Easy Algae Scrubber Kit or DIY for nano (20 g display with 12 g sump)????

[duganderson]

Looking at options for a Algae Scrubber for a 20 g. display and Fiji 12 G. sump?  

 

What do you think is the easiest kit or DIY build?  OR inexpensive one to buy?

 

Thank you, Doug

[seabass]

Is your display glass or acrylic?  If glass, I find the best algae scrapers (especially for coralline) are common razor blades with those cheap plastic blade handles to hold them.

Get stainless steel blades.  However, be very careful around the silicone seams; I typically use a traditional algae pad or soft tooth brush to get the corners (or if not taking pictures, leave something for the snails to eat).

[duganderson]

4 hours ago, seabass said:

Is your display glass or acrylic?  If glass, I find the best algae scrapers (especially for coralline) are common razor blades with those cheap plastic blade handles to hold them.

 

Thanks for the response.  I meant Turf Algae Scrubber to grow algae as a filtration method.

[seabass]

Ah, sorry.  IDK, I haven't really looked into them.  You might look at one of Santa Monica's scrubbers:  https://www.santa-monica.cc/

 

[seabass]

I believe SantaMonica has even posted some DIY plans; but I can't find them right now.

 

Here's another link to check out:

• https://www.nano-reef.com/forums/topic/359164-diy-algae-scrubber-plans-how-do-they-look/

 

From Marine Depot (including DIY):

• https://www.nano-reef.com/articles/equipment/the-complete-guide-to-algae-turf-scrubbers-part-1-r35/
• https://www.nano-reef.com/articles/equipment/the-complete-guide-to-algae-turf-scrubbers-part-2-r36/
• https://www.nano-reef.com/articles/equipment/the-complete-guide-to-algae-turf-scrubbers-part-3-r37/

 

[mcarroll]

I have neither made nor used one, but I was following Santa Monica's progress pretty closely when he was in development.  That said, I think the simplest/easiest DIY I saw was the take-out food container based UAS scrubber.

 

This is the commercial version, just to give you the idea:

https://www.santa-monica.cc/HOG1x-Hang-On-Glass-UAS-Upflow-Algae-Scrubber-with-Green-Grabber-surface-and-Xtra-LEDs--1-Cube-feeding-per-day--MAGNET-VERSION_p_38.html

 

I had imagined trying to build a floating version, and it seems like he's developed one of those too....you can see examples of a few different DIY-able designs on his site.  

2 hours ago, seabass said:

I believe SantaMonica has even posted some DIY plans

I don't remember where either, but I can confirm they should be out there. 👍

[seabass]

I was thinking there were even more, but here's one:

 

You'll see some negative reactions to SantaMonica in that thread.  That's partially due to him advertising his scrubbers without being a site sponsor (at the time), and partially how he responded to certain posts.  Anyway, I feel that you should try to separate other member reactions from the value of the information and products which were ultimately developed.

 

However, it is legitimate to ask why you might wish to use an algae scrubber.  Don't get me wrong, there is a place for them and I believe they can effectively lower excess nutrient levels.  But I would warn you that if the goal is to make your display algae free via nutrient deprivation, you could potentially starve corals of these vital nutrients (negatively affecting the overall health and growth of your corals).

 

Depending on your goals, you might be better off with just a protein skimmer and more herbivorous snails.   We must try to balance nutrients, food, and light to provide our corals proper nutrition, while (at the same time) keeping nutrient levels within recommended ranges.  In the ocean, there is a wide diversity of live food that is constantly available, which is a much different environment than our reef tank environments; so we have to depend more heavily on inorganic nutrients in the water in order to provide our corals with their nutritional requirements.