Diatoms!!! (cross-posted)

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

"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

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

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

Magna Float 1000 will do 1 1/2" acrylic You can get them at your LFS or try
www.BigAlsOnline.com.

JOhn

"Gordon James" wrote in message
...
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

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!

Sorry I'm not the best expert, but aren't diatoms the ones that float in the
water, and give you green water, not the ones that coat the tank. Diatoms
can be got rid of by blacking the tank out for four days. Check your
phosphate levels as well. I caused mine a while back by leaving a carbon
pillow in too long, and it leeched loads of phosphates back into the tank.

A

maybe I got the term wrong but it is the hard difficult to shift ones
attached to the acrylic - not free floating!


"Ali Day" wrote in message
...
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!

Sorry I'm not the best expert, but aren't diatoms the ones that float in
the
water, and give you green water, not the ones that coat the tank. Diatoms
can be got rid of by blacking the tank out for four days. Check your
phosphate levels as well. I caused mine a while back by leaving a carbon
pillow in too long, and it leeched loads of phosphates back into the tank.

A

"SkyCatcher" wrote in message
...
maybe I got the term wrong but it is the hard difficult to shift ones
attached to the acrylic - not free floating!


"Ali Day" wrote in message
...
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!

Sorry I'm not the best expert, but aren't diatoms the ones that float in
the
water, and give you green water, not the ones that coat the tank.
Diatoms
can be got rid of by blacking the tank out for four days. Check your
phosphate levels as well. I caused mine a while back by leaving a carbon
pillow in too long, and it leeched loads of phosphates back into the
tank.

A




yeah I think I got the drift when you said you were scraping it with a
plastic scraper. I don't know too many people who scrape their water :-) and
sorry I don't know of a magnet that will work through 1: acrylic

Rick

"Ali Day" wrote in message
...

Sorry I'm not the best expert, but aren't diatoms the ones that float in
the
water, and give you green water, not the ones that coat the tank. Diatoms


no, diatoms are the fine brown stuff that grows on things. Looks like a
coating of dust, imo. Too much silicate in the water is one thing that
diatoms thrive on. I am not sure what else causes them.
--

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