Any conrete proof scrubbers work?

[DOTZ]

I have been searching this alot, and it seems everyone who starts one never fallows up on their progress. Inland aquatics uses a turf scrubber on a dump system, and say that coupled with a DSB allows them to do a 5% water change a year.

I still would want to do water changes to add trace elements, however, I also like the idea of not doing so many changes to fight trates and algae.

So is there anyone out there that uses one with good results over a long period of time, and pics too please!?

[mess7777]

Lots of people. Check out the thread in the advanced topics. They aren't perfect, nothing is....but good results can be had.

I got my nitrates down to 0 after a year of fighting, and the scrubber was the missing link for me, at least it seems that way now.

There's a lot of overhype by certain people too, just take everything with a grain of salt.

For me, I got my tank back, pod populations exploded and I am now getting more spontaneous life like sponges and more feather dusters which I think is cool.

[Orm Embar]

I can't quote data, but many people use refugia for filtration, which is essentially macroalgae +/- live rock and/or sand.

My own experience - using macroalgae in a system with live rock and crushed coral worked great with no problems, unless you count the Caulerpa taking over the tank. With different macroalgae, I'd expect the same benefits with less invasion.

Kind of like a "turf scrubber lite," if you'll pardon the comparison between simply having macroalgae in the tank to a dedicated algae turf scrubber with attendant equipment and different types of algae.