media baskets from InTank

[water_man11]

I have the media basket and refugium in the back of my bc29. I am having a problem with coraline and other algae growth in the media compartments where I have Purgen and ChemiPure restricting flow. I am thinking of drying the clear basket and spray painting it. Will the spray paint in the water hurt the tank? Need to keep the light out of the filter media.

 

[Qube]

Why not just soak the basket in a vinegar/water solution for an hour or so. Loosens up the coralline so it can be easily scrubbed off and your done. Personally, I wouldn't put anything that has spray paint on it in my tank.

 

[water_man11]

The algea growing.on the media bags is the issue, not long before they are coated and obstructing the water flow

 

[Convict2161]

How old is the tank? In the BC29 I see the fuge as a total waste of time, money etc... If your up on weekly water changes etc you don't really need it.

Keeping the light out will be pretty much impossible unless your using the submersible one. The other lights that go through the back window is going to light it up regardless.

I also wouldn't recommend painting any part of that media basket.

What type of algae is growing on your media bags? I also have the BC29 and don't have any algae growing on any media bags.

Maybe find the source of the growth? Are you sure it's just the light causing it?

Sorry for all the questions, I've done ALOT of research on the BC29 and the components. Also I've been in contact with inTank numerous times and I will ask him what he thinks about your issue and report back.

 

[water_man11]

The bc is an older model I got second hand. I have modified it and it has been running for 1 year. I have a.light going through the back of the tank which I scraped off.

I really like the refugium, harvesting macro cheato and pods is really satisfying. I find that with the fuge and the water changes, I have pretty much zero nitrates. The algae growth on the bags is a combo of diatoms and purple coraline. It could be the mesh on the purgem is very fine as well.

I have sent an email to in tank and they thanked me for my critique.

 

[Convict2161]

What type of corals do you have? Personally I like to have .05 nitrAtes. There is such a thing as too clean of a tank, I've learned this over the years and didn't think it was possible.

 

[water_man11]

I am using the API test, so it is that bottom range, my bad. I have a Monti cap, bubble, xenia, gsp, zoa, leather, and Kenyan tree. I also have 4inch sand bed, 35# LR l, a LTA, pair of clowns, and a 6 line wrasse.