Looking For Algae Scrubber

[stellarfly]

Hi fellow reefers,

I am currently looking for the Santa Monica Algae Scrubber (SM100) I love the idea of using a scrubber for filtration. Does anyone in Edmonton have that product. I know that they are currently working on a new model. Looking for the original model made of acrylic with t5's clamped to either side.

Let me know if anyone even has one in Edmonton.

[reefme]

I have two halfway built. If you interested I can sell it to you.
Please pm.

[Rusty dog]

I built my own scrubber and it works great

[warriorcookie]

The new design got released a few days ago. Supposed to be more effective, cheaper and easier to build...

[troni]

does anybody use a skimmer with it?
does it stink?

[warriorcookie]

Originally Posted by troni

does anybody use a skimmer with it?
does it stink?

Probably the 2 most common questions. Most start using both skimmer and scrubber, but end up shutting the skimmer down when they realize how well the scrubber works.

The scrubber smells a little the first few weeks while growing brown. Once they start growing green they smell fresh, like the ocean.

[troni]

good news! how come more people dont use them?

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by troni

good news! how come more people dont use them?

most people dont have the patience to set one up properly and let it mature.people expect it to work within the first week when fact of the matter is it takes time for it to fully mature.

if you dont have nutrients to begin with then the scrubber will take along time to maure, if you have too much nutrients it will need a bit more cleaning.

it also needs to be cleaned every week or 2 or its purpose is useless as you need to remove some of the nutrients it aquires same as cheato


once it starts to mature you really need to feed it ive upped my feedings by more than double and it grows a sheet weekly.

i also run 2 skimmers and gfo through a reactor and it does not inhibit my growth.

[Edmonton newbie]

i took a blind faith leap when i set mine up and took my skimmer offline as i set up the scrubber, works great and i dont miss the skimmer at all. i have perfect water quality now just have to dial in my dosing pump to lower my alk as i only do water changes now every couple months

[Rusty dog]

I still run my skimmer as well as my scrubber