EVERYONES DREAM TANK!!! But it can’t be normal that I never have to clean my tank glass for months on end.

[Lowsingle]

I have to clean my glass every other day.....

Darren

 

[snowhite]

Since ramping up my lights further to benefit the Ritteri Magnifica anemone I added I have to clean my glass every other day'ish, but I'm still under a year on this 90g tank.

 

[tamanning]

my snails do a pretty good job on most of my tank. the small parts they miss i clean usually once a week.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

I have noticeable growth on my glass since cleaning two days ago, and I’ve always assumed that was normal. Perhaps you have some key element missing from the water that nothing can grow without? Maybe your phyto is consuming what algae normally would and is inhibiting it from growing? FWIW, I would be quite happy if I never had to clean my walls, but considering that you have no coral growth, I would look for an explanation. What are your light settings? Could wrong spectrum of lighting be to blame?

Yes as nice as it is I still feel I’m missing something and would rather have coral growth with the algae on glass. As far as light and spectrum I have 2 radion g5 x30 about 7 inch above a 120 gallon 2 ft deep tank. As odd as it sounds they are only at 17% power giving me about 50par on sand bed. And seems like if I turn lights up more my corals start to burn on the sand bed.as far as spectrum I’ve only used the pre set ones from radion Lps,ab+, and now I’m using the phx14 like I said at 17% giving about 50par on sand bed.

 

[jaythenoob]

usually that means something is out competing the algae for nutrients. At least that how it works in fresh water but I’m new to SW

 

[Reefs anonymous]

we need to invent like a mini glass roomba... it would come out and clean all of the glass while we were asleep or something... granted I suspect it would work just as well not very good that is...

It’s called robosnail. Can get it on amazon.

 

[Reefs anonymous]

I find that UV light, aiming LEDs so it doesn’t hit glass, light feeding, and chilled water will keep glass cleaning at bay. That’s been my experience.

 

[stephj03]

Is it possible to raise the lights? Also what kind of growth on what type of coral would you like to achieve?

 

[ArmyReefer]

Do you have a UV sterilizer on the tank? I noticed since adding mine, I can got 5 times as long without cleaning the glass.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

After looking at my tank, I agree. I use 2 LEDs and there is a space near the top of the front glass where the lights must not overlap and the glass is pretty clean.

I’m not talking about a few inches that are pretty clean I’m saying every inch of my glass crystal clear not a spot top bottom left or right. There is no way light is not hitting any glass

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Is it possible to raise the lights? Also what kind of growth on what type of coral would you like to achieve?

Hello no it’s not possible to raise lights due to canopy on top of tank. Lights are about 7-8 inches above water. As far as growth of corals I have corals that been in tank for over a year and show no signs of any growth. Almost all corals survive in my tank but just don’t get bigger. Only coral that does not survive my tank is chalice corals which are my favorite so if I had to choose I’d like chalice to stay alive and grow

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Do you have a UV sterilizer on the tank? I noticed since adding mine, I can got 5 times as long without cleaning the glass.

No Uv sterilizer but I do run a 20 gal refugium and Clearwater 300 scrubber

 

[((FORDTECH))]

my snails do a pretty good job on most of my tank. the small parts they miss i clean usually once a week.

Yes snail trails on the glass of the clean spots then would have to clean the rest. I dont even get that

 

[((FORDTECH))]

usually that means something is out competing the algae for nutrients. At least that how it works in fresh water but I’m new to SW

I do run a large algae scrubber Clearwater 300 but still would expect some kind of build up on glass over many week period

 

[Tonedeafviolinist]

I try not to clean mine too often because I don't want to put my hands in the water unless I absolutely have to. Plus, if i do it before i clean the sandbed I can suck up most of what falls off the glass

 

[hans4811]

Lol, I have to clean my glass every day, sometimes twice a day. I think it’s from the addition of Red Sea Energy+. My nitrates are at 3 ppm and phosphates at .02. Cleaning it just once a week would be a dream for me

SAME !! Started dosing Red Sea AB+ and Phyto at the same time....BIG mistake...cyano on the bed and algae on the glass !! Stopped both....

 

[S2G]

UV would take care of that for you. I use an ats & it helps tremendously

 

[Olefreebe]

we need to invent like a mini glass roomba... it would come out and clean all of the glass while we were asleep or something... granted I suspect it would work just as well not very good that is...

Well I now know what I'm dressing my snails as for Halloween.

 

[Kostas G.]

I can usually go 2 weeks without cleaning the glass and still see acceptably clear, though cameras have trouble taking clear pictures after 1 week. I have a great biodiversity of snails and a huge number of them(they spawn all the time and keep giving away) that help a ton in keeping algae at bay. Some eat the soft algae, other eat the harder types too and some even target coralline patches. I have good growth on the corals since I have taken care of the minerals and nutrient levels as a whole, meaning keeping KH, Ca, Mg, K, I, Fe and trace stable at their respective appropriate levels. For me Red Sea Reef Energy & Colors program have not increased my algae growth, only my coral and macroalgae growth. They also took away a slight cyano problem

Now, since you see no coral growth, what are the levels of the minerals and nutrients in your tank? I find chalice to be especially easy corals except when something major is way off, like low Calcium, extremely low Potassium or extreme KH fluctuations. Please measure everything and report. Iodine levels also play a big role in LPS and if you are running a refugium without adding Iodine daily, you probably have it depleted. Same with K

 

[((FORDTECH))]

I can usually go 2 weeks without cleaning the glass and still see acceptably clear, though cameras have trouble taking clear pictures after 1 week. I have a great biodiversity of snails and a huge number of them(they spawn all the time and keep giving away) that help a ton in keeping algae at bay. Some eat the soft algae, other eat the harder types too and some even target coralline patches. I have good growth on the corals since I have taken care of the minerals and nutrient levels as a whole, meaning keeping KH, Ca, Mg, K, I, Fe and trace stable at their respective appropriate levels. For me Red Sea Reef Energy & Colors program have not increased my algae growth, only my coral and macroalgae growth. They also took away a slight cyano problem

Now, since you see no coral growth, what are the levels of the minerals and nutrients in your tank? I find chalice to be especially easy corals except when something major is way off, like low Calcium, extremely low Potassium or extreme KH fluctuations. Please measure everything and report. Iodine levels also play a big role in LPS and if you are running a refugium without adding Iodine daily, you probably have it depleted. Same with K

Hello thank you for the response I am getting very frustrated with this and appreciate the help. With all the replies on here there has not been many with suggestions that I have not tried or looked into already. With that being said you are suggesting for me to test these minerals and nutrients and I will. My first question is what is k,I,and Fe? And what test kits do you recommend for me to buy to test these? I test phosphates and nitrates every other day and they are steady at .06 phosphates and 5-10 nitrates. As far as kh,cal,mag I have trident that is Calibrated every time regents are changed and then double checked with Hanna and Red Sea test kits all very close. System is about 270 gallons between 120 display 80 gallon frag 30 gallon refugium 100 gallon sump and 30 gallon aptaisia and nudi grow out that is not very active yet. Kh is 7.7-7.9 cal is 440-455 and mag is 1415 all very steady. Ph is about 8.08-8.22 threw the whole day. Temp is 78 pretty solid. Orp 340,salinity is 35 with Milwaukee 887. I do run a very large refugium that quadruples cheato every 6-8 days needs to be cut more than in half. I do not dose anything besides kh,cal,mag. I also run a Clearwater-300 algae scrubber That every 7 days is completely full and has to be cleaned 1x a week. After 7 days looks like pic below. Again thanks for any help and sorry for the ramble on just trying to give as much info as I can.