Why cleaning the glass makes my sand clean?

[Ardeus]

I always noticed this.

In fact it's not just the sand, but the rock too.

Anyone knows why this happens?

 

[Qasimja]

nice looking tank

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

I've got no answer for the question, but that tank is beautiful!

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

I've noticed this too. When I clean the glass my sand becomes nice and white

 

[Ardeus]

Thanks, the tank will look good in a couple of years, there's lots of stuff that still needs to grow.

Maybe the algae that are removed from the glass feed something that outcompetes whatever is on the sand?

Or maybe it's the other way around, the algae while still on the glass supply something to whatever is growing on the sand?

 

[shred5]

I've got no answer for the question, but that tank is beautiful!

Agreed never seen it happen but nice tank.

 

[Barrett]

Just a guess but maybe since the glass is clean the sand and rocks just appear cleaner, since you are no longer looking through dirty glass.

 

[Ardeus]

Just a guess but maybe since the glass is clean the sand and rocks just appear cleaner, since you are no longer looking through dirty glass.

It's not the case, there are small patches of cyano and diatoms that vanish the next day.

 

[jaxredsoxfan]

Hmm never heard of or noticed that myself. interested if anyone has experienced this

 

[BeejReef]

Just a guess but maybe since the glass is clean the sand and rocks just appear cleaner, since you are no longer looking through dirty glass.

Maybe.. like, "Why does turning up my car stereo make the brakes stop squeaking"

 

[Ardeus]

I'm serious, I always have some diatoms on the sand under the anemones and they go away when I clean the glass.

I must remember to film it.

 

[Jay Z]

When you clean the glass you eliminate a major food source for the cuc and what doesn’t go into the filter settles on the rocks and sand beds. What settles is the prime algae. When the cuc starts cleaning up the good stuff, they also pick off the others stuff.

 

[Ardeus]

I almost don't have a cleanup crew, it's just 3 or 4 really tiny ermit crabs.

I really need to film this. I will begin filming in the morning, clean the glass, see what happens to the sand through out the day and render a timelapse.

 

[BudgetReefer007]

I'm serious, I always have some diatoms on the sand under the anemones and they go away when I clean the glass.

I must remember to film it.

jus a guess..but maybe the reflection produces more/strong light that somehow helps break it down/out. i would think that light is the variable rather than the dust off the glass though... (still just a guess! lol)

 

[vetteguy53081]

Nice healthy tank !!

 

[JVU]

I also haven’t noticed this, but I’m very curious now, so I’m following along

 

[HB AL]

I've noticed this, if I let the front pane cleaning go for a week or longer my sand and rocks and even fish look dirtier. Then when I clean the glass they instantly look cleaner, then I came to the conclusion it was the dirty glass I was looking through that made the rocks and sand and fish look dirty

 

[sfin52]

I noticed this too. The tank look so much brighter and colorful. My fish also like the scrapings. Hmmm definitely a head scratcher

 

[Hermie]

I almost don't have a cleanup crew, it's just 3 or 4 really tiny ermit crabs.

I really need to film this. I will begin filming in the morning, clean the glass, see what happens to the sand through out the day and render a timelapse.

copepods, rotifers, microorganisms, they have no reason to inhabit clean glass, so they move to the sand

 

[bar|none]

So I just cleaned my glass and the effect was immediate. Is it not the fact that the filtered light through dirty glass makes the sand look worse?