What if I...

CleanReef · 03/16/2018, 11:43 AM

What if I stop cleaning the display of an established aquarium? I do not currently clean or scrape the back wall, and I don't notice anything out of control in terms of algae or anything, but if I am heading out of town for an extended period of time, I dont necessarily want the sitter to clean the glass (as it is actually acrylic, and can easily scratch if the sitter doesn't know what they are doing).

What I am asking is: If I were to stop cleaning the display glass for 6 months, or more, what problems do you foresee happening?, assuming I am confident I am able to remove the buildup when I return.

Pslreefer · 03/16/2018, 11:47 AM

Snails will clean it. If you don’t clean your back glass then it will look just like that looks.

RobZilla04 · 03/16/2018, 12:03 PM

Build up of corraline algae or green nuisance algae. Either way a scraper will take it off.

mcgyvr · 03/16/2018, 12:10 PM

If you stop cleaning it stuff will likely grow on it.. plain and simple..

How much and what has too many variables involved to answer with any certainty..

Stuff growing on it is only going to impede someones ability to see into the tank..

RCS82 · 03/16/2018, 12:26 PM

6 months is a long time. The acrylic will just be covered in algeas, no biggie, its just aesthetics. I would be more worried about equipment failures, etc over some algea growing. Hopefully you have a real good tank sitter like a fellow reefer friend, if it were me I would be looking for a tank maintainance company to stop in periodically and make sure things are running smooth.

outssider · 03/16/2018, 04:40 PM

I have seen coralline algae permanently etch glass ! I would imagine it would be worse with acrylic....

gary_bergman · 03/16/2018, 04:40 PM

Done it for about 3 months. Algae grows, just like it would on your rocks or back glass. It’s not detrimental to the tank. If anything you’ll see some neat little hitchhikers foraging for food.

gary_bergman · 03/16/2018, 04:42 PM

I’d adjust your light if possible so it shines on the glass in o’malley, but it depends on the type of light you have and if that is a possibility for you.

CleanReef · 03/16/2018, 06:32 PM

Thank you truly for all of your messages. I gotta get a controller more than ever now....

My plan here is to leave new equipment installed and in place, but turned off, have that mapped out to PBs and turn it on should a failure occur. Hopefully, as always, it wont. I will also replace critical components before I leave like my questionable Chinese return pump as I could imagine that would be a component no sitter could replace. I wish I had friends who were into reefing that lived close enough to me to help out, but alas, I don't.

Once again, thank you for the thoughts and suggestions.

outsider, I'm really hoping that doesn't happen. That would suck.

BrettDS · 03/16/2018, 06:55 PM

I’m not sure how much time you have and how much you want to spend and replace, but for me the big key is redundancy. I have two separate dedicated circuits for my 220G tank. I have two return pumps (one plugged into each circuit) and two heaters (again, one in each) and the lights and circulation pumps are split between the two circuits as well.

This way if I lose a heater or a return or circulation pump, or even a whole circuit or power bar the tank can keep operating. In fact, I had a GFCI outlet trip while I was on vacation a few months ago, which took out half my equipment, but the other half kept running and the tank was fine for 3 or 4 days until I got home to reset it.

I also have an apex to monitor the tank, so I could verify that the temp was still good and a webcam so I could see the tank and verify that water was still moving. I could have called someone to go in and reset the outlet for me, but between the apex and the web cam I could see that everything was fine and there really was no need to.

If you can only do one thing before you go, I would get a webcam. Just being able to open an app and visually check the tank and see that the lights are on and the fish are moving and the water is circulating is a big comfort to me when I’m away from my tank for days or weeks.

After that I would get an apex so you can check the temp whenever you want and get alerts if something goes wrong.

03/16/2018, 11:43 AM	#1
CleanReef Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 67	What if I... What if I stop cleaning the display of an established aquarium? I do not currently clean or scrape the back wall, and I don't notice anything out of control in terms of algae or anything, but if I am heading out of town for an extended period of time, I dont necessarily want the sitter to clean the glass (as it is actually acrylic, and can easily scratch if the sitter doesn't know what they are doing). What I am asking is: If I were to stop cleaning the display glass for 6 months, or more, what problems do you foresee happening?, assuming I am confident I am able to remove the buildup when I return.

03/16/2018, 12:03 PM	#3
RobZilla04 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: St. Augustine, FL Posts: 1,857	Build up of corraline algae or green nuisance algae. Either way a scraper will take it off. __________________ 90g Mixed Reef

03/16/2018, 12:10 PM	#4
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	If you stop cleaning it stuff will likely grow on it.. plain and simple.. How much and what has too many variables involved to answer with any certainty.. Stuff growing on it is only going to impede someones ability to see into the tank.. __________________ Who me?

03/16/2018, 12:26 PM	#5
RCS82 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Sherwood Park, AB, Canada Posts: 273	6 months is a long time. The acrylic will just be covered in algeas, no biggie, its just aesthetics. I would be more worried about equipment failures, etc over some algea growing. Hopefully you have a real good tank sitter like a fellow reefer friend, if it were me I would be looking for a tank maintainance company to stop in periodically and make sure things are running smooth. __________________ After about a 16 year break from fish keeping, Wow, how things have changed. Current Tank Info: 90g, mixed reef, I hope haha

03/16/2018, 11:47 AM	#2
Pslreefer In Memoriam Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Port St Lucie, FL Posts: 597	Snails will clean it. If you don’t clean your back glass then it will look just like that looks.

03/16/2018, 04:40 PM	#6
outssider Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Reseda, Ca. Posts: 1,717	I have seen coralline algae permanently etch glass ! I would imagine it would be worse with acrylic....

03/16/2018, 04:40 PM	#7
gary_bergman Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 14	Done it for about 3 months. Algae grows, just like it would on your rocks or back glass. It’s not detrimental to the tank. If anything you’ll see some neat little hitchhikers foraging for food.

03/16/2018, 04:42 PM	#8
gary_bergman Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 14	I’d adjust your light if possible so it shines on the glass in o’malley, but it depends on the type of light you have and if that is a possibility for you.

03/16/2018, 06:32 PM	#9
CleanReef Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 67	Thank you truly for all of your messages. I gotta get a controller more than ever now.... My plan here is to leave new equipment installed and in place, but turned off, have that mapped out to PBs and turn it on should a failure occur. Hopefully, as always, it wont. I will also replace critical components before I leave like my questionable Chinese return pump as I could imagine that would be a component no sitter could replace. I wish I had friends who were into reefing that lived close enough to me to help out, but alas, I don't. Once again, thank you for the thoughts and suggestions. outsider, I'm really hoping that doesn't happen. That would suck.

03/16/2018, 06:55 PM	#10
BrettDS Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Orlando Posts: 1,109	I’m not sure how much time you have and how much you want to spend and replace, but for me the big key is redundancy. I have two separate dedicated circuits for my 220G tank. I have two return pumps (one plugged into each circuit) and two heaters (again, one in each) and the lights and circulation pumps are split between the two circuits as well. This way if I lose a heater or a return or circulation pump, or even a whole circuit or power bar the tank can keep operating. In fact, I had a GFCI outlet trip while I was on vacation a few months ago, which took out half my equipment, but the other half kept running and the tank was fine for 3 or 4 days until I got home to reset it. I also have an apex to monitor the tank, so I could verify that the temp was still good and a webcam so I could see the tank and verify that water was still moving. I could have called someone to go in and reset the outlet for me, but between the apex and the web cam I could see that everything was fine and there really was no need to. If you can only do one thing before you go, I would get a webcam. Just being able to open an app and visually check the tank and see that the lights are on and the fish are moving and the water is circulating is a big comfort to me when I’m away from my tank for days or weeks. After that I would get an apex so you can check the temp whenever you want and get alerts if something goes wrong.