What is your dirty glass telling you & how quick does it get dirty?

If you clean your glass how long does it take to need another scraping?

  • Same day

    Votes: 32 2.6%
  • Next day

    Votes: 152 12.6%
  • Couple days

    Votes: 419 34.7%
  • Few days

    Votes: 338 28.0%
  • A week

    Votes: 214 17.7%
  • A couple weeks

    Votes: 47 3.9%
  • Other (please explain)

    Votes: 7 0.6%

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thermoJoe

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Recently I've changed my mind on assessing aquarium state based on how quickly the glass fouls. I have three ~90% acro tanks with a high density of corals. Nutrients are always below levels of detection. In fact, some of my corals have poor color, which I think is due to low nutrients, so I even started dosing nitrate for a while, but wasn't able to get nitrate elevated at the max level I was willing to dose at. At the same time, i would get significant algae, mostly hair algae, growing on the walls of the tank after about a week. Even though the tanks have been running for at least a few years (one around 10 years), it was only ~6 months ago that I added a bunch of turbo snails to complement some tuxedo urchins (I'm not big on cleanup crews). Now, I never see much algae on the glass. Instead, the problem is now coralline algae, but I'm able to go longer (~1 mo.?) before that becomes excessive. So, the animal content of your tank makes a huge difference in what develops on the glass, so water chemistry is just one component. As usual for saltwater tanks, it's complicated!
 

moz71

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Like someone said before. I’m amazed on how some don’t need to clean there glass every couple days AT LEAST. It just keeps coming and pho’phate is on low side!
 

David S

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Like someone said before. I’m amazed on how some don’t need to clean there glass every couple days AT LEAST. It just keeps coming and pho’phate is on low side!
I'm in the same boat
 

nick96cougars

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Haven't figured out how to post pics of my setup yet...so here goes
 

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PeterC99

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Used to clean glass every other day, now I can go a whole week without cleaning glass. Also turned the Light Point Intensity up to 75% after installing these light shades.

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design.maddie

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I have a cube that is viewable on 3 sides and boy or boy, I can clean the glass and it will have pods and algae growing on it within 24 ours. Not much but surely enough to drive me insane. I have been doing better with it though and holding off a few days.
 

ApoIsland

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To keep mine looking tip top I would need to do it every 2-3 days. I usually end up doing every 4-7 days unfortunately.
 

lefkonj

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There are several things that need to be done when it comes to 'cleaning glass'.
1. Algae: When my phosphates get out of hand the growth is much faster and needs to be cleaned more often.
2. Coraline Algae: This happens all the time some would say it is a sign of a healthy tank others not so much so not sure what to make of it. I noticed when my nutrients went down this growth picked up.
3. Snails.... snail eggs happen frequently on the glass and I try to leave them hoping they will hatch and then move themselves. I would imagine this is a healthy thing for the tank.

I am sure some will disagree with me but that is the hobby.
 

flagg37

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The MOAI has got to come out eventually right? It should help with this chore.
 

fishybizzness

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Is it also working for you?
I started a few weeks ago and it definitely seems to make a difference. I just changed my uv bulb and cleaned the sleeve so I'll see in a few weeks if there's a big difference.
 

ApoIsland

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Yup! Every 2/3 day. I don’t mind it. I see it as a food source for corals mixed in with roids every few days as well. Nothing like super tender algae. Easy to digest. ;Yuck
I like this thought. Does the logic hold true even if it's just diatoms? I believe that's the only kind of algae I get growing on my glass.
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 73 37.6%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 66 34.0%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 25 12.9%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 28 14.4%
  • Other.

    Votes: 2 1.0%
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