Welcome to my (near) Zero Maintenance Reef!

[reefluvrr]

This isn’t hair algae it’s turf algae. Hair algae may grow in the scrubber

yikes, I thought hair algae and turf algae are the same...

 

[VintageReefer]

yikes, I thought hair algae and turf algae are the same...

They are different

Turf algae will consume more phosphate and nitrate
Turf algae will grow faster
Turf algae is easier to remove from the scrubber

Hair algae or slime algae may grow first, email weekly pics to Santa Monica for customized guided advice on how to tune the scrubber for best performance

 

[Swede's Reef]

@VintageReefer
How about that special alve you got. More pics.... have not gone through all the posts yet but need more...

 

[VintageReefer]

@VintageReefer
How about that special alve you got. More pics.... have not gone through all the posts yet but need more...

waking up

 

[VintageReefer]

Frag Racks 10/12/24

 

[Devaji]

love your tank brother. this is what I am aspiring for my LPS tank.

 

[VintageReefer]

 

[CrashTestBennie]

Here’s some eye candy

I'm in awe of your tank! A few questions... What is the blue disk with neon green "bumps" on it, in the bottom left of your tank? What is that, what I can only describe as a, "spaghetti" box in your last few pictures? What kind of macroalgae are you growing? Your acans are about the fluffiest I've ever seen! Well, all your coral looks amazing, I mean stellar! You are an inspiration.

 

[CrashTestBennie]

Cheato couldn’t keep up. I was growing cheato so fast, I was able to start selling it to forum members and on eBay. But, it seemed like cheato was just growing in the sump, and hair algae in the display. My rocks became bound with phosphates. I needed something stronger than cheato.

After hooking up the scrubber all my cheato, which I healthily grew for months and months without issue…it all died out. The scrubber outcompeted the cheato and hair algae in my display simultaneously

It will literally suck the phosphates out of rock. New users - algae will get worse before it gets better. That’s a phase that’s normal and passes. Time needed depends on his bad your rocks are bound up.

Yeah, no avoiding the spectrum of algae uglies...

 

[CrashTestBennie]

Dude. Dude! Duuuuude.... so awesome I'm speechless!

 

[VintageReefer]

What is the blue disk with neon green "bumps" on it, in the bottom left of your tank?

LA Lakers scroll Coral
It’s purple / green under most lighting but blues only makes it blue

When I got it, it was size of a quarter. I’ve been growing it out for about 3.5 years. Right now it’s 8” circle

Here’s two older pics of it, approx 1 yr and 2yr

 

[CrashTestBennie]

LA Lakers scroll Coral
It’s purple / green under most lighting but blues only makes it blue

When I got it, it was size of a quarter. I’ve been growing it out for about 3.5 years. Right now it’s 8” circle

Here’s two older pics of it, approx 1 yr and 2yr

Where can can I find it?!?

 

[VintageReefer]

What is that, what I can only describe as a, "spaghetti" box in your last few pictures? What kind of macroalgae are you growing?

That’s a Santa Monica surf 2 algae scrubber - it’s my primary filtration on my reef. It grows turf algae inside. Willing to discuss/teach over dm if you want to learn about them.

Eliminated my need for a skimmer and keeps my parameters where I want them

 

[VintageReefer]

Where can can I find it?!?

There are 3 on eBay now for 75-90 shipped

Top shelf aquatics and vivid aquariums also have them in stock

 

[CrashTestBennie]

That’s a Santa Monica surf 2 algae scrubber - it’s my primary filtration on my reef. It grows turf algae inside. Willing to discuss/teach over dm if you want to learn about them.

Eliminated my need for a skimmer and keeps my parameters where I want them

I'm very interested in learning about it, but I'm hesitant to go there after just buying a skimmer and building a fuge recently. If I get the itch, I'll definitely ask for some knowledge. It does mean a lot to me that you'd take time out to inform me, thank you!

 

[CrashTestBennie]

There are 3 on eBay now for 75-90 shipped

Top shelf aquatics and vivid aquariums also have them in stock

dang good price! I just got paid too...

 

[VintageReefer]

I'm very interested in learning about it, but I'm hesitant to go there after just buying a skimmer and building a fuge recently. If I get the itch, I'll definitely ask for some knowledge. It does mean a lot to me that you'd take time out to inform me, thank you!

On this same tank, years ago, this was my fuge. Center section on this same sump

This was my weekly growth

And it couldn’t keep up with my displays Hair algae issues. Nitrate and phosphate always tested low- near zero

I added the scrubber. my issues were fixed and the little box proved more efficient than a stuffed cheato refugium

I ran a skimmer and scrubber for many years - they work well together

But the skimmer is not really necessary unless your overstocked on fish

 

[CrashTestBennie]

On this same tank, years ago, this was my fuge. Center section on this same sump

This was my weekly growth

And it couldn’t keep up with my displays Hair algae issues. Nitrate and phosphate always tested low- near zero

I added the scrubber. my issues were fixed and the little box proved more efficient than a stuffed cheato refugium

I've heard some drawbacks on refugiums since building it. Mainly losing all my nutrients was the worst of them. So, I'm only running it 8 hours a day, to start. I have noticed my alkalinity going fast, but I doubt the chaeto is the reason. You were growing the hell out of that chaeto!

 

[VintageReefer]

I've heard some drawbacks on refugiums since building it. Mainly losing all my nutrients was the worst of them. So, I'm only running it 8 hours a day, to start. I have noticed my alkalinity going fast, but I doubt the chaeto is the reason. You were growing the hell out of that chaeto!

Ya that system was good!
Halides and t5

 

[keepingfishwithnoidea]

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