Keeping Algae Out of Overflow?

azpharmd1 · 10-20-2007, 07:58 AM

Any ideas on how to keep the nasty green hair algae out of the overflow box (overflow is built in the tank)? I have to scrape the algae out every time I do a water change. My tank has glass lids, which I don't like to use, but it keeps me from having to add water lost to evaporation every day, and I was thinking about taking the one lid in and have the portion that sits above the overflow tinted (5% limo). Do you think that would help or have any other ideas?

Junkzoo · 10-20-2007, 10:12 AM

Easiest way is to keep the light from it , i would say.

Plus if you have the problem on HA in your display tank, it'll make it that much harder to not have it in your overflows.HA should go away when your tank matures(not sure of your tank's start timeline), so the problem w/ the overflows should go away when any issues you might have w/ HA in the display goes away also

HTH

grallster · 10-20-2007, 12:52 PM

Use an overflow cover that blocks all the light and paint or cover the sides too.

Bender 2 · 10-20-2007, 08:20 PM

Like Grallster said, I made black covers for my overflows. Keeps most of the light out of the overflows and the algae to a minimum.

azpharmd1 · 10-21-2007, 02:13 PM

Is there a website that sells these lids? I am not having any luck with my google search. Thanks.

b16drag · 10-21-2007, 04:21 PM

You know I like to do in my overflow? I just add a few snails in there when it gets dirty and take them out when its clean again...

Bender 2 · 10-21-2007, 04:31 PM

Adam,
I don't know of a web site that sells them. Grallster and I made ours. He cut his out of black acrylic I believe, and I cut mine from a black corrugated plastic material.

azpharmd1 · 10-21-2007, 06:11 PM

Thanks for the info Bender. I will look into making my own lid.

bklynmet · 10-21-2007, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b16drag

You know I like to do in my overflow? I just add a few snails in there when it gets dirty and take them out when its clean again...

I highly recommend that you do NOT do this!

If a snail gets into your siphone tube or drain, you end up with a flood.

Junkzoo · 10-21-2007, 08:43 PM

Yup ,i'd have to agree(on the snail thing) It's bad enuf when one gets in where it should not,. and plays heck with a system. Flooding, blocking something important are a few reasons not to do that.
Learned (even tho i knew it back then) that lesson on a larger scale yrs ago when i had the shop. A snail(large astrea i recall) had gotten up n over a 90deg overflow on one of the tanks, and it blocked up the system big time. Not fun to have your excess water situation in a retail setting w/ neighbors on both sides

. The snail even moved the strainer in the 90 (allegedly,i noticed it was off after i did major shopvac time) to let itself in the piping. It lodged itself in further down the pipes making it not all that ez to root it out .This was a 1100 g setup(reef stuff-no fish) Not fun at all, but one of those things you can only try to stop from happening. Stuff happens no matter what ya do,no sense in helping things along like that.