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Filtering your tank by using "algae
to fight algae" has been gaining in popularity in the last few years.
We are biased about this, because we invented the waterfall and
upflow designs that everyone uses now, but nevertheless we wanted to
make this in-depth series about everything, including: ·
History of scrubbers ·
DIY topics ·
Commercial models ·
Comparison to other filters ·
Usage with other filters ·
Sizing ·
Lighting ·
Water flow ·
Operation ·
Fresh vs. Saltwater ·
Effects on animals ·
Troubleshooting ·
Dosing ·
Types of algae ·
Results in tank ·
Uses of algae ·
Safety
(photo from
algalturfscrubber.com) Later in the 1990's a few people
made and sold the simple horizontal river design, like the Aquaricare
scrubber which had little baffles to stir up the water and create a more
turbulent air/water interface (the light on top is removed for the
photo). But it too was large, splashy, hazardous (used high voltage T5
bulbs and wiring), and was also just 1-sided (top side) which meant it
had to be larger to make up for less dense growth.
Then in the 2000's the last
"different" version of an algae scrubber was introduced, the Eco-Wheel.
This was a giant, expensive, complex rotating machine that did work, but
no known installation pictures have been found; just this small photo
from a sales ad:
And so, up until 2007 the basic
algae scrubber designs were the dump bucket, horizontal river, and
rotating wheel. And none were really being sold, so nobody know about
them. Then came "Santa Monica" (us!) on
the forums in 2007, with the first waterfall style scrubber. The
thinking was that there must be an easier way to get a turbulent
air/water interface on a screen than using a bucket, a wheel, or a
river. Let gravity do the work straight down! And a waterfall on a
screen could have lights and growth on both sides, so it would grow more
and could be half the size. This first waterfall was
put into a bucket on a sink in the office, complete with dangerous CFL
bulbs that got shorted by salt spray. This was all posted on various
forums as "Waterfall Turf Algae Filter: CHEAP and EASY to build" if you
want to read it. This was the first model to sell
any real amounts. But it had flaws which caused it to be left behind in
favor of our modern versions. First, it could not reliably be mounted
anywhere but over a sump, because a clogged drain would cause an
overflow onto the floor, or a clogged slot would cause water shooting
out the top, even with a lid. Second, the cleaning/harvesting process
was very involved, requiring water shutoff and disassembly of some
plumbing or even taking the whole scrubber out. Third, the acrylic was
fragile and easily cracked, especially after many heating/cooling
cycles. And lastly, the high voltage 240/120 volt metal-case lights were
dangerous for non-DIY users who just wanted a safe product. The lights
would slowly corrode in the salty environment, and eventually short out. And so there you have it; the
evolution of the algae turf scrubber from the 1970's to today. We'll get
into many other topics, but for now will just show one of our smaller
modern models, the HOG1, which is a great "starter" scrubber...
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