New here? Learn about the site, and tell us about yourself! Fri, 13 Mar 2026 05:48:15 +0000 Fri, 13 Mar 2026 05:48:15 +0000 Algae Scrubbing https://www.algaescrubbing.com/forums/new-members.2/ Mon, 30 Mar 2020 18:04:22 +0000 https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/hi-all-newbie-scrubber-veteran-aquarist-here-need-help-with-acronyms.1002/ https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/hi-all-newbie-scrubber-veteran-aquarist-here-need-help-with-acronyms.1002/ invalid@example.com (semiroundel) semiroundel Because of the fact that I designed it to go on a living room unit (albeit on brackets bolted to the wall, making it looks like it's sat on the unit), it's longish and shallow.
The dimensions are: 1600mm long, 400mm wide, and 540mm high (480mm water height) litre capacity 307L
There is a sump with trickle tower capacity around 20L.
I had the aquarium running until around 8 years ago when after the last piece of livestock died, and...

Hi all, newbie scrubber, veteran aquarist here, need help with acronyms]]> 3 Wed, 26 Feb 2020 22:54:28 +0000 https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/just-got-me-a-scrubber.996/ https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/just-got-me-a-scrubber.996/ invalid@example.com (BedrockIOMC) BedrockIOMC 12 Thu, 13 Dec 2018 16:11:01 +0000 https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/new-diy-waterfall-scrubber-just-doesnt-want-to-grow-can-i-get-some-help-please.973/ https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/new-diy-waterfall-scrubber-just-doesnt-want-to-grow-can-i-get-some-help-please.973/ invalid@example.com (LEDScrubber) LEDScrubber i have used MakersLed heatsinks & phillips 660nm reds with a mean well driver.
the screen is 6"x6" lit from both sides i have also covered the acrylic box with some kids contact/schoolbook covering etc as it has a reflective silver backing and it helps to keep light mostly in the scrubber - i have 4 leds in each fixture lighting the 6x6 screen.
currently feeding 1 cube of mysis per day not rinsing & 4-5 pinches of pellets give or take...

New DIY Waterfall scrubber just doesnt want to grow, can i get some help please.]]> 1 Thu, 19 Jul 2018 14:04:07 +0000 https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/hi-all.964/ https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/hi-all.964/ invalid@example.com (Erik737) Erik737 In january I started my first reef tank, it is 320 l. with a 50 l. sump. After a little over 2 weeks I started my DIY ATS. It deviates just a little bit from other models I’ve seen but I’ll post all about it in the DIY section.]]> 4 Fri, 23 Mar 2018 02:51:12 +0000 https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/hello-seeking-science-fair-help.922/ https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/hello-seeking-science-fair-help.922/ invalid@example.com (Mike and Mel) Mike and Mel My name is Mike and my youngest (of 4) daughter is Mel, together we have a 58 gal oceanic reef tank.
We have been doing a ton of reading on reefkeeping, filtration, water parameters etc...Algae scrubbers have intrigued both of us for some time now.
It is that time of year, The Science Fair!!
We live near a lake that experiences algae blooms that actually close down some of the beaches in the summer. Mel and I were talking and she asked why we couldn't use an algea...

Hello...Seeking Science Fair Help]]> 6 Sun, 04 Mar 2018 18:46:00 +0000 https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/greetings-from-vermont.934/ https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/greetings-from-vermont.934/ invalid@example.com (bigguy05641) bigguy05641
Greetings from Vermont!]]> 12 Mon, 29 Jan 2018 04:52:01 +0000 https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/getting-to-grips-with-scrubbing.938/ https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/getting-to-grips-with-scrubbing.938/ invalid@example.com (Abecedarian) Abecedarian I've been trying to get to grips with this ATS thing but I'm struggling, any advice would be appreciated....

My reef has been set up for about 4 years, I came across scrubbers about 2 yrs ago and DIYd one with a couple CFLs and some baking sheet liner, success was limited.
I scrapped the DIY and bought a seabreeze unit which I've never really set up properly, the screen wasn't roughed, flow never checked etc.

I'm now trying to sort it properly because the nuisance algae is now...

Getting to grips with scrubbing]]> 6 Fri, 10 Nov 2017 17:24:30 +0000 https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/hi.919/ https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/hi.919/ invalid@example.com (Cris) Cris
Well,that's about it.
Glad to be here. ]]> 2 Fri, 27 May 2016 16:52:51 +0000 https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/hello-from-switzerland.817/ https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/hello-from-switzerland.817/ invalid@example.com (Michael Schneider) Michael Schneider
Just wanted to say a quick hello. After reading so much about algae scrubbers on RC, I thought I would come here to the source of it all

I am planning to build my own scrubber in the near future. I have all the material except the driver. So I will be preparing the screen this weekend and by the time the driver arrives, I will be able to start growing.

As I only have a small tank without any technical tank, I will try a upflow algae scrubber. I will post a build thread here...

Hello from Switzerland]]> 3 Sun, 07 Feb 2016 22:46:50 +0000 https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/howdy.783/ https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/howdy.783/ invalid@example.com (xrayjeeper83) xrayjeeper83 Currently I have a algae scrubber on my 280g tank that works amazingly. Grows algae like crazy. I found this looking for answers to questions for my next build, which I will start a new thread for shortly.

Glad to have found this forum, will be very helpful.]]> 1 Thu, 14 Aug 2014 08:53:05 +0000 https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/hello-to-all-ats-community.458/ https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/hello-to-all-ats-community.458/ invalid@example.com (Project Aquatic Reef Shop) Project Aquatic Reef Shop
Well guys I have spend over a month of endless nights online reading post on the subject... I must say the I went with Turbo rather than SM..lol

I would appreciate any help on suggestions...

Hello to all ATS community]]> 3 Fri, 27 Jun 2014 21:36:13 +0000 https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/hello-from-los-angeles.398/ https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/hello-from-los-angeles.398/ invalid@example.com (Mark Belz) Mark Belz
Hello from Los Angeles]]> 7 Tue, 27 May 2014 15:49:47 +0000 https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/hello-from-cebu-in-the-philippines.369/ https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/hello-from-cebu-in-the-philippines.369/ invalid@example.com (Jeff Bell) Jeff Bell My name is Jeff Bell and I'm a 59 year Brit living in semi retirement in Cebu in central Philippines.
I'm married a local lady nine years ago and about 6 months ago we saw someone in our village with a reef tank and we decided to have one installed.
At that time neither my wife or I knew anything about keeping a marine tank, we didn't know what to do.
A Japanese national living nearby set us up with a 80 US gallon FOWLR display tank and about a 25 US gallon sump.
The first...

Hello from Cebu in the Philippines]]> 3 Fri, 16 May 2014 15:19:39 +0000 https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/checking-in-from-sacramento-ca.349/ https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/checking-in-from-sacramento-ca.349/ invalid@example.com (jfowler) jfowler
My name is Justin and I've been a salt water hobbyist for about 6 years now. I've only kept 2 tanks in that time, and I've always struggled in finding balance between nutrient import and export. Currently I have algae issues, and could really type in length as to the details, but I'd rather not bore anyone.

Recently I've been lurking in the Algae Scrubber Basics thread on RC and I am really interested in adding a scrubber to the tank as opposed to a refugium. I'm so...

Checking in from Sacramento, CA]]> 2 Sun, 13 Apr 2014 20:17:45 +0000 https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/hello-from-san-diego.329/ https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/hello-from-san-diego.329/ invalid@example.com (AquaLoco) AquaLoco
I have a few questions though, can this be run from the overflow drain? Or should it be hooked up to a pump directly?

I was going to run a carbon pellet reactor, but I would imagine with this product, I would not need to do the pellet reactor? I have not seen much conversation on using these two products together.

Also, I am sure you it is somewhere on this site, but how do you minimize the needed addition of Kalc into your tank due to the algae...

Hello from San Diego]]> 4 Tue, 25 Mar 2014 00:08:22 +0000 https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/pm-how-to.301/ https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/pm-how-to.301/ invalid@example.com (tedlietz) tedlietz
Ted Lietz p.s. tedlietz@att.net]]> 6 Thu, 13 Feb 2014 19:50:16 +0000 https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/hello-fellow-scrubbers.300/ https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/hello-fellow-scrubbers.300/ invalid@example.com (Silverback) Silverback
I'm soon to embark on the scrubber journey (got an L2 on order) and I'm hoping to finally rid my DT of nuisance algae....

Look forward to sharing my progress with you all!]]> 2 Tue, 28 Jan 2014 18:43:53 +0000 https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/newbie-from-france.290/ https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/newbie-from-france.290/ invalid@example.com (benoit burelle) benoit burelle
I'm canadian, live in france since 2002 and as soon as I got settled in, set up a reef tank! Started with a wee little 30l nano reef and now have a 200l reef tank and a 100l reef tank. Not room for more at the moment, will have to wait for a house change for that. I have a couple of rug rats that keep me pretty busy so theses two reef tanks are as much as I can handle without getting slammed by the wife...ah the wife factor...very important not to...

Newbie from France!]]> 3 Fri, 03 Jan 2014 01:02:21 +0000 https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/horizontal-scrubber-advice-needed.276/ https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/horizontal-scrubber-advice-needed.276/ invalid@example.com (Turtle power) Turtle power ive been experimenting with various diy scrubbers over the last year with limited success so decided id try and get some opinions from those with more scrubber experience
so far the only real success ive had was with a 4" by 3" screen size vertical scrubber than ran about 650 lts an hour and lit by an 11w cfl bulb on one side only
my next effort was fed from the sump inlet pipe with flow of approx. 1500lts an hour and screen size of around 6" wide by 3" deep - now here is where...

horizontal scrubber advice needed ]]> 2 Wed, 01 Jan 2014 20:56:34 +0000 https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/hello.274/ https://www.algaescrubbing.com/threads/hello.274/ invalid@example.com (dryworm) dryworm 2