Cleaning your tank...

[BestMomEver]

I look at pictures of tanks and they are GORGEOUS! Mine doesn’t look anything like those crystal clear, spotless tanks. I don’t know if it’s my cleaning skills that are lacking or if it’s my photography skills. Truth be told, it’s both. But taking a better picture won’t change the way my tank looks every day. The clowns blow sand everywhere. Sometimes there’s a nice thin film of green on my glass that I use a magnet on.

How do y’all keep your glass so clean? Do you wash your gravel? Do you blow detritus off the rock? Do you run filter socks?

Can y’all share your method of keeping those incredible “showcase” aquariums? Can y’all post photos?

Thanks so much!

 

[Paleozoic_reefer]

My tank is definitely no a show tank like many here but when my fellow reefers come over to my house they often ask the same question. I think I have to scrap the glass at least 3-4 times a week and I do weekly water changes of 20%. After upgrading to a 75gallon I went bare bottom and that seemed to help in the cleaning since all I have to do is siphon our debris and I can now run my pumps as fast as I need to get the water into all the nooks and crannies! Looking forward to reading other reefers tips!!

 

[jtl]

Keeping a tank spotless is a labor intensive process. Thankfully, my wife is the cleaner and I would estimate that she spends at least 2 hours per week scraping algae from the the rocks, blowing off the rocks and cleaning the glass.

 

[ChronicReefH2o]

Algae means high in NO3 and PO4 which equals to more maintenance. Check your parameters and lower them, personally I keep my tanks at NO3 1-2 ppm PO4 0.03-0.08 and I rarely have to clean my front glass. Might clean it once or twice a month, not due to algae but coraline spreading to the front panel.

 

[BestMomEver]

Algae means high in NO3 and PO4 which equals to more maintenance. Check your parameters and lower them, personally I keep my tanks at NO3 1-2 ppm PO4 0.03-0.08 and I rarely have to clean my front glass. Might clean it once or twice a month, not due to algae but coraline spreading to the front panel.

You are correct about NO3 and PO4. Mine varies depending on the time of day and day of the week. I try to keep it down and feel if I did more water changes it would be easier.

 

[BestMomEver]

Keeping a tank spotless is a labor intensive process. Thankfully, my wife is the cleaner and I would estimate that she spends at least 2 hours per week scraping algae from the the rocks, blowing off the rocks and cleaning the glass.

Well.... I am the wife! Hubby works loooong hours and I’m here all day with a two year old. By the time the day ends, we’re both exhausted. Is that an excuse? Probably. But it is a reason I guess.

But what y’all are saying is just the good old application of elbow grease and time. I’m guessing that I have some work to do!

 

[BestMomEver]

My tank is definitely no a show tank like many here but when my fellow reefers come over to my house they often ask the same question. I think I have to scrap the glass at least 3-4 times a week and I do weekly water changes of 20%. After upgrading to a 75gallon I went bare bottom and that seemed to help in the cleaning since all I have to do is siphon our debris and I can now run my pumps as fast as I need to get the water into all the nooks and crannies! Looking forward to reading other reefers tips!!

Sorry.... that’s a show tank.... and it’s beautiful!

 

[Hemmdog]

You are correct about NO3 and PO4. Mine varies depending on the time of day and day of the week. I try to keep it down and feel if I did more water changes it would be easier.

I recommend getting a mag scrapper and not just a mag-float. I waited until a year into reefing to get one, changed my life lol. And I baste the rocks once a month, nassarius keeps my sand clean, trochus keeps my rocks clean. What’s your nitrate at? How high are we talkin’ here.

 

[BestMomEver]

I recommend getting a mag scrapper and not just a mag-float. I waited until a year into reefing to get one, changed my life lol. And I baste the rocks once a month, nassarius keeps my sand clean, trochus keeps my rocks clean. What’s your nitrate at? How high are we talkin’ here.

I haven’t tested this week but it’s on my list....

I need a CUC recharge. Not much left of anything anymore. I have two large Turbos that are crazy amazing. I used to have tons of scarlet and blue leg hermits. I think they eventually went the way of the pistol shrimp. I haven’t bought any new CUC for two years! I have a mag scraper and I love it. Part of my problem is that my tank is a cube and I have it stuck in a corner. There are 2 sides I can’t even get to very well. Bid mistake!