# Icecap algae scrubber - 120W



## noy (Nov 19, 2012)

Thinking about getting and installing one of these.
Wondering if anyone has experience with or something similar like the clearwater version. Wondering what feed pump did you use and how often you have the harvest the algae (seems like a pain).


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

No experience with those in particular but have DIY'ed a similar design for a full sheet of that plastic mesh about 5 years ago for a 300gal reef. Used a 200GPH pump and after 2 weeks of seeding and growth, it was at least a weekly scrape down of growth.

Ya, it was a bit of a PITA to clean and re-set. Same client prior to that build, I used an angled black planter tray, used egg crate as a growth substrate, acrylic cover and plant FL tubes

Plumbed a drain that there was one to the sump and another to a bucket. When it was time to scrape down, shut off feed, closed valve to sump (1") and removed the plug (2"). scrubbed off excess growth with a nylon brush and used SW from the sump to wash away loose bits. Plug and open the valves.

All depending on space, access to amenities and what SWMBO demands of aesthetics, cleanliness of process and your time away from household attentiveness


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## noy (Nov 19, 2012)

wtac said:


> No experience with those in particular but have DIY'ed a similar design for a full sheet of that plastic mesh about 5 years ago for a 300gal reef. Used a 200GPH pump and after 2 weeks of seeding and growth, it was at least a weekly scrape down of growth.
> 
> Ya, it was a bit of a PITA to clean and re-set. Same client prior to that build, I used an angled black planter tray, used egg crate as a growth substrate, acrylic cover and plant FL tubes
> 
> ...


Very helpful.
Did your client find that it was useful in reducing nutrients? Did they use any other forms of nutrient reduction in conjunction.
I have 2 systems that are highly fed going into a common sump in the basement (over 400 gallons of display). Using GFO (Lots) and Phosphate E (LaCl) and NOPOX. Everything works but just want to reduce the use of the above because they have an effect of lowering PH and alk.


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

One of two issues but testing wasnt done long enough, IMHO.

It kept N and P stable after it dropped to upper limits. Either feeding was increased, or a larger surface area is needed to drop further.

Keep in mind, chasing low numbers of N and P can be problematic IF N ratio falls below 10:1 and either have to supplement N and/or P or use other methods to drop N and/or P for biomass production.

For large systems that I used to maintain, I just use custom S-Rx and LaCl-Rx to address N and P.


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