How Do You Clean Your Bare Bottom Reef?

[john.m.cole3]

I switched to a bare bottom tank and removed my sand about a month ago. There is some film algae the accumulated within a few weeks. It seems like I'm going to have to move rocks and corals around to get every spot clean. Do people with bare bottom tanks have to do this regularly, or do they just let it go on the ares you can't see? If I did a starboard bottom wouldn't that be even harder to clean?

 

[JohnnyTabasco]

It has to be something with your water if you got algae problems. I have a bb tank and I don't really have to clean the bottom
Lot's of flow might help you.

 

[Ross]

You will have some algae until the coralline takes over. I just siphon the junk from the dead spots

 

[tom reilly]

Charmin.

 

[john.m.cole3]

Charmin.

As I typed the title I knew someone would have a good response, lol

 

[Thle009]

I painted the outside bottom of my tank. Fighting a little algae problem myself after the shift to BB, we'll and acid washed my rocks. Now my NO3 is at 0, but my PO4 is at .25 and that cause an algae outbreak. So I'm clean it off the walls and bottom and dosing calcium nitrate to bring everything back to harmony.

 

[Zero Nitrates]

Snails and siphoning is what I use

 

[FarmerTy]

Charmin.

Ah, thank goodness someone jumped on that! Too delicious of a setup for someone not to! [emoji23]

 

[andyg1960]

Bidet?

 

[john.m.cole3]

Bidet?

what's that?

 

[GOSKN5]

I siphon out all the junk and use a scraper on the open areas... seems to work well enough

 

[Waboss]

what's that?

Think of is as a power washer for your bum.

Oh, and back on the OP question, Once I got all my water parameters in check, I had no real issues with algea. I do have a cheapo powerhead mounted low and pointed at the bottom of my tank. This makes it super easy during water changes. I just siphon out the side of the tank where it all builds up and I'm done with it.

 

[JohnnyTabasco]

I made a little vacuum cleaner with the smallest pump i could find. Works great! Here's a really old picture

 

[Thle009]

Perfect invention. Maybe you should market it.

 

[GOSKN5]

I made a little vacuum cleaner with the smallest pump i could find. Works great! Here's a really old picture

Awesome idea... is that a filter sock on the outlet end?

 

[Anirban]

You will have little algae but in my case I saw it died off slowly over time.

 

[JohnnyTabasco]

Awesome idea... is that a filter sock on the outlet end?

It's a media bag, but I use a filtersock now

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

I made a little vacuum cleaner with the smallest pump i could find. Works great! Here's a really old picture

Very cool!

 

[Elleuckyreefs]

Tons of flow and siphoning.

 

[toohipnoob]

I made a little vacuum cleaner with the smallest pump i could find. Works great! Here's a really old picture

Great idea! You can buy battery-operated vacuums on line for around $10, I have two, but they're cheap and wear out, this invention would have much more suction! Great idea!