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View Full Version : Cleaning the glass


Aquattro
10-07-2003, 03:46 AM
How often does everyone wipe the algae off the front glass of their tanks?
I need to clean mine daily lately. How 'bout you??

Canadian Man
10-07-2003, 03:58 AM
My old tank (90g 18" wide) was about every day to keep it spotless.

In the new tank(230g 24" wide) it's about every 2 to 3 days before it gets like the 90 was.

Aquattro
10-07-2003, 04:03 AM
Thanks Jon.

I notice lots of views, only one answer. We have a lot of members without tanks?? :razz:

Quinn
10-07-2003, 04:09 AM
Every second day. Every week or so I attack the buildup around the sand and silicone, and it takes a lot of work to get that stuff off.

Chad
10-07-2003, 04:12 AM
Every day the front, every other day the sides.. and just last week I did the back for the first time in about 3 months.. :redface: That was nasty...

Chad

psuedo
10-07-2003, 04:13 AM
every day if I want to see what is going on in my tank. I think I am going to have to fire some of my cleaning crew and hire some new guys, cos somebody ain't pulling their weight

AJ_77
10-07-2003, 04:20 AM
Every 2-3 days with a razor blade. Or less, if I want to give the blennie a crack at some thicker stuff.

christyf5
10-07-2003, 04:20 AM
Every second day or so. I like to let a bit build up on the glass to get the blennies out to the front of the tank to nip it off. Plus they leave cute little kisses (awww :rolleyes: ). I clean more often when people are coming over or I'm taking pictures.

clowntrigger
10-07-2003, 04:21 AM
i dont really have a set time frame when i clean the glass. it get pretty dirty after a few days. so when i cant see the fishes anymore i clean it :eek: i am glad i bought that mag float. when i first heard the price i was omg, best 50 bucks i spend well other than my tongs. without them i would have to go swimming to reach the bottom of my fish only tank

three dawgs
10-07-2003, 04:36 AM
about every second day

StirCrazy
10-07-2003, 04:48 AM
every day for the most part with me.. sometimes I forget and skip a day.

Steve

Bartman
10-07-2003, 04:52 AM
About once a week for the front and one side. I could probably cut that down a few days. :wink: I have never cleaned the back and other side. Except for the coraline those sides are actually easier to see through than the front after a few days.

hw
10-07-2003, 05:09 AM
every 2-3 days as well. would lots of snails do the trick? i have an acrylic tank so i don't think those magnetic things would be good for it.

Canadian Man
10-07-2003, 05:09 AM
Thanks Jon.

I notice lots of views, only one answer. We have a lot of members without tanks?? :razz:

That got everyone going Brad :lol:

Aquattro
10-07-2003, 05:10 AM
Ya, I see that. We have more tanks here than I thought!! Thanks everyone for participating!!

kris
10-07-2003, 05:20 AM
every day for the front, some times twice or even more. every other day on the sides and never on the back

Delphinus
10-07-2003, 05:25 AM
I guess on average about 2x, 3x per week. Not very often (sometimes I'll let it go as long as a week, as long as I can still see into the tank). Basically it depends on how ambitious I feel!

I notice that each tank has very different schedules. One tank can't go for more than a day or two before it's too opaque and the other can go as long as two weeks before it gets comparable to the other tank at two days.

Aquattro
10-07-2003, 05:32 AM
I notice that each tank has very different schedules. One tank can't go for more than a day or two before it's too opaque and the other can go as long as two weeks before it gets comparable to the other tank at two days.

And I guess that is the crux of this topic. Why is tank "A" different from "B"? Lighting? FLow? Water quality? Age?

Taking any and all guesses!! :razz:

EmilyB
10-07-2003, 05:33 AM
Ditto Tony,

I clean the big tanks every other day, and the 33g maybe once a week, the 10g (sps tank :lol: ) never....

:mrgreen:

Aquattro
10-07-2003, 05:34 AM
Ditto Tony,

the 10g (sps tank :lol: ) never....



ButEm, that's the special tank!!! :eek: :razz:

Samw
10-07-2003, 05:44 AM
Thanks Jon.

I notice lots of views, only one answer. We have a lot of members without tanks?? :razz:


My first view actually. :lol:

Um, every 2-3 days.

Aquattro
10-07-2003, 05:54 AM
Thanks Jon.

I notice lots of views, only one answer. We have a lot of members without tanks?? :razz:


My first view actually. :lol:

Um, every 2-3 days.

That's OK Sam, I knew you'd get here!! :biggrin:

Mak
10-07-2003, 06:43 AM
Don't forget me :lol: .

My 57g Reef every 3-5 days. 77g FOWLR Reef(this is where my extras go) every 3 days and the 20g... whenever I feel like it :rolleyes: :mrgreen: .

kris
10-07-2003, 07:23 AM
hmm i just clean mor often b/c id rather the glass stay perfectly clean then not. i can let my tank go for about 3 days beofr there is a anoying haze on the glass.

Marcus K
10-07-2003, 03:29 PM
I try every other day, what is everyine useing? I have a Hagen Magnet that is starting to rust. I guess the package says not to leave in the tank. I have tryed the razor but my Clown checks it out and makes me nervous that I may cut him so I have stopped using that. I have been told the Mag Floats work well but their arenone for sale her in Regina. Anyone have any pic so I know what to look for.

Thanks, Marcus.

Delphinus
10-07-2003, 04:12 PM
And I guess that is the crux of this topic. Why is tank "A" different from "B"? Lighting? FLow? Water quality? Age?

Taking any and all guesses!! :razz:

All of the above, and then some! The two tanks are really two completely different beasts altogether. Different skimming techniques, different bioloads, different foci, different number and mixes of snails, one tank (the cleaner one) has caulerpa - the other one doesn't, ... different lighting, different current patterns...

I think age can also be a variable... A new tank is soooo sparkly clean. Then a tank gets to be a teenager, and is somewhat messy. Then the tank becomes a mature responsible adult, and is cleanish once again (with exceptions of course, but we don't need to go there). Don't know what happens at the geriatric stage, though! :eek:

Bob I
10-07-2003, 04:50 PM
For me every couple of days. I never touch the sides or back, and I think another bicolor blenny is needed for "kiss marks"
:smilecol:

Chad
10-07-2003, 06:05 PM
I did the ba ck cuz there was a huge hairy patch that no one was cleaning. It was getting unsightly and I was worried it might be contributing to my cyno outbreak.

Chad

Lofus
10-07-2003, 06:17 PM
I clean every 4 to 5 days for the front and sides and once a week for the back. Once a month for the coraline.

Quinn
10-07-2003, 06:17 PM
I am beginning to get coraline algae on my back now. I mean my tank, not my body.

Speaking of algae though, my strawberry conch is really doing his job these days. Every few days I get little patches of cyano for some reason, but as soon as he finds it, an hour later it's all gone. I think it's a nutrient problem.

Chad
10-07-2003, 06:58 PM
I am beginning to get coraline algae on my back now. I mean my tank, not my body.

Speaking of algae though, my strawberry conch is really doing his job these days. Every few days I get little patches of cyano for some reason, but as soon as he finds it, an hour later it's all gone. I think it's a nutrient problem.

I would love it if someone could figure out my cyno problem.. I have done everything under the sun and still cannot get rid of it..

Chad

Quinn
10-07-2003, 07:14 PM
Well right now my main problem is rampant macroalgae, mainly a mixture of dictyota and sargassum. I attacked it the other day with a toothbrush, basically just uprooting it (dictyota grows in loose mats), and I think I made good progress. If I do that a few more times I should be pretty much good to go. After that I am going to worry about microbubbles originating somewhere in my plumbing, and only then will I address the cyano.

UnderWorldAquatics
10-07-2003, 07:15 PM
most of my tanks get cleaned 2x a week, the large mag float cleaning magnets work well on smaller tanks 100gallons and less, the rest of the tanks get cleaned with different models of the algae free cleaning magnets, someone mentioned that they had an acrylic tank.... I clean acrylic tanks with algae free magnets with acrylic cleaning kits, works great and no scratches!

Chad
10-07-2003, 07:29 PM
Well right now my main problem is rampant macroalgae, mainly a mixture of dictyota and sargassum. I attacked it the other day with a toothbrush, basically just uprooting it (dictyota grows in loose mats), and I think I made good progress. If I do that a few more times I should be pretty much good to go. After that I am going to worry about microbubbles originating somewhere in my plumbing, and only then will I address the cyano.

Don't get me started on micro bubbles.. My H.O.T. Magnum is shooting them into my tank every couple of minutes.. its like its building it up.. driving me nuts...

Chad

Bartman
10-07-2003, 07:42 PM
I am beginning to get coraline algae on my back now. I mean my tank, not my body.

Isn't coraline OK though? :question:

Quinn
10-07-2003, 07:47 PM
Yes I should have clarified, I don't scrub my back (hehe) because of the coraline.

Skimmerking
10-08-2003, 12:15 AM
YA I CLEAN mine every day and the the back is done by my wife LOL :BIG:

kari
10-08-2003, 01:24 AM
Once every week or so-ish. But I'm a little lazy I figure.

martym
10-08-2003, 02:22 AM
Daily as well. I guess my algae problem isn't as bad as I thought. :confused:

sumpfinfishe
10-09-2003, 07:21 AM
Me too please! :exclaim:

I clean the front and sides once a week!
The back never, except by a few different kinds of snails.
The bottom, never ever :razz:

cheers, Rich :mrgreen:

newreefy
10-09-2003, 05:33 PM
the front and sides every 2 days
the back once a month.

clowntrigger
10-10-2003, 05:22 AM
the back of my tank needs to be cleaned offen cause it mirrored, but in the reef it covered by rocks now so i dont have to clean it

smokinreefer
10-10-2003, 06:20 AM
if i want my tank to look nice, which i recently discovered, cleaning the glass will help you get that effect :lol:

i'll use my magfloat maybe everyother day or so to get rid of the slight dusting on the glass.

and i'll take a razor to the glass when i start getting coralline on the glass.
maybe every week. or week and a half.

sometimes i just dont give a f--- and i let it goes for weeks, using the mag float ocassionally in spots, then i'll razor the glass like i just did tonight :lol: and when you see the tank behind it you are just amazed! :eek:

i must admit, a nice clean glass makes the tank look so much nicer, sharp.

oh yeah, i only clean the front, all the other sides are covered in light pink coralline, which surprises me cuz i never had this much coralline on my old tank. :confused: