Whats everones opinion on algea scrubbers

[Leggmantn2015]

I've read great things about them like they can replace your protein skimmer. There is a guy on youtube with a KILLER 125 reef stocked heavily with fish, and he says has done no water changes for 4 years just uses carbon and an algea scrubber and he never has nitrate or phosphate issues. And just doses elements.

They look easy to build. I'm considering building one.

 

[Leggmantn2015]

 

[McMullen]

Been around decades! Do it! Post it! Share results!

 

[brandon429]

this is my take on the nature of algae scrubbers

the same effects can be had with other uptake/binding media as well so those no wc and outcomes aren't exclusive to ATS at all.
The pros are: plant filter arrangements don't harm a display tank to use, they are adapted as part of the biota and are just corralled in one place for pruning work, lighting etc. safety factor is high

by using the plants that come naturally on the scrubber and grow as fast, the uptake rates for waste tend to outpace what non native refugium plants w do for given size and spacing of the filter, but then again this is based on ratios and other factors. someone with a giant bright lit caulerpa refugium might be outpacing what a small ATS does in another tank, etc.

a con:
they are claimed to universally prevent algae, and cure every known reef invader. when that's the case, no other forms of management w be used. we currently have to find alternate ways to correct algae even out of tanks that have ideal scrubbers, dual scrubbers, scrubbers and GFO, algae wars are certainly not all nutrient driven whatsoever. If there is one thing Im positive of about algae scrubbers, its that as soon as someone puts one in their tank and it does cure the algae, after all this is a staple of the hobby it does often work, then ATS scrubbers are then permanently advised by that keeper to solve 100% of all invasions going off that sole personal example.


In some of the ATS threads the users will report no display tank correction has followed, the advisor will recommend a few more tweaks to the scrubber, or even install duals Ive seen, and if that poster is still having DT issues the matter never really gets fully resolved, these are among the challenges for ATS systems.

ATS have pros and cons and at least are not fly by night fads, they w be permanent in our hobby but never best or no other method of algae control will ever be required, just a little green scrubber pad and some LEDs.

Another facet of ATS systems is the implication they take the place of solid matter waste removal, they don't. they are an option to not have to deal with it, but to allow detritus to permanently stay in the tank until total degredation ties the user to the ATS permanently, and they risk having a waste build up that outpaces what the original ATS was doing

ATS are uptaking the compounds that reducing 100% of the detritus in-tank yields into the water...this is technically a bandaid for having stored detritus. The reason my own aquarium needs no scrubbers ever, and is perpetually algae free, is because I store no detritus and I kill algae occasionally, its disallowed.

I do more work in my tank than an ATS system has, but then again my tank has no algae variability either, its 100% algae free because we use a method that doesn't allow for any other algae options, ATS are trying to starve algae by noncontact through the water...that varies but is very low tank work when it does succeed, and it allows for years of compounding waste storage in the tank if the keeper selects that work mode.

in cyberspace, there are equal numbers of tanks doing water changes or none, ATS or not, with and without algae problems, no one dominant approach has taken over yet its all split between plant arrangement filters, chemical media binders like GFO, bacterial systems like carbon dosing or pellets, and then the direct algae attack modes that use one or more ways to literally kill off algae independent of tank nutrients.

 

[Mike in CT]

I think if your algae problem is minor or non existing in new tank, they can work well. But if you have a huge problem you might not see the results desired unless you have a oversize scrubber running optimally. Mine grows good amounts of algae but did not make a dent in my display tank, and I'm starting to wonder if it's worth the extra pump running and the maintenance. Just my opinion of course.

 

[Leggmantn2015]

Wow that was one heck of a responce I had to read slowly to comprehend most of it. Great info!!

 

[brandon429]

I can advocate using them, very cheap to setup

SM and the other scrubber guys put free builds online

The key to algae success is this

Use any method as prevention, any method you like.

If you see algae in the display tank, kill it make it gone. Why risk your $$

A true preventative will never pass that work to you

All algae wrecked tanks online opted to leave it in the display tank, awaiting re prevention, which violates half my clause above



After purposefully leaving the algae in the display tank despite clear kill options, all manner of catch up comes about:

People start spending money

Dumping things in the water

Adjusting bioload levels, feed restriction when your corals don't want that, adding clean up crews not matched to your outbreak, I mean literally a whole industry exists to sell you post facto possibilities

Whether you use ATS, carbon systems, iron based systems, denitrator systems, or dosers doesn't matter as prevention, what only matters is what you farm in your reef, where it should not be, on purpose. See algae kill or remove algae. ATS give you an appropriate place to farm algae, it's placement in your tank matters, accept none elsewhere.

Every invaded tank was at one time a tiny killable spot. To me that solves every algae issue you'll ever have before hand and it renders your prevention mode second place in deciding if you ever lose a tank to algae.

 

[DeniseAndy]

I personally love my UAS, but completely see where brandon is at. I use it along with good husbandry and manual removal when needed. I also stock fish that eat various types to keep in check.

I have a heavily fed system and need something to take nutrients out, so this is my method. I like a more natural method. After all, why do you think algae forests exist in the ocean and in lagoons. To help clean the water and the reefs.

 

[McMullen]

Just to add, I'm not using a "scrubber," rather a refugium with cheato. I've struggled with algae in the display (coral growth on rocks persuaded me to not pull them out). I finally started dosing RedSea colors and my cheato exploded with growth (perhaps iodine). Now that my cheato is growing exponentially I have taken my GFO reactor offline and algae in the display is maintained by my Kole tang and FoxFace. My point is that just as others pointed out above there are many options but using a more natural method can be very successful, but nothing is fool proof and must be executed appropriately.