Todd's ATS Build... some new pics

So, is my ATS slowly stripping away nutrients that many of my coral actually need to grow?

I was thinking no since I do have fish and feed them, etc.

 

IMO, you can strip nutrients out much more with other forms of filtration, to an unnatural state. Like, hyper-aggressive GFO use, etc. So I would agree, you're likely not.

 

Well, my main DT ATS is still doing well, one panel lit both sices with LED's, the other panel lit both sides with CFL's

But I just took my FT off the main system so it would be more of a true QT for coral, etc.

And I fashioned it's own sump with RP, and another version of my ATS!
**Except this time, I didn't cut the slot, I drilled small holes along a line instead.
Seems to work well so far/so good

 

That's the bowtie version

 

Haven't been on 3Reef in a while.
STILL have my 180DT- slpowly recovering, slowly starting to getr some coral back, etc.

Recently after I had a massive iatrogenic coral die off in my main system, within a few months every rock had GHA growing all over it! I NEVER had GHA!
My fish were fine, so I didn't panic, did a few WC's, and tried to let my ATS take over and 'kill' it all. I never manually removed and/or scrubbed anything.
Lo and behold!- within a few months- it's ALL gone!
So, I decided to reduce my ATS capacity/potential by 50%, by taking one of my 2 'sheet's away. I decided on the CFL side as the reflectors took up a lot of room over my sump anyways. My LED Grow lights are much loser profile.

I posted this on my Regional Forum WI Reef Society 10 days ago:

OK, so I made some minor changes to my ATO's

I had been think'n (this may not end well ;0), that I wanted to go DOWN to one sheet on my main ATO.
various reasons- the main one being my ATO is stripping things quick, and too well.
When I went from EVERY rock that never had GHA TOTALLY covered in it, and then ALL of it gone within weeks- I'd say it's a powerful remover of mainly phos and nitrates.

SO, staying with my low/no budget builds, I used a left over piece of 1.5" PCV and bought another coupler and end cap.
I decided to go holes instead of slot this time. So I drew a line and used an area of the preprinted lettering on the pipe to guide as well. Instead of drilling the 1/8" holes in a sraight line, I staggered then a bit and angled the hole to the inside with my cordless dtill.
He it is during the flow test:



I'm using my LED's, and took off the CFL side completely.
So now instead of 2 x 10.5x13.5" screen, I"m down to 1.



AND, the ATO I have on my FT system, has not really grown any green algae in months, so
I took the sheet I took off and cut it to size and am now using it on the FT's ATO.
(Both sheets were scraped clean before taking these photos, both had grown a think sheet of algae within days on the LED, and the CFL lit side.



(-| I know, right?

So in a nutshell, I reduced my ATO's capability by 50% on my DT system.
We'll see how it goes, the way I did the change, I can change it back within minutes.

 

Well, Now down to one sheet of ATS- it's about 120 Sq. In. each side.
With the 30W grow light LEDs- Ebay

After 7 days, I turned the LEDs and the Water off and took a picture
(This was an established ATS, last scraped 7 days ago)


And with the LED's on, water off


So far, so good, I'm hoping this way I won't strip too much nutrients, and still not have much or any nuisance algae.
I don't test for phos or nitrates really.

 

Don't worry, a scrubber can't strip nutrients too low like additives can.

 

I know you have way more experience than I about this,
But a fellow reefer, who grows some really good stuff, had his PHos going to low and affecting his corals, and he took it offline.
I think I had some issue too, however combined with my Levamisole disaster, not sure what effect it really had.
I made the decision to reduce my potential by 50% on the DT system- and see how things go.

 

In a never seemingly never ending quest to improve the function of my personal DIY - ATS's

I have found perhaps my final 'splash guard'

I had some black plastic piping around my house- the smaller one was an old basement sump pump discharge hose; the other was an old downspout discharge hose- hence for this project- $0 additional cost.