Algae Scrubber Disaster

[windcoast reefs]

Sorry to hear about yor losses!

I can honestly say I've never had anything like that happen. Could it possibly be that the algae is causing denitrification? Since it stores some nitrates it could store them long enough and act live a substrate does in the ocean, basically breaking it down into ammonia and not fully into nitrogen gas. Then when you disturb it, it releases the ammonia in small amounts. That might explain why your smaller fish die Shelley. And possibly when a large amount of algae is disturbed, like in an algae scrubber, the larger fish die to.

If I'm right, then I would try turning the ball valve off for the drain and taking the algae out for cleaning, then sucking all the extra water out of the algae scrubber and testing it for ammonia.

Just an idea though!

[monocus]

my scrubber is built the same way sitting on my sump with 2" clearance to the top of my stand.i've never had any problem while or after changing.it almost sounds like your o2 is very low in your tank and when you turn the pumps off the o2 is rapidly depleted.you shouldn't be getting a spike in ammonia by changing your algae scrubber which soaks up nitrates and phosphates

[windcoast reefs]

Originally Posted by monocus

my scrubber is built the same way sitting on my sump with 2" clearance to the top of my stand.i've never had any problem while or after changing.it almost sounds like your o2 is very low in your tank and when you turn the pumps off the o2 is rapidly depleted.you shouldn't be getting a spike in ammonia by changing your algae scrubber which soaks up nitrates and phosphates

Yeah that's possible as well, but what I was saying is that when there is nitrites, they can denitrify down to ammonia.

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by monocus

my scrubber is built the same way sitting on my sump with 2" clearance to the top of my stand.i've never had any problem while or after changing.it almost sounds like your o2 is very low in your tank and when you turn the pumps off the o2 is rapidly depleted.you shouldn't be getting a spike in ammonia by changing your algae scrubber which soaks up nitrates and phosphates

id have to agree , ive spilled skimmer cups , full ats mats and all inds of junk i didnt mean to and never had the ill effects yur describing.

i can almost bet its the lack of oxygen when the sheet is cleaned that the mature algae gives off that is causing you grief.

have you posted this on algaescrubber.net??

i bet you would get the answer you need off that forumn

good luck

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Try adding an air pump and air stones into your display when you clean your scrubber, to help oxygenate the water.

[Myka]

Originally Posted by monocus

my scrubber is built the same way sitting on my sump with 2" clearance to the top of my stand.i've never had any problem while or after changing.it almost sounds like your o2 is very low in your tank and when you turn the pumps off the o2 is rapidly depleted.you shouldn't be getting a spike in ammonia by changing your algae scrubber which soaks up nitrates and phosphates

Exactly what I was thinking, it does sound like oxygen deprivation. Ammonia won't spike that fast. I'm not really confident that oxygen would deplete so badly in only 5 minutes though. I have a hard time believing your tank is so overstocked that one of several pumps being off causes almost immediate oxygen deprivation.

Do you have a skimmer on this tank? Are the return pump and powerheads still operating while you clean the ATS?