do you clean coraline off back glass or leave it?

[twelvejewelz]

Hey reef central!!
Just wondering what most people do with the coraline that grows on the back of their tanks glass. My nano has been running over 2 years now and i have never cleaned the back glass of coraline. it took 2 years for it to build up and it kind of makes the tank more realistic IMO but im thinking of cleaning it now.What are your thoughts? Feel free to post a pic of your tank and why you choose to clean it or not to clean it :fun2:

[jcolletteiii]

I like the black of the tank back - gives it an appearance of depth, and contrast well with what you place in front of it. IMO, when you let coraline accumulate, it looks like there is less depth and less realism. And it kinda looks messy too. I dunno, its all about personal preference. I like the clean, minimalist look.

[b_s_c1]

I let the back of mine fill with coraline to see if I liked it. It did not take long for me to scrape it all of once it was covered. The bottom half looked ok but the top half was bleached. Looked real messy. I keep it all clean now except what I cant get to because of coral and rocks.

[travis32]

I sorta want the back of my tank to fill in. I'm considering glueing some star polyp frags I got to the back tank glass. I don't know why but it seems I get more algae growth on my front glass than my back glass. I've never scraped it, but, it's still clear to see through. My front I have to clean it once a week in order to see through it.

I can't get to the back to clean the outside of the glass, and possibly to clean the inside, so I kinda want the back to fill in with something as I can't get back there to do anything with it and right now it looks messy because of water that either splashed out or ran down during various maintenance tasks.

[mfinn]

I got tired of trying to keep it clean so I attached small pieces of a bright green star polyps and let it grow across the back wall.

[smoothdog]

I just think a clean back pulls your eye to the corals and really makes them stand out more.

Covered
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/19728933@N07/4096628108/" title="DSC_0487 by ksw2005, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2753/4096628108_e259e89a09_b.jpg" width="1024" height="685" alt="DSC_0487" /></a>

Clean
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/19728933@N07/4407230280/" title="FTS20100304.JPG by ksw2005, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2700/4407230280_ca3523dc1c_b.jpg" width="1024" height="611" alt="FTS20100304.JPG" /></a>

[huskysglare1]

Coralline makes the tank looks really dirty. I don't like it one bit. There's no thank i see with coralline looks pretty. Only the coralline that are on the rocks look nice.

[ChadTheSpike]

Another thought to consider is that the coraline sucks calc and alk out of the water to grow... the glass is a large growing area that can contribute to the loss. Probably a minimal effect overall, but an effect nonetheless... hmmm I wonder if someone wants to measure before and after calcium usage for a week with and without coraline...

and wow smoothdog, those were some HUGE bubble algae bubbles!!

[smoothdog]

Another thought to consider is that the coraline sucks calc and alk out of the water to grow... the glass is a large growing area that can contribute to the loss. Probably a minimal effect overall, but an effect nonetheless... hmmm I wonder if someone wants to measure before and after calcium usage for a week with and without coraline...

and wow smoothdog, those were some HUGE bubble algae bubbles!!

This was my experience. After cleaning the back glass my 2 part dosage went down about 5% or so.

Haha, I used to have people that knew nothing about reef tanks ask if that was some kind of coral. I still get a few pieces that pop up here and there but it's super easy to remove so I'll take it over bryopsis any day. :lol:

[kikireef]

I agree with some of the above. I say scrape it. It draws people's eyes to where I think they should be....the rock, corals, fish. It is really just a matter of opinions. I also like sand while others prefer barebottom tanks.
Here is my 125 gallon.

<a href="http://s259.photobucket.com/albums/hh311/kikihonea/?action=view&current=IMG_1382.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh311/kikihonea/IMG_1382.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

[lvpd186]

I would clean it off but the overflows are plastic, nearly impossible to clean off, and most of the back glass is overgrown with anthelia anyway..

[johnike]

After cleaning up the front pane of my four sided coraline ranch, I started on the sides. After that's done tomorrow, I think I'll go for the back. Haven't seen it for years. Looks like rain all weekend, so I might move some rockwork around to get a full scraping in!

[Indymann99]

I prefer the clean look but it does take more work

Coraline on the back and sides

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn10/Indymann99/TankCabclosed.jpg

Clean back and sides

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn10/Indymann99/Tank12132009.jpg

[twelvejewelz]

yea i think im gona finally clean the back glass off, i already started some GSP growing on the back to but im gona get all the coraline off.GSP is taking over my tank and i wish i never got it to begin with lol. ill post a before and after picture as well tomorrow.

[tkeracer619]

There's no thank i see with coralline looks pretty.

For some reason this statement makes me lol.

[twelvejewelz]

yea i love the look of the coraline on the rocks but im not to sure yet on the back and sides. well in a few hours ill find out which i like better lol ^^

[twelvejewelz]

finally cleaned my own as well it was gross! i have to find a place for all the intakes and pumps they look horrible lol. I like the clean look from now on my back wall will be getting cleaned once a week.

Before:
http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/7355/dsc02447jpgg.jpg (http://img37.imageshack.us/i/dsc02447jpgg.jpg/)

After:
http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/5937/dsc02633jpg.jpg (http://img130.imageshack.us/i/dsc02633jpg.jpg/)

[billdogg]

there is glass back there??? who knew???????

[jdhuyvetter]

I don't have a background on my tank. So, if I clean it, you can see right through the tank. So, no, I do not clean the back glass. I do have some zoa's growing on it. That looks pretty cool.

[Dun Properly]

I definitely think it looks better with a clean background, but it just soooo hard to clean it in my tank! Looking at the before and after pics has inspired me to do it though. I think I will clean it this weekend!

[sue711]

I would love to scrape the coraline off the back glass because the tank definitely would look better; however, I think I would end up doing more damage to the corals just in front of the glass to make it worthwhile. In my next tank (I can wish! haha) I would be sure to leave enough room.

[saltybuckeye]

I kind of like the back coroline covered, just because I like the added color in the tank.

[Typlus5]

With a background, remove it....without a background, keep the coraline. It is tough to do your rockscape to allow a completely clean back. I've seen tanks with zoas on the back, it looks really good too.

[reefscape15]

I never scraped my tank but after seeing some before and after, I might just have to start doing it. I like the idea of zoas or something like that growing on the back glass, but I have a corner tank that has 2 27"x22" sides and I think it'd take FOREVER to be covered with zoas..........might be worth a try though.

[What The?]

It dont grow in my tank because, i wont let it.

[twelvejewelz]

Yea it looks so much better clean .Makes such a big difference. From now on my back wall will be clean but i wont clean the sides because in my tank position you cant even see them. People feel free to post before and after cleaning pictures we would all love to see them!

[Bucksnort]

I prefer to clean it off the glass. It is easy if you keep up with it. Comes off with the Kent scraper when its a little spec but a PITA when it has grown to cover the glass.

[Pallobi]

ill chime in as well lol... i see so many people spend hundreds, sometimes thousands on tanks and the setups involved, then they will have darn corraline over everything like its supposed to be there... to me, its a complete waste of investment and looks terrible to let this stuff go crazy and in my opinion ruin a tank... i realize it grows when conditions ARE good, but its hideous, and completely ruins it for me...

if you ever see any of this stuff in my thread, plz, cyber slap me ;)

so no... no corraline here

[Pallobi]

I just think a clean back pulls your eye to the corals and really makes them stand out more.

Covered
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/19728933@N07/4096628108/" title="DSC_0487 by ksw2005, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2753/4096628108_e259e89a09_b.jpg" width="1024" height="685" alt="DSC_0487" /></a>

Clean
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/19728933@N07/4407230280/" title="FTS20100304.JPG by ksw2005, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2700/4407230280_ca3523dc1c_b.jpg" width="1024" height="611" alt="FTS20100304.JPG" /></a>

this is a great example of contrast... i mean seriously, why would you want that on your tank? what surprises me, is most people have voted they like it... not sure why, cuz it doesnt grow fromwhat ive seen in nature

[Pallobi]

personally, i think most of its getting out of control is due to laziness, and lack of maintenance... jus my opinion

[bobparker]

yes on the sides, no on the back. I like the idea of keeping as much coraline in the tank as possible. IMO it encourages growth

[tidepool2]

I recently saw a 17 year old tank that had thick coraline algae on the rocks and back glass. That tank was so packed with gorgeous, mature coral I barely noticed the coraline on the back glass. I think in newer tanks where more "black glass" shows on the back, I like the cleaner look. I agree that clean back glass seems to make your eye settle on the coral rather than the back glass.

[phenom5]

I'd vote for the 5th option on the poll.

I prefer the look of no coraline on the back glass, but it's a PITA to clean it, so I usually don't.

That said, looking at the pictures, I think I'll clean the back glass of my tank tomorrow. :D

[falconut]

I used to leave the back and 1 side alone. But after a few years, I was looking at some FTS and liked the look. I decided to scape them and I like the look way better. JMO

[checkx1]

No, i like the look of the coraline better than the tank background.

[Dun Properly]

I cleaned the back of my tank for the first time in about a year and a half! I never would have done it if I didn't see the great pictures in this thread.

It was a total pain because I don't have a sump, so I had to move everything around, but I think it was worth it.

I have changed my lights from CF's to T5's since the first photo, so that is why the colors are so different, but here are my results:


Before cleaning:
http://i1021.photobucket.com/albums/af335/Dun_Properly/Fish%20Tank/FTS2.jpg

After cleaning:

http://i1021.photobucket.com/albums/af335/Dun_Properly/Fish%20Tank/FTSCleanback.jpg

[sanababit]

clean look all the time
sana

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

Just like desiring the deepest constant black level in an image on a display, a clean black background adds soooo much contrast.
I clean mine.

[Sisterlimonpot]

Keep that back glass as clean as possible. It looks so much better.

[Arctangent]

Only good place for coraline is on rocks

[twelvejewelz]

I cleaned the back of my tank for the first time in about a year and a half! I never would have done it if I didn't see the great pictures in this thread.

It was a total pain because I don't have a sump, so I had to move everything around, but I think it was worth it.

I have changed my lights from CF's to T5's since the first photo, so that is why the colors are so different, but here are my results:


Before cleaning:
http://i1021.photobucket.com/albums/af335/Dun_Properly/Fish%20Tank/FTS2.jpg

After cleaning:

http://i1021.photobucket.com/albums/af335/Dun_Properly/Fish%20Tank/FTSCleanback.jpg



Wow So much better looking clean keep it up it looks amazing!!see who would have thought!! As stated before id never let my tanks get dirty on the back ever again. The clean look is co much better it makes the corals and rocks pop so much better!
Cmon people lets get some more opinions and lets get some more Before and after pictures this thread is helping alot of people :) !

[sneeyatch]

I actually tried to clean it over the winter time, but it was so thick that I ruined a new scraper on a little over a 12" x 12" area. It was all bent up and dull... so I just let it grow back. It's so thick now I'd be afraid I'd break the glass if I tried to scrape it hard enough...

[ejk17]

Does anyone have any pics of successfully growing star polyps or any other coral on the back glass of their tank???Id love to see it, im considering trying this.

[HI_Reef]

Does anyone have any pics of successfully growing star polyps or any other coral on the back glass of their tank???Id love to see it, im considering trying this.

isnt that comparable to letting coraline grow on the back of your glass? before u know it you'll have a green background instead of a black one.

[ejk17]

I like the look of the coraline or corals and i was just wanting to see some pics

[twelvejewelz]

Does anyone have any pics of successfully growing star polyps or any other coral on the back glass of their tank???Id love to see it, im considering trying this.

if you see the first page of this thread i started growing GSP on the back but im upgrading this week and itll be gone. i think the blue looks even better and cleaner than the GSP but everyone has their preference :)

[The_Codfather]

I got tired of trying to keep it clean so I attached small pieces of a bright green star polyps and let it grow across the back wall.
Sounds cool got a pic of that?

[twelvejewelz]

We got alot of views . Lets see those before and after pictures people!!

[Romewhip]

my main tank is peninsula style, so the coralline area is smaller than usual, and I like it blending the equipment and back so neither shows up much. Soon to be complete upgrade will be regular, and I haven't decided what to do with it yet- probably seed the back with GSP to cover.