Cleaning glass

Goatonfly · 08/08/2016, 07:19 PM

I had some brownish algae accumilating on the glass and cleaned it last week. Some areas I couldn't reach now look way worse than before. I also was trying to get the stuff close to the sand and ended up mixing it up a little. It looks like a little bit of diatoms is (are?) coming back in places. Anyone have a similar experience? Maybe I need a thin scraper to reach the glass areas close to rocks.

Seahorse NJRC · 08/08/2016, 08:10 PM

I use a razor blade to scrape my glass. You could get a magnet scraper. Is your tank glass or acrylic? My answer is based on glass.

davehead86 · 08/08/2016, 08:41 PM

Stuff on the glass is totally normal. You need to get a sponge on a stick kind of cleaner to get those hard spaces of it bothers you.

Sand gets funky and gunky if you over feed your fish. Are you feeding everyday?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Goatonfly · 08/08/2016, 08:43 PM

I have glass. And I have been feeding once a day.

Mr.Mulley54 · 08/08/2016, 08:48 PM

The tunze magnet is awesome very thin and the ability to install razor blade. Also the way it's designed it's meant to get down to the sand and not disturb it to much and not scratch the glass.

C.Eymann · 08/08/2016, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goatonfly

I have glass. And I have been feeding once a day.

.

OrQidz · 08/08/2016, 09:15 PM

Cleaning the glass is pretty standard tank maintenance so not to worry. If your tank is new you'll have a diatom bloom for a while, most likely. Figure out what will work for you, whether it will be a algae scraper magnet, or a long handled scrubber, or the plastic edge of credit card works too.

Grimreaperz · 08/09/2016, 03:46 AM

Natural solutions for diatoms and algae are CUC (clean up crew) I got Banded Trochus Snails and they love the diatoms 5 of them cleaned my 36g in about a week. And they can right them selves I always see them cleaning my glass too. I only manually clean the front of my tank. Sides and back I don't care about hoping for coraline coverage at some point of sides and back.

But with a new tank and new sand yes they are normal. New sand comes with new silicates. Diatoms feed on silicates. If you stir up the sand. New sand is at the top allowing more silicates to be leached out causing them to re-apear in that spot. Happened to me as well. I just had to swap out my sand bed because I used the wrong stuff and my diatoms are just starting back up again. Don't stress about them too much though.

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk

Goatonfly · 08/09/2016, 06:08 PM

Okay thanks everyone. I had a diatom bloom about a 6 weeks ago and it went away after a week or two. I'll try not to stir up the sand in the future. I have to snails that stay buried in the sand.

scooter31707 · 08/10/2016, 10:53 AM

I use the Flipper. It works get for cleaning where the glass meets the sandbed and for them stubborn coralline algae spots.

scooter31707 · 08/10/2016, 10:54 AM

Forgot, here's the link.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...4&pcatid=33094

billdogg · 08/10/2016, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scooter31707

I use the Flipper. It works get for cleaning where the glass meets the sandbed and for them stubborn coralline algae spots.

Quote:

Originally Posted by scooter31707

Forgot, here's the link.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...4&pcatid=33094

I have used pretty much every brand scraper on the market. The Flipper is, by far, the best I have ever used. It is so easy to use even my wife will clean the glass!

MuShu · 08/10/2016, 07:10 PM

I use a toothbrush for the area near the sand and all the corners.

Mark9 · 08/11/2016, 05:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scooter31707

I use the Flipper. It works get for cleaning where the glass meets the sandbed and for them stubborn coralline algae spots.

+1 on the Flipper, best glass cleaner ever!

ReefsandGeeks · 08/11/2016, 06:29 AM

I also love my flipper. I did get a scratch on my tank while using mine before, but after seeking help, I'm fairly convinced it was either a bit of sand on it, or a vermentid snail or something of the sort. Since then, I don't store my flipper in the tank. I only put it in to clean, then take it out and put in a ziplock bag under the stand.

ReefsandGeeks · 08/11/2016, 06:32 AM

Not to hyjac the thread, but I recently watched a video on how to clean aquarium glass (killing some idol time at work) and the guy used a handheld scraper, and pushed the scraper past the sandbed, down a good inch into the sand to scrape off the stuff between the sand and the glass. I cringed when I saw this! All I could think is the glass getting scratched up. Does anyone else do this? will this scratch the glass, or have I been too particular in not getting within 1/4" of the sand?

08/08/2016, 07:19 PM	#1
Goatonfly Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 113	Cleaning glass I had some brownish algae accumilating on the glass and cleaned it last week. Some areas I couldn't reach now look way worse than before. I also was trying to get the stuff close to the sand and ended up mixing it up a little. It looks like a little bit of diatoms is (are?) coming back in places. Anyone have a similar experience? Maybe I need a thin scraper to reach the glass areas close to rocks.

08/08/2016, 08:41 PM	#3
davehead86 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Monticello, IL Posts: 819	Stuff on the glass is totally normal. You need to get a sponge on a stick kind of cleaner to get those hard spaces of it bothers you. Sand gets funky and gunky if you over feed your fish. Are you feeding everyday? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ My build thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=24225945#post24225945 Current Tank: 65 Gallon Mixed Reef\| 40B Sump\| 2 Radion Gen 3's\| 2 MP10wes\| Vectra M1 \| Reefkeeper Lite

08/08/2016, 08:10 PM	#2
Seahorse NJRC Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: NJ Posts: 216	I use a razor blade to scrape my glass. You could get a magnet scraper. Is your tank glass or acrylic? My answer is based on glass.

08/08/2016, 08:43 PM	#4
Goatonfly Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 113	I have glass. And I have been feeding once a day.

08/08/2016, 08:48 PM	#5
Mr.Mulley54 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: gloucester, ma Posts: 135	The tunze magnet is awesome very thin and the ability to install razor blade. Also the way it's designed it's meant to get down to the sand and not disturb it to much and not scratch the glass.

08/08/2016, 09:15 PM	#7
OrQidz Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Pacific Northwest Posts: 825	Cleaning the glass is pretty standard tank maintenance so not to worry. If your tank is new you'll have a diatom bloom for a while, most likely. Figure out what will work for you, whether it will be a algae scraper magnet, or a long handled scrubber, or the plastic edge of credit card works too.

08/09/2016, 03:46 AM	#8
Grimreaperz Registered Member Join Date: May 2016 Location: British Columbia Posts: 518	Natural solutions for diatoms and algae are CUC (clean up crew) I got Banded Trochus Snails and they love the diatoms 5 of them cleaned my 36g in about a week. And they can right them selves I always see them cleaning my glass too. I only manually clean the front of my tank. Sides and back I don't care about hoping for coraline coverage at some point of sides and back. But with a new tank and new sand yes they are normal. New sand comes with new silicates. Diatoms feed on silicates. If you stir up the sand. New sand is at the top allowing more silicates to be leached out causing them to re-apear in that spot. Happened to me as well. I just had to swap out my sand bed because I used the wrong stuff and my diatoms are just starting back up again. Don't stress about them too much though. Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk

08/09/2016, 06:08 PM	#9
Goatonfly Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 113	Okay thanks everyone. I had a diatom bloom about a 6 weeks ago and it went away after a week or two. I'll try not to stir up the sand in the future. I have to snails that stay buried in the sand.

08/10/2016, 10:53 AM	#10
scooter31707 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Virginia Posts: 4,971	I use the Flipper. It works get for cleaning where the glass meets the sandbed and for them stubborn coralline algae spots.

08/10/2016, 10:54 AM	#11
scooter31707 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Virginia Posts: 4,971	Forgot, here's the link. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...4&pcatid=33094

08/10/2016, 07:10 PM	#13
MuShu Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Georgia Posts: 322	I use a toothbrush for the area near the sand and all the corners.

08/11/2016, 06:29 AM	#15
ReefsandGeeks Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 1,708	I also love my flipper. I did get a scratch on my tank while using mine before, but after seeking help, I'm fairly convinced it was either a bit of sand on it, or a vermentid snail or something of the sort. Since then, I don't store my flipper in the tank. I only put it in to clean, then take it out and put in a ziplock bag under the stand.

08/11/2016, 06:32 AM	#16
ReefsandGeeks Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 1,708	Not to hyjac the thread, but I recently watched a video on how to clean aquarium glass (killing some idol time at work) and the guy used a handheld scraper, and pushed the scraper past the sandbed, down a good inch into the sand to scrape off the stuff between the sand and the glass. I cringed when I saw this! All I could think is the glass getting scratched up. Does anyone else do this? will this scratch the glass, or have I been too particular in not getting within 1/4" of the sand?