To clean my overflows or not
 

I have 2 internal overflows in my 220g. They are starting to fill up with hair algea and other types of algea. Should I clean them out or let them be. Would they act like a refugium and remove some access nitrates and would they house some benifitial critters

Mine only has sponges growing in it. I would get rid of the hair algae.

+1
I would also take out the algae. Doesn't matter what kind it is, you want to export nitrate, out of the aquarium. It will grow back. Its easier to do if you have a cheato ball in the sump.
The cheato would compete with the undesirable hair algae for nutrients.

Good tip. Thanks for sharing.

You are going to have to clean that algae before it clogs your overflows. Ask me how I know. lol

Your best bet is to make a lid out of acrylic to cover the light from entering the over flow. This will keep your algae from growing there.

hth

-dan

does this work well?
sounds like the right idea but wouldn't it possibly lead to clogging the overflow teeth?

Hey I used my fish tank only shop vac and vacumed out my overflows a while back. Heres a pic of the 3" of crud and bristle worms that it sucked up. I plan on doing this every 3 months.

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/h.../sludge003.jpg

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/h.../sludge001.jpg

Yes keep your overflow clean and "smooth flowing". Also remember that if you have hair algae in your overflow is can easily start growing somewhere else later on. One positive thing about it growing in the OF is easy to harvest all at once on most systems.

Best advice was to "block the light" to the overflow so it doesn't grow then watch your nutrient levels because if they are high it will grow somewhere else.