How many times are you cleaning the glass.

[4angel]

Hi folks I have been cleaning my glass on my tank at least twice a week. How many times are you.? I have a couple of snails which I know wont make a dent. I have my lights on 12 hrs a day. My atinics go on at 12 PM and go off at 3 back on at 9 and finally off at 11:30 in between I have 175 w M.H. 8 hrs. How many times are you cleaning.
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Diets Forum

 

[danmhippo]

About once a week with magnet. Twice a year with razor blade.

 

[david snyder]

I'll tell you a strange but true story. I have been cleaning my front glass once or twice a week for nearly 2 years with a magnet cleaner. Out of the clear blue sky, several weeks ago, I realized I hadn't cleaned the glass in weeks. I keep looking longways through the tank as that view makes the algae on the front more easily detectable. Still no algae. I have racked my brains to think of what I have done differently but can't think of anything.

Well, that's the story and that's that. :roll:

 

[danmhippo]

I'll tell you a strange but true story. I have been cleaning my front glass once or twice a week for nearly 2 years with a magnet cleaner. Out of the clear blue sky, several weeks ago, I realized I hadn't cleaned the glass in weeks. I keep looking longways through the tank as that view makes the algae on the front more easily detectable. Still no algae.

Quickly run your magnet over the front glass, you shall find out why...........Your front glass is evenly coated with a thin layer of green algae........ 8O :lol:

 

[4angel]

I guess I should also add that I just go ahead and stick my arm in the tank. I rinse my hands and use an algae spoung of coure. how good are those magnets.?
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BMW M3

 

[Anonymous]

I clean mine with a magnet ever week or two.

A few things that can make the algea grow faster such as: Overfeeding your fish, too long of a photoperiod, and dirty mechanical filters (sponges/floss.)

IMHO you photoperiod could be shortened up a bit.

Try feeding only every other day day for a while and clean your mechanical filters every other day.

 

[Entacmaea]

Photoperiod is probably not the problem. Equitorial reefs have sunlight 14 hours a day year round. So 12 hours with say an hour for dusk/dawn is about right...

I clean my glass about twice a week as well, or whenever company is coming over :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

Photoperiod is probably not the problem. Equitorial reefs have sunlight 14 hours a day year round.

Equitorial reefs are in the Ocean not in a closed system like our reef aquariums.

Photoperiod does effect algea growth and could be a contributing factor, IMHO.

Louey

 

[rikacarl]

I have not cleaned the glass yet in my new tank. I let the algae run its course, and after several weeks it has died down and the snails & critters have almost polished it off. The hair algae on the glass was so bad at one point, you could not see into the tank at all. It was awful. There are massive swarms of little white copapods still eating it. Correct me if I am wrong, I think they are copapods. Anyhow, they seem to polish it off faster than the snails. The tank has almost been set up a month now, and I don't plan on cleaning the glass anytime soon.

Wish I had a good digital camera, it would have been a great sequence to shoot.

 

[Entacmaea]

Louey- the ocean is not in our tanks? Thanks for the clarification :roll:

Of course light grows algea, we all know this. I guess it depends on how close you want to approximate nature. I say as close as possible. Shortening the photo period is probably to the detriment of other animals in the tank, especially when other controls, like nutrient export, can also control aglea while improving perameters for all tank inhabitants...

 

[esmithiii]

I use a magnet every week to clean the glass. It works very well. I use a razor blade monthly to get those pesky splotches of coraline.

I frequently have my hand in the tank so don't worry about it. Clean your hands well and make sure there is no soap residue on them.


Ernie

 

[Anonymous]

Shortening the photo period is probably to the detriment of other animals in the tank,

Not true. I cut my photoperiod back to 3 hours a day when I was battling a hair algea problem. I'm not saying that 4Angel should cut his back that far, just that reducing the photoperiod (along with the other suggestions that I made) is certainly a viable option help overcome his particular problem.

FWIW-My total photoperiod is 8 hours. I traded in $80 worth of frags (yes, SPS frags) just last week. My corals are doing just fine, if not thriving, with this photoperiod.

Louey- the ocean is not in our tanks? Thanks for the clarification

Talk about taking something out of context. Geese! Obviously the ocean is vast and it has all of the built-in nutreint export mechanisms that we strive to recreate in out little glass boxes. Our tanks have way heavier loads and concessions have to be made in order to accomdate this. Shortening the photoperiod is commonly done to help with algea problems.

That comment is out of line and added nothing to this thread. Thank you very much. But then again, nothing you have stated has added anything to this thread. 8O

especially when other controls, like nutrient export, can also control aglea while improving perameters for all tank inhabitants...

Why don't you embelish on these thoughts so that you can add something that 4Angel can learn from?

Louey

 

[SPC]

I clean the front glass (only) twice a week.
Posted by 4Angel:

how good are those magnets.?

-The proper magnet is irreplaceable IMO, I would never own a tank without one.

 

[Entacmaea]

Well Louey, apparently your opinion is the only one that matters in this thread!

If you read above, you stated an opinion on changing the photoperiod, and I offered a counter opinion. Hence is the nature of this board. People have different opinions. If you come back with an defensive smart ass answer like "reefs are in the oceans and not in our tanks" to someone who is offering an informed and contrary opinion, you should be prepared for a little good natured SARCASM in return :lol:

And as for adding something to this thread, I have added my opinion- that if most reefs are illuminated for 14 hours with far more light than we can provide, perhaps we should strive for that and adjust other parameters first to control algae- other parameters that will only add to health and stability accross the board. But you probably missed that because it differed from your opinion, and you were too busy being defensive.

Chill out man, we are here to SHARE opinions, not dictate them.

 

[skimmerscum]

I clean my front glass every week with an old credit card. No fear of scratching my acrylic front. It does the trick. The scraped off algae floats to the bottom the my waiting hermits.

 

[Anonymous]

Chill out man, we are here to SHARE opinions, not dictate them.

Ok. It just seemed to me that since 4Angel started a post regarding how frequently he must clean his glass, he must truly want to do something to change his maintenance routine.

Your original post shot down my suggestion about reducing the photoperiod without offering anything any return, so yes, I got defensive.

Reducing the photoperiod will reduce the amount of film algea on your glass. I believe this statement to be a fact based on my experience.

You clean your glass twice a week. I clean mine once or twice a month. I believe our different photperiods are one of the main reasons for this IMHO.


4Angel-I keep referring to you as "he". If you are a "she", then please accept my apologies. :wink:


Louey

 

[Entacmaea]

Louey- I sincerely hope you understand that when I offered that Angel might consider keeping his photoperiod at or close to 12 hours, it was not trying to "shoot you down". Just offering an alternative. I'm sorry if it came across as anything else.

We obviously have different lighting regimes.I doubt there are two people in this hobby that have the same one! I don't mind cleaning the glass at all and think this is a small price for what, I think, more closely approximates nature and contributes greatly to my healthy tank. I am glad as well that you have success with a shorter photoperiod! You probably pay far less for electricity!

Until the next Light Wars... :wink:

Peter

 

[Anonymous]

I don't mind cleaning the glass at all and think this is a small price for what, I think, more closely approximates nature and contributes greatly to my healthy tank

I have been slowly increasing my photoperiod as I am trying to find the perfect balance for maximum lighting with minimum effort. I don't mind cleaning the glass, that only takes a minute. I am probably being a little too causious here, but I don't ever want to do battle with green hair algea again! That evil stuff makes the hobby not much fun.

You probably pay far less for electricity!

Ya know, I don't think my tank has made much of an impact on my power bill. I'm a little suprised by that. But that's another topic.

Chillin!
Louey

 

[Anonymous]

I doubt if many reefs get a solid 14 hours of direct sunlight a day. Clouds, rain and turbidity have to account somewhat. Doesn't make sense to be anal about one parameter and ignore the others.

Glenn

 

[Anonymous]

I am in the weekly magnet/monthly coralline scraping club as well. I wish there was a magnet type cleaner out there that would remove the coralline as well.