Algae Scrubbers EXPLAINED: How to Install IceCap's Algae Turf Scrubber to Reduce Nuisance Algae

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Until now, hobbyists looking to set up an algae scrubber would either build one themselves or invest in one of the costly units currently available on the market. The problem with doing it yourself (DIY) is that not everyone is capable of making one, and the components may be unsafe when used in a wet and humid environment. Using a commercially available scrubber solves the safety issue, but the high cost of these units has made it prohibitive for any hobbyist to adapt until now.

IceCap Algae Turf Scrubbers are made to be safe, easy-to-use, and most of all, affordable. You are not going to find a more affordable waterfall-style algae scrubber than an IceCap ATS!

Some companies will even try to upsell you a "light shield" to prevent the scrubber lights from escaping and shining into your sump or living space. Not IceCap! Our scrubbers are fully enclosed. You don't have to remove a big light shield to harvest your algae, either. When harvesting or cleaning, flip open the hinged door on top to access the algae screen.

IceCap Algae Turf Scrubbers use algae as a natural water filter to remove nitrate, phosphate, and other pollutants from your aquarium water.

An algae scrubber allows you to grow algae in a controlled environment where it can be easily removed—thereby removing contaminants from your tank in the process

This all-natural form of water filtration can reduce and even eliminate the need for water changes. Best of all, algae scrubbers are safe for use in freshwater, saltwater, and reef aquarium systems.

The IceCap Turf Scrubbers come in 3 different sizes to fit most needs:

The IceCap Small 20w Algae Turf Scrubber has a compact footprint of 8in x 7in and only 10in tall. It comes with 2 10w LED lamps and handles aquariums up to 80gallons. The Small ATF requires 250gallons of water flow.

The IceCap Medium 60w Algae Turf Scrubber has a footprint of 16in x 10in and only 12in tall. It comes with two 30w LED lamps and handles aquariums up to 225gallons. The Medium ATF requires 500gallons of water flow.

And the large IceCap 120w Algae Turf Scrubber has a footprint of 24in x 12in and only 12in tall. It comes with four 60w LED lamps and handles aquariums up to 350gallons. The Large ATF requires 800gallons of water flow.

IceCap Algae Scrubbers are designed to be mounted above your sump so that the water flowing through the unit can drain back into your regular filtration system. Water can be fed into the scrubber by a standalone pump, via a manifold, or through the drain of your display tank.

The nutrient-rich water going into the unit is trickled down onto a screen that is illuminated on both sides by powerful full-spectrum LED lights. As algae begin to grow on the screen, it "scrubs" your aquarium water of excess nutrients. As the algae cover the entire screen, you "harvest" it by removing a sizable portion, thereby removing the contaminants that fueled its growth from your system.

To install your IceCap Scrubber, you will need:

A feed pump or water source
A timer or controller, and
Plumbing to and from the scrubber

The IceCap Turf scrubbers come fully assembled. Just clean off the packaging material and mount the LED lights to the base of the box with the included plastic thumbscrews.

Install the scrubber above or near your sump on a flat and secure surface. Since the scrubber drains via gravity, position it above the water level of your sump, and both drains from the scrubber must only be plumbed downward into the sump. You will need PVC adapters based on your plumbing setup to run water to and from the scrubber. For the outputs, you can attach a barb and use flexible tubing and for you, plumbing masters, direct plumb it with PVC. The choice is yours.

If you decide to direct glue with PVC, we highly recommend using unions for easy maintenance.

An emergency drain fitting prevents overflowing in case the main drain ever gets clogged with algae. Plumb this drain following the same rules as the main drain. Be sure to fix all PVC fittings with PVC glue properly.

Many hobbyists prefer to run their algae scrubbers on a reverse daylight schedule to help stabilize the pH of your aquarium water. You can accomplish this by plugging the LED lights into a timer or aquarium controller and programming it for a 12-hour daily photoperiod that runs opposite of the daylight schedule of your display tank.

During the first week after installation, only use half the lights to allow the screen to seed.

To harvest the scrubber, flip the top door open and loosen the quick-release union on the side. Lift the pipe and algae screen out and then scrape off algae using an old credit card but do not remove it all. Leave some algae behind to seed the next batch so that it will grow faster. Under normal circumstances, you will be harvesting algae every 1-3 weeks.

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