Algae Turf Scrubber - oxygen? cyanobacteria?

nickng

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Hi, have never used an Algae scrubber before. Want to know the following:
(1) will an Algae scrubber actually removes carbon dioxide from the saltwater and oxygenates the water too.
(2) Also will cyanobacteria grow on the algae scrubber mat and if yes will it keep the cyanobacteria confined to the scrubber and none will be in the display tank?
(3) Will an ATS be too efficient and cause all macro algae ie dragon's breath, blue hypnea in the display tank to wither and die off

I am using a refugium with Chaeto at the moment. The Chaeto does add oxygen back to my tank and scrub out CO2 from my water.
 

TX_REEF

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The ATS will grow any algae requiring lights and nutrients. The amount of algae present on the scrubber will determine how much CO2 it consumes. If it becomes "too efficient" you can simply reduce the daily photoperiod with a light timer. Here's some footage of mine, right before my bi-weekly "harvest". I use an IceCap drop-in-sump algae turf scrubber: https://amzn.to/3Too6Gw

1709742536664.png
 
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nickng

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Thanks, does it increases the pH of the water when the scrubber is working? For me that's an indication of the algae removing CO2 from the water and adding in oxygen.
I have chaeto of the thick variety in my refugium that is filling up the entire refugium section. When the chaeto is lighted in the evening, the ph in my tank is pretty well maintained constant and usually increases a little by dawn.
Without the chaeto in the refugium(took it out for a few days) the pH in my tank drops steadily in the evening and in general I see a drop of approx 0.15 to 0.25 pH points.
I like to give the algae scrubber a try only if it can effectively oxygenate the water and remove CO2 as well. And I can run the algae scrubber 24/7 and not worry about browning/over light exposure that can happen with chaeto
 
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