# What are you using to clean alagae?



## mrmoby (Jan 18, 2005)

I was wondering what all of you use to clean the algae off your tanks.

Right now, I am using a long brush. It works well, but can be difficult to hit some spots. Does anyone use one of those alagae mits?

I was thinking of using a mildly abrasive sponge, has anyone found and used a good one that didn't come impregnated with any type of potentially dangerous cleaning agents?


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## IloveCichlids (Jul 11, 2005)

I use a plastic algae scraper on the glass, works very well for me.


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## mr.dark-saint (Aug 16, 2005)

For Glass tank the best thing to use is a single sided razor blade (like the ones used on box cutter) or a new green scrubbie sheet (like the ones for your pots and pan). For Acrylic tank I use expired credit cards (Master Card Master the posibilities:lol I did pick up a few Acrylic safe scrapers from a trade show but I wasn't impressed. First it's too stiff for the rounded corners and isn't as effective on calcified algea.


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## waynside (Aug 21, 2005)

pair of otocinoclus...my buddy uses a pair of pecos...


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

I use a toothbrush for rocks and tank corners, (make sure no-one's still using it LOL). For large areas I use a brillo pad. Most of the time I just use a pleco. :lol:


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

we use one of those magnetic algae cleaners for the glass. as for the decor we use a scrubbie brush that you use to clean filter intakes which is similar to the toothbrush.


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## Lydia (Feb 6, 2005)

2 otos and if it happens to be above the water level when I have taken out water to do a water change, I hit it with an old sponge that has retired from the dishes and is now only used for tanks.


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Not a good idea. Chemicals?


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

I use plants


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## Lydia (Feb 6, 2005)

Lol Simpte

CM: It has been used sooo many times for just cleaning an empty tank with plain water I don't see how it could have chemicals left. I also wipe off where I used a sponge with paper towels. It is not actually getting in the water anyways. I only use it above the water level when I am doing a water change. I really should get an algea sponge though.


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## TANKER (Apr 28, 2005)

I use my wife, best damned investment in equipment I have made yet.


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

TANKER said:


> I use my wife, best damned investment in equipment I have made yet.


HAHA there ya go! :lol:


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

USed to have those pads for cleaning the dishes.


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## Chazwick (Aug 24, 2005)

A snail  lol
I don't get any though...


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## shev (Jan 18, 2005)

Student ID to take off green spot algae. someone's actually said my ID smelled kinda wierd


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## Hamm35924 (Jun 13, 2005)

lol

I just use one of those sponge algea scraper things.


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## Lydia (Feb 6, 2005)

lol tanker and shev

shev: how well does it work? I should try with my ID card (it's like a drivers license) if it would work....is that what a student ID is like?


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## shev (Jan 18, 2005)

Its just like a drivers license and works great for scraping off green spot algae without scratching the tank. I have one of the magnet cleaners except instead of having a hard edge or sharp blade to scratch off algae it has like a velcro surface and just sucks at getting green spot algae off.


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## malawi4me2 (Jan 18, 2005)

Magnetic algae scraper... Toothbrush (hasn't been used for anything else) on the rocks.


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

Im with fishfreaks. Those magna floats are great. They are quick and easy. Just run them over the glass once a week and you never have any problems. I was leary at first on if they would even work but was suprised on how well they do work. The only time there are problems is when you dont use it for a long time and it builds the hard to get algae on the glass.


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## bananas (Sep 10, 2005)

I don't need to clean the algae when I have 2 apple snails and a golden chinese algae eating catfish


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

That's loach.


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## garfieldnfish (Jan 18, 2005)

Otos, BN's, Chinese and Siamese Algae Eaters, rubberlips and clown plecos and snails. And if all that fails for hard spot algae a magnetic algae remover and E.M. tabs for blue green algae. 

I only have to use the magnetic pad in my 55 and 75 gal tanks and I only clean of the front and sides. I leave the back because I like the look, it gives it a natural environment feeling. Not all algae is bad. Both of those tanks do not have enough algae eater per gallon ratio. For a small tank I would look into getting a small pleco (BN, rubberlip etc) pleco or oto, shrimp or snail. I do not clean off the decoration in the tanks ever. They harbor too many good bacteria to mess with. I would rather see algae on it then kill bacteria. (But then again that is only a problem where there are not enough algae eaters (55 and 75 gal). Everywhere else the deco stays clean.
Also to prevent algae, limit the tank lights to 10 hours a day, keep the tank out of direct sunlight and add live plants. Live plants will compete for nutrients needed for algae to grow, so the more live plants, the less algae.


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