wrote in message
...
On Fri, 21 Jan 2005 16:44:21 -0000, "SkyCatcher"
wrote:

Hi,

I am troubled by difficult to remove diatoms (algae) in my lake Malawi
setup. This is made worse by the fact that it is a big tank 6ft long 5ft
deep and acrylic!


If by Malawi you mean you have Mbuna then they will eat the algae for
you. They need to get hungry so cut the food for a few days.

If that doesn't work get some bristlenose catfish.


Steve
--
EasyNN-plus. The easy way to build neural networks.
http://www.easynn.com


nothing eats brown diatom that I am aware of and as far as Mbuna's go I
never see mine going up and down the glass eating algae although they will
pick at rocks and such that are covered in it. Everyone recommends people
get plecos of some type or another and of course they help but from my
experience they will do little to eliminate algae completely from glass.

Rick

On Fri, 21 Jan 2005 14:27:02 -0600, "Margolis"
wrote:

wrote in message
.. .
On Fri, 21 Jan 2005 16:44:21 -0000, "SkyCatcher"

If by Malawi you mean you have Mbuna then they will eat the algae for
you.


not diatoms

Yes, I know that but the OP got the term wrong with diatoms and said
so in an earlier post. It is algae growing on the acrylic.


Steve
--
EasyNN-plus. The easy way to build neural networks.
http://www.easynn.com

On Fri, 21 Jan 2005 16:01:47 -0600, "Rick"
wrote:



nothing eats brown diatom that I am aware of and as far as Mbuna's go I
never see mine going up and down the glass eating algae although they will
pick at rocks and such that are covered in it. Everyone recommends people
get plecos of some type or another and of course they help but from my
experience they will do little to eliminate algae completely from glass.


Your Mbuna aren't hungry! Too much food makes them lazy.


Steve
--
EasyNN-plus. The easy way to build neural networks.
http://www.easynn.com

Hey, Nice link, I am glad you showed it to me. It is just the thing I am
looking for.

JOhn

"Glenn" wrote in message
news:wCdId.4888$ry.2062@fed1read05...
These are pricey, but they are the best:
http://www.aquariumcleaner.com/products.html

Pay attention when you order, as they have pads for both glass and
acrylic.


" Anyone any suggestions/tips on shifting these without scratching the
acrylic? I'm currently using a Kent pro scraper/mop but the scraper is
occasionally scratching the acrylic and the mop wont budge the diatoms!

tia,

Sky

wrote in message
...
On Fri, 21 Jan 2005 14:27:02 -0600, "Margolis"
Yes, I know that but the OP got the term wrong with diatoms and said
so in an earlier post. It is algae growing on the acrylic.




not necessarily. Brown diatom do grow on the acrylic just as described. So
it could be diatoms. Or it could be green spot algae, since the op didn't
include the color. Or some other algae. You are just assuming that it is not
diatoms because somebody else said he got it wrong and the op said he wasn't
sure of the terminology. He did not say that it was definately not diatoms.

--

Margolis
http://web.archive.org/web/200302152...qs/AGQ2FAQ.htm
http://www.unrealtower.org/faq

Glenn,
Thanks for your reply...

Is this recommendation from personal experience?

I note that there are also "Mighty Magnets" www.mightymagnets.com
and magnavore http://www.magnavore.com/catalog.html

is the "Great White" the best?

Thanks again,

Sky.

"Glenn" wrote in message
news:wCdId.4888$ry.2062@fed1read05...
These are pricey, but they are the best:
http://www.aquariumcleaner.com/products.html

Pay attention when you order, as they have pads for both glass and
acrylic.


" Anyone any suggestions/tips on shifting these without scratching the
acrylic? I'm currently using a Kent pro scraper/mop but the scraper is
occasionally scratching the acrylic and the mop wont budge the diatoms!

tia,

Sky

wrote in message
...
On Fri, 21 Jan 2005 16:01:47 -0600, "Rick"
wrote:



nothing eats brown diatom that I am aware of and as far as Mbuna's go I
never see mine going up and down the glass eating algae although they
will
pick at rocks and such that are covered in it. Everyone recommends people
get plecos of some type or another and of course they help but from my
experience they will do little to eliminate algae completely from glass.


Your Mbuna aren't hungry! Too much food makes them lazy.


Steve
--
EasyNN-plus. The easy way to build neural networks.
http://www.easynn.com

wrote in message
...
On Fri, 21 Jan 2005 16:01:47 -0600, "Rick"
wrote:



nothing eats brown diatom that I am aware of and as far as Mbuna's go I
never see mine going up and down the glass eating algae although they
will
pick at rocks and such that are covered in it. Everyone recommends people
get plecos of some type or another and of course they help but from my
experience they will do little to eliminate algae completely from glass.


Your Mbuna aren't hungry! Too much food makes them lazy.


Steve
--
EasyNN-plus. The easy way to build neural networks.
http://www.easynn.com


nah, I think it's more a case that I don't let algae build up enough on my
glass to allow a mbuna to act like a pleco and scrape his lower jaw up and
down the glass to get the algae :-)

Rick

Try here - http://www.aquariumcleaner.com/products.html . Pricey but they
work great.


"SkyCatcher" wrote in message
...
Rick,

Magnets appeal! But I haven't found any in the UK that will work through
1" acrylic. Can you recommend any UK or US magnets that will work with 1"
acrylic and do a good job?

Sky.

get two srong magnets anywhere
place the "wet one" in a ziplock baggie

choose the scrub cloth of your choice for the wet side
Choose a soft cloth for the dry side.

this lets you do it with as big a scrob cloth as you like, and any surface
I like the natural bath sponges
my big tank is only 50 gallon, but the little magnet things are too lame for
me to want to waste time with then



"SkyCatcher" wrote in message
...
Rick,

Magnets appeal! But I haven't found any in the UK that will work through
1"
acrylic. Can you recommend any UK or US magnets that will work with 1"
acrylic and do a good job?

Sky.

"Rick" wrote in message
...

"SkyCatcher" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I am troubled by difficult to remove diatoms (algae) in my lake Malawi
setup. This is made worse by the fact that it is a big tank 6ft long
5ft
deep and acrylic!

Anyone any suggestions/tips on shifting these without scratching the
acrylic? I'm currently using a Kent pro scraper/mop but the scraper is
occasionally scratching the acrylic and the mop wont budge the diatoms!

tia,

Sky

if it is the stuff that is easily removed you could either try one of
the
algae magnets but be careful you do not pick up any grit at all or it
will
scratch the tank terribly or perhaps a rubber squeegee.

Rick