I know, I am hoping that once it its under control that the scrubber will help with control...does that make sense..

 

[Bece13]

I used it in the past but gave up because was to much work for the reward. Chaeto and caulerpa in a refugium was doing the same job with less work.

 

[heath]

I used it in the past but gave up because was to much work for the reward. Chaeto and caulerpa in a refugium was doing the same job with less work.

I have that too...