Algae on the Glass

carfac · 12/14/2006, 11:25 PM

I feel bad complaining about this, when I have read some other peoples REAL algae problems, but here goes....

After about 3-4 days, I get a pretty good build up of algae on my glass. I have the regular assortment of cleaners, a couple turbos narcissus, cerinths and such, and they eat at it, but they leave paths and marks.

I have a magnet cleaner, but it is pretty worthless (maybe I need a bigger one????)

So once to twice a week, I get in there with a credit card and scrape.

I THINK it is worse when I add photoplankton.

Is there any good way to keep this down, or an easier way to clean it?

Dave

old salty · 12/14/2006, 11:43 PM

I use a Mag Float that is rated for the next size larger than my tank. Works like a champ!

GreenBay1 · 12/14/2006, 11:50 PM

How old is the setup, what are your test readings?

supertech3 · 12/15/2006, 12:00 AM

How often do you do water changes and what qty?What type of water do you use for water changes and top-off water?

Blown 346 · 12/15/2006, 12:53 AM

Algae forming on the glass in a few days is normal. Unless you have phophates.

carfac · 12/15/2006, 08:13 AM

>>> How old is the setup, what are your test readings?

See sig! (24 gal nano, since June). Readings are very stable- 1.026, 0 nh3, 0 no2, 0 no3, Ca 425ish

>>> How often do you do water changes and what qty?What type of water do you use for water changes and top-off water?

I change 5 gal a week, using RO water from my LFS. I keep RO FW for top off, and I do by hand... (I have ONCE used tap water- I ran out of RO water- and it was a cup or two. Months ago.)

DAve

Dave

carfac · 12/15/2006, 08:36 AM

Oh, and I do have pretty good circulation. I forgot the exact model numbers, but I upgraded the pump in the Nano to a Maxijet (900 maybe?) and I have a MaxiJet 600 with a rotating nozzle in the tank... so the water does get pushed around a LOT!

serpentman · 12/15/2006, 08:41 AM

I have the same thing and have pretty much lived with it. The stuff I have is pretty tough and almost calcarius in nature. I bought a scraper with a handle and every 3-4days manually scrape it off. The tang goes nuts when I do this so its not all bad.

carfac · 12/15/2006, 08:54 AM

I figured it was probably just natural... some of it is REALLY tough stuff! Also starting to get the Coralline real thick on the back, but I am keeping that off the acrylic so far.

Tank seems healthy as can be- Zoos have 3x in amonth (well, one batch of them... my Blues are about 50% bigger), leather is gigantic, brain is so open it looks sick, xenia is as Xenia does (that is, it's a weed!), fish are perky and bright! Tank is healthy as can be.

I did a LOT of reading before I started, and really tried to be educated as I can... and this forum has helped a LOT (Jonathan B!).

I just hate scraping!

OK Dave, just get used to it!

aquabreeder · 12/15/2006, 09:35 AM

I used to have the same problem until I introduce some tubro snail and hermit crab to my tank. Now my tank look lot better and i only have to clean the glass a little bit every two weeks.
Good luck.

aquabreeder · 12/15/2006, 09:35 AM

I used to have the same problem until I introduce some tubro snail and hermit crab to my tank. Now my tank look lot better and i only have to clean the glass a little bit every two weeks.
Good luck.

aquabreeder · 12/15/2006, 09:35 AM

I used to have the same problem until I introduce some tubro snail and hermit crab to my tank. Now my tank look lot better and i only have to clean the glass a little bit every two weeks.
Good luck.

GreenBay1 · 12/15/2006, 12:31 PM

Do you have any natural sunlight hitting the tank? That can cause "bag" algae to grow. If not, then you will just have to live with scraping like the rest of us in the hobby

gary faulkner · 12/15/2006, 01:02 PM

Algae on the glass is pretty normal.

If I were you I would be more concerned with that three eyed fish you have swimming around. : )

REMF · 12/15/2006, 01:16 PM

Mag float

paradicio · 12/15/2006, 01:33 PM

I've got a 24g Aquapod, I do 4g water changes every week. Ammonia, Nitrates, Nitrites, all read 0, phosphate from 0 - .1, Ph 8.2, Sg 1.026. I scrape algae off the glass about twice a week. I was using a mag float, but to be honest it kind of sucks. Now I just suck it up and use one of those sponge scrapers.

I'll be setting up my 120g next year. Do those of you with larger tanks have to scrape so often as well? Does having a sump/fuge loaded with macros help?

REMF · 12/15/2006, 01:38 PM

If you use a mag float, do it before the algae has a chance to encrust. If you keep up with it (I mag mine every other day, takes about 2 min on my 75g). it should not get hard.

If I wait and neglect to mag, algae will encrust and then I have to scrape (PITA).

carfac · 12/15/2006, 01:38 PM

Yeah, the Mag Float I have is not worth the effort- I have tough algae!

12/14/2006, 11:25 PM	#1
carfac Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Salt Lake City, UT Posts: 362	Algae on the Glass I feel bad complaining about this, when I have read some other peoples REAL algae problems, but here goes.... After about 3-4 days, I get a pretty good build up of algae on my glass. I have the regular assortment of cleaners, a couple turbos narcissus, cerinths and such, and they eat at it, but they leave paths and marks. I have a magnet cleaner, but it is pretty worthless (maybe I need a bigger one????) So once to twice a week, I get in there with a credit card and scrape. I THINK it is worse when I add photoplankton. Is there any good way to keep this down, or an easier way to clean it? Dave

12/14/2006, 11:43 PM	#2
old salty Genius Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: The Island of Misfit Toys Posts: 3,131	I use a Mag Float that is rated for the next size larger than my tank. Works like a champ! __________________ "The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers." Thomas Jefferson Current Tank Info: Out of the marine aquarium hobby

12/14/2006, 11:50 PM	#3
GreenBay1 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Illinois Posts: 503	How old is the setup, what are your test readings? __________________ There but for the flip of a coin go we. Current Tank Info: 30 gal. super softy tank with 55 lbs. of live rock. 150 watt MH with 14k bulb. 6 gal. hang on fuge with lots of chaeto. Many soft corals. mushrooms, leathers, xenia, anthia, clove polyps, rainbow rics, red zoo's, GSP and BTA's. 225 in progress.

12/15/2006, 08:13 AM	#6
carfac Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Salt Lake City, UT Posts: 362	>>> How old is the setup, what are your test readings? See sig! (24 gal nano, since June). Readings are very stable- 1.026, 0 nh3, 0 no2, 0 no3, Ca 425ish >>> How often do you do water changes and what qty?What type of water do you use for water changes and top-off water? I change 5 gal a week, using RO water from my LFS. I keep RO FW for top off, and I do by hand... (I have ONCE used tap water- I ran out of RO water- and it was a cup or two. Months ago.) DAve Dave Last edited by carfac; 12/15/2006 at 08:34 AM.

12/15/2006, 08:41 AM	#8
serpentman part time superhero Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Deep in the Heart of the Snowbelt (NE OHIO) Posts: 5,698	I have the same thing and have pretty much lived with it. The stuff I have is pretty tough and almost calcarius in nature. I bought a scraper with a handle and every 3-4days manually scrape it off. The tang goes nuts when I do this so its not all bad. __________________ BS in Marine Bio ('96), First SW tank in 1992. Current Tank(s) 300g SPS with 90g frag tank and 40 anemone tank - decommissioned 46g LPS/Softy Cube 300g FOWLR under construction - decommissioned

12/15/2006, 12:00 AM	#4
supertech3 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: El Paso Posts: 1,206	How often do you do water changes and what qty?What type of water do you use for water changes and top-off water?

12/15/2006, 12:53 AM	#5
Blown 346 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rockford, Illinois Posts: 6,596	Algae forming on the glass in a few days is normal. Unless you have phophates.

12/15/2006, 08:36 AM	#7
carfac Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Salt Lake City, UT Posts: 362	Oh, and I do have pretty good circulation. I forgot the exact model numbers, but I upgraded the pump in the Nano to a Maxijet (900 maybe?) and I have a MaxiJet 600 with a rotating nozzle in the tank... so the water does get pushed around a LOT!

12/15/2006, 08:54 AM	#9
carfac Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Salt Lake City, UT Posts: 362	I figured it was probably just natural... some of it is REALLY tough stuff! Also starting to get the Coralline real thick on the back, but I am keeping that off the acrylic so far. Tank seems healthy as can be- Zoos have 3x in amonth (well, one batch of them... my Blues are about 50% bigger), leather is gigantic, brain is so open it looks sick, xenia is as Xenia does (that is, it's a weed!), fish are perky and bright! Tank is healthy as can be. I did a LOT of reading before I started, and really tried to be educated as I can... and this forum has helped a LOT (Jonathan B!). I just hate scraping! OK Dave, just get used to it!

12/15/2006, 09:35 AM	#10
aquabreeder Moved On Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 29	I used to have the same problem until I introduce some tubro snail and hermit crab to my tank. Now my tank look lot better and i only have to clean the glass a little bit every two weeks. Good luck.

12/15/2006, 12:31 PM	#13
GreenBay1 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Illinois Posts: 503	Do you have any natural sunlight hitting the tank? That can cause "bag" algae to grow. If not, then you will just have to live with scraping like the rest of us in the hobby __________________ There but for the flip of a coin go we. Current Tank Info: 30 gal. super softy tank with 55 lbs. of live rock. 150 watt MH with 14k bulb. 6 gal. hang on fuge with lots of chaeto. Many soft corals. mushrooms, leathers, xenia, anthia, clove polyps, rainbow rics, red zoo's, GSP and BTA's. 225 in progress.

12/15/2006, 01:02 PM	#14
gary faulkner Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,468	Algae on the glass is pretty normal. If I were you I would be more concerned with that three eyed fish you have swimming around. : ) __________________ Gary Current Tank Info: 300G SPS

12/15/2006, 01:16 PM	#15
REMF Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Anchorage AK Posts: 669	Mag float __________________ Really honey, this will be the last thing I need for my reef. Current Tank Info: 75 Gal. Reef, T5ho. 46 Gal bow FOWLR, 20 Gal L 250w mh reef.

12/15/2006, 01:33 PM	#16
paradicio Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: San Dimas CA Posts: 139	I've got a 24g Aquapod, I do 4g water changes every week. Ammonia, Nitrates, Nitrites, all read 0, phosphate from 0 - .1, Ph 8.2, Sg 1.026. I scrape algae off the glass about twice a week. I was using a mag float, but to be honest it kind of sucks. Now I just suck it up and use one of those sponge scrapers. I'll be setting up my 120g next year. Do those of you with larger tanks have to scrape so often as well? Does having a sump/fuge loaded with macros help?

12/15/2006, 01:38 PM	#17
REMF Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Anchorage AK Posts: 669	If you use a mag float, do it before the algae has a chance to encrust. If you keep up with it (I mag mine every other day, takes about 2 min on my 75g). it should not get hard. If I wait and neglect to mag, algae will encrust and then I have to scrape (PITA). __________________ Really honey, this will be the last thing I need for my reef. Current Tank Info: 75 Gal. Reef, T5ho. 46 Gal bow FOWLR, 20 Gal L 250w mh reef.