Vacuum for removing loose algae clumps?

MichelleRay · May 14, 2018

The hair algae in my tank is spectacularly bad right now. Like it looks like a lawn that needs mowed and waves in the 'breeze' from the powerheads. I know the cause and I'm hopefully getting an RO unit to get rid of that. However this algae isn't going to just vanish. It comes loose in clumps now and floats about until I grab it and toss it. What I'd like to do is find some kind of vacuum, take a toothbrush in there and scrub all the loose algae off that I can, and use a vacuum to sweep up all the algae clumps and bits without losing the water. I've been looking at vacuums like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Aquarium-Bat...1&refRID=EWA6K3VH9TZF7H9J9GP6#customerReviews

But I haven't found one that has good or even decent reviews yet. I do have a HOB cartridge type filter on it but it clogs up so fast it ends up overflowing and making a mess too often to be worth using. Tried a canister filter and it keeps leaking and filling the tank with microbubbles. Anyone have any suggestions?

ZAB · May 14, 2018

If you have a sump
Run syphon tube in to filter sock..
To collect algae..

mitch91175 · May 14, 2018

How much do you have in your tank coral wise? You can increase you magnesium to 1500 and keep it there for a while and that will help out. Also get a lot of blue leg hermits will do wonders for you. I'd definitely not do anything drastic because it could possibly cause more issues. Just take your time and do you water changes as usual. A UV sterilizer and GFO will also help you out as well.

Any pictures will help us point you in the right direction as well.

MichelleRay · May 15, 2018

I don't have a sump or that would be a really good idea. :/ So far the best I've come up with is having it run into a sock inside a bucket, dumping the bucket back in, and repeating. But that's a lot of bucket lifting and I have back problems already so I'm not overly keen on the idea.

Picture a thick lawn in a rainforest somewhere that hasn't been mowed in like a month. Now put it underwater. That's my tank right now. On all the sides except the front and on every surface. The algae strands are measured in inches.

My mag levels are already as high as they can safely be. I know what caused the outbreak like I mentioned. My tap water has super high phosphate levels, so until I get an RO unit the algae is not going anywhere. But it's my birthday next month and so I'm hoping to grab one then. What I'm trying to figure out is more how to mow the lawn without leaving grass clippings all over it, if that makes sense? Like I need to do something to clean it up now because I can't see my rock anymore and only parts of my sand bed.

Even after I get the RO unit and start topping with clean water, the algae that is in there now isn't going to vanish. At best it will melt, which means rot to feed new algae growth and a host of other problems if all the yuck gets released back into the water as it rots. It's just a temporary measure until I get the RO unit in because the food is going to keep coming in with every top off until then, but I'd like to get started doing something. I have blue legs, or at least I used to the last time I could check for them, and I even put in a lettuce nudibranch but I think the algae ate him. I haven't seen him since the day I put him in. I tried a bristlenose tang and that vanished like a magician's trick with no corpse and no sign of it anywhere. Far as I can determine I don't think I have anything nasty in there but even if I did I couldn't see it at this stage.

ZAB · May 15, 2018

MichelleRay said:
I don't have a sump or that would be a really good idea. :/ So far the best I've come up with is having it run into a sock inside a bucket, dumping the bucket back in, and repeating. But that's a lot of bucket lifting and I have back problems already so I'm not overly keen on the idea.

Picture a thick lawn in a rainforest somewhere that hasn't been mowed in like a month. Now put it underwater. That's my tank right now. On all the sides except the front and on every surface. The algae strands are measured in inches.

My mag levels are already as high as they can safely be. I know what caused the outbreak like I mentioned. My tap water has super high phosphate levels, so until I get an RO unit the algae is not going anywhere. But it's my birthday next month and so I'm hoping to grab one then. What I'm trying to figure out is more how to mow the lawn without leaving grass clippings all over it, if that makes sense? Like I need to do something to clean it up now because I can't see my rock anymore and only parts of my sand bed.

Even after I get the RO unit and start topping with clean water, the algae that is in there now isn't going to vanish. At best it will melt, which means rot to feed new algae growth and a host of other problems if all the yuck gets released back into the water as it rots. It's just a temporary measure until I get the RO unit in because the food is going to keep coming in with every top off until then, but I'd like to get started doing something. I have blue legs, or at least I used to the last time I could check for them, and I even put in a lettuce nudibranch but I think the algae ate him. I haven't seen him since the day I put him in. I tried a bristlenose tang and that vanished like a magician's trick with no corpse and no sign of it anywhere. Far as I can determine I don't think I have anything nasty in there but even if I did I couldn't see it at this stage.

Can use power head or small pump to move water from bucket back into tank..no lifting...

MichelleRay · May 15, 2018

I'll have to see if I can rig something up.

ZAB · May 15, 2018

Look up melves reef on u tube
On how to rid reef tank of gha..
There is a product called phosphate x..you can get at marine Depot..this will lower phosphates..make sure not to lower to fast.. read label instructions..onc o phosphates are lowered.gha will be much easier to remove....you can also use your fingers to pull out as much gha manually as possible..just have contaner with some water in it close by while pulling out gha ..make sure to rinse your fingers off each time in the water..try not to let the gha strands get loose in tank if at all possible. because this will only cause more to regrow..sure hope this helps..melves reef goes futher into what I have tried to explain..