green Algae on Glass

[May&Bruce]

The back glass on our 5 foot reef tank is covered with a layer of green algae - the tank has been running for about 4-5 months and most of the algae grew in the first month or two. It is stuck on but can be scraped off, if I wanted to remove it.

My question is, should I remeove it or leave it?

My tendency is to leave it as some algae like that is good for removing phosphates, ya?

But....to me it is unsightly. My wife says to leave it.

If I was to scrape it off, there would be a lot of green algae floating around in the tank until I etiehr scooped it out with a net and/or it was filtered out. Would it create a problem to have this algae floating around (it would be difficult to scoop it all out.

What to do? Keep or remove?

[ervine]

lots of us scrape algae off the glass... it will just become like "dust" and float away to be filtered off or better still eaten by corals, pods or whatever...

If you want phosphate/nitrate removal you are better off using macro algae...

If you looking at scraping off, one of the favourite tools we reefers use is a credit card (expired of course!) or similar hard card.. I use a plastic ruler...

For more "hardcore" algae that has been "baked" onto the glass, you can try using a razor blade, just be careful of your fingers and the glass silicone...

If you have just a light coating of algae can buy a magnetic cleaner also.. i use that quite often, don't even have to get my hands wet...

[nakazoru]

Try Algae bleenie or snail for a start. Natural way.

[Dazza]

yeah get snails lah. Get 10-20 of those n u see the thick film of alage will be gonzo in no time. Can easily get at the seaside(turbo, trochus, nerite & bumblebee or frm lfs (think abt $1 each, not too sure as never buy b4 as I collect all my snails and little hermits). Just make sure if get frm seaside, dont get the drills as those are very common or all yr clams n bivalves will be gonzo.

[May&Bruce]

already have about 10 snails, but the algae is really stuck on hard and they wont move it at all. Will have to scrape it off then

[zarkon]

I heard that when your phosphate level hits zero, this algae will be gone.

Anyway a little algae is good for the tank... they add oxygen into the water.

[May&Bruce]

Have just started scraping off the green algae...wow some is hard to remove. Now the tank is murly with green algae, but some of the fish are loving the new food source .

Wont do it all at once, just in case it causes some sort of imbalance....

[ervine]

Have just started scraping off the green algae...wow some is hard to remove. Now the tank is murly with green algae, but some of the fish are loving the new food source .

Wont do it all at once, just in case it causes some sort of imbalance....

wah.. how thick is your algae? I usually scrape mine off once it becomes too obvious.. I think yours must look like one coating of paint already?

[gods_angel77]

HI BRO U CAN USE KENT MARINE RAZOR IT COST $10 BUT SUPER GOOD CAN EVEN REMOVE CORLIN/ A EASILY. U CAN PURCHASE IT FROM SEA LIFE & REBOND I THINK

[gods_angel77]

HI BRO U CAN USE KENT MARINE RAZOR IT COST $10 BUT SUPER GOOD CAN EVEN REMOVE CORLIN/ A EASILY. U CAN PURCHASE IT FROM SEA LIFE & REBOND I THINK

[May&Bruce]

Now have a Kent Marine scraper...bought from ML Have removed most algae now and the tank looks so much nicer

[ervine]

Now have a Kent Marine scraper...bought from ML Have removed most algae now and the tank looks so much nicer

Great... just give it a while and it will all come back.. haha...

[May&Bruce]

yeah yeah, but this time i wont leave it 4 months before doing anything about it

[madmac]

Do tune your skimmer wet, you'll see that the resulting skimmate will be unusually green. .... my does so each time I clean the glass.

[May&Bruce]

madmac...I have a largish becket skimmer and it sure went haywire....skimmed a litre within an hour or so - dark green

[madmac]

haywire??... isn't the way its suppose to work! You're doing great, mate.

[May&Bruce]

sure is - the becket is the best investment that i have made for this tank!