How to grow-thick turf algae

[Cmoua]

So my ATS has been up about 6-7 months now and my ATS is covered in algae, but not in the bright green thick, fluffy turf stuff. Its more like brownish sludge looking algae.

I am currently only light one side of the screen with a 32w CFL. The bulb is about 4" away from the screen.

[dryworm]

you need stronger lighting. you should replace your cfl bulbs every 3 months. try a 45w cfl.

[Danny_B]

how large is your screen? How much do you feed per day. Algae scrubbers are sized based on feeding. How much flow do you have?


New Scrubber Sizing Guideline (Sept 2011)

Scrubbers will now be sized according to feeding. Nutrients "in" (feeding) must equal nutrients "out" (scrubber growth), no matter how many gallons you have. So...

An example VERTICAL waterfall screen size is 3 X 4 inches = 12 square inches of screen (7.5 X 10 cm = 75 sq cm) with a total of 12 real watts (not equivalent) of fluorescent light for 18 hours a day. If all 12 watts are on one side, it is a 1-sided screen. If 6 watts are on each side, it is a 2-sided screen, but the total is still 12 watts for 18 hours a day. This screen size and wattage should be able to handle the following amounts of daily feeding:

1 frozen cube per day (2-sided screen), or
1/2 frozen cube per day (1-sided screen), or
10 pinches of flake food per day (2-sided screen), or
5 pinches of flake food per day (1-sided screen), or
10 square inches (60 sq cm) of nori per day (2-sided screen), or
5 square inches (30 sq cm) of nori per day (1-sided screen), or
0.1 dry ounce (2.8 grams) of pellet food per day (2-sided screen), or
0.05 dry ounce (1.4 grams) of pellet food per day (1-sided screen)

High-wattage technique: Double the wattage, and cut the hours in half (to 9 per day). This will get brown screens to grow green much faster. Thus the example above would be 12 watts on each side, for a total of 24 watts, but for only 9 hours per day. If growth starts to turn YELLOW, then increase the flow, or add iron, or reduce the number of hours. And since the bulbs are operating for 9 hours instead of 18, they will last 6 months instead of 3 months.

HORIZONTAL screens: Multiply the screen size by 4, and the wattage by 1.5

Flow is 24 hours, and is at least 35 gph per inch of width of screen [60 lph per cm], EVEN IF one sided or horizontal.

Very rough screen made of roughed-up-like-a-cactus plastic canvas.

Clean algae off of screen every 7 to 14 days, so that you can see the white screen material.

[kawaiix44]

how large is your screen? How much do you feed per day. Algae scrubbers are sized based on feeding. How much flow do you have?


New Scrubber Sizing Guideline (Sept 2011)

Scrubbers will now be sized according to feeding. Nutrients "in" (feeding) must equal nutrients "out" (scrubber growth), no matter how many gallons you have. So...

An example VERTICAL waterfall screen size is 3 X 4 inches = 12 square inches of screen (7.5 X 10 cm = 75 sq cm) with a total of 12 real watts (not equivalent) of fluorescent light for 18 hours a day. If all 12 watts are on one side, it is a 1-sided screen. If 6 watts are on each side, it is a 2-sided screen, but the total is still 12 watts for 18 hours a day. This screen size and wattage should be able to handle the following amounts of daily feeding:

1 frozen cube per day (2-sided screen), or
1/2 frozen cube per day (1-sided screen), or
10 pinches of flake food per day (2-sided screen), or
5 pinches of flake food per day (1-sided screen), or
10 square inches (60 sq cm) of nori per day (2-sided screen), or
5 square inches (30 sq cm) of nori per day (1-sided screen), or
0.1 dry ounce (2.8 grams) of pellet food per day (2-sided screen), or
0.05 dry ounce (1.4 grams) of pellet food per day (1-sided screen)

High-wattage technique: Double the wattage, and cut the hours in half (to 9 per day). This will get brown screens to grow green much faster. Thus the example above would be 12 watts on each side, for a total of 24 watts, but for only 9 hours per day. If growth starts to turn YELLOW, then increase the flow, or add iron, or reduce the number of hours. And since the bulbs are operating for 9 hours instead of 18, they will last 6 months instead of 3 months.

HORIZONTAL screens: Multiply the screen size by 4, and the wattage by 1.5

Flow is 24 hours, and is at least 35 gph per inch of width of screen [60 lph per cm], EVEN IF one sided or horizontal.

Very rough screen made of roughed-up-like-a-cactus plastic canvas.

Clean algae off of screen every 7 to 14 days, so that you can see the white screen material.

Very well said. Thanks for sharing your insights. I've learned from it.

[Cmoua]

Thanks for the response. I did read those guidelines in the sticky at the top of this forum but I didn't understand it. It makes more sense when you post it here and I can read just this part of the guideline.

As for my screen it is 7x10" lit on one side with a 32w cfl. I keep the light on 12 hours a day. I feed the fish 1 cube of brine shrimp and about 2 pinches of pellet/flakes a day.

I have 9 fishes in the tank (75gal), the largest is a yellow tang. Everything else are gobies and clowns.

I will try the adjustment to double the wattage and run for only 9 hrs a day.
Thanks

[_shorty_]

Thanks for the response. I did read those guidelines in the sticky at the top of this forum but I didn't understand it. It makes more sense when you post it here and I can read just this part of the guideline.

As for my screen it is 7x10" lit on one side with a 32w cfl. I keep the light on 12 hours a day. I feed the fish 1 cube of brine shrimp and about 2 pinches of pellet/flakes a day.

I have 9 fishes in the tank (75gal), the largest is a yellow tang. Everything else are gobies and clowns.

I will try the adjustment to double the wattage and run for only 9 hrs a day.
Thanks

I would only double your wattage if you're adding to the other side. 1x23W on each side... and you can probably run 3" away. You could also increase your photoperiod to 18 on - 6 off and try for a couple weeks. Do you use a reflector on your light? That will help the efficiency of your lighting a lot. IMO it may also help to run the lighting on both sides - which according to specs actually doubles your filtration.

If you don't have the room on the other side of your screen - I'd try the increased photoperiod a little closer to the screen before I upped the wattage.

It can sometimes takes a while to get the nice green stuff - but as long as your growing some algae - it's at least doing something. Just make sure you do your weekly cleanings of half your screen.

edit: just realized I read your post wrong.. you're using a 32W CFL... that should be plenty for 7x10 screen... maybe just increase your photoperiod a little.