Best way to clean out algae infested tank. Starting over.

[HighChiefKC]

I neglected my tank over past few months. Life got in the way. I lost all my corals but fish were fine. I caught them all and put in a large qt tank and going to sell off.

I want to start over and go with a FOWLR aggressive tank. I'm thinking bare bottom since sand was always hard to keep clean.

I have all of my live rock out and are in SW trash cans. Do I need a heater in those? They are in finished basement.

My big question is, my tank is just covered in a red algae, and back walls are covered in green algae. I've emptied out about 65% of water to catch fish and currently filling it back up with cold fresh water. I didn't want it to dry out. Is there anything I can pour in the water that would do a good kill on all the algae and I just do a few water changes over next few months? Or is hand scrubbing only solution? Going to shut the lights off.

Thanks for any suggestions

 

[ryanjohn1]

With no light. The algae should all die

 

[FilthyFifty]

This is dependent on the type of algae. It could be too much lighting, over feeding, or not enough beneficial bacteria to take out the bad nutrients in the tank while the algae may consume it first. What helped my problem was more recent water changes and syphoning the algae out directly.

 

[KrisReef]

If you’re looking to clean the tank and have nothing in it but algae I would suggest you put some muriatic acid in it to remove any algae.

You must be careful with pool acid but it will make removing calcareous algae and hard water deposits very easy.

 

[reefermadnes5]

If you’re looking to clean the tank and have nothing in it but algae I would suggest you put some muriatic acid in it to remove any algae.

You must be careful with pool acid but it will make removing calcareous algae and hard water deposits very easy.

Acid doesnt remove algae. Bleach. I am a professional algae removal expert from human tanks (pools). You want to kill the algae in the tank with water in it get you some bleach or peroxide. Peroxide will smell less but take longer. Bleach will kill everything. But i would never use the rocks or sand if you have any in when you bleach it. Use a dechlorifier on it after also and let it soak for day or 2.

 

[reefermadnes5]

Nothing is going to survive.

Acid doesnt remove algae. Bleach. I am a professional algae removal expert from human tanks (pools). You want to kill the algae in the tank with water in it get you some bleach or peroxide. Peroxide will smell less but take longer. Bleach will kill everything. But i would never use the rocks or sand if you have any in when you bleach it. Use a dechlorifier on it after also and let it soak for day or 2.

SOrry. Let me be more clear. Use bleach to nuke the tank in a small amount. Like a half a cup dependingbon tank size. Then water change then a dechlorifier soak.

 

[Reefering1]

X2 muratic acid, nothing organic will remain. Bleach, vinegar, citric acid will all do the job also, albeit slower