Algae Turf Scrubber

J

jcole

AC Members
Mar 30, 2009
32
0
0
:headbang2:IT WORKS !
Had it up and running two weeks

Week 1, Tank looks better, no surface scum. Nitrates now down to 100ppm.
Week 2, Nitrates now at less than 50 but more than 20.

If you have been thinking about trying an ATS, give it a shot. Everything i have read say 1 to 2 months to see a difference. I am seeing benefits already and I'm stoked.
 
So are these things actually sold, or all DIY? Are they better than skimmers, or do they do different things chemically?
 
manowar669 said:
So are these things actually sold, or all DIY? Are they better than skimmers, or do they do different things chemically?
Click to expand...

There are some commercial ones available out there. SantaMonica makes the only major ones available for now.

They do things very, very differently chemically. In terms of what a scrubber actually does, it is far more efficient than a skimmer. In particular, the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus (mostly as nitrate and phosphate, but others like ammonia are consumed as well), which can be physically exported from the system in the form of algae. Skimmers, alternatively, primarily export particulate organic matter (POM) and some types of dissolved organic matter (DOM). This includes bacteria, plankton to some extent or another, etc. This can help in some cases, since it means there's less to actually chemically decompose into constituent parts (basically ending in the usual N and P culprits). They accomplish some of the same basic end results, but do it very differently and have different side-effects. If your goal is undetectable N and P, go with a scrubber. If you want good aeration or a more stable pH (sometimes scrubbers raise pH too high), a skimmer can help. Skimmers can also be useful in some mass spawning events and other circumstances. So, in the end, each has its own particular uses and advantages.
 
i am going to try atc.got a tank and tested it had over 160 ppm nitrate.skimmer filter sucks.hope this woks
 
Getting up to 100ppm is easier than you think. I spoke with one of the LFS in my area, this particular LFS actually makes his money setting up and maintaining saltwater systems. He said he had a tank that he could never get below 160, the tank was beautiful it was set up as a reef and everything was thriving.
 
Nitrates don't harm a tank.. it is the other things that normally go along with nitrates, like phosphates, that do the real harm. Problem with Nitrates though is if you have high nitrates that usually means you have high phosphates and other things like silicates... but if you actually had 200 Nitrates and 0 Phosphates then your system could look great and not have any ill effects. It is always a good idea to try and reduce your Nitrates as much as possible, but I wouldn't focus on that aspect when others like phosphates are so much more critital to keep in check.
 
Actually, there is a major mechanism that nitrate/excessive nitrogen is implicated in as far as corals go, which relates to greater amounts of oxygen radicals. This basically stems from the zooxanthellae themselves, in that they become "overdriven" in photosynthesis, since nitrogen is usually limiting in the whole process.
 
^so high nitrates, when done correctly, can lead to greater coral growth? (pending good lighting)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom