Tank maintenance question

[marie]

How does everyone clean the coralline algae out of their overflows. I've been using a paring knife to chip and scrape it out every couple of weeks but there must be an easier way.

Have I ever mentioned i hate coralline algae :twised:

[fishface]

hahahahaha...outta sight, outta mind! never done it!

[marie]

hahahahaha...outta sight, outta mind! never done it!
Well If I never did it, the overflow would become blocked up fairly quickly :lol:

[Redrover]

I had Marc [ SuperFudge ] build me black acrylic cover for the overflow box...
Like fishface said out of sight, out of mind
Being retired...I spend half hour every morning with my coffee...scrape and brush...
hate coralline...have done this with all my tanks...why paint the back wall, then let coralline take over ?

" It's hard to make a comeback when you haven't been anywhere "


RJ

[marie]

Well covering the overflow would solve a problem on the inside but I don't have a problem with the inside
This is what I mean. I've just spent the morning chipping it all out
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v224/mariesnell/aug11075.jpg

[PoonTang]

Marie
If you would stop creating such beautiful, HEALTHY tanks you wouldnt have such a problem with Coraline. :twised: BTW do you have anything in your tank that eats coraline? I have a Electric blue hermit and a blue pincushion urchin in my tank and they do quite a number on the coraline helping to keep it in check.

[christyf5]

If you'd like I have some brown wafer algae that can outcompete that coralline in a minute! :razz:

Its too bad you couldn't lower the tank levels a bit and treat it with vinegar soaked papertowel or something, just to loosen it so you can get it off better. Granted if you got any significant amount of that vinegar into your tank it could really mess with your pH levels :neutral:

[marie]

I bet i have more brown wafer algae then you :razz: .
*edit* I think i have just about every pest algae imaginable in the tank...oh well

I tried to think of ways to use vinegar but it would be just as fiddly as using a paring knife to chip it out.

I guess there is no easy fix, as my mother says "It just has to be good old elbow grease"

[christyf5]

Yeah you probably do, the heat killed all that I had on the glass, but I see it starting up again :twised:

[michika]

I use a razor blade to do it. Although I'm thinking your overflow is acrylic....hmmm...is it made out of acrylic?

Does it build up too fast to be maintained daily, or is it just as easy either way?

[Reefer Rob]

When you make a cover for your overflow, make it about a inch bigger than the overflow. That way it will shade the slots on the outside.

[Aquattro]

Marie, I had a simialr issue and used the back edge of a small paring knife to scrap it out from between the teeth. Worked well, just watch the sharp side.

[marie]

Marie, I had a simialr issue and used the back edge of a small paring knife to scrap it out from between the teeth. Worked well, just watch the sharp side.

Thats what i'm doing now, It's very fiddly though and the durso pipes keep getting in my way

[Johnny Reefer]

Is the coraline growth on the inside of the overflows? If so, I agree about the covers.
Maybe something like this would help?:
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b355/1Johnny2Reefer3/IMG_0807.jpg