Algae trough

[Paul B]

Five or six years ago I built and installed a trough in my main reef to control algae. I want algae in my tank but not growing on my corals so I built something which has better growing conditions than the main tank. I feel algae is healthy and if there is no algae at all, the tank has a problem.
The trough sits above the water just under and to the rear of the reef. The water is fed to it from the outflow of the skimmer. It uses no power and takes up no usable space. It also shades the rear of the tank from light making it appear better.
Water in the trough is about 1/2" deep and moves very fast providing better growing conditions for algae to grow. It also utilizes a plastic screen in the trough that can be rolled up to clean. The screen is infused with cement. Algae loves cement.
As you can see the tank has no algae but the trough is loaded with it.

 

[Phyl]

Looks great, Paul. I can't wait until after MACNA when I can do some things like this!

 

[Paul B]

I was wondering what this slimy stuff was in my algae trough and of course, it's algae.
Slimy, long hair algae. The thing is doing it's job because there is absolutely no algae in my tank. just in the trough. Cool

 

[bayondai]

That is pretty interesting. Is the trough in the picture sitting in the top back of your reef?

 

[Paul B]

That is pretty interesting. Is the trough in the picture sitting in the top back of your reef?

Yes it is. You can even see a little sliver of white in my full tank shot. I need to raise it a little one of these days.

 

[junk]

Hope this isn't a totally stupid question, but what's the difference between using a trough like that or using a fuge? Both have flow with algae and neither are in the display tank. Seems like a trough is basically a hang on fuge (although I'm probably missing something). Only asking because I'm trying to get up to speed as much as I can on this. Thanks.

 

[JRWOHLER]

I think it is a very good question, I would like to hear the response.

 

[dastrader]

Don't want to answer for him (I am sure he will be able to give better info), but I have read about some people doing these types of filters. I think the idea is that the water running faster, combined with the exposure to air is a better breading ground for micro algae. And if micro algae is growing in the filter (trough) it takes away the nutrients that would otherwise cause algae to grow in the tank.

Someone on the net (a few years ago) was claiming that this was the end all filter and all you ever needed (no skimmer, nothing). He got reamed pretty good, but it seems to have some logic behind it.

 

[Lord Viper]

People hate change " NO NOT MY SKIMMER" they must say.

 

[Paul B]

, but what's the difference between using a trough like that or using a fuge?

Not much difference in the end result but my trough is in my main tank, it is just over the water. It is also free to operate being it uses the main tank lighting and the outflow from the skimmer. The water in my trough is also only a half inch deep and it is only a couple of inches from 300 watts of MH lights. I think it is also easier to clean (if I eveh had to do that) I just roll up the screen in there and remove it.

 

[rodclement]

so Paul, you basically built an in-tank algae scrubber?? Nice! Great idea and seems very simple with no additional plumbing!

Thanks for sharing!

Rod

 

[Paul B]

Thats it

 

[gogol]

Paul B,

Does this mean that if I have the output of my skimmer focussed on an aerated region coated with cement and have a plant grow light on it 24/7 I would have an algae trough ?

Also, can I coat the my sump baffles with cement and expect similar results? Why doesnt a huge population of macro algea in the refugium cause a similar effect on the in-display micro algae ?

This seems like a really cool idea.

 

[Paul B]

You don't need the area airated. just lit.
Macro algae does not work as much as well as nusience algae because the nuicence algae in the algae filter is what I am trying to eliminate from my display and if I grow hair algae in my trough it is using the exact nutrients that any hair algae in my trough want to use but they are used up in the trough.
Also nusience algae grows much faster.
You would get similar results no matter where you want to grow algae as long as there is light. It is really attracted to cement.

My trough is not just a passing whim experiment, it has been in there for a few years but as I have said, the best part is that it is free to operate and almost free to built. I like free, my electric bills are high enough which is the reason I installed solar panels on my roof to make electricity. That would have been stupid if I were to have an energy wasting area like a lighted sump just to grow algae.
In my town it is about 16 cents a kilowatt hour for electricity. So a 100 watt light would cost me about 35 cents a day or about $10.00 a month. Not much but adding the 350 watt lights, heaters, fans pumps etc, it adds up to almost half of my electric bill
which is about $250.00 I just like simplicity and of course, free

 

[gogol]

...AND its a natural process ;D ;D ;D .... I love this idea!! The last chamber of my sump has a drilled hole really low so the water level really never increases much. I am thinking of coating the floor and the baffle wall facing the chamber with cement and see how it goes. It will make approximately a 18" X 7" of algea wall and I dont have to light it seperately since the chamber before it is the refugium. Thanks a lot for this post Paul B. I had no idea about the algae trough. For some reason it doesnt seem a very popular concept though...

 

[rodclement]

you can always use screen as well, do a search on goggle on algae scrubbers and you will find many different designs, Paul's in tank takes the prize for simplicity and ease of execution.

rod

 

[Paul B]

For some reason it doesnt seem a very popular concept though...

That goes along with my reverse UG filter, NSW from Long Island and bacteria from the sea.
Of course my radical ideas may only let my tank last for 40 years, I will not know until it's birth day this March.

If you use cement on anything, I would age it for a few weeks in some saltwater before you put it in your reef or you may grow algae on things where you don't want it.

 

[gogol]

Will keep in mind to age the cement. What is NSW?? ... I tried googling it only to find how popular the aquarium hobby is in New South Wales, Australia :-\

 

[Mbodell]

Natural Salt Water

 

[gogol]

Ohhhh!! thanks Mike :-X. But does that even work ?? Aren't ocean waters way too polluted for a caged environment? However the prospect of live microbe import is mouth watering .. I live so far away from the sea that I would have to hire a tanker to make this economically viable. ;D

... I have travelled on an unbeaten path myself, that I rather not discuss now unless I see sustained results for a couple of months. But my acans seem to have their tentacles even after lights are on, my "jsantoli"-chalice has grown eyes on the ledge what was broken off to create smaller frags by him and a Ricordea rock got from a fellow reefer has immediately sprouted red fan worms ..... oooh life is good.