Algae Removal Tips?

[VoidParadigm]

Recently acquired a second-hand decoration which looked like it was originally green when I saw it in it's original tank. Upon taking a closer inspection at home and scratching at it with a fingernail I realized there's actually a coat of algae all over the outside.

Any tips on removal?
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Additional Information: It looks like the slick green algae that grows up the sides of tanks, and isn't hairy in any way, shape, or form, and the algae has worked its way into several of the grooves.

It's going into the tank that houses my peppered corys, depending on opinions and tips everyone gives.

I don't want to buy a new one unless this one is a totally lost cause, as I quite like this one and cannot find it (or anything similar) at the LFS. However, I won't cry or cause too much fuss if it is indeed not worth it. :lol:

[Deleted User]

Buy a hard toothbrush and scrub it off in a bucket of tank water. A toothbrush should get into all the nooks and crannies.:ssmile:

[VoidParadigm]

Ooh, that is a good idea. I didn't think of that.
My brain was going more along the lines of "Now how in the world am I going to get this off with a sponge?!"

Thanks a lot! :ssmile:

[Deleted User]

Your welcome :ssmile:

[VoidParadigm]

Twenty minutes of hard scrubbing and I've got it practically all off. =]

I can see why the person who owned it before didn't clean it very much. It looks like a stump, basically, so on top it's brown, but all the sides and insides are almost the same color paint as the algae that was on it, just with some highlights for eye appeal.

Again, thanks a bunch. So glad I don't have to go get something different. My corys'll love this. thumbs2:

[Deleted User]

Glad it worked out for you. Your welcome :ssmile:

[kennedpa]

If your pour boiling water over your rocks and drift wood ( not recommended for plants :-O) it will also ensure you kill off any spores that might be hiding thumbs2:

[robflanker]

postalpenguin has a hydrogen peroxide trick that works well

[Quantumist]

Put it in the deepfreez and let it freez for 6 hours :) No life form could survive this challenge , alg ,bacteria or else :18:

[Lady Hobbs]

Lay it on it's side and pour vinegar inside. Just enough to coat the glass and let it sit for five minutes. Vinegar removes all the lime scale, too.

[VoidParadigm]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. :22:

[invadertoast]

If it's anything like the stump I have , it looks way better with the algae on it! Too late I guess, but mine is probably 4 years old now, and my aunt bought the same one as mine a few months ago and hers looks totally fake... mine still looks fake but it's harder to pick out with the algae.

[VoidParadigm]

The paint job on this particular stump has always looked just like algae, so no worries there! I actually wish some algae would grow on my other log decoration. Last time I checked most logs weren't bright blue in the wild. :lol: Oh well.

[pinchyboy]

The tooth brush idea would work great Ive done it before