cant scrub algae off?

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mikeybabs

Aquarium Advice Freak
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Apr 24, 2011
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whatever i do i cant scrub this algae off

any tips?

thx
 

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I tried a magnetic scraper rated for a 125 gallon tank... A algae scraper brush pad that I found at walmart and a hard plastic algae scraper... It seems to be coming off a little at a time but at the rate I'm going it will take weeks lol :(

There must be a solution... What about those metal brillow pad type things?
 
mikeybabs said:
I tried a magnetic scraper rated for a 125 gallon tank... A algae scraper brush pad that I found at walmart and a hard plastic algae scraper... It seems to be coming off a little at a time but at the rate I'm going it will take weeks lol :(

There must be a solution... What about those metal brillow pad type things?
Click to expand...

Can u identify the algae? I don't think it's diatom, diatoms are easy to remove.
 
Not really sure what time. It seems like some type of crustation whitish clear algae. Must be some type of algae idk. I know it's not the brown diatom kind. Whoever had this tank wasn't doing maintenance on it for a long time and they were moving and gave me the tank for free so I gave it to my parents... I put a lot of muscle into the scraping and it just seems to stick like crazy :(
 
Hubert90 said:
Can u identify the algae? I don't think it's diatom, diatoms are easy to remove.
Click to expand...

I dont know the type maybe you can tell from the pictures?
 
mikeybabs said:
Not really sure what time. It seems like some type of crustation whitish clear algae. Must be some type of algae idk. I know it's not the brown diatom kind. Whoever had this tank wasn't doing maintenance on it for a long time and they were moving and gave me the tank for free so I gave it to my parents... I put a lot of muscle into the scraping and it just seems to stick like crazy :(
Click to expand...

Ok what do u have any live plants in ur tank? If not do a black out for 2 weeks.
 
Hubert90 said:
Ok what do u have any live plants in ur tank? If not do a black out for 2 weeks.
Click to expand...

How will that help? I don't think it's a matter of the algae growing. It's a matter of it coming off. Will it be easier to scrub in 2 weeks if I leave the lights out? Also when I got the tank the water wasn't filled to the top it was empty in the regions where this algae is stuck. Could it be that the lights were burning in the remaining algae where there was no water covering it? I have a feeling it will be easier to scrub off after awhile if I just leave water covering the sticking algae as it was not filled with water before. No live plants in it tho.
 
mikeybabs said:
How will that help? I don't think it's a matter of the algae growing. It's a matter of it coming off. Will it be easier to scrub in 2 weeks if I leave the lights out? Also when I got the tank the water wasn't filled to the top it was empty in the regions where this algae is stuck. Could it be that the lights were burning in the remaining algae where there was no water covering it? I have a feeling it will be easier to scrub off after awhile if I just leave water covering the sticking algae as it was not filled with water before. No live plants in it tho.
Click to expand...

Well Aglae needs light to grow right? So total blackout for a week or 2 will kill it?
 
I know it's probably unfeasible but I had algae that looked just like that...I had to take down the tank and scrub it with bleach and really hot water before it came off...If it feels slimy, could be a bacteria called Cyanobacteria, in which case you will need to turn off the lights and perhaps use antibiotics. Is your tank glass or acrylic? I think if it's acrylic with scratches, the algae will probably be more difficult to remove if its "rooted" into the acrylic?

Good luck with your problem, I hope it clears up. :)
 
And I don't think algae can get burned from the heat produced by a fluorescent light. Algae grows on my hood! Hahaha where there little to no water.
 
Ches said:
I know it's probably unfeasible but I had algae that looked just like that...I had to take down the tank and scrub it with bleach and really hot water before it came off...If it feels slimy, could be a bacteria called Cyanobacteria, in which case you will need to turn off the lights and perhaps use antibiotics. Is your tank glass or acrylic? I think if it's acrylic with scratches, the algae will probably be more difficult to remove if its "rooted" into the acrylic?

Good luck with your problem, I hope it clears up. :)
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Thank you very much.... I really don't want to take down the tank so how can I remove it while the tank is up? What kind of antibiotics? So should I keep the lights off for 2 weeks? I will check if it's slimy when I go to my parents house next.
 
I have HEARD that Magic Erasers work absolute miracles. However, I have never personally used or researched them...so make sure you do a ton of checking around to make sure they don't contain chems or anything harmful to your fish.
 
eco23 said:
I have HEARD that Magic Erasers work absolute miracles. However, I have never personally used or researched them...so make sure you do a ton of checking around to make sure they don't contain chems or anything harmful to your fish.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip! I will look into it! :)
 
Just to throw in my 2 cents. I have a hardwater issue so if the last owner didn't keep the water level up it could cause a hardwater stain on the glass. Don't rule out what everyone else has said, just thought I would throw that in. And as far as removing the hardwater stains, I haven't found anything yet that works, the magnet pad doesn't work and my algae scrubber doesn't do anything either.
 
GoneFishing said:
Just to throw in my 2 cents. I have a hardwater issue so if the last owner didn't keep the water level up it could cause a hardwater stain on the glass. Don't rule out what everyone else has said, just thought I would throw that in. And as far as removing the hardwater stains, I haven't found anything yet that works, the magnet pad doesn't work and my algae scrubber doesn't do anything either.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the heads up... I don't think its a hardwater stain because it seems crusty and I have slightly removed some of it so far with lots of hard scraping. Im going to see If magic erasers work and I will post my results.

Thanks everyone :)
 
Sounds/looks exactly like hard water stains with dried algae on it which can happen when the water levels aren't kept up. Which you said the previous owner did not. The only way I have gotten that kind of stuff off is with a sharp razor blade and vinegar/ water solution.
 
Mogurako said:
Sounds/looks exactly like hard water stains with dried algae on it which can happen when the water levels aren't kept up. Which you said the previous owner did not. The only way I have gotten that kind of stuff off is with a sharp razor blade and vinegar/ water solution.
Click to expand...

Will the razor scratch the glass? Can you use any razor? Like one of those flat razor blades?
 
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