Devon

I have recently emerged (mostly) the victor in a long battle with the algae in Mr David Bowie's 6.6gal tank. Due to my space restrictions he has to live next to a window, where he gets lots of indirect daylight. I did my best to minimize this but still the algae thrived. Lefty the mystery snail has dutifully done the rest of what my rinsing and wiping off couldn't; however...

The plexi is still covered in these very small dots of tenacious, vicious, impenetrable green algae, and even when I wipe the glass or when Lefty cruises over it, it will not budge. The algae is a rather bright green -- not the dark green stuff.

Since the sides are plexi and prone to scratching, and I hate to use any kind of chemical in my tank (I prefer natural/organic solutions before ever resorting to chemical treatments,) I'm wondering, does anyone have any suggestions for getting rid of this?? Would be most appreciated...

Steve113

I have the same problem now and again, my plec can't seem to clean em either...

I have a plastic scraper - that and a clean lint free cloth.
my fingernail came in pretty andy for the more stubborn dots.

Devon

Yeech I hate to use my fingernail... mine are kind of long and I am such a sissy about getting stuff under them... I know, funny for a girl that spends half her free time with her hands in used fish water, lol. If I must... I suppose, I will do anything for Mr Bowie, I am his slave and he knows it...

Steve113

ooh - what if you break one...?

:P

Devon

That's what I'm saying!!

Butterfly

That type of algae is called "spot algae" , scroll down the page ad check it out.
http://www.plantgeek.net/article_viewer.php?id=9
Carol

Steve113

Spot algae:
Grows in thin, hard, circular, bright green spots, usually on the aquarium glass but also on plants under high light conditions. Considered normal for planted tanks. Must be mechanically removed. On acrylic aquariums, use a cloth pad or a gentle scouring pad like a cosmetic "Buff-Puff" and a lot of elbow grease. On glass tanks, scraping with a razor blade is most effective.

Devon

Yay! Thanks. I'll spot-test on the back of the aquarium, those bookshelves scratch so easy, only thing I don't like about them.

Vincent

you can also use an old credit card or anything similar without chip.

ER9

if you live near a business that sells plexiglass. buy a piece of 1/16" thick plexi approximatelly 2 1/2" X 5" piece. you can use it as a scraper on plexiglass and it wont scratch the acrylic. it will remove those dots of spot algae effortlessly.