Description
How It Works
IceCap Algae Scrubbers are designed to be placed directly into a sump so that the water flowing through the unit can drain directly back into the normal filtration system. Water is fed into the scrubber by the included IceCap EVO water pump. The water going into the unit is trickled down onto a screen that is illuminated on both sides by a powerful field of LED lights. As algae begins to grow on the screen, it “scrubs” the aquarium water of excess nutrients, resulting in less algae growing inside the display tank. Once the screen is covered in algae, it can be “harvested” by removing a sizable portion, thereby removing the contaminants from the system.
How to Harvest Algae
Remove the top and loosen the quick-release union on the side. Lift the pipe and algae screen out and run them underwater in the sink. Use a credit card or similar scraper to remove the buildup. Be careful not to remove all of the algae from the screen as this will slow growth when placed back into the system. Leave some algae behind to seed the next batch so that it can grow faster. Under normal circumstances, expect to harvest algae every 1-3 weeks.
When to Run Your Scrubber
Many hobbyists prefer to run their algae scrubbers on a reverse daylight schedule to help stabilize the pH in their aquarium water. This can be accomplished 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 the display tank lighting.