Aquarium Dialysis
I'm pretty excited to introduce a new method of nuisance algae removal to you guys that I have been developing, and implemented today in full scale for the first time.
I have had issues with what I have called "snot" algae, it's yellowish slimy gunk that grows throughout the tank. It's very easy to remove with a high flow siphon, however, the issue arises from the fact that I have a small tank, and I would not be able to remove all the nuisance algae without taking out over 6 gallons of water, which is around a quarter of my tank volume. To work around this, I have developed this method of algae removal that allows you to use a siphon, but allow you to keep the water afterward.
The basic concept is this: using a siphon hose, connect output with a filtration unit to remove algae and contaminants while returning water to a receptacle. If one has a sump, that may be a possible receptacle as well.
Step 1: build filtration unit.
I used tetra replaceable filters, I pulled one filter sock over the frame, but do not add any media. In a second filter sock, dump 1 full packet of carbon media into the bottom. Pull second sock over the first one so that the carbon is directly underneath the bottom of the first sock. Using a second carbon packet, pour in the space in between the two socks. You effectively have a carbon filtration jacket around the the first sock now.
Step 2: hang filtration unit over receptacle
Step 3. begin siphon, place output inside the first sock (the inside sock).
Now you can go through your tank with your siphon and suck out all that cyano or slime algae, what have you, and you can catch your water, and dump it back in your tank. I filled my 2 gallon bucket 5 times, so it would have been equivalent to a 10 gallon water change, which is way more than I would ever do on my tank. Here is what my sock look liked after. Completely filled with snot algae.
I also filled a red solo cup with caulerpa and acanthomorpha. A lot of exporting today.
And, finally, after all the clearing up, I found a Halimeda that must have grown from a piece that fell off one of the plants I got a few weeks back.