Chaeto Vs. Algae scrubber? (1 Viewer)

[dayton]

I have been looking into getting a scrubber to help bring down my nitrates (not bad, just want them a little lower due to being sps dominant). Do any of you use algae scrubbers? Does Chaeto not do the same thing?

I have been considering this guy Welcome to Santa Monica Filtration - www.Santa-Monica.cc but for a few hundred bucks I want to make sure its going to do the job.

Thoughts?

 

[gm357]

DIY ATS for less than ten bucks. Save your money.
Chaeto - nope..

 

[dayton]

Is there any good links to DIY set ups? One way better than others?

 

[Diesel]

The Diesel link..........

 

[Cody]

You're paying for the look when you buy a Santa Monica. There is nothing complex about a scrubber. Build one yourself. I use one, and highly recommend them. I've had some good success with them but it does require some research and tweaking. Just make sure you're getting the right spectrum (I recommend LEDs for this, but that adds to the cost), the appropriate amount of flow, and the screen is sized accordingly. Will it out-compete macroalgaes, though? Absolutely. They aren't even close.

 

[Reefahholic]

The Diesel link..........

I like that.

Tell me more about these and how they function. I've seen them around for years, but never really considered one.

If they really beat the macro algaes, maybe I should convert.?!?

Why are they so good? What do they actually do that's better than say a 100/G Fuge full of Cheato and Caulerpa?




D2mini... Where you at??

 

[izzy]

I like that.

Tell me more about these and how they function. I've seen them around for years, but never really considered one.

If they really beat the macro algaes, maybe I should convert.?!?

Why are they so good? What do they actually do that's better than say a 100/G Fuge full of Cheato and Caulerpa?




D2mini... Where you at??

+1

Hey reefaholic are you the person I met the other day at the fish gallery? How's your carpet doing? I think that's what you purchased.

 

[Diesel]

How's your carpet doing?

FG sells Carpet?
I knew they did Wood and stone.

Tell me more about these and how they function. I've seen them around for years, but never really considered one.

If they really beat the macro algaes, maybe I should convert.?!?

Why are they so good? What do they actually do that's better than say a 100/G Fuge full of Cheato and Caulerpa?

Not sure about better than a fuge, as a fuge has plenty of more options to reduce PO4 and more, and holding all kinds of good critters.
All I know is that I have it on my frag system and I turned off my skimmer, tested many times my water and perfect.
My tanks have no LR only my sump has and when I move the sump soon (cause of more tanks coming) I will set a trio of Chem blocks in my sump.
Looks cleaner and more bacteria surface.
Just cleaned my scrubber and it was full of different kind of beneficial algae that is doing her work.

You can ask your self why is GFO better than BP or the other way around.
I used all of it and tweaked it, improved it but staying as close as possible to nature gives me long term better effects on my coral, for that matter less stations to go wrong.
But that is my opinion.

 

[dayton]

I am interested in trying it. I dont have a major issue with nitrates, no real hair algae to speak of just trying to get that next little bit out so I thought I would try this. I will see if I can find some time to DIY one like you have Ben. I wouldnt mind turning my skimmer off.

 

[d2mini]

I could never get cheato to grow but will try again in my new system.
My display refugium of other macros did really well until hair algae took over.
And I sort of had my own inadvertent algae scrubber on the black wall of my fuge/frag tank.

But if nutrient control is your main goal, an algae scrubber of some sort is probably your best bet.

 

[Diesel]

I am interested in trying it. I dont have a major issue with nitrates, no real hair algae to speak of just trying to get that next little bit out so I thought I would try this. I will see if I can find some time to DIY one like you have Ben. I wouldnt mind turning my skimmer off.

i have an extra one you can pickup.

 

[Reefahholic]

+1

Hey reefaholic are you the person I met the other day at the fish gallery? How's your carpet doing? I think that's what you purchased.

Yeah, that was me. He's doing great. How's ur tank?

 

[dayton]

Ben, I might take you up on that. I need to see the garage anyways, do you know roughly what size? I want to see if it will fit in the sump.

 

[Reefahholic]

Do they have to go in the sump?

Can you do a large external plumbed to the system. I think that might be the way to go if you have space.

 

[Diesel]

Ben, I might take you up on that. I need to see the garage anyways, do you know roughly what size? I want to see if it will fit in the sump.

Not sure the size but I had it made for myself as this one is improved and final build on the first scrubber.
Never bordered to take the first one out as it worked perfect.
This one might work even better as in flow over the mess sheet.
Yes it's made for the sump and with a small adjustment we can make it fit for your sump.
Just measure the inside of your sump, height of stand and the wide of your baffles in side the sump.

 

[izzy]

Yeah, that was me. He's doing great. How's ur tank?

Good to hear, you got a good deal on it. My 5' 120 is getting there, I'm installing my 2 part dosers today. I'm really not content with the size so I'm searching for bigger. I'm hearing great things from the DSA 190 so I'll probably jump on that, just got to get the okay from the wifey.