Tying Plants To Wood, Cleaning Tank, Removing Green Spot Alg

[Satsumas]

I have my tank empty now apart from the gravel. Im going to wash the gravel and put it back in its original bag.
I am going to use black sand i have 2 pieces of driftwood for decoration.
Also i have quite a few plants but i mainly want to attach my anubias to 1 piece of driftwood. What do i use to tye it on? I read that fishing line can be used. I think this would be good because its so fine you wouldnt see it.

Is there anything better to use?

Also i am cleaning my tank at the moment, i dont really feel there is any need to do a complete bleach through although it would be good, i dont think its worth the hassle. I am just using washing up liquid at the moment, is thre anything better?

And my tank has green spot algae pretty much all over the inside.
Its the type that just about comes off with a razor blade, but im finding that its moving off slowly with warm soapy water and a scrubbing.

I want it completely gone and it not to come back, my pleco's and oto's cant eat it off so it just makes my tank look dirty. I dont think it will completely go with just washing up liquid so i might have to use some bleach. Also there are some spots of it on my Anubias, how do i go about getting that off?

 

[BrianNY]

It's very dangerous to use any soaps or detergents on aquarium products. I hope you aren't washing the gravel in this as well. Any leftover residue will poison your fish.
I've always cleaned my tanks with hot water and non iodized salt. Unless there is a calcium build-up (which can be cleaned with vinegar), nothing else is needed.

Green spot algae is normal in a healthy tank. A weekly scraping with a straight edge razor blade will keep this under control. I haven't met the fish yet that wants to eat that stuff.

I use cotton thread to tie anubias to rocks or driftwood because eventually it simply disentagrates into the aquarium with no harmful effect. Unlike java fern, it can take anubias quite some time for it's rhizome to adhere.

 

[Satsumas]

Oh yeah i know its dangerous to use soaps or detergents from all of the warnings i've read.

I think i will have to take my tank outside and bleach it through. I might aswell now its empty, i probably wont have this chance again. I bleached my brothers tank right through then thoroughly rinsed it out and my fish are looking better than ever in his tank. So im confident in my capabilities. Only problem is its a little cold here, its snowing! very lightly however but its still very cold!

Right, just ordinary cotton string/thread. Used in sewing? Hopefully its quite a long time until it disentigrates allowing the roots to fix themselves to the wood?

What is rhizome?

 

[Jchillin]

The rhizome kinda looks like a thick root that spreads side to side rather than down. The thinner roots of the individual plants are attached to this.

Cotton thread is fine. It will disintegrate over time.

 

[Satsumas]

Right, i'll get tying then.

Oh right, i know what the rhizome is now, thanks.

I've just bleached my tank and completely, blasted it through with my power hose, then rinsed it. Btw its freezing outside! I brought it inside then filled it up with ordinary tap water then siphoned it all ot again, just to be doubley sure there is no detergant, soap or bleach left in the tank.

I think most of the green spot has gone now but i think it will come back again.
Is there anyway i can get it off my anubias without damaging it?

I still dont have a picture in my mind of how i want my tank to look. I'll just have to go with the stuff i have and do my best. What sort of decor would look good in on a black sand substrate?

 

[pitt420dude]

I have the same problem with spot alge too! HOW do i get it off my anubias? I have an acrylic tank so i cannot use a razor blade because it will scratch the tank. Old fashioned elbow grease isnt working either? Fish are in the tank. Help!!

 

[QTOFFER]

Attaching plants to driftwood:
This only works for plants with a strong rhizome, like anubia and Java fern. My driftwood has plenty of cracks and crevices. I was able to wedge my anubias into them. You can also cut a small groove into the driftwood with a penknife and wedge the anubia into it.

Cleaning algae off plants:
I use a mushroom brush - removes all but the most stubborn blackbrush and green spot algae without damaging the leaf. It has very soft nylon bristles that are designed to remove dirt from edible mushrooms without tearing them up. You can find them at gourmet groceries and kitchen gadget shops for a dollar or two. Different brands have varying bristle softness - you may need to buy a few and experiment.

 

[Satsumas]

Right, well i dont know what a mushroom brush is lol

Ive designed my tank now its all up & running again. When i do a water change i'll experiment with some brushes etc...

 

[QTOFFER]

http://www.kitchenkapers.com/mushroom-brush.html

I have all kinds of kitchen/bath items in my fish stuff cabinet - toothbrushes and nail brushes for scrubbing rocks, slotted spoon for fishing out large debris, turkey baster for starting a siphon, and of course my trusty mushroom brush!

 

[gfink]

....turkey baster for starting a siphon....

Good idea....now I wonder if we have one.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

I use cotton thread that's the same color as the driftwood I'm attaching to. Have also used black, hides very well.