scrubber is done in the new tank

OK so in May of this year we got moved into the new house and this is my scrubber it works GREAT I no longer have a protien skimmer or a filter sock I removed them 7 weeks after I set up the scrubber and all of my levels are 0
All the pics are of the set up

[img]http://[url=https://servimg.com/view/13974868/12]i27.servimg.com/u/f27/13/97/48/68/90_gal10.jpg[/img][/url]

So, did you set this up in May too? Lookin' great! Lots of nems and no clown?

what is a scrubber ?

whats the principle how does it replace the need to skim?

blennieluvr wrote:So, did you set this up in May too? Lookin' great! Lots of nems and no clown?

yep I went from a 55 gal to a 90 with a 55 gal sump that hols the algea scrubber, I do have 2 maroon clowns they were just in hideing I started out wit 3 nems and the red ones keep splitting any advice on how to get them off a rock??, Id love to sell a couple

here is the site that I got all the info on it will tell ya all about it, http://www.livingreefs.com/mega-powerful-nitrate-and-phosphate-remover-diy-t16734.html

with a scrubber all the algae grows on the screen it will remove all the bad stuff and will never pull food from your tank so your corals will benifit from it I removed my skimmer 7 weeks after I set up the new tank and all my levels are at 0 I can go weeks with out a water change but if I go to long my KH and cal drop so I have to watch that.. but its so nice not having a noisy skimmer running check it out.. I love mine

orange bam bams wrote:what is a scrubber ?

To get nems off I have used a power head and just aim it at the foot it takes a while but doesn't damage them. I have also heard to use ice cube,but haven't tried it.

Reefer,I've done the ice cube method on the foot..it works, but takes several cubes to get the job done.

You can try a plasit knife but be gentle. I tried the powerhead and didn't work or the ice cube. I have run a scubber before also. I read about at this site http://www.barrreport.com/general-plant-topics/4752-diy-project-using-algae-export-sw.html he seems to be having issues with his site from time to time. The scrubber is nice as instead of algea growing all over the tank you give it a really nice home in the sump to thrive and work for you sucking up phos and nitrates. I did mine differently so no need for an extra pump. http://www.frozenocean.org/diy-f1/ats-installed-in-the-sump-of-my-29-bio-cube-t1075.htm

wouldnt that be what a Refugium 's purpose is all of my algae growth takes place there on live rock in a space were water from tank is dropped into sump ? could this scrubber just as easily become a nitrate factory as bioballs will ?

Yes it is basicly the the same but different algeas grow faster and consume more nutrients than others. Yes there are draw backs to it if not maintained. It needs a good hair cut, mine was every week for a little more than a fist full of algea.

yes these need to be maintained just like bio balls.

I found out nems usually split because they are not "happy", mine was getting bit by a big bristle worm. I still have not caught the worm yet. I did run an ATS for about 6 months, I did not like the side effects and I have gone back to filters and skimmers. Seems like my water is healthier and my HA growth is declining and nearly gone. Good idea I was not able to make it work for me. Maybe my DIY was not a good design.

I have a crude ATS started in my sump... I'll have to get pics. But essentially I have just have it sitting in the water almost the entire width of the sump, by the intake area. The water flows through it to the return. But it's sitting in water all the time, and I have a spot light on it directly above it. pointing down into the water.

I'm using 2700k 40watt CFL bulb. It's been almost 6-8 weeks and it's just starting to turn a dark brown in color.

I'm also running macro algae in my sump (multiple balls of Chaeto, sea lettuce, and some other stuff I got from reefcleaners.org)

I should just get a pic. LOL. But, I'm still running my skimmer. A little scared of shutting it down. Not sure if the ATS will make up for the skimmer or not?

Any thoughts on if this will work or not? There's tons of dark brown stuff on it. Not sure if it's algae or bacteria.. lol, but nothing that's hanging off or anything yet...

I'm starting my tank WITH a scrubber... I hope it works well Mine I made out of cutting board (star board) that i roughed up. Santamonica said that it might not work because its not catchy-enough, but we'll see. I may add a roughed up screen ontop of the board to make sure it goes reallly well. Macro algae may not work with an ATS, simply because they're the same thing, all in all-a nutrient export system

I agree with you macro and ATS not working together, plus a skimmer. But you don't know how much phosphates I have. Right now, my balls of chaeto are doubling in size every 1 to 2 weeks. My scrubber is turning a dark greenish brown, and my other macro is appearing to be growing. My skimmer cup fills about halfway with dark putrid brown (thick stuff) every week, and I still have green algae grow in on the glass within 2 days, along with patches of Hair algae that just will not die..

I also limit my feeding to once every 2 days. I also feed in a very control manner. Just a small amount of mysis / brine shrimp mixed, and occasionally prime reef flakes, gel cyclopeeze. But very small amounts of all. I have 6 fish total int he 125.

My phosphates were detected as high as 2 before I started the macro, ATS, etc.

OH I forgot. I'm also running GFO in a BRS reactor that I'm changing out at least once a week. The last 2 weeks I changed it out every 2 or 3 days.

So, yeah. A short lesson in reusing old sand beds and resuing live rock that went through a 8.0ppm ammonia tank crash.... A) don't crash a tank and get ammonia as high as 8.0ppm. and B) It would have almost been cheaper to thros the rock. As, it has taken all of the above to get phosphates down to under .5. I had 10" strands of HA in huge bunches covering corals everything. Those days are dead and gone!! (finally!)

I'll keep everything running to clean up any nutrients and phosphates still leaking from the rocks. My guess is it could take a year of careful monitoring for the rocks to finish leaching phosphates.

ewwwwwwwwww

I thought about your adjective. And given the smell the living room took on when I took the rock out scrubbed into saltwater and put it into a rubber made tub of fresh RODI salt water with a heater and powerhead.

I let it sit in there for 24 hours, retested ammonia and phosphates for giggles. After 24 hours (Keep in mind FRESH RODI salt water.) brand new di resin. Everyhting. 24 hours and the phosphates were up to .5 and ammonia up to 2.0ppm. (down from 8.0 ppm). I couldn't believe how fast the ammonia built up in fresh salt water. The smell from it was less than desirable....

Your adjective is most appropriate and sums up the last 4 months. But, it's looking very awesome now!!

Macro and ATS do work together but they fight each other a bit. You will hve two things going for the same nutrients. They will not be as efficient but they can both grow fine. I never took out my skimmer or macro when I had an ATS. Had is the key work there, the ATS is gone as my setup didn't allow for a decently built ATS so it was causing more harm than good.