Is green algae hard to scrub off?

celbrise

Member
I have some green algae in my tank the weird thing is it's only in specs and at the surface. I would assume it is soft to scrape off like diatoms really. I do have some green coralline algae in my tank that i added like 2-3 weeks ago and im wondering could it be that or is it green algae.

i've seen coralline algae growing on the glass on other peoples tanks it definetly does NOT look like that. it looks like a green smudge or diatoms on the glass but when i go to scrap it off with my finger or a scrubby it is really hard to come out. some of it will come off but not the entire spot. ontop of that the rock that has it was dried out for idk how many days. so im sure the algae would of been dead but it is still brightly colored green.

any ideas? only main algae that grows in my tank is diatoms and if their is a massive bloom then i get red algae as well but both tend to go away when doing water changes for a few days
 

trigger40

Well-Known Member
its just regular algea it gets thick if you dont remove it early so thats why its hard to scrape off.
 

celbrise

Member
that sucks :/ was hoping it was coralline algae but thats okay i got some calc and alk buffer will see if that helps the growth rate
 

celbrise

Member
i bought some calc ad alk booster and used some. hopefully it will spread i haven't even tested my parameters in forever :/ kits be too damn expensive $50. but will see i got a variety of red, purple, and green.
 

flower

Well-Known Member
Hi,

Algae that's very hard to scrape off, is coralline algae ... and it has many colors. Yellow usually turns green later on, red or pink to purple, and bluish purple to blue. It likes plastic, and will cover the power heads and such first...making a great, hide in plain sight kind of effect. It's a pain in the butt for acrylic tanks, and scraping it off can badly scratch them, which is why I selected to keep all glass tanks. A razor will remove it super easy...but again be really careful on acrylic tanks.

Trigger, Calcium at about 500 will help Coraline to grow, and you need a rock with some of it on it to get it started, scrape it off, or buff it with a tooth brush in front of a power head.

Test kits are a must have, and water quality is the very life of your tank... proper test kits are not the item to skimp on. Never, ever dump chemicals into your tank unless you have tested first. Do NOT add calcium, or Alkalinity until you have done the proper tests. Too much is not a good thing.
 

silverado61

Well-Known Member
Hi,

Algae that's very hard to scrape off, is coralline algae ... and it has many colors. Yellow usually turns green later on, red or pink to purple, and bluish purple to blue. It likes plastic, and will cover the power heads and such first...making a great, hide in plain sight kind of effect. It's a pain in the butt for acrylic tanks, and scraping it off can badly scratch them, which is why I selected to keep all glass tanks. A razor will remove it super easy...but again be really careful on acrylic tanks.

Trigger, Calcium at about 500 will help Coraline to grow, and you need a rock with some of it on it to get it started, scrape it off, or buff it with a tooth brush in front of a power head.

Test kits are a must have, and water quality is the very life of your tank... proper test kits are not the item to skimp on. Never, ever dump chemicals into your tank unless you have tested first. Do NOT add calcium, or Alkalinity until you have done the proper tests. Too much is not a good thing.
I stand behind Flower on this one.
 

silverado61

Well-Known Member
Hi back. Early. Off work today but I get up at 4:am for work everyday so it's hard for old folk to break habit's. The tank and stand are done. Just gotta fill it and cycle it.
 

celbrise

Member
yea i know just been trying to save up for an RO/DI and had other more important expenses to take care of like school. i have enough to buy both now so will be doing that. and yea i have a rock with green coralline algae but it was dried out on the shore so idk how that would or worked. the purple and red one i have on another rock i just bought
 
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