Aqua Barber’s Pruning Perfection: How do you trim back algae?

[williamCreery]

I put gloves on I have lots of bristle worms and many other things living in there. But I use scissors and a bucket.

Find a way to have less hands in a tank. Just the chemistry of your hand being in the tank when you have a lot of corals, they be upset. Some say it’s skin oils… or the physical sense of Just the glove within the water.

But before you get to that faze find a was the ecosystem can do it without you putting ur hands in the tank. I put 5 zebra turbo snails in each tank ever year to supply them with enough food

 

[CRABDADDY]

I generally use a brush to scrub large amounts of algae off of rocks as long as there aren't too many corals. I've even brushed over corals before with softer toothbrushes if they're really covered in algae. It seems to help more than it harms them if they're getting overwhelmed. My new tank had a brown mat of algae covering the rocks and the back of the tank. It seemed to stop growing, but what was there remained. I just got in this last weekend with a new dish washing brush and scrubbed everything down. Probably doing a second round this weekend to get everything I missed.

 

[shakacuz]

i use my algae scrapper, but usually pull it off with my hands if it gets long enough. my tang, and CUC do the rest!

 

[tnw50cal]

Urchins and turbos.

 

[hans4811]

Have some Bryopsis that pops up every so often as well as bubble algae…this dyi suction tube with a landing skid from my RC helicopter…lol…works like a charm ! Just cut the end off at an angle so it works like a scrubber.

 

[1979fishgeek]

I use trimming tools from my planted aquascaping days but also grab handfuls when I need to. There is a urchin living in my refugium and he also helps out.

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

Have some Bryopsis that pops up every so often as well as bubble algae…this dyi suction tube with a landing skid from my RC helicopter…lol…works like a charm ! Just cut the end off at an angle so it works like a scrubber.

Looks like the skid from the Align 600. Cool to see another RC Heli hobbyist.

 

[hans4811]

Looks like the skid from the Align 600. Cool to see another RC Heli hobbyist.

Yep…exactly ! Good eye…lol

 

[cdemoss01]

Aqua Barber’s Pruning Perfection: How do you trim back algae?

Whether you are maintaining your macroalgae or managing nuisance algae, there are many ways to trim it back. Some may do the hand trimming with their actual hands by pulling out the algae and others may use cutting tools to give the algae a trim. Of course, others may choose to not do any trimming at all. Whether you are taking the bonsai-style approach to sculpting your macroalgae or are just trying to knock back the unwanted algae so other tank inhabitants can keep it in check, how do you trim back algae?

Photo by @Subnautica


This QOTD is sponsored by: www.tckcorals.com

Ive never actually experienced it before, only coraline, hair algae, and dinos.