clean looking tanks/dirty looking tanks

[idgy]

Hi

I am about to start a saltwater tank and I am filled with so many questions. One being, I have seen many pictures of tanks and some of them look spotless, while others have growth all over the glass and sand etc.

I love the look of the clean tank but do I want whatever that growth is all over everything and is it beneficial to the creatures in the tank?

thanks!:razz:

 

[Ray Pollett]

Some of it is beneficial, some may or may no be.

Here is my opinion on the subject, which is basically do we want algae? It is estimated from what I've read that about 70% of live on a reef is algae in one form or another. We say we want a reef tank, then try to get rid of most algae. Does not make sense to me. I try to keep the algae off the front glass. On some tanks I try to keep it off the side glass also. This is to allow viewing of the tank. Other than that I try to let it go were the tank leds, unless a tank has a problem algae like cyno. Most algae that people consider pest I think of as food for some type of animal.

Ray

 

[Ed Hahn]

I am a firm believer of Snails to clean the glass. Adding 100 golden astreas to my tank made a world of difference.

 

[domino]

Here here Ray, as far as asthetics go I beleive the natural look is best. But then again thats just one mans opinion.

Thad

 

[NeilsReef]

Snails do most of the work for me.

Every couple weeks I lightly scrub the inside of the acrylic, my snails keep it quite clean. It is a major part of their food source, cleaning the inside of the tank that is.

 

[DonW]

I think alot has to do with what you keep. I know my clams really open up when the tank is a little nastier.

Don

 

[domino]

A controlled nastyness. Looks very nice and usefull too.

 

[RockyHeap]

I run what some may call a "dirty tank" because no reef I've ever dived on is as sanitary surgical room clean as some of the spotless tanks I've seen.

Appearance aside, what-ever keeps the corals and fish happy, keeps me happy.

Nobody wanted a slimey-cant-see-through-it-mess for sure, but grazers DO need something to graze on.