It’s very difficult to scrape coralline algae from an acrylic wall

[jimk60]

The only problem I see with letting it grow unchecked is that it consumes more calcium and alkalinity leading to extra dosing and therefore more dosing

 

[polyppal]

Tell them to clean their brains

 

[BristleWormHater]

I had a few guests tell me my tank looks very dirty because of all the coralline algae on the back wall.

My cousin even said, “why don’t you hire someone to clean it?”

Oof.

I used to scrape it meticulously, but it’s extremely difficult to scrape the overflow because it’s acrylic. The metal blades catch and snag on the overflow, and the plastic ones don’t make a dent on the coralline.

Does anyone have advice?

Who cares what they say.
I think it looks great, better than having gha on the back wall.

 

[Miami Reef]

Run your tank how you want it

Having guests and family wowed and awed is how I like to run my tank.

The only 2 comments I got from the 20+ family guests was that the tank looked dirty.

I don’t notice the background because I’ve seen it for so long that I’ve become used to it. I understand that coralline algae and diatoms don’t signify my tank is “dirty.”

However, if the only impression my tank leaves is that it’s unkept and dirty, I may have to get scraping.

I just need to good tool for my acrylic box that has scratch marks on it. The blades either don’t work or get caught on the acrylic material.

 

[BristleWormHater]

Having guests and family wowed and awed is how I like to run my tank.

The only 2 comments I got from the 20+ family guests was that the tank looked dirty.

I don’t notice the background because I’ve seen it for so long that I’ve become used to it. I understand that coralline algae and diatoms don’t signify my tank is “dirty.”

However, if the only impression my tank leaves is that it’s unkept and dirty, I may have to get scraping.

I just need to good tool for my acrylic box that has scratch marks on it. The blades either don’t work or get caught on the acrylic material.

If it's really layered on there, maybe lightly going at it with a chisel could break some off?
Just a guess, never tried that before.

 

[Miami Reef]

These photos are of my tank in the past after scraping it clean.

 

[gbroadbridge]

I had a few guests tell me my tank looks very dirty because of all the coralline algae on the back wall.

My cousin even said, “why don’t you hire someone to clean it?”

Oof.

I used to scrape it meticulously, but it’s extremely difficult to scrape the overflow because it’s acrylic. The metal blades catch and snag on the overflow, and the plastic ones don’t make a dent on the coralline.

Does anyone have advice?

I used to try scrape it and all that I succeeded in doing was scratching the acrylic.
I gave up and eventually it was covered by Coraline and sometimes green algae.

Upped the snail CUC count and now it stays clean and purple.

Yours looks fine - tell your friends that's how it supposed to look and that they have no taste

 

[Cichlid Dad]

I had a few guests tell me my tank looks very dirty because of all the coralline algae on the back wall.

My cousin even said, “why don’t you hire someone to clean it?”

Oof.

I used to scrape it meticulously, but it’s extremely difficult to scrape the overflow because it’s acrylic. The metal blades catch and snag on the overflow, and the plastic ones don’t make a dent on the coralline.

Does anyone have advice?

LOL! I remember years ago walking into a fish store that had salt water fish for sell and thinking, wow, these guys don't care of these tanks! Look at that purple stuff on the back glass. I was a fresh water guy at the time.

 

[Jimbo327]

Pink and red Coralline looks good. It shouldn't be brown. That is probably why your guest think it is dirty. Any way to get rid of the brown?

 

[Dan_P]

I had a few guests tell me my tank looks very dirty because of all the coralline algae on the back wall.

My cousin even said, “why don’t you hire someone to clean it?”

Oof.

I used to scrape it meticulously, but it’s extremely difficult to scrape the overflow because it’s acrylic. The metal blades catch and snag on the overflow, and the plastic ones don’t make a dent on the coralline.

Does anyone have advice?

Credit cards are sharp and stiff enough for the job. Plastic razor blades are sold but never tried them. Both items will dull quickly

 

[Miami Reef]

Pink and red Coralline looks good. It shouldn't be brown. That is probably why your guest think it is dirty. Any way to get rid of the brown?

I like to dose silicate to my reef tank. The brown is probably diatoms, but I have no desire to stop the dosing. The sponge growth is the reason my linkia starfish is still alive after 2 years IMO.

 

[Miami Reef]

Credit cards are sharp and stiff enough for the job. Plastic razor blades are sold but never tried them. Both items will dull quickly

Thank you. I’ll let you know how it goes!

 

[gbroadbridge]

Credit cards are sharp and stiff enough for the job. Plastic razor blades are sold but never tried them. Both items will dull quickly

Finally a good use for credit cards.

 

[Chrisv.]

Have to admit that it blew my mind the first time I realized a water box aio tank used black glass for the back wall. I won't opine about whether or not a person should let calcareous algae grow in the back or not, but it sure is nice to have a choice. Recently switched to an IM aio and I am missing that glass wall.

 

[Dan_P]

Finally a good use for credit cards.

 

[Miami Reef]

I did it! The tank looks fantastic. It was so easy with my new tools. I’m very happy with the results.

 

[aquadise]

I would tell those guests that it is the color of the acrylic itself..

 

[Osbie Feel]

I did it! The tank looks fantastic. It was so easy with my new tools. I’m very happy with the results.

Looks great what tools did you end up using?

 

[Poshangcun]

+1 what tools did you end up using?

 

[Cichlid Dad]

I did it! The tank looks fantastic. It was so easy with my new tools. I’m very happy with the results.

Looks great, I might just have to keep up on my new system.