Tips for removed old crusty algae

[0Dgreen]

I recieve a tank from a friend and i'm having a hard time getting old crusty algae off of certain spots...i've been cycling the tank with a hefty amount of bleech for about a day and trying to get it with a sponge with some elbow grease and it just wont come off...does anyone have any tips or tricks to getting this stuff off?

[Chicago Discus]

Hot water wont work? Thats funny I have been cleaning an old tank as well the hot water loosens it up then I scrub away........Josie

[strawberryblonde]

For me, rather than trying to use dilute bleach, I just leave the tank empty, then liberally swab the affected areas with straight bleach. Don't do that if the algae is on the silicon seals though!

Once it's swabbed, wait 10 minutes, then scrub the areas as best you can and it should come right off. If not, rinse the tank well to remove any remaining bleach, then do the same thing with either lemon juice or vinegar. The acid content in them will usually break down the algae.

[0Dgreen]

The most troublesome spots seem to be where the acrylic is scratched and there is algae in the scratches. And yes there is a good amout of buildup on the seals.

[Harts]

Try 50- 50 white vinegar and water. I soak a paper towel in the mixture and lay it on the spot to be cleaned then use a soft toothbrush to remove algae.

[blueluv]

Go with straight vinegar and scrub it. Rinse well and sun dry the tank.