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Unread 04/18/2014, 08:33 PM   #1
ali1
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Reducing nitrates with Surf

I've been looking at the Surf (from Santa Monica), and I can't justify spending $480+ for what appears to be styrofoam with a few leds attached. I'm thinking of going back to algae scrubber, but the reason I took it down was because it was a mess and cumbersome to clean. Is there a DIY Surf or alternative to reducing nitrates. vodka dosing isn't doing the trick.


Thanks,
Ali


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Originally Posted by Gogandantess

"I'm totally frustrated by this disease. My display has been fallow for 2 months now. If ich happened to mysteriously appear again, I'm giving up and going back to African Cichilds."
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Unread 04/19/2014, 09:07 AM   #2
john08007
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never heard of it, have a link? Tried to look it up on Google but couldn't find it


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Unread 04/19/2014, 11:20 AM   #3
ali1
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http://www.santa-monica.cc/SURF4-flo...-day_p_46.html


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Originally Posted by Gogandantess

"I'm totally frustrated by this disease. My display has been fallow for 2 months now. If ich happened to mysteriously appear again, I'm giving up and going back to African Cichilds."
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Unread 04/19/2014, 11:36 AM   #4
tkeracer619
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Interesting.

Vodka does work. How did you use it?

Maybe biopellets and a better skimmer?


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Unread 04/19/2014, 09:53 PM   #5
john08007
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It does look like a floating styrofoam block that has some holes in the bottom to allow the water to get inside where the mat is, then it has an led on top. I have seen a few diy algae scrubbers, only prob I have with them is that from what I read is that you must keep up with them on a regular basis. What does the rest of your filter look like? Refugium? Reactors?


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Unread 04/19/2014, 10:18 PM   #6
Realposition
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If you read santa monicas forum a lot of people have complaints about poor growth with the surf


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Unread 04/19/2014, 11:51 PM   #7
AcroporAddict
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Have you considered using a sulfur denitrator? I have one on my 465 gallon SPS reef and it works great. Here is a typical commercially available model.

http://www.marinedepot.com/filters_k...trator-ap.html

You can also DIY this, or probably convert a calcium reactor to do the job. I love mine.


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Unread 04/20/2014, 07:14 AM   #8
ken6217
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Out of curiosity, does anyone know if any of the Santa Monica algae scrubbers work?
Ken


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Unread 04/20/2014, 07:28 AM   #9
ali1
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i setup a diy algae scrubber at one point. It kept my nitrates at 0. Problem was its messy and difficult to remove and clean. it's not plug and play.


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Originally Posted by Gogandantess

"I'm totally frustrated by this disease. My display has been fallow for 2 months now. If ich happened to mysteriously appear again, I'm giving up and going back to African Cichilds."
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Unread 04/20/2014, 05:43 PM   #10
origreefer
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Never heard of it. I use a biopellet reactor, that has done the trick for me, zero nitrates or phosphate since using it. Way cheaper than what you have described as the Surf


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Unread 04/20/2014, 07:09 PM   #11
john08007
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My plan is a DIY nitrate reactor, think that's what people are calling it. Basically a 4" pvc pipe with a long run of a small diameter hose coiled inside. Water pumps very slowly through it, from what I have researched they seem pretty maintenance free and seem to work.



Last edited by john08007; 04/20/2014 at 07:09 PM. Reason: typo
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