What do you mean by Algae scum? Just simple film algae? If so, I think so, I didn't clean it yet but definitely some of it is just film algae. I think I might clean it this weekend so I can see it underwater and see if there's hair algae in there.
Algae scrubber as bio filter.
- Thread starter markstrimaran
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What do you mean by Algae scum? Just simple film algae? If so, I think so, I didn't clean it yet but definitely some of it is just film algae. I think I might clean it this weekend so I can see it underwater and see if there's hair algae in there.
Yes, film algea,
Quick update, water change was a couple days late this week, here's the nitrate number prior to the change:
Looks a little lighter to me, I'd take this as 5ppm which is down from 10 last change.
I cleaned the scrubber as well but I forgot to take a picture. While there was some slime in there (it was just a 1"x1" patch in the center/top of the scrubber) it was mostly a rough textured green algae that actually took a bit of scrubbing to clear. I will definitely get a photo next time, I plan to check it/clean it every week or so from now on.
Looks a little lighter to me, I'd take this as 5ppm which is down from 10 last change.
I cleaned the scrubber as well but I forgot to take a picture. While there was some slime in there (it was just a 1"x1" patch in the center/top of the scrubber) it was mostly a rough textured green algae that actually took a bit of scrubbing to clear. I will definitely get a photo next time, I plan to check it/clean it every week or so from now on.
UPDATE EARLY MAY.
Sorry no numbers. It has been a hectic spring.
The fluidized golf ball scrubber, is still going with the 10 watt chips. I had some native fish from a local hatchery, bass crappie, bluegill, in with the others as emergancy measure, very high ammonia in the shipping container. So far I have one Bass left. Bummer
The shipping water was 32F so I let it warm for a day ,with out checking ammonia. Half died in the shipping water.
The other were too stressed to survive. They died in the fluidized tank, probably three days. Without any noticeable ammonia build up.
The log tank, with the 15 led, upflow scrubber is still going. The soft ball size ball of turf algea, has about 6 new fry hiding in it.
The nondominant ciclids are all healing well after their sparing matches.
The bottom algea reef tank, is still scrubber less, and the nitrates are in the red.
Sorry no numbers. It has been a hectic spring.
The fluidized golf ball scrubber, is still going with the 10 watt chips. I had some native fish from a local hatchery, bass crappie, bluegill, in with the others as emergancy measure, very high ammonia in the shipping container. So far I have one Bass left. Bummer
The shipping water was 32F so I let it warm for a day ,with out checking ammonia. Half died in the shipping water.
The other were too stressed to survive. They died in the fluidized tank, probably three days. Without any noticeable ammonia build up.
The log tank, with the 15 led, upflow scrubber is still going. The soft ball size ball of turf algea, has about 6 new fry hiding in it.
The nondominant ciclids are all healing well after their sparing matches.
The bottom algea reef tank, is still scrubber less, and the nitrates are in the red.
Quick update from this weekend... Wanted to get back on a weekend water change schedule so this is after 10 days:
Here's a pic of the nitrate test:
Steady at 5 ppm it seems... Here's the scrubber:
Overall, I'm very happy with how this has been working. I've got a dozen or more fry at the moment, so I'm throwing in lots of fry food and still feeding normally otherwise. It has been worth the investment for me so far.
Here's a pic of the nitrate test:
Steady at 5 ppm it seems... Here's the scrubber:
Overall, I'm very happy with how this has been working. I've got a dozen or more fry at the moment, so I'm throwing in lots of fry food and still feeding normally otherwise. It has been worth the investment for me so far.
I cant see in the picture, How thick is the algea growth? It greened up fast, what light schedule did you use?
It wasn't very thick this time, just covering the surface mostly and a little thicker on the back side.. maybe an 1/8th of an inch max. It was thicker on the first cleaning but that had run for about 3 weeks i think.
I'm considering letting it grow for longer but I'm not sure if that's better or if cleaning it and allowing new growth is better when it comes to nitrate uptake. Maybe I'll experiment and leave it for 2 weeks next time, see how it does.
I'll double check when I get home but I'm pretty sure it's on 22 hours a day, 1 hour off overnight and another mid-day.
I'm considering letting it grow for longer but I'm not sure if that's better or if cleaning it and allowing new growth is better when it comes to nitrate uptake. Maybe I'll experiment and leave it for 2 weeks next time, see how it does.
I'll double check when I get home but I'm pretty sure it's on 22 hours a day, 1 hour off overnight and another mid-day.
GOT SNAILS. !!!!. 2 YEARS maintenance free.
I scrubbed my up flow screen, as it was growing some green slime, The green turf algea is still attached. It is a quartz sand matrix.
My nitrate is about 30ppm, going on a month without any water changes, I changed out the filter floss basket also, as it was overflowing, I will try to post some this weekend if it rains enouph.
Water leak, on lower bulk head. I had a burr on the blue drum. Switched out drums Saturday, it had Ammonia residue. Lost 4 fish, and still counting.
Evacuated who I could catch, ammonia is off the chart green.
Rigged up a semi continuous 100 gph flow, with a full house carbon filter, on tap water.