removing dried-on algae

[Gatito]

When i got my tank i gave it a good clean, however some specks of algae all over the surface of the glass was dried on and really hard to scrub off. I got frustrated and left it, but now i really wish i had gotten rid of it.

Would some snails be keen to get rid of this? Or do i have to strip the tank and use some kind of magic super cleaner that will clean the glass thoroughly but also rinse off completely so i don't poison the fish when i set it back up?

If i have to strip the tank it wouldn't be a complete downer - have been wanting to change the gravel colour for a while

[Chazza404]

I was clearing up a tank that had been sitting in someones back yard for more than a year with all this grime and crap dried up on it, i tried a scrubbing brush and jif but couldnt get it off, then tried one of those green scour pads and it worked great even just in water, did in a few wipes what a scrubbing brush took a few minutes to do - ive done it inside a running tank worked fine aswell

like this

man i should do informercials :lol:

hope this helped

[Caryl]

I get the wide wallpaper scrapers from the $2 Shop. They work well. Fish do not eat that hard algae.

There is a silver scrubbing pad which works well too. Can't think of the name offhand.

Those green pads work well.

Make sure you don't gather up any fine substrate under any of them though or it will scratch.

[Adrienne]

I use those scour pads too and they work great.

[smidey]

I use those scour pads too and they work great.

dont they scratch the glass, i use a razor blade to scrape glass clean.

[Adrienne]

Not that I've seen, they're the non scratch ones from the supermarket. Mind you I suppose it depends on how hard you rub but they do the job on my tanks. I just cut one up into pieces and have a different piece for each tank.

[Gannet]

when buying from super market etc read the label realy well as some has disinfectan built into them

[Gatito]

when buying from super market etc read the label realy well as some has disinfectan built into them

I was just thinking that gannet - when we buy cloths i get medicated/disinfectant sponges, and plain cloths which have no detergent. My fish cloths usually get a fish drawn on the corner so no one uses it with chemicals

I will give the green scour pads a go with the tank running - if i need to get more into it i'll transfer the fish and stuff for a bit. they shouldn't scratch the glass, and the fibres are quite fine so hopefully do a good job on mine - the filter can pick the bits up

Thanks everyone

[purplecatfish]

I've stopped using those pads because I've scratched the glass on one of my tanks because I'd got some grit under it without realising (Carol obviously knows what I mean).

I now use a long handled blade scraper (wish I had known about the ones at the $2 shop) or a single sided razor blade for hard to access corners.

I find that the scraper uses less elbow grease than the pads.

[new zealand discus man]

Hi

Beware that many tank gravels come from south island beaches on the west coast and can contain iron sand..That on magnet cleaner or under pad will destroy your nice tank glass..

I know the hard way..Phill

[ryanjury]

If you can reach I scrape it off using an old eftpos or credit card etc.. Its easy and doesn't scratch the glass

[Stella]

If you can reach I scrape it off using an old eftpos or credit card etc.. Its easy and doesn't scratch the glass

THAT IS BRILLIANT!!!!!

At least with a credit card you wouldn't be at risk of getting grit caught in it that you couldn't see.

I have scratched up my tank horribly, it was pure and clean when I got it, despite being second hand. I have no idea which method scratched it (scouring pad, magnetic cleaner, handful of soft net cloth, piece of cotton cloth) or if it was the gravel being moved against it when I have had to move the tank several times.

Stella

[Stella]

Well, I tried the credit card thing (found an ancient forgotten flybuys card).

It is a miracle!!!

I have problems with brown, blue-green and green-dot algae and it was getting a little rampant before the last water change.

Brown and blue green come off easily of course, but the card gathers them into chunks so it can be removed from the tank easily. The green dot stuff is completely gone in two swipes of the card! (zip-zap!

I do actually encourage flowing algae (beard algae?) it is nice and green and lush, forming carpets on my rocks, but unfortunately had left some very tough brown residue on the back wall which wouldn't come off with scrubbing. All gone in a flash with the card!

Such a relief finding something I know wont hide nasty bits of grit to scratch my glass further with, and it even works better than everything else I had tried!

Thanks