How do you clean that scraper-resistant green algae?

[Koty]

As the title asks that green algae does not come off even with Dish cleaning sponge:

 

[PasoFish89]

As the title asks that green algae does not come off even with Dish cleaning sponge:

I use a knife hone on my scrapers from time to time, and melamine sponges work wonders on the tough film algae.

 

[VintageReefer]

I use a flipper but I hold the wet side underwater and use it like scrapin paint

The magnet isn’t strong enough but using the wet side as a hand tool works

 

[Koty]

Sorry, what is a flipper?

 

[Mark Goode]

 

[VintageReefer]

Sorry, what is a flipper?

Sorry, it’s a magnetic glass scraper. The name means that the wetside can flip around - one side has a blade and the other side is rough like the scrubber on a sponge.

This will literally chip and remove coraline off glass. However if there is a really rough spot, I just hold the wet side and use it by hand

Flipper FLOAT Algae Magnet Cleaner up to 1/2" Tanks

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[Koty]

Thanks!, my magfloat actually has a scraper so I used it by hand. This green coralline algae is a real pain to remove.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I use an old fashioned razor blade scraper, it removes everything very easily.

 

[Doctorgori]

I LOVE that Tunze care magnet, it pretty much removes most everything in one pass

this after one of those Hammerhead magnets absolutely destroyed the glass on my Red Sea tanks …

 

[Dburr1014]

I use an old fashioned razor blade scraper, it removes everything very easily.

This thing scratched my 75g and I was always trying to be careful. The blades also chip if you have thick coraline.

Be careful with that one.
Plastic blades are much better. Just watch the sand if you have any.

I LOVE that Tunze care magnet, it pretty much removes most everything in one pass

this after one of those Hammerhead magnets absolutely destroyed the glass on my Red Sea tanks …

Me too. I have 1/2 glass so it doesn't do it in one pass but the plastic doesn't scratch. I'll have to try it as a hand tool, didn't think of that.

 

[Doctorgori]

….and just quibbling as I pass by but generally speaking if the algae is hard to remove, “usually” that’s the sign of maturity … or not a “bad” sign per se

or put another way: if your algae if fluffy green or brown or really easy to remove or comes off in sheets….well the tank has issues

 

[Rothric]

Mr Clean Magic Erasers also work wonderfully. Just make sure to get the originals with no added scents or cleaners.

 

[LARedstickreefer]

….and just quibbling as I pass by but generally speaking if the algae is hard to remove, “usually” that’s the sign of maturity … or not a “bad” sign per se

or put another way: if your algae if fluffy green or brown or really easy to remove or comes off in sheets….well the tank has issues

So what issues would this indicate?

 

[timmyrules]

Mr Clean Magic Erasers also work wonderfully. Just make sure to get the originals with no added scents or cleaners.

+1 to magic erasers! I also find the magnet float scrubbers seem to work, but you gotta scrub it a few times.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I use an old fashioned razor blade scraper, it removes everything very easily.

This is what I use as well, and it works great in my tank.

 

[VintageReefer]

This is what I use as well, and it works great in my tank.

I use this in my nano and found

1) the blades are literally razor blades. Super sharp. Be careful

2) the blades are very thin. It does a great job on everyday film. On crusty coralline they can chip or crack

3) wash and dry fully. They rust easily

 

[Gtinnel]

I use a Tunze scrapper and as long as I don’t wait for a long time it removes everything. When I do wait until the magnetic scrapper won’t get it I use the razor blade on a handle that was posted above.
I do agree though that the super thin safety razors that it uses will break if not careful.

 

[Doctorgori]

So what issues would this indicate?

I’m hardly algae expert, no clue on ID but (unscientifically) the algae on your glass can hint at a few things: (emphasis on “hint” …I’m hardly offering hard facts here)

• pink specs? and sometimes even within hours after scraping: your 2pt and alk dosing is probably in range or on target
• sheets of easily scraped brown diatoms points to a likely water quality issue
• Bright green soft stuff is usually a fertilizer overdose somehow/somewhere….probably overdosed the phyto , emphasis on “usually”
• Hard green stuff? whatever it is, you never see on new tanks, and usually it doesn’t coincide with coralline algae. so if your water quality is OK but the coraline algae isn’t outcompeting it on the glass? … something is off…maybe 2pt …maybe trace …

…Nothing above is backed by any data but IME you should be scraping coraline algae off the front, ideally …
I don’t believe white spectrum causes algae issues btw…

 

[Koty]

That green algae I could not scrape with standard magfloat was really tough. I had to hold the scraper blade against the glass and use significant force. The only other thing that can deal with it is this hitchhiker:

 

[code4]

There is a ceramic blade that can be used on the Tunze. I just received it and am nervous to use it in my display tank. I did use the ceramic blade in a holding tank on the bright green algae. It worked great at removing it. I had just held it in my hand. Probably not the safest thing I have ever done.

Have not tried a magic eraser but am thinking on it.

Shelley