Santa Monica100 Algae scrubber!!

I received my newest piece of equipment this week. And what I believe will prove to be my silver bullet against N and P.
My first observations are about the quality. This is no flimsy acrylic. This think is perfectly machined, clean looking and SOLID. I'm very impressed with both the design and the execution. My plan is to run the unit off my returns on the top of the tank and then dumping straight from the unit into the display. This is the first of two units I purchased.

The SantaMonica100 Acrylic Algae Scrubber.

As I unpacked the box

Another shot of the whole unit with the lid on

The screen and pipe for the water flow.


The tank with one unit, the other will be on the opposite side. What do ya'll think? Is it too obtrusive or distracting?

I hope to plumb the first unit in tomorrow and the other should be here in about 2 weeks or so. After the screens are fully matured I may very well go skimmerless. I also ordered one for my 150g FOWLR system that has been a constant headache at my business. (It's not set up properly, using 2 fluval fx5 canister filters) This should be a huge benefit to both tanks!! I'll keep ya'll updated on the progress!

 

I got a few questions if ya dint mind answerin them ;D

where did ya buy it?

what is it rated for gallons wise?

what do you need for it or does it come with everything?

 

+1 I was just looking at these but could not find a place that was actually selling them. Also could you please post the dimensions of the unit I would greatly appreciate it.I don't think it looks bad at all. Especially if it does what its advertised to do.Also if you don't mind.Price? TIA

 

This is a type of filtration device. It uses 2 2bulb 24" t5HO with 3k bulbs set about 1" on either side of the screen. Water flows through the tube, and down the screen. This promotes green hair algae growth on the screen. That algae sucks up Nitrate and Phosphate and uses that to grow. Every week you clean the screen of that growth and with it the nitrate and phosphate it consumed!!

This allows you to remove waste rather than food like mechanical filters do. The main purpose is the removal of Nitrate and phosphate leading to healthier corals and less nuisance algae in your display.

A few other side benefits include:
Raises your PH
Can be used for evaporative cooling (take the lid off and if that's not enough, point a fan at it and you can get some serious cooling if needed)
Breeding ground for pod growth
Adds oxygen to the water
Doesn't remove food from the system


If you are handy, Santa-Monica provides detailed copies of the plans so yoiu can build one for yourself for less.

 

for 649 I want ot see you review first ;D

 

The unit itself is 25" long by 8" wide by 8" tall. You will need about 32" long to clear the plumbing though.

I think algae scrubbers in general have proven themselves. This one just takes all the information and gets the most efficiency out of the foot print. I couldn't imagine how much macro it would take to equal this one unit.

 

I think the real test will be my 150g fowlr. It's in poor shape. 70+ nitrate and no idea what the phosphate. Algae everywhere. I'm going to do a large water change on that tank then put this system on and quite possibly never change the water again... Or maybe only once or twice a year.

If it can clear that tank up. This thing is money! For filtration on that tank I'm only running 2 fluval fx5 canister filters! (it was originally planted then converted to salt later.)

 

I have been considering one also... but for that price I cant afford it.

A DIY one would be of much lesser quality and effectiveness but I am thinking I just might try one?

 

I think the look would be the biggest part you would lose. I have seen some extremely effective algae scrubbesr built for under $100. They don't look as clean, but they do basically the same job. Is it exactly the same efficiency. No, but it's still absolutely worth it. It's pretty impressive what people have done with some simple pvc, a pump (or overflow) a screen from the hobby shop and some reflectors and CFLs...

 

the company that makes these actually helps show you how to dyi it and sells the parts.

utube has some great videos on it. it looks like a great unit