Tunze macro algae reactor cleaning

[proxy001]

Hello,

I setup my reactor a few months ago. At first it was fine, just about trimming the chaeto.
Now I have all shorts of algae in there. Some that sticks to the inside of the reactor, some slimy within the cheato.

Is this normal?

How do you clean the inside?
Do you discard the chaeto that is now covered in green slime?

Thank you

 

[trmiv]

Yes I get the same thing. Not sure what to do about the chaeto covered in slime, I just pick through it.

For the unit itself I stick it in the sink and use a flexible credit card to scrape the inside clean, then a bottle brush to get the rest, plus a toothbrush for the smaller parts while I run a bunch of hot water through it. Seems to get it nice and clean.

 

[Robertellis30]

Also get the slime in mind. Wonder if there’s a way to prevent it?

 

[trmiv]

It’s just really efficient at growing algae so whatever can grow in there will. I don’t have algae issues in my display so just let it do its thing. Mine is filled with slime, hair algae and all kinds of other stuff.

 

[proxy001]

Yup... and whatever kind of algae it grows serves the purposes. Just more complicated to clean

 

[trmiv]

Another thing I’ve done is take the top off, remove the chaeto, scrape off some of the stuff growing on the sides with a credit card, then put the top back on and put the outlet into a filter sock then crank the flow up and let it blow all the loose stuff out. I don’t remove everything when I do this so it has a chance to grow back quickly. Then stick the chaeto back in. I’ll usually do this between full cleanings as a means of exporting some of the algae growing and giving more room for more stuff.

 

[proxy001]

that's smart, because getting the slime and hair algae out is difficult. I'll try that !! Thanks !

 

[doodledreads]

I was planning to do the same to mine. Set up mine just a week ago with some cheato but I see a lot of hair algae and cheato is not rotating. I plan to scrap off the sides and try to remove the hair algae this weekend. I wonder if I should use cheatogrow or some iron/molybdenum supplement.

 

[proxy001]

I just did the credit card trick to clean the inside and run it without macro to a filter sock, it worked. Chaeto is back spinning.

 

[subxero]

Double post

 

[subxero]

I was planning to do the same to mine. Set up mine just a week ago with some cheato but I see a lot of hair algae and cheato is not rotating. I plan to scrap off the sides and try to remove the hair algae this weekend. I wonder if I should use cheatogrow or some iron/molybdenum supplement.

I feel those supplement will not only grow chaeto, it will help to grow all algae (including hair algae)

 

[proxy001]

An update almost a year in. Don’t worry about cleaning it, don’t worry about tumbling. Mine will grow dense packed pounds of chaeto. Empty once a month, nitrates at zerooooo.

 

[subxero]

An update almost a year in. Don’t worry about cleaning it, don’t worry about tumbling. Mine will grow dense packed pounds of chaeto. Empty once a month, nitrates at zerooooo.

Great that your nitrates are zero.

I have chaeto turning white. Not sure if it is due to chaeto not spinning, and some area exposed to too much lights.

 

[proxy001]

That’s odd. Maybe a bad batch? I run a reverse photo period of about 12 hours. I don’t dose anything for chaeto. Just some reef ab+

 

[subxero]

That’s odd. Maybe a bad batch? I run a reverse photo period of about 12 hours. I don’t dose anything for chaeto. Just some reef ab+

I run mine 18hrs. Could be a bad batch. I'll try to get a fresh batch and try.