algae on glass

[duddi]

I got my new t5 light for christmas (4X54 watt on 55 gallon). Since then I have been getting this yellowish green algae on glass. It looks almost like pollen and when I wipe it off it kinda acts like a powder. If I don't clean for about 4 days it really builds up. Has anyone else experienced this?

My parameters are all good with nitrates around 5.

[melosu58]

I`ve been having that problem for 9 yrs now. A mag float will take care of it. It`s part of reefkeeping. You are OK.

[loyalrogue]

Ditto.
That's what keeps Mag-Float in business. lol

[duddi]

Thanks. How often do you clean? One problem I have is that some of my rocks rest on the back glass and my mag float just can't get to those areas. Any suggestions?

I'm glad that this is normal, I'll just have to get used to using the mag float every day.

[brad3314]

my tank isn't that bad but my girlfriends has always been that way we generally clean her glass every second day or so or just whenever it get's to dirty.

and as for being behind rocks there's no need to bother because you can't see it and for the bits that you can see use the magnet there also if your tank is not to close to the wall or you could use a sponge to scrub it off.

[melosu58]

I have all my rock resting on the back glass to force the fish to swim out front. I dont worry about the back glass.

[Kurt_Nelson]

Just make sure that when you use the mag cleaner, that you don't go all the way down against your substrate. If you have sand, you can end up picking up some grains in the velcro cleaner pad and dragging them across the glass/acrylic causing a scratch. I go down to about a 1/2" to 1" above my sand. Every other week just before a water change, I go in with one of those stainless steel blades on a stick scrapers and scrape off all the buildup along the sand line - as well as along the top that the mag cleaner never seems to get.

And yes... cleaning the glass is an every other day thing for me too. Maybe every third day depending on what my tank is doing.

[loyalrogue]

I've got 7 tanks in my livingroom, and the ones that get indirect sunlight need cleaning more often than the ones that are farther away from the windows.

[dsmlrussell]

Seven tanks! Im jealous My fiance wont let me have more than three!

[Devilishturtles]

Amen, Kurt. I did that....biggest mistake I've ever made!! Scratches all in the glass.

Also, don't buy the cheaper Mag-Float rip-offs...they just wear down easily and scratch your glass too when you don't know it.

[loyalrogue]

Originally Posted by Devilishturtles

Amen, Kurt. I did that....biggest mistake I've ever made!! Scratches all in the glass.

Ditto.
I learned the hard way too.

Originally Posted by dsmlrussell

Seven tanks! Im jealous My fiance wont let me have more than three!

The wife isn't exactly thrilled with it either, but 3 of them are hers so technically I only have 4.

I keep threatening to bring home another aquarium everytime I see a good deal in the paper.
Today I just missed out on a 55gal with hood and stand for $50.
I really freaked her out last week when I told her I was going to go look at a custom 900gal that was in the classifieds for $500.

[dsmlrussell]

Originally Posted by loyalrogue

Ditto.
I learned the hard way too.

The wife isn't exactly thrilled with it either, but 3 of them are hers so technically I only have 4.

I keep threatening to bring home another aquarium everytime I see a good deal in the paper.
Today I just missed out on a 55gal with hood and stand for $50.
I really freaked her out last week when I told her I was going to go look at a custom 900gal that was in the classifieds for $500.

Yeah i threaten her everytime we go to the LFS that im gonna bring home the 180 they have sitting there.