Algae fix

[drehere]

I've been contemplating algae growing on the tank walls for a while. Snails are just too doggone slow. I decided that chlorine should kill it pretty well. Just about a gallon and we'll see when I get home. (55 gal tank) Not just any old chlorine, but the stuff in jugs.

I've never seen this recommended in books or online?

(Edit: Note, I did intend this as a joke. Don't go doing something stupid just cause you read it on the internet.)

[drehere]

I'll post results later see if there was anything I overlooked ;)

[GaryP]

Please tell me you aren't serious.

Gary

[GeorgeH]

Well, if your going to do something like that then at least donate your critters before doing that!!! :D

[R_S_C]

i've found that hydrochloric acid does a much better job...and doesn't deteorate the seals as badly.

[drehere]

Seriously, I've never seen my technique recommended before.


Careful with hydrochloric acid. I understand it can act funny around GFCI circuits

[Instar]

No sane person would put that in their tank if it had life in it. It has to be a dry old crusty tank he is trying to clean up.

[R_S_C]

I disabled the GFCI circuits a long time ago...those things kept tripping for some reason? never could figure it out so i just took them out.

[prof]

I have done it many times. The hydrochloric works better than chlorine but can be harder to get a hold of. Just make sure the room is well ventilated with either.

For chlorine I use one capful for ever 25 gallons. Don't try it on a tank smaller than 25 gallons. Make sure you turn your skimmer and other filters off for an hour then run carbon to clean out the chlorine. Your sps will retract but will come back in the next day or two. Softies don't seem to care but make sure you don't introduce any un-diluted chlorine directly to the tank. I usually mix a gallon of tank water with the chlorine then add it to the sump and let it pump through the system.

Hydrochloric is more complicated. You need a pipette or dropper. ONE drop per 10 gallons. Do not exceed this! Other than that the process is the same.

Good luck,

disclaimer: try these methods at your own risk.

[eleyan]

is this for real? how can your inhabitants (fish/corals/inverts) survive this?
Drehere, let us know what dosage you use and how your tank inhabitants respond.

[drehere]

I put all the livestock in the corner of the tank so they'd be out of the way.

[ryanrichter]

LOL APRIL FOOLS RIGHT!!!!!

[Brett Wilson]

I find that if you dump in 1lb of kalkwasser for ever 10 gallons the calcium gets really high and thus makes the algae 'over calcify' which makes them grow really really fast for a little while. Once they are done growing really really fast and use up all that extra calcium they will wither away and die from the lack of growth momentum.