Algea in a Predator Tank

[tsunami]

How do you keep algea down in your predator tank? I've added a refugium, but I still have algea on the rocks. With triggers, I just don't think that the snails will be safe.

 

[vettesarebest]

Are you using RO/DI water?

 

[xyzpdq0121]

You have to figure out why the algae is in there. Is there excess NO3? (most predators are very messy eaters and leave alot of waste!) Do you have PO4? What are you using for your water source? What type of algae is it? How much LR do you have? How deep is your sand bed? Are you using a skimmer?

Algae is not a simply problem with a simple solution.

 

[mojo]

IF it's a predator-only tank AND
IF you will only ever want to keep fish AND
IF you don't care about being able to use the tank in the future for corals / inverts

then you could you copper. It'd kill the the algae for a completely clean tank. But be sure you consider your options carefully.

 

[tsunami]

I use RO water aht eh NO3 and PO4 are low to non-existant. Its just simple brown algea. The sand bed is 3 inches and I have a coral life and 80 pounds of live rock in a 125. Its not a horrible amount of algea, I just wanted to keep a few peices of xenia in there and I was wondering if the algea would over grow it with out any snails and crabs.

 

[vettesarebest]

If it was hair algae then it would grow over the Xenia but this brown algae will not.

 

[xyzpdq0121]

No it should not over grow it.. You could try a UV to cut down on the brown algae.

 

[glxtrix]

or you could just go on your regular way with water changes and some skimming, and the brown algea will go away on its own. How long has your tank been up and running? If its been awile, have you recently moved your rock work or puti n a new sand bed?

 

[tsunami]

I did just add some rock so maybe that is where it is from. Thanks Y'all.

 

[glxtrix]

it is possible there was some die off from the new rock that aided in the diatom algea. Hope it all gets cleared up, keep us in the loop.

 

[vettesarebest]

That happend to me also, I added two new rocks and now I have Diatoms. But they are only on the side where I added new rock.

 

[george]

Will triggers take down turbo snails?

If they're like most predators, they will take the easier food route which presumably is whatever feed you're giving them.

 

[vettesarebest]

Yep they sure will!! They will crush there shell right open.

 

[xyzpdq0121]

Scientific fact:

The two classes of animals that eat snails the fastest are Triggers and people from France.. Both pretty much crush the shell right open and move on to the next one!

 

[george]

You could glue a little pvc canopy over the snail for armor ...

Or maybe titanium.

 

[tsunami]

That sounds like something an architect would say. LOL!

 

[tsunami]

That last post was my 100th post, which seals the fact that I need a life.

 

[vettesarebest]

haha you need a life?

 

[vettesarebest]

And I have -1 reputation points.

 

[triggerhappy8]

I keep an aggressive predator tank as well. Have you tried pincushion urchins or <b>large</> Dalmation snails (size of tennis balls almost with thick shells and strong enough to keep triggers out)? Two Dalmation snails and a few urchins keep my 72 spick and span.