Tips to Get Crystal Clear Aquarium Glass
- Nov 20, 2021
- Anshika Mishra
- 289 0 0
The glass of a reef tank is bound to get dirty. The challenge here is cleaning an algae-filled glass and the number one thing that makes a tank look dirty. For some people, this happens every couple of days while others can go a week or two between cleanings. Most of us would like to be the latter.
So, there is also the right tool for the right job which can make it a lot easier to clean the glass as well.
Dirty Glass
So, what causes the algae film growth on the glass? It is basically three things:
- Light
- Elevated nitrate/ phosphate
- Overfeeding/ poor maintenance
You cannot do much about lighting because the coral needs the light, but if you want to keep your tank as easy to clean as possible then we suggest you intentionally don't add corals with intense light requirements.
Elevated Nitrate/ Phosphate
If the nitrate and phosphate levels in your tank are elevated, the green algae film will grow faster. So, you always want to keep them at the lower end. If you ever see the levels rising with your test kits then simply feed less. If you feed less, you will grow fewer algae it is that easy. If your levels are already too high, you will need to do two to three large water changes (more than 30%) to get them down, and then feed less to keep them there.
If you really like feeding the fish and refuse to slow it down, there are a few other options to consider. It includes increasing the filtration game, like a bigger skimmer, larger more frequent water changes, adding a refugium, or filtering media like GFO which reduces or removes phosphate from water.
Overfeeding
There are options, but I just start with feeding less if you see nitrate or phosphate levels rising. It is simply, the easiest method.
Another method to keep the algae growth in check is the microscopic troops. You can dose your tank with algae cleaning bacteria which is mellow down the growth of algae, at least the spread and visual signs of it. These types of bacteria don't readily reproduce in seawater, so you do need to dose them to be effective.
Those were some of the ways to reduce when algae film shows up on your glass, but you will have to clean it at least a couple of times a month. The two tools you need for that is:
- Aquarium glass scrapper
- Magnet scrapper
Hope the article will help you get the crystal clear glasses. Let us know if you have any questions in the comment section below.
Happy Reefing!
About author