Zen it sound like you scraped off all the algae, thus causing a loss of filtering. Try half the screen next time.
Mega Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover - DIY!
- Thread starter SantaMonica
- Start date
Well there are three folks now on the scrubber builder directory who can build your scrubber for you: 2 in the U.S., 1 in the U.K. So there is no excuse to not have your own scrubber 
http://www.algaescrubber.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=25
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http://www.algaescrubber.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=25
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i'm really impressed with your enthusiasm and follow up on these threads across all your forums. if i didn't know any better, i'd say you were making a commission.
So, in FW setup keep the bio media? your previous answer confused me a little. i'm new to the idea of many of the filtration methods.
So, in FW setup keep the bio media? your previous answer confused me a little. i'm new to the idea of many of the filtration methods.
No you don't have to keep the bio media. Algae will filter ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. As long as the algae has light and flow, it will work.
thought so. ok. i've noticed recently that people aren't using the fans. do you think it's really not necessary?
I hope we can replace filter with algae scrubber in future. Or at least we should have one in all of our system.SantaMonica;2461712; said:
I wouldn't pull my Bio media just yet. Like I said above, my tank is still high in ammonia, despite my scrubber being pretty well established, and of the recommended size for my tank. I've also cut down feeding and I'm still having some ammonia issues right now. FW doesn't seem as clear cut as SW
so let me ask you, can you dumb down the use of bio media for me?cvermeulen;2462146;2462146 said:
the idea of bio media is something i'm sorta new to. I know it's old news, but as I understand it, it's any medium (pot scrubbers, thick corse mats and anything else with alot of surface area?) that can house alot of bacteria (or algae i guess is the proper term?) that will break down the bad stuff in both FW and SW tanks...right? the type of algae that grows on bio media is determined by whether it is SW or FW and whether it's underwater or wet/dry right? (or in an environment created by using an algae scrubber?) meaning different environments create different types of cleaning algae?
if so, isn't the algae scrubber essentially the same thing? it houses alot of algae that's supposed to clean it right? so in essence is the algae scrubber capable of being considered "bio media"?
if i'm right (probably am not, but i'll just pretend until you or anyone else lets me know) then are you keeping your bio-media in because it's a different type of algae that will remove ammonia better? if so, why do you think your bio-media is NOT removing all the ammonia?
a) could it be that the algae scrubber is creating ammonia? (doubtful, just trying to figure this out)
b) could it be that the 2 (scrubber and bio-media) are fighting for the nutrients and there's not enough nutrients to go around? (i have no idea if that would have ANYTHING at all to do with the ammonia. again, just curious)
c) if it could be b), do you think that removing one or the other would help to remove the ammonia? is ammonia your only problem right now?
thanks for the follow up. i'm looking forward to your reply!
Do a search on Ammonia and tank cycling and it will explain everything you need to know. Beneficial Bacteria on bio media is not algae - it converts Ammonia to Nitrite and Nitrite to NitrAte, which you usually get rid of by doing water changes. The algae scrubber is there to remove the nitrAte (and phosphate) so you don't have to do as many water changes. It is claimed that the algae also removes Ammonia and nitrite directly, but I've not seen this effect yet in my system - it could just be that my algae scrubber is too small for my bio load.loogielv;2463083; said:
DESIGN NOTE: Enclose your screen somehow!! Put a shower curtain, or a peice of acrylic a few inches from your screen, or house it entirely within a large container. My screen hangs in free air above my sump, and yesterday a clump of growth built up just the right way to direct a small stream of water off the screen and onto the floor. I lost about 10 gallons of water before the pump started starving and the flow slowed down.
