Algae bloom

[greneis7]

So I have hit the "algae is everywhere including on my glass" stage. The glass part literally happened overnight.
I have three pet stores within a half hour that carry some salt "stuff". The only place that currently has any snails only has GINORMOUS Turbos.
My tank is only 29gal so if I put one of these guys or more he is not only going to have a hard time getting around the rocks without knocking stuff around, but I have a feeling he is going to run out of food rapidly.
I was hoping to get some smaller ceriths or nassarius. As of right now it looks like the only other option is to order them, however, I am going to pay twice as much in shipping for the little buggers.
Should I just do the Turbo(s) or should I suck it up and pay the ridiculous shipping (only calling it that because of the small price of the snails)??

 

[DaveK]

I recommend you get a whole clean up crew from an online vendor.

It's not unusual for people to add 1 snail for every gallon of water in the tank, but that can be overkill.

Also, while the snails will eat some types of algae, they will not solve the underlying problem with algae, which are almost always too much nitrates and phosphates in the system.

 

[GrendelPrime]

ReefCleaners.org | Clean Up Crews and Macro Algae - Home cant beat the price and they have a great selection of everything u will ever need

 

[greneis7]

Okay here are my numbers today...
Temp 79
Salinity 1.023 (this needs to go up, I know)
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates somewhere between 5-10 ppm
Calcium 440
Carb 7dKH (this needs to come up a bit too)
Phos 0

I have been really careful with how much I have fed, so as not to overfeed - watching them eat and only adding a little at a time.
I've done two water changes and my numbers as far as nitrates and phosphates are great!
I think that this algae bloom is just part of the cycle that many people said would come around this time and would go away as part of the new tank cycle. Now it's time to add that clean up crew! =)

 

[Uslanja]

Yup! You're right on schedule! Job well done! Get a full blown and well rounded clean up crew and enjoy watching them do their job. It's all good!

 

[BigFish11]

how long are you leaving your lights on and is your tank near a window? these are also two major factors in blooms

 

[greneis7]

I haven't been leaving my lights on long at all, because I had no real need for them yet and I knew that would add to the algae. =) I have them on for about six hours max a night and that's only if we are home.
No direct sunlight... across the room from the windows and the windows are shaded by an irritating large tree! lol
I brought home some snails tonight (3 astrea & 3 nassarius - in addition to the 3 cerith, 1 astrea, and two teeny hitchhikers) and am going to order a star. Still trying to decide if I want a pink and blue or a sand sifter. They both do the same, I am thinking I might go with the colored one because I think we will see her more.
Thoughts?
We also have a skunk and peppermint shrimp and an emerald in there.

 

[burning2nd]

no star fish, astrea nassarius cerith maybe 3 or 4 red scarlets



where do you get ur RODi water from?

 

[Adalius]

I second ReefCleaners.org I just ordered another CUC from them last week. They rock and the prices are great. For a 30g CUC it's $25 with free shipping, and include:
30 Dwarf Ceriths
11 Nassarius
12 Florida Ceriths
9 Nerites

How can you beat that?

 

[greneis7]

Thanks for the input guys... decided not to do a starfish, wouldn't be fair for it to eventually starve to death. I've been adding to my CUC over the last month and a half... I'm going to be starting a new 110 this weekend and I think with it being that large, I will buy a package through Reef Cleaners.

 

[scottsdale454ss]

I second ReefCleaners.org I just ordered another CUC from them last week. They rock and the prices are great. For a 30g CUC it's $25 with free shipping, and include:
30 Dwarf Ceriths
11 Nassarius
12 Florida Ceriths
9 Nerites

How can you beat that?

that seems like a crazy amount for a 30g. i have a 36g with 1 turbo, 2 astrea, 1 margaritta, 1 certith, 1 nassarius, and all the hitchhikers.

 

[greneis7]

I have 4 astreas, and 2 each of the nassarius and cerith. I also have 5 or 6 hermit crabs and one skunk shrimp. The tank is doing just fine! I would like to have a few more that worked the glass a little better, but I'm not planning on adding anything more.