How many if you have shutdown your skimmer or just don't run one? I am seriously contemplating removing mine with the success that I have had with my scrubber so far.
There's no doubt in my mind that you can run skimmer less if you want. There are benefits to skimming though, Co2 introduction just being one.
Started my tank cycle with the scrubber and never plan on adding a skimmer. I say take the skimmer off over time.
Yes Crash, but not in the conventional way, im using it mainly to introduce Co2 into the sump. A while back, you started putting bubbles on the screen, did you stop this ?
No i am still doin it but just set up my scrubber a week ago as i moved house and used that as an excuse to buy a new tank. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
Yeah my alk was bein drained but since the skimmer pump it was stable. Why did u change to co2 from skimmer pump did it not work for u Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
It worked a treat, with either zero or near zero depletion. Just thought I would try to increase growth using extra Co2, and see what happened. Think I better start a new thread with this bubbles on the screen thing, because the only two people to try it (me and you) are both reporting zero ish ALK depletion. That's a 100% success rate in my book, thanks Crash.
So you are just running a skimmer that is not skimming, meaning it's set too "dry"? Could one just set up a skimmer-like device whose only purpose is to churn up bubbles into a column of water? What I am envisioning is a plain PVC pipe or acrylic tube with a needlewheel pump and some kind of bubble diffuser baffle, or perhaps an outlet for feeding the outflow directly to the scrubber intake pump. Something skimmer-like, without the details or cost associated with a full-on skimmer. Perhaps it would be simpler to just get a cheap skimmer.
Just got an airline going to the scrubber pump for the "bubbles on a screen" thing. Does the same job as running a skimmer too dry but only costs the length of a bit of rigid airline (RO tubing).
^^ this sounded like you were running a skimmer, so do you actually have one in addition to the bubbles-on-screen thing?
Yes Floyd, actively introducing Co2 into the sump via a DIY Co2 generator (sugar, yeast and water) and a skimmer to reduce pH fluctuation from Kalk additions, also increase growth rate of screen. But that's another stage up from bubbles on the screen. Been adding Co2 now for about a month continuously, and all good so far. However, I would say that the bubbles on the screen thing is more than adequate for normal gas exchange, and Co2 flux into the screen, hence the reduction of massive pH fluctuation. Been keeping an eye on pH fluctuation from the screen and it's a lot more pronounced than people think, and the Co2 "skimmed" into the sump reduces this fluctuation further, as long as its well controlled. Hope that makes sense.
So unless I am reading this wrong you are running a skimmer and running bubbles on the screen of your turf scrubber? Right? Did you ever start another thread on this? I am looking to start a tank soon hopefully... and have a few skimmers but wanted to try running without one if possible with good results.
I believe it's the use of aragonite as a substrate. I almost have gotten to the point where I don't test alk any more! A long time ago that is what people used as a substrate. Just what the natural choice of the hobby at first. People stopped using it b/c it they had issues with it becoming a nitrate trap. I was reading about its alk replenishing benefits one day, and the story continued down that same path about how it becomes a nitrate trap... Blah blah blah... That's when I thought... I don't have nitrate issues... The stuff is super cheap, got a couple bags of it at the local petco for a few dollars each. It has been slowly dissolving in my tank for about a year and a half now. I have been thinking about adding another bag, I think most of that first purchase is gone now... You should give it a try! Maybe it will work in your tank also.
I just took my skimmer of line, I think it takes out too much good stuff that the corals need and I add a calcium reactor that have co2 going into it just wants to see if this is enough and also have a kalwasser reactor too. My algae scrubber grows a cereal bowl of algae a week
I think that this is the thread that you are looking for. https://www.turbosaquatics.com/vb4/showthread.php?55-Bubbles-On-Screen-Scrubber
