Algae On Glass

[360º]

so i find myself cleaning the glass (with the magnet) at least twice a day! when i clean it, it looks like dust coming off the glass

my nitrates are <5ppm and I use RO/DI water with instant ocean salt

i admit my lights are on longer than they should be(12 hours)

but is there anything i can do to slow down or eliminate the algae growth on the glass?

 

[melosu58]

Mine`s been doing that for 13 yrs now. I have to do it everyday. Just part of reef keeping IME.

 

[360º]

so theres no way to prevent it?

frick i wish there were saltwater plecos

 

[joy13]

Lawnmower blenny but then you will have lip prints all over your glass. Starry blenny is another one that is good for that. If you decide to get one you might consider getting algae sheets too for them when they can't get enough off the glass. As drab and uncolorful as they are mine has a personality to make up for it.

 

[melosu58]

I have lip marks all over my glass from my Yellow eyed Kole tang.

 

[Zer0]

Snails are basically saltwater plecos. If you find you have an excess of algae growing, i think it may be time to up your CUC. But yeah, i got that film stuff all of the time, it's just part of reefkeeping.

 

[Darwin]

have you thought about a algae turf scrubber? The basic concept is that you build a place that cultures the algae in a out of sight area, the water that comes out has less of the mins and nitrates/nitrites that the algae in your tank can use to build with. there are several threads on this device. here is the one that came to mind when I saw your post. Its by floyd

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f20/algae-turf-scrubber-ats-diy-build-135180.html

 

[dadime69]

have you thought about a algae turf scrubber? The basic concept is that you build a place that cultures the algae in a out of sight area, the water that comes out has less of the mins and nitrates/nitrites that the algae in your tank can use to build with. there are several threads on this device. here is the one that came to mind when I saw your post. Its by floyd

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f20/algae-turf-scrubber-ats-diy-build-135180.html

U need a fuge man have chato micro alge suck out all the nutrients that the hair n other **** u don't want grow from I keep my lights full time on it n I got heavy light on my tank 135 gal n I only clean my glass once a week or more

 

[360º]

i have an algae blenny and bunch of snails.... leaves lip marks all over the glass which is worse than having a solid sheet of algae.... i guess ill just be cleaning it

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

...
i admit my lights are on longer than they should be(12 hours)
...

Seems to me that you found your own answer!

Cleaning the glass twice a day seems a bit excessive, but I suppose it all depends on how clean you want it. I'm doing it once a day, for the most part. As others have said, it's just a fact of life. (But 10 hours/day on the lights might help you out...)

 

[iDream]

My lights are only on 8hrs and I still get the algae, maybe not that frequently but I still get it. My turbos clean, but not all of it, and I never get lip marks from my starry blenny! (And he's not drab colored )

 

[360º]

im a pretty fussy person. i dont like blurry spots on my tank glass so i clean it twice a day to make sure its crystal clean...... and i dont really like my tank being dark during the day it defeats the purpose.... i like to look at my tank during the day while im home

 

[Unicorn]

I like cleaning the glass, it relaxes me and I think its fun. Gee I wish cleaning the house would be the same :-/

 

[360º]

I like cleaning the glass, it relaxes me and I think its fun. Gee I wish cleaning the house would be the same :-/

cleaning the glass stresses me out....... im constantly afraid im gonna scratch the glass

 

[PrettyFishies]

So, lights on 24/7 for the refugium and cheato?

 

[Emelinda76]

cleaning the glass stresses me out....... im constantly afraid im gonna scratch the glass

I agree with you.. This also my concern. I've already scratched my tank.. Scrtch measures about 6 inches long grrr .

Anyone know someone who can repair glass scratches?

 

[360º]

I agree with you.. This also my concern. I've already scratched my tank.. Scrtch measures about 6 inches long grrr .

Anyone know someone who can repair glass scratches?

i looked into it and was told it cant be done.....

 

[Emelinda76]

 

[177ichael]

2 times a day seems like a lot of buildup in my experience. Using a phosphate remover and cutting lights back should make a marked difference on your algae buildup all around.

 

[Sqasnatch]

I turn the lights on during night for refugium, I read somewhere it helps provide oxygen at night for your tank