How to get very very old algae off of ornaments?

[tben786]

Hi, I just got thinking that my ornaments look terrible. They're dark green and I can't get the algae for anything!! I scrubbed and scrubbed and it barely came off. I don't want to bleach them because I just don't. And also, I dont want to sit and scrub scrub scrub for 2 hours to get a little lighter green. Sooo, what other way is there to get it off easier? Thanks!

 

[lauraf]

Bleach them.

It's safe if you use a water/bleach mixture and then let the ornaments dry completely.

 

[tben786]

^I heard differently. I heard if you don't scrub it 6+ times, even the slightest bit of bleach will kill all of your fish.

 

[Thyra]

Not true - bleach works just fine. I have been using it for years. The only thing that might happen depending on your ornament is it could take the color off. I actually use spray on clorax kitchen clean up and then I rinse it very well with really hot water. I have needed to scrub some things from my 2.5g tank which contains two otos and they have been fine in there for well over a year so it hasn't hurt the fish.

 

[SlateSpider]

Vinegar works to get lots of things off (Hamster pee, for example). Try soaking it in a little vinegar for a while, and see if it works. I've never tried it on algae, but we might as well see...

 

[tben786]

Vinegar works to get lots of things off (Hamster pee, for example). Try soaking it in a little vinegar for a while, and see if it works. I've never tried it on algae, but we might as well see...

Welllllll, I don't really want to try it on my stuff, so go ahead and let me know how it goes!!

Not true - bleach works just fine. I have been using it for years. The only thing that might happen depending on your ornament is it could take the color off. I actually use spray on clorax kitchen clean up and then I rinse it very well with really hot water. I have needed to scrub some things from my 2.5g tank which contains two otos and they have been fine in there for well over a year so it hasn't hurt the fish.

My stuff is white anyway, so it would be alright anyway. What is the solution you use? Like 9 cups water 1 cup bleach? etc.

 

[OrangeCones]

You can use any strength bleach you'd like on ornaments. Once they are completely dry, the bleach is gone. For ornaments (don't have them anymore), I'd soak overnight in 50/50 mixture of bleach/water, then dump the mixture out and use an old toothbrush to scrub them in all the little tight spots. Rinsed them well with plain water and let them dry overnight. I did this for both salt and freshwater.

 

[Thyra]

For the quick clean up I have been using it right out of the kitchen spray bottle whatever that dilution is.

 

[KcMopar]

I have bleached several items and even complete tanks to clean them. Just rinsed them off good, then let it dry and its perfectly safe. I use the spray bleach like thyra talks about the most as its super easy. Vinegar is also an acidic clean commonly used to clean tanks and its contents as well.

 

[ValRasbora]

If you still don't want to bleach it, I find drying the ornament and scrubbing the algae off with an old toothbrush quite successful.

 

[usacutie81]

I am about to start up my tanks again and I was wondering the same thing! What did you end up using?

 

[se-r altima]

I use bleach all the time on the magnum pre-filters to clean them. I let them air dry for a while before they go in the tank. You could use a declorinator to neutralize any bleach. For the tuff stuff you could use rubbing alchol then let it dry. You can rinse them before they go back in the tank. Nothing replaces a tooth brush.