# My new Algae Turf Scrubber



## DAN_B (Feb 22, 2013)

So I order an ATS from a website in the USA, and it showed up yesterday. 
I wanted to show off my new toy and post my tank's progress using this ATS.
I have been looking for away to control nutrients in my 210g reef tank. I have used GFO and bio pellets and Cheato, with varying degrees of success. One day I built a DYI scrubber using CFL's as a light source and was pleased with how it controlled the nutrients in my tank. 
However my design had many flaws, so I looked for a professionally built scrubber. 
I like the idea of a scrubber to control nutrients. I think they have less down side to them as compared to other set ups, and I believe that the ATS is more of natural way to remove excess nutrients and is more efficient. 
Time will tell and I plan on tracking my tanks progress.
Feel free to follow along and comment on the way
Thanks


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## fesso clown (Nov 15, 2011)

got a link?
thanks for sharing...


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## liz (Jan 16, 2008)

Looking forward to following along! 
Get it off the table and into the sump so we can see this thing in action!


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## smcx (Mar 31, 2012)

I've done a bunch of reading and see positive and negative anecdotal results. The surprising thing is that if this works, it's still relatively unpopular. Good luck, teach us something


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## advanced reef aquatics (Apr 20, 2009)

Cool, i will tag along and see how you make out.


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## J_T (Mar 25, 2011)

They work, but like refugiums, we all use too small of a setup.

But like all the other ways to export nutrients, getting them out is better than not.

Sent from my {HTC X8} using Board Express


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## DAN_B (Feb 22, 2013)

fesso clown said:


> got a link?
> thanks for sharing...


https://www.turbosaquatics.com
this is the website i got it from , i ordered the L3. he claims that with this scrubber that you can feed 3 cubes of frozen food a day and the scrubber will remove it.


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## DAN_B (Feb 22, 2013)

these are pics of the L3 on my table.
I just finished setting up the L3. I will post some pics of the scrubber in action latter when it comes on. I have it on a reverse photo period


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## Chaoticblissx (Jan 5, 2013)

Will be interesting to see the results once this is running


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## advanced reef aquatics (Apr 20, 2009)

I have only seen a couple in person, i like the idea, 
Will you be using a skimmer as well?


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## DAN_B (Feb 22, 2013)

advanced reef aquatics said:


> I have only seen a couple in person, i like the idea,
> Will you be using a skimmer as well?


I have been using a skimmer. I have herd that some people using ATS have got rid of their skimmers and only use the ATS. 
I will see how the ATS works on my tank, but i don't like the idea of losing my skimmer.


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## wildexpressions (May 3, 2010)

interesting. That is the fanciest scrubber I've seen.

Scrubbers work just fine. I've built a few and even the worst of them worked pretty good but mine have ranged from free (built with the stuff laying around) to less than $50. One of the best simple ones is built inside a 5 gallon pail with a couple of exterior flood lamps and I've built a couple of that style.

http://algaescrubber.net/forums/forum.php

Looking forward to your review.


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## Chromey (Sep 25, 2010)

Interested...

My Only question is Size...

The scubbers ive seen (the good ones) are big to premote more contact area.

Im going to follow this.


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## badmedicine (Oct 27, 2012)

(thumbs up sign means I am hitching a ride to follow this post)
I am building my 180 from scratch so I am interested on the progress of this. Have only "heard" of these and never seen anyone with one.


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## DAN_B (Feb 22, 2013)

wildexpressions said:


> interesting. That is the fanciest scrubber I've seen.
> 
> Scrubbers work just fine. I've built a few and even the worst of them worked pretty good but mine have ranged from free (built with the stuff laying around) to less than $50. One of the best simple ones is built inside a 5 gallon pail with a couple of exterior flood lamps and I've built a couple of that style.
> 
> ...


it is fancy. I had been using a DIY scrubber, it worked ok I didn't get the bright green hair algae that does the best the best filtering.


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## DAN_B (Feb 22, 2013)

Chromey said:


> Interested...
> 
> My Only question is Size...
> 
> ...


a scrubber screen lit on both sides gives you double the filtering. the general rule of thumb based on anecdotal evidence is 
for every 12 sq inches of screen you get one cube of frozen food used up by your scrubber


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## DAN_B (Feb 22, 2013)

here is a couple of shot of the scrubber from last night.
I cleaned the screen today did a water change, and cleaned my skimmer.
I'm using today a baseline for my review
I plan on feeding to same amount of food everyday to see if my scrubber can handle it and if i seen any reduction in the algae in my tank.
I took pics of my tank when i 1st got the scrubber (L3)
I will post pics later when i start to see a change, if any in my tank / corals


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## liz (Jan 16, 2008)

Wow, how many days growth is that? You just started it up didn't you?


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## DAN_B (Feb 22, 2013)

liz said:


> Wow, how many days growth is that? You just started it up didn't you?


Those pics are a little misleading. The screen is from my DIY scrubber. 
so the growth of algae is from a few days in my old scrubber and one day in the L3.
I gave the screen a good cleaning yesterday so I should be able to get a good idea of growth rate when I clean next Sunday.

I plan on feeding the same amount everyday, and keeping all other changeable parameters the same.
I'm going to feed one cube of Mysis shrimp and the cube equivalent of NLS pellet food (2.3g)


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## DAN_B (Feb 22, 2013)

update
In order to give a true review on the L3 I have decided to remove the screen i was using (the one i had on my DIY scrubber) and use the one that came with the L3.
as it takes awhile to get the best algae to grow on the screen starting fresh will give me a better idea on how long it take this ATS to get set up and how affective it is.
I contacted the manufacturer of the L3 to get a start up procedure
Today is day 8 of the ATS being on line. I will post pics latter of the screen , once i find my camera


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## DAN_B (Feb 22, 2013)

update
this pic was taken after 3 weeks of operation lit 8-9 hrs a day
i clean the screen once a week, this is what it looked before i cleaned it


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

have you found that it's helping?


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## Chromey (Sep 25, 2010)

altcharacter said:


> have you found that it's helping?


That is the question


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## DAN_B (Feb 22, 2013)

altcharacter said:


> have you found that it's helping?


yes I do. 
I had a DIY ATS that help my DT algae situation.
I bought this scrubber to be have a more efficient, cleaner, ATS scrubber , where I did not have to change CFL's every 3 months

Right now the algae that is growing is the wrong kind.
Now any algae grown will remove nutrients , the best is bright green Turf/hair algae


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## DAN_B (Feb 22, 2013)

update
so the ATS has been running for awhile now.
here is my thoughts on the L3
first off let me say it does work for removing NO3 and PO4 from your tank.
i have attached before and after shots of my tank and as you can see there is a marked improvement
the L3 is advertized as being able to handle 3 cubes of frozen food a day.
now i don't feed that much, so i don't think i could feed that much and still keep the algae growth suppressed.
I do think it is capable of doing a better job of filtering if i increased the flow to the scrubber.
right now I'm using a Mag 3(pumping up 4ft) which is not providing enough flow to the screen. I should probably using a Mag 7.
the manufacturer is providing a mod kit that would allow a flow increase to the Mag 12 level which should provide better nutrient removal.
I think with the mod kit and a higher flow pump I might be able to go skimmerless , but as it stands now i'm still using both


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