What if...

[yongpanda]

How many people out in the hobby are annoyed by algae growing on the glass of your tanks?

What i hate about scrubbing algae off the glass is that it just floats and i pray that it flows into my sock filter.

Unlike the liverock which has bacteria to control algae growth the glass of the tank doesn't.

So.. how many people out there would appreciate a high quality glass tank that is composed of a compound that prevents algae from growing/attatching to the glass?

 

[OregonReefer]

Can we have a poll on this being the most pointless poll ever?

 

[yongpanda]

...I'm just trying to get an idea if people would perfer a regular tank over one that prevents algae growth...

I'm in the process of researching of a way to alter glass/ make a compound or substance to put on glass that would work..

 

[rtparty]

Glass that doesn't allow algae growth will have other effects on the tank that will be negative. If you have a good clean up crew and good husbandry, you shouldn't have long strands of algae growing on the glass in the first place.

Put your time and energy into a compound that treats nuisance algaes without harming the tank.

 

[yongpanda]

I have to agree that good husbandry can help immensely which is why i ask the reefing community what their personal preference would be.

I have also looked into the negative effects leaked into the live stock and tank itself. I have looked into the idea of "killing" the nuisance algae but of course that would direct negative effects. However, I am looking into the rooting of algae and find a way that prevents rooting.

Just as how soil-less planting has tried to prevent surface algae from culminating at the surface, I am wondering if it'll be possible to prevent growth from the roots. literally.

Not saying that this is proven, but definitely something I am looking into greatly.

assuming that the quality of clarity in the glass will not be altered and no negative effects will leak into the livestock, would it be a big plus for tank buyers or would it just become a unnecessary leisure feature that won't be popular.

 

[yongpanda]

bump. Anyone want to be the tie breaker?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

There will be no way to accomplish this that does not risk compounds being released into the water that would be toxic. This is a very well studied field from the perspective of biofouling of ships, etc.

 

[SushiGirl]

I'm simply not overly annoyed, or even annoyed a little bit, by having to run a magfloat over the glass every few days.

 

[Lynnmw1208]

I'm simply not overly annoyed, or even annoyed a little bit, by having to run a magfloat over the glass every few days.

+1 same. I am also considering doing the modification to the larger magfloat to put the scraper on it so I won't have any troubles with coralline algae either once it starts growing.

 

[Mouse]

Cleaning the glass has got to be the quickest, easiest thing about keeping a reef tank. In all honesty. if you cant handle it this isnt the hobby for you.

 

[Mouse]

Cleaning the glass has got to be the quickest, easiest thing about keeping a reef tank. In all honesty. if you cant handle it this isnt the hobby for you.

 

[yongpanda]

I see where you guys are coming from, but let me ask you: do you just let the algae be scraped and just free float in your tank with hopes that it'll make its way down to your sump?

 

[OregonReefer]

Dude, algae growth isn't a condition of the surface of the area it's growing on

It's a condition of the water it's growing in... well proven fact

 

[yongpanda]

I was reflecting on the research being done for algae as a bio fuel. They are finding ways to find a surface that increases surface algae growth. i'm just wondering about the opposite.

Of course it's not proven and who knows if it ever will, but if it were to be developed whether a glass or a type of adhesive that is not soluble that can be put on glass without altering the glass's viewing quality.

 

[M88A2]

seems like theres lots of idea bashing on this post. many of you are giving a "this is the way to do it" kind of alternative, most of which is current standards in the hobby. keep in mind that it is those who are willing implement new methods who progress the hobby and anything else in the wolrd.

 

[yongpanda]

I'm sorry if I was not clear before but I will try to describe in detail what my idea was.

When thinking about algae growth in tanks from my personal experience (probably not as long and great as many other more knowledgeable reefers), it seemed to grow more readily on the glass than on my liverock. Probably due to the fact that the live rock contained much more bacterium that helped keep them in check.

To rid of surface algae on the glass can be done in many ways that are already known. Lowering of phosphates and nitrates, skimming to refine water quality, as well as the easy scrub/scraping of algae off the glass.

Use of chemicals to reduce po4 or nitrates comes at a price as well as having to replace them. Skimmers working to clean the water may not be the ultimate solution to a manage-free quality glass tank. Scraping algae off the glass does not simply end there as it much be broken down via other components such as those mentioned above. In the end the breaking down of algae in the tank just further adds to detritus soiling the water and causing more algae growth in a cyclic pattern.

This is where my idea begins. A glass tank that uses a compound to prevent algae from growing on it in the first place. As we all know, algae needs water, sunlight, and nutrients to grow. If using a technology such as nanobionics, or self-cleaning glass, it is possible to make glass superhydrophobic enough so that dirty water does not settle on the glass itself. My idea is not suggesting the eradication of surface algae, just prevention of growing on glass to further enhance its quality.

Biofuel companies have been researching algae rooting and growth habits to enhance growth on surface, so why can't we develop just the opposite? a surface such as glass that prevents it.

 

[yongpanda]

any opinions anyone?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Why not ask people if they'd like free power using cold fusion in their basement?

That, at least, has had a lot fewer scientists studying it for fewer years, and still they both are unattainable.

Try searching on biofouling before getting people hyped up thinking this might work.

 

[LOTUS50GOD]

why not ask people if they'd like free power using cold fusion in their basement?

That, at least, has had a lot fewer scientists studying it for fewer years, and still they both are unattainable.

Try searching on biofouling before getting people hyped up thinking this might work.

rotflmoa....

 

[badwolf]

Well I wouldn't want it as if the stuff doesn't grow on the glass and the nutriants are in the tank for it to grow it will grow somewhere else be it on the rock or sand and that is much harder to clean than the glass