Coralline Algae on Corner Overflow

RDuhb

RDuhb

Member
I picked up a 125 off Craigslist. Tank is in great shape but it has a lot of coralline on the overflows. Anyone have any suggestions on how to remove it? Vinegar didn't work. I'd actually like to replace the overflows, but I can't find anyplace online that sells them. Any help would be appreciated.
 
Muriatic acid and water. 10% acid and 90% water. Spray it on with a spray bottle and watch it bubble. Rinse it off with water and repeat until it is gone. Once finished rinse the tank well with water. I just did this on my 210.
Be careful of the mist and vapors, best to do it outside in a well ventilated area.
 
Just get some paper towels and vinegar. Lay the tank on it's back. Soak the paper towels in the vinegar and lay them over the overflow. Let them sit for 10-20 minutes and the coraline should come right off with a soft scrub brush. You can also use a credit card to remove the coraline. Alternatively, just put the vinegar in a spray bottle and spray it on and let it sit for a little bit.
 
RDuhb said:
Thanks for the feedback. Did the acid discolor the overflow after removing the coralline?
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I think the coralline stained the overflow more than anything. I could still see the spots where it was. I tried white vinegar and it was working, I was impatient though. The tank was filthy when I go it.
Do like Slief says and see how it works, Vinegar should do it, but the acid will remove the coralline in minutes.
I even used it on some lock line I got with the tank. Made it look brand new and it swivels perfectly.
 
would it be bad to just leave it on there when starting up a new tank? seeing as its going to get coraline on it anyways?
 
Ok, so vinegar and a razor scraper did the trick. But the glass is stained where the coralline was. It doesn't appear to be coming off with vinegar. Has the coralline permanently etched the glass?
 
Personally I would have just left it... We all work toward getting coralline coverage any way. Worst case scenario was that it would die off a bit and help your tank cycle. Best case scenario is that some of it perks back up and seeds the tank. Either way you'd have been fine!
 
ktownhero said:
Personally I would have just left it... We all work toward getting coralline coverage any way. Worst case scenario was that it would die off a bit and help your tank cycle. Best case scenario is that some of it perks back up and seeds the tank. Either way you'd have been fine!
Click to expand...


Thanks, but at this point just wondering if I can clean the glass or are those stains permanent.
 
RDuhb said:
Ok, so vinegar and a razor scraper did the trick. But the glass is stained where the coralline was. It doesn't appear to be coming off with vinegar. Has the coralline permanently etched the glass?
Click to expand...

I had no luck in getting 100% of the coralline marks off the glass on the tank I bought. It is on the back glass mainly so I will let it get covered over again. I tried white vinegar and then a muriatic acid/water solution.
 
LJLKRL said:
I had no luck in getting 100% of the coralline marks off the glass on the tank I bought. It is on the back glass mainly so I will let it get covered over again. I tried white vinegar and then a muriatic acid/water solution.
Click to expand...

Thanks! Just like yours, mine is on the back. It's not a big deal. I'm just glad I was able to get all of the dried dead coralline off the glass. The overflows, however, are a different story. I think it will be harder to scrap coralline off plastic than glass. And I don't think I want try the acid. But anyway, thanks again for the feedback!!
 
ktownhero said:
Personally I would have just left it... We all work toward getting coralline coverage any way. Worst case scenario was that it would die off a bit and help your tank cycle. Best case scenario is that some of it perks back up and seeds the tank. Either way you'd have been fine!
Click to expand...

It doesn't typically work that way - if the tank had been out of water for time the coralline algae turns into white crust - similar to a dead coral.

When I got my tank I ran the entire system with vinegar/tap water for a few days while working off the dead coralline algae. It took a few days w/ a credit card scraping away to get it all.

Then I drained it and rinsed it out a few times.
 
xCry0x said:
It doesn't typically work that way - if the tank had been out of water for time the coralline algae turns into white crust - similar to a dead coral.
Click to expand...

My situation is similar to the OP's. I got a great deal on a used tank but the overflow and some of the glass is covered in coralline. I figured that the glass wouldn't be a huge deal but the plastic overflow might.

I was planning to scrape off as much as possible (probably all of it from the glass) and just cycle the tank. Assuming I run a filter sock and skimmer in my sump during the cycle wouldn't that take care of any of the crust/dust that falls off the overflow?
 
Dead coralline on corner overflow

Dead coralline on corner overflow

So what do you do if your tank is already up and running and there is still dead coralline that hasn't come off?
 
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