Question re: back of tank - keep glass clean or not?

[Skimmerking]

Coraline Algae is a huge CAL/ALK sucker. SO alot of people will keep it clean. so that they dont have to replace it.

PROS.
the corals will get more light from the back depending on the color u use like light blue.
it looks cleaner.
it keeps your Coraline in check.

CONS
A small village for pods and creatures to live as stated.
hair algae is grow to remove extra nutrients.
it will look more natural in the tank like the Ocean.
It will consume more ALK/CAL if its Coraline Algae.
It will start to shade that portion of the tank so that some corals may not get the reflective of light to grow IE SPS.
Snails can harvest off the Coraline on the back to eat


At the end of the day its going to be up to you in what you want to have tin your tank.

I like the clean look my self

[mike31154]

I let it grow pretty wild, it can get ugly, but parts are pretty cool as well. Now that it's quite grown over with coralline, I feel better about leaving it be. I have two Mandarin Dragonets in the system and as mentioned in previous posts, a well matured glass pane supplies plenty of extra food for these guys. I also have an extra little acrylic fuge just below the surface, hanging off the rim of the tank to protect & encourage the pod population. I don't even mind some hair algae on the back glass, I figure if it's there, it's less likely to establish on my rockwork, plus it takes up nitrates and I export it from time to time.