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New to scrubbing and reefing

Discussion in 'Algae Scrubber DIY' started by Green hair, Sep 3, 2018.

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  1. IMG_20180903_161036.jpg IMG_20180903_161021.jpgwas just wondering if this looks like it's on the right course. Scrubber being fed by return pump, lit both sides about 12 on 12 off. Feed a fair bit, average day, cube of mysis, cube of brine shrimp, cube of coppods, pinich or two of algea flake and some fine pellets. System water volume in total about 500lt. Any input welcome, oh yes scrubber been on for 3 weeks
     
  2. Turbo

    Turbo Does not really look like Johnny Carson Staff Member Site Owner Multiple Units! Customer

    Looks good, it seems to be doing a pretty good job of growing algae. Now that you've accomplished that initial part, leave it be for at least a few months. Meaning, don't go changing anything at this point. The only thing you will want to do is go easy on the harvesting. Every 10-14 days, remove about 75% of the growth, and rinse. It might not take much effort to remove algae, but since yours is open-air, it will tend to anchor a bit stronger because it has to. So if you have to scrape a bit, that's OK. But I defer to pulling algae off by hand as that leaves a bit more behind.

    If you scrape, use a plastic scraper or old credit card and go "up" or against the flow path, and "drag" rather than "chisel". You should get most of the way there on a cleaning with one pass and a quick rinse.
     
    Green hair likes this.
  3. Thanks, just what I wanted to hear. I happen to have a mirco scope and have been looking at the algae under it, it's amazing the life within it which I reckon as it matures will explode with life. I just think this is a great way of controlling nutriant's
     
  4. Hi, update on scrubber, decided to harvest the algae today but have I pulled to much off? Any advice much appreciated.
     

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  5. Turbo

    Turbo Does not really look like Johnny Carson Staff Member Site Owner Multiple Units! Customer

    Nope, that's a good harvest technique. You could remove a bit more but if it doesn't come out of the holes easily, don't intentionally try to remove more
     
  6. Ok I seem to have a problem, I have what looks like bryopsis only tiny but I will need to deal with that or will the scrubber out compete it. Also dusty dino has turn up any advice would be great for this
    noob
     
  7. IMG_20180924_164746.jpg IMG_20180924_170034.jpg IMG_20180924_164814.jpg IMG_20180924_164837.jpg 14 days since last harvest, was this looking on track? It's a shame that I will have to take it off line because I have bryopsis in the tank
     
  8. Turbo

    Turbo Does not really look like Johnny Carson Staff Member Site Owner Multiple Units! Customer

    That does look a bit better, filling in around the edges, looks a little thicker

    There are many bryopsis strains, most of them are resilient enough that a scrubber will have a hard time out-competing them unfortunately.

    You can treat the tank with Fluconazole (I think that's right) and take the screen off, do a light harvest, and put it in a 5g bucket of tank water (pulled before treatment of course) and it will stay alive for a few weeks, eventually it will mostly die off but keeping it wet will allow it to kick back in pretty fast after treatment is done and chemicals removed - even if the screen looks bare, it's not.

    Hopefully this advice is not too late....sorry, life is throwing me curve balls one after another
     
    Green hair likes this.

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