Okay, have redone tank. Now need advice on a cleanup crew for MAJOR algae.

[alikat]

Any advice on what will clear up some major algae quickly? I've found that those big a#$ snails do a good job. Anyone know where I could get some tomorrow (Sunday)? Also, anyone have any other recommendations?

 

[xyzpdq0121]

Sally light foot crab... they mow down some algae.

 

[cameron]

Depends on the algae. If you have green hair, check out the top crown snails at LiveAquaria.com as they are about the only snails that will touch the stuff.

 

[linda lee]

Cameron;131231 wrote: Depends on the algae. If you have green hair, check out the top crown snails at LiveAquaria.com as they are about the only snails that will touch the stuff.

What else will attack green hair? Seems I heard a sea slug or sea hare? Is there a tang that eats it? I got rid of the red stuff. Now, suddenly I have the hair algae. Ugh.

 

[corigan]

Linda: When I first setup and had hair algae I had a rainsford goby that would hit it, a kole tang, and a bi colored blenny would eat it.

Matt

 

[gwhiz]

Linda Lee;131277 wrote: What else will attack green hair? Seems I heard a sea slug or sea hare? Is there a tang that eats it? I got rid of the red stuff. Now, suddenly I have the hair algae. Ugh.

You're thinking about a sea hare. Pretty cool, and they'll tear through hair algae. There are video clips on YouTube if you want to see 'em at work.

I understand that they're so good at it that you need to have an exit strategy--once they've cleaned your tank they can starve to death. And if they die, they can nuke your tank.

With all the hair algae problems reported out here lately, the ARC should start a Sea Hare Rental Program!

 

[ericmcj31]

Geehh;131288 wrote: You're thinking about a sea hare. Pretty cool, and they'll tear through hair algae. There are video clips on YouTube if you want to see 'em at work.

I understand that they're so good at it that you need to have an exit strategy--once they've cleaned your tank they can starve to death. And if they die, they can nuke your tank.

With all the hair algae problems reported out here lately, the ARC should start a Sea Hare Rental Program!

good idea! lol

Tim has a good bit of snails, crabs, etc.; they aren't just huge, but I'd rather have more quantity of a smaller snail, crab, than some huge ones--I had some huge Mex. turbos and when they died, they really threw my tank off a good bit-if a small one dies, no harm really done-

 

[jefft]

Keen's Reef has Turbo snails and he's open today.

 

[ralph atl]

Top Crown Snails from Drs., Some hermits, and use the syphon tube on your next water change to suck that crap off the rocks like a vaccum.


Phosphate reduction/ removal is most likely the answer. you have a few choices. Add a refugium with Macro algae. If you don't already have one get an inexpensive phosphate reactor for like 35 bucks and put some phosar or ROWA in there. (you'll need to CHANGE your media in phosphate reactor more often at first.) Your media might be getting saturated in 2 weeks depending upon how much is bound up in your rocks, tank, algae, etc. Use less media, change every 2 weeks. Use a great test kit like DD merk, Hack, or colormeter or send to AWT.

You must export the same or more nutrients than you put in. Overfeeding, tap water, high phosphate foods, etc. Use a phosphate reactor with some phosar or ROWA or whatever, and something to lower nitrates like a fuge, AZNO3, or whatever.

check out:

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[IMG]http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/index.php">http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/index.php</a>

[IMG]http://www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...st2003/chem.htm">http://www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...st2003/chem.htm</a>

[IMG]http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php">http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php</a>