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Unread 06/21/2017, 07:16 PM   #9526
karimwassef
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what color are they


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Failure isn't an option It's a requirement. 660g 380inwall+280smp/surge S/L/Soft/Maxima/RBTA/Clown/Chromis/Anthias/Tang/Mandarin/Jawfish/Goby/Wrasse/D'back. DIY 12' Skimmer ActuatedSurge ConcreteScape
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Unread 06/27/2017, 08:47 AM   #9527
bks2100
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I want to run an algae scrubber on my tank I'm setting up (90g tank, about 100g water volume) but I'm having trouble figuring out how big to make it. I've read all the guides a bunch of times and I'd have no problem sizing one for a tank that I have running and know how much food I'm adding. But my bioload will be fluctuating all over the place the next 6 months (or maybe a year).

I have pukani rocks curing now, they've been going for 3 months (since March 17) and they're still releasing phosphates (about .3ppm a week). Once the phosphates coming out of the rocks are manageable I'd like to aquascape and then I'll start testing to make sure the tank doesn't go through another cycle (I could see myself taking too long with aquascaping and some bacteria dying). Then I'll start slowly adding fish and frags. So from when I actually start the tank to a year from that point, I'll have various changes in how much phosphates and nitrates are in the system.

I'm looking to use the 20w floodlights (they're the right colors) and doing a waterfall ats. I've seen other people run them on 6x7 screens with good results and Floyd's guide says 10w led fixture on 6x6 is about right (compared to the luxeon sizing guide). Now with this light, a 6x6 screen and assuming I have enough flow from the pump (I know I need minimum 210 gph actual) that would be sized for 3 cubes per day with both sides lit and 1.5 cubes 1 side lit.

So I'm thinking of setting up a scrubber that size and tweaking the lights to accommodate my bio load. So if lighting from both sides is too much I could play with the light schedule and maybe move them a little away, or worst case turn off one side and go single sided (and play with schedule and distance on that one light). Not to mention I could raise or lower how much I feed to make sure that the scrubber has enough nutrients to keep going, 3 cubes sounds like the higher end of what people feed my size tank with a lot of stuff in it so I fully expect to only run one side the majority of the time but I'd have the other side I could turn on if I did want to feed more or ended up having a bigger bioload than expected.

Does it sound like I'm missing anything or I'll have any troubles with what I'm planning? I still need to figure out logistics on where I'll have it in the sump, how I'll mount the lights, and whether or not to use a container, but I just want to make sure I won't work on those things and figure out I missed something and to start over on something.


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Unread 06/27/2017, 09:40 AM   #9528
Floyd R Turbo
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Yup, you pretty much nailed it! 2 cubes/day for a 90-120 tank is pretty typical, some might consider that heavy feeding, some might push it to 3 cubes/day with a lot of livestock.

So a 6x6 screen is about right, that's a very flexible size to start with because you can play with the lights (distance, diffusing, photoperiod, etc) and figure out what works best for your system.

I would try to do that vs "feeding the scrubber", you shouldn't really have to do that. Feed what you need, adjust the scrubber.

Go 2-sided if you have the space. Instead of going one-sided to cut the filtration in half, put each light on a different timer and alternate which one is on. this will effectively reduce the filtration capacity, but not have the negative effect of a true single-sided scrubber.

In fact, this is probably not a half bad idea and I don't know why I didn't think of this before...if you are running a 9-12 hour photoperiod, you can actually run a 24/7 photoperiod, but just alternate which fixture is on. Side 1 on 6am-6pm, side 2 on 6pm-6am. Etc.


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Algae Scrubber Basics!!! GOOGLE "algaescrubber zoho"
General Interest Forums --> Advanced Topics --> Algae Scrubber Basics (sticky)
--> POSTS #3251-64 (Basics), #5206 (Cleaning), #6884 (LEDs), #729
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Unread 06/27/2017, 07:42 PM   #9529
karimwassef
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sharing how I take my turf and feed it back into my display tank


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Unread 06/28/2017, 04:41 AM   #9530
salty joe
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My only concern with feeding turf back to tank is heavy metal buildup.
It seems almost certain that unwanted metals would be introduced no matter how you maintain calcium, alk and mag.


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Unread 06/28/2017, 05:55 AM   #9531
karimwassef
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That's what water changes are for. Trace metals in low quantities are actually beneficial.
Unless there is a constant source of contamination (bad RODI or bad food), water changes should keep things in balance. There's a reduced need to add outside food too.


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Unread 06/28/2017, 06:16 PM   #9532
salty joe
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Oh, IDK why, but I thought you were using a no water change method.


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Unread 06/28/2017, 08:20 PM   #9533
karimwassef
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I do about 100 gals every month.. so 1/6th of the tank.


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Unread 06/28/2017, 09:11 PM   #9534
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Always more then one way to skin a cat.


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Unread 07/06/2017, 08:07 PM   #9535
SantaMonica
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With no waterchanges, and only feeding, I don't see many metals getting in.


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Inventor of the easy-to-DIY upflow scrubber, and also the waterfall scrubber that everyone loves to build:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1424843
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Unread 07/06/2017, 09:33 PM   #9536
karimwassef
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unless your RODI breaks


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Failure isn't an option It's a requirement. 660g 380inwall+280smp/surge S/L/Soft/Maxima/RBTA/Clown/Chromis/Anthias/Tang/Mandarin/Jawfish/Goby/Wrasse/D'back. DIY 12' Skimmer ActuatedSurge ConcreteScape
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Unread 07/07/2017, 05:04 AM   #9537
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Unwanted metals can be added when using a calcium reactor or two part as well as supplementing mag.


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Unread 07/10/2017, 09:12 PM   #9538
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How soon into a new setup do you guys recommend adding a scrubber? Is there any draw back from adding one too soon?

Thanks!

ps - I am sure this info is somewhere in these 5000 posts but I am struggling finding it!


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Unread 07/11/2017, 05:13 AM   #9539
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Go for it. Shouldn't be a problem other than slow initial growth due to nutrient levels. It also gets the tweaking started early to remedy setup issues like salt creep, noise, etc.


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Unread 07/11/2017, 06:00 AM   #9540
aiber
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gurumasta View Post
How soon into a new setup do you guys recommend adding a scrubber? Is there any draw back from adding one too soon?



Thanks!



ps - I am sure this info is somewhere in these 5000 posts but I am struggling finding it!

Yes. Go for it. Very easy to do. If you want you could review my posts on the thread. The only real issue I had in the beginning was lighting being too focused/direct. I removed the lens and now getting some good growth.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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Unread 07/12/2017, 07:56 PM   #9541
SantaMonica
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Since algae consumes metals, you should be safe in almost all situations.


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http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1424843
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Unread 07/20/2017, 07:01 AM   #9542
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According to your experience,
will an ATS work more lowering NO3 or PO4??

thanks for your answers


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Unread 07/21/2017, 07:19 PM   #9543
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Algae will always consume more N then P. As will most everything that consumes both which is most all carbon based life that we know of.


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rebuild and recovery log:
No more red house, you'll have to click on my name and visit my homepage!

You can check out my parameters at reeftronics dot net website and look for my username.

Current Tank Info: 180g mixed reef w/ a beananimal overflow to a dolomite RRUGF. | 20g long G. Smithii Mantis Tank
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Unread 07/21/2017, 07:49 PM   #9544
sensei
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jason2459 View Post
Algae will always consume more N then P. As will most everything that consumes both which is most all carbon based life that we know of.
Thanks Jason,

I am a little confused, I have 2 ATS installed in my 600g system, a 2 cube and a 4 cube. both are producing GHA well, but my N is 10ppm and my P is 0 with hanna 713. I feed around 3 sheets of nori and 3 cubes of frozen per day. I have around 28 fish, 10 of them tangs and some are 10 inches big.
any idea of what can be happening? why is my N high and my P so low if I do not have any other nutrient filter beside the ATS?

I have read that there is ratio of 50 -100 of N to P that seems to work better for most tanks. I am a little concerned becuase I am not having good polyp extension in some of my acropora and my tanks seems to be off this N to P ratio. any comments about this?


thanks a lot


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Unread 07/21/2017, 07:53 PM   #9545
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Getting out of balance seems easy to do these days. I see many people dosing nitrates or phosphates or both. Adding some phosphates could allow the nitrates to plummet. But then you could become nitrate limited and phosphates sky rocket. Then dose some nitrates and phosphates fall...etc.

I personally just feed more and would up or add some carbon dosing.


Or your readings are just undetectable and with in error range but still there. The 713 isn't as good as the ULR phosphorus checker in the lowest range.


Edit: I also wouldn't worry so much about 10mg/L of nitrate. IMO


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rebuild and recovery log:
No more red house, you'll have to click on my name and visit my homepage!

You can check out my parameters at reeftronics dot net website and look for my username.

Current Tank Info: 180g mixed reef w/ a beananimal overflow to a dolomite RRUGF. | 20g long G. Smithii Mantis Tank
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Unread 07/21/2017, 08:15 PM   #9546
sensei
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jason2459 View Post
Getting out of balance seems easy to do these days. I see many people dosing nitrates or phosphates or both. Adding some phosphates could allow the nitrates to plummet. But then you could become nitrate limited and phosphates sky rocket. Then dose some nitrates and phosphates fall...etc.

I personally just feed more and would up or add some carbon dosing.


Or your readings are just undetectable and with in error range but still there. The 713 isn't as good as the ULR phosphorus checker in the lowest range.


Edit: I also wouldn't worry so much about 10mg/L of nitrate. IMO
Yes, I already ordered my phosphorus hanna checker, I am.sure I have some P since I get algae in my glass and need to clean every 4 or 5 days. But before I had 0.09 P and it seems that my P has been decreasing and my N seems to stay in the same 10ppm range. How can this be if only have ATS as nutrient filter??
I do not dose N nor P

Any ideas of what can be happening??

Thanks again


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Unread 07/21/2017, 08:23 PM   #9547
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Could be a lot of things. Limits of phosphate detection, nitrate kit error range, nitrate kit interferences, phosphates binding with CaCO3 (your rock and sand), phosphates binding with iron or other chelators, etc.


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rebuild and recovery log:
No more red house, you'll have to click on my name and visit my homepage!

You can check out my parameters at reeftronics dot net website and look for my username.

Current Tank Info: 180g mixed reef w/ a beananimal overflow to a dolomite RRUGF. | 20g long G. Smithii Mantis Tank
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Unread 08/15/2017, 06:07 AM   #9548
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So I have a fabrication question, or rather an ATS question.....

I made an ATS, basically an acrylic box with 2 bulkheads(ala floyds turbo design), one at the bottom for a drain, and the other on the side as an emergency drain. I have my flow just about right at 35GPH, but the main drain gurgles and is super loud. Would putting a gate or ball valve on the drain cause it to go full siphon and deaden the gurgling?


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Unread 08/15/2017, 07:31 AM   #9549
Floyd R Turbo
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Yes. In a closed-box scrubber with an open bottom drain, it will suck air and gurgle or fill up and then siphon/purge & repeat.

Tuning the drain to match the input flow will silence the drain. This is the concept behind the Herbie and BeanAnimal siphon line.


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Algae Scrubber Basics!!! GOOGLE "algaescrubber zoho"
General Interest Forums --> Advanced Topics --> Algae Scrubber Basics (sticky)
--> POSTS #3251-64 (Basics), #5206 (Cleaning), #6884 (LEDs), #729
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Unread 08/15/2017, 07:30 PM   #9550
SantaMonica
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That was a problem with my original waterfall design, which I guess is getting close to ten years old now:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1424843

However, by lowering the bottom of the growth box down to the level of the sump water, the problem is fixed:


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