Santa Monica Filtration

[Madhav]

Recently I was given one of this and wondering anybody used/is using this filtration.
When I first open it, it was exactly as the pictures shown with slimy and gruesome algae growth inside the box.
reviews however are excellent but not sure how effective it is, going to drop in and see if it makes any difference.

surprised to see their claim
"The main advantage of the DROP1.2 or any algae scrubber is that if you size and operate it properly (based on how much you feed), it can be the only filter for your tank, even replacing waterchanges. It can, however, also be used with other filters. Some other filters such as carbon dosing (Zeo, pellets, etc) may slow down the scrubber, but nothing will really "hurt" the scrubber except possibly large amounts of algaecide or copper medications. The DROP1.2 is also dry-out proof, since it's always under water. Power outages will not affect it."

any idea how this works?

http://www.santa-monica.cc/DROP12-d...-surfaces--12-cubes-feeding-per-day_p_69.html

 

[Kezzab]

Nope, but it appears to be intended for marine use not freshwater.
K

 

[ian_m]

Clearly for marine tanks with sumps where you wish to remove nitrates and phosphates. Also needs an air supply, to act as an air lift to pull water through, which would quickly degas any CO2.

 

[Madhav]

I read entire manual, it says both fresh water and salt water tanks but mostly benefit salt water tanks. my friend used in fresh water tank with no plants.
I see this for the first time so I have no idea how good it is with respect to planted tanks... it needs an air pump 24/7 so may not be practical on a planted tank.

How about this configuration and make sure DC is still green?

Link, instructions manual

 

[zozo]

It works rather simple, in a nutshell,

it's a closed box with a fiber like substrate to the inside walls and a light installed. The box is open at bottom and top... Than if you pump in air bubbles from the bottom this air will rise and come out at the top. This will create a water circulation in the box, draged along with the rising air bubble.

The lit fiber substrate will coloniize with a bacterial biofilm and allgae, the bacteria are nitrifying converting ammoinia etc. And the algae since they are photosintesizing like plants will consume, NPK and likely also ammonia directly. Since this process has BOD, the rising airbubble will provide extra oxygen to maximize its capacity.

Thus it's an awfully simple but very effective planted algae filter popularized with the term Scrubber. It's very popular in the marine tank hobby since there are very few marine plants and algae are way eassier to grow for marine hobbyists.

For a fresh water it works equaly effective, but if its a planted tank it migh be a bit over the top installation you don't realy need. After all the plants growing in your tank do already the excact same thing.

If you still feel the need for it in a fresh water setup it can be done even simpler, with hanging a planter to the side of the aquarium in the water with a porous substrate and put in a plant that likes to grow with wet feet. The foilage will be emersed having access to all the CO2 it needs and the roots are in the substrate in the water sucking up nutrients. The substarte in the planter will also colonize with the very same bacteria. It works even more effective and it doesn't consume extra energy. plus you can enjoy the beauty of the plant growing on top of your aqaurium.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

wondering anybody used/is using this filtration.

We have a few threads that mention <"algal scrubbers">. There is nothing wrong with them, they are just a very expensive option that doesn't offer any advantages over emersed plants etc.

I agree with Marcel @zozo, They are a better option for marine aquarists, rather than fresh water ones.

The issue for marine aquarists is that there aren't many flowering plants (angiosperms), other than <"Mangroves">, that are marine.

cheers Darrel

 

[Edvet]

( you can also increase the light and make your whole tank an algae scrubber )

 

[Stu1407]

I had one of these in my marine tank, but I haven'y bothered in my planted tank as the plants are growing like weeds and I suspect the algae scrubber would struggle to produce any algae as it would be out competed by the plants themselves. It would likely work well in a predominantly fish aquarium and certainly worked in my marine set up but unless you have an algae problem I wouldn't bother.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Recently I was given one of this and wondering anybody used/is using this filtration.

There is an article in the ,"Catfish Study Group Journal 18, 2017:2"> "Confessions of a lazy aquarist: the guilty pleasure of an algal turf scrubber" by Michael Hardman.

I don't have a subscription, but it would be £3 to buy that volume.

cheers Darrel