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Hey all. I've got a 30 gallon tank, lightly planted w/ a low tech set-up. I'm start to get hair algae on some plants, slate rocks, & a large piece of driftwood. I was wondering what would be a good tool to clean off the wood. I've used a green scrubbing pad to take care of the rocks & equipment in the past. But, I'm worried about scoring the wood if I use something too abbrasive. One of my friends suggested a very stiff toothbrush. Sounds right, to me. Anyone have any other thoughts on it?

MeDainBramaged,

If the wood/rock would be removable from the tank then I would suggest you take it out and dip it for maybe 2 min in a bleach bath, similar to treatments that some plants can get when algae invested. The bleach should be about 19 parts water and one part bleach.

If you cannot remove the wood/rock then sprinkling with Flourish Excel during a water change on the areas that are exposed to air (low water level) may help as well, it worked for me on the higher up branches in my 125.

A toothbrush (doesn't need to be a hard one) may work too, but if the wood is submersed then you will spread small threads throughout the tank and they just may settle somewhere else.

For the invested plants, if it is not too bad then trim the parts that have the algae and throw them out.

Hope this helps,

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Thanks Ingo. I'm gonna do a good cleaning sometime soon. Also, while I'm in there, I'm gonna plant some nice swords & create a better looking background. I think it'd make my driftwood stand out more. It's a nice piece. Check it out... http://www.ratemyfishtank.com/friendEmail.php/imID3388

MeDainBramaged,

More plants is always good and lessens the chance of algae.

I have been looking at your tank picture and have to say that it is "very tidy"

I find it a little too symmetrical, similar rock structures on both sides with a big drfitwood in the tank middle. The branches of the wood look very nice, but I am not too wild about the wide branch that is in the front and all dark as it is shaded. This though may get better when there are more plants.

Also, do you know about the golden rule? In a tank of your size, a single focal point (or none) is usally desired, and you have one (wood). This focal point should be located close to the golden rule position, which says:

- Take the tank length and devide it by 2.6 (for example, a 26" long tank would give you 1" )
- Then, take that number and multiply by 10 (1" x 10 = 10" )
- Now, either from the left side or the right side of the tank, measure inwards the calculated value and this is where the focal point should be (in the example, 10" from left or right)

Why is that: because the old chinese have found that harmony for the human mind is not created by centralization, but by offset. And the best one is by the 2.6 rule above. Has been tested 1000nds of years and always turned out true.

Hope this helps,

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club