secrets to cleaning algae

[bschnuck]

How do most of you go about cleaning the glass on your tank? My back wall gets the most of it, and with the live rock its very difficult to clean off without disrupting the rocks, etc. I was wondering if you guy can share any secrets with me, or, what the key is.

Should i turn the powerheads (2 maxijets 1200) so they blow on the back glass? Maybe i need to add more snails, or some sort of cleaner fish to the tank. Thanks again for your help.

 

[bschnuck]

need to add some info here...tank has been running for 5 months. Lights are on about 5 hours a day. I do use tap water which may be part of the problem. I wouldnt call it an outbreak. The powerheads are all that i run on the tank. Do water changes every other weekend, have a skimmer, but only have a clown fish in the tank at this time so there isnt much to skim out so it's not running. It's a 55 gal FOWLR.

 

[seafan]

Well I actually getting my tank this month, but I maintain someone else's tank for extra-money. You have two options; either move the live rock, or get an algae mit and a manuel algae razor. The truth is when setting up a tank, keep the live rock 1" away from the glass. The problem gets realy scary when you have corals next to the glass.

P.S get an RO unit. It is worth the investment.

 

[Salttanker]

Some of the brown algae is really easy to get off. I bought a magna-float. If you get a big enough one, it will be effective on your glass. You never get your hands wet either.
Good filtration will help keep algae from growing on those dead spots. Using tap water will definitely keep you busy cleaning algae all the time.


Mike

 

[phases99]

Get yourself some Astraea snails. I don't bother cleaning the back only the front and sides. The magna float does make life easier. You want to avoid deadspots so place PH's accordingly.

 

[lando]

I would not bother to clean the back of the tank either. Mine now has lots of coraline algea coverng it. As far as teh sides and front go, get a mag-float. They seem to work well. I just use a dish washing sponge. One with a spnge on one side and the abrassive pad on the other. If you have an acrilic tank, you need to be very careful as they scratch easily.

 

[austinsdad]

Between the return flow high along the back wall, rocks leaning against it, and snails, I don't clean my back either. Just white spots. No algae. It did have lots at about 4 - 6 months old, but things worked out and I don't touch it now.

 

[ellisz]

I get corraline in the corners and at the sand bed line. Kind of tough to get to the bottom and scrap it off. Razor blades work the best but they alway rust prettty fast.

 

[pipermurphy]

Try the scaper by Kent they have 2 types one with a short handle, one with a long handle. The long handle lets you get down to sand line and scrape the hard coralline growth. The blades are stainless and throw aways. The replacements are pretty cheap.

I bet the vast majority of people here all let the back of the tank go wild.

 

[Gauge]

I bet the vast majority of people here all let the back of the tank go wild.

I know I do.

 

[Salttanker]

I used to clean it until I gave up on it. It is too hard getting back there and cleaning it. It just comes back too fast!

Mike