algae

[munki]

i have a some spots of brown alage (i dont think thats what its called) on the coral substrate and a few spots of green algae on a couple pieces of live rock. what would be good to get rid of this? crabs, shrimp or snails? its a 55 gallon tank and i dont really think that i should order one of those "clean up crews" because
1- i dont want to have to purchase larger shells for growing hermits.
and2-i dont feel like i need a whole army of scavengers for a few spots of algae and if i do buy those packs, i dont want half of them crabs to die.
thank you so much:smirk:

 

[prow]

sounds like a new set up. like 3-6 months old. if so its might be just a bloom. what are your water parameters?? levels of everything you test. as far as cleaning crew you dont need crabs. but to control the aglae you will need something to out compete it or something that eats it. most go with both. try to get a few snails of various types. as the algae grows add more of this or that type snail to keep it under control. for detritus control some snails like nassarus or tiger serpants are great.

FYI you feel like you need a army of cleaners as time goes by.

 

[lcstorc]

Personally I use snails, conchs, and shrimp. You don't need to order a whole crew necessarily. All of my clean up crew has come from my lfs a bit at a time when needed.

 

[munki]

my water parameters are-
nitrate-0
nitrite-0
ammonia-0
pH-8.4

 

[munki]

someone told me that i should use snails because if they die you might not sea it and then they can cause ammonia and nitrate spikes.
has this ever happend to any of you?

 

[kyle1284]

i have always been told if you have a protein skimmer that is big enough for the tank then you dont have to worry about the spikes cause the skimmer will suck all the junk out...do you have a skimmer? if so what kind?

 

[munki]

no..i dont have a skimmer

 

[ReefGuy69]

I would Def. Recommend a Skimmer. It is very unlikley that your system can handle all the detrius and algae on its own. it seems failry new. a skimmer should cut down on your algae and provide a better water quality overall. Everyone recommends the Aqua C Remora Pro.

 

[munki]

sounds like a new set up. like 3-6 months old. if so its might be just a bloom. what are your water parameters?? levels of everything you test. as far as cleaning crew you dont need crabs. but to control the aglae you will need something to out compete it or something that eats it. most go with both. try to get a few snails of various types. as the algae grows add more of this or that type snail to keep it under control. for detritus control some snails like nassarus or tiger serpants are great.

FYI you feel like you need a army of cleaners as time goes by.

would any other stars work? maybe a choc chip? i just dont want anything that will go all predator on me and start going after fish like i read some brittle stars do? i also read that brittle stars can get as big as a dinner plate:bugout: ..if i were to get shrimp how many would i need to get? and what kind? my lfs also sells some kind of sea cucumber. will they eat green/brown agae?

 

[STAR RIDGE]

i would stay away from most stars if it is a reef tank. chocolate chip stars are coral eaters. they love xenia and mushrooms and am sure they will eat other corals given the chance. green bahama stars also eat soft corals. sand sifting stars would be your best star choice as these are reef safe and keep the sand bed stirred. protien skimmer is also a must. maybe add a power head to increase water flow. diatom algae seems to grow in lower flow areas. i don't think you will find shrimp much if any help for algae. hermits and most snails are also not efficient for diatom algae. hope this helps. joe

 

[munki]

so what will help with diatom algae? its just a fowlr.

 

[ReefGuy69]

Definatley pick up a skimmer and increase your flow with a power head and you should be fine. Shrimp def. wont help and you would be taking a risk with a star fish eating your corals unless you went with a sand sifting star.

 

[prow]

someone told me that i should use snails because if they die you might not sea it and then they can cause ammonia and nitrate spikes.
has this ever happend to any of you?

na i always go over board with new tanks on the snails. if a few die no big they will not cause a spike.

so what will help with diatom algae? its just a fowlr.

snails

would any other stars work? maybe a choc chip? i just dont want anything that will go all predator on me and start going after fish like i read some brittle stars do? i also read that brittle stars can get as big as a dinner plate ..

i dont like choc starts for reasons stated above. the little white sea stars are good, i like gobies for turnning over the sand myself. the sleeper banded gobies are great for this,just get one or they will starve.

if i were to get shrimp how many would i need to get? and what kind?

shrimp will just help with the detritus, which in turn does help with the algea but i dont think you see any noticable difference.

my lfs also sells some kind of sea cucumber. will they eat green/brown agae?

they are good for the sand but you dont want these guys dieing in the tank they release some very toxic stuff when they die.

here is what i suggest for your cleanning crew.(keep in mind you dont have to get them all at once.)
25-cerith snails
25-nerite snails
15-trochus snails
10-20 margarita snails
6-tonga nassarius snails or 12-nassarius snails (they look the same only tonga is bigger.
1-tiger serpant (ture some brittle stars eat fish "the green ones" but not these) the ones that do eat fish have the real spiky legs, serpants like the tigers legs look more like the typical bristle worm.

**that crew list is a minimum personaly i would go with double the number of everything but the nassarius.

above all if this a new set up "PATIENTS". algae blooms are normal and a sign that your tank has started to mature. skimmer, good water flow, reg water changes, blowing off the rocks every now and then, good cleaning crew and you dont over feed it will go away on its own. less lighting during the bloom will also help keep it in check, then cycle your lighting in slowly.

well hope this helps let us know how it goes.

 

[munki]

what would a cleaner wrasse do? and a tiger serpant star wont eat snail or crabs? where could i get one? lfs only has a green brittle star.

 

[lcstorc]

A cleaner wrasses cleans your fish of parasites not the algae. They are notoriously hard to keep so I would avoid that one. Go with snails and conchs is my answer. Fighting conchs keep your sandbed nice and clean and queen conchs are said to clean the rocks (I haven't found any yet so on the queen I am trusting others.) I know my sandbed noticeable improved after adding a fighting conch and in fact I now have 3 in my 125. One large and two tiny.

 

[lcstorc]

A cleaner wrasses cleans your fish of parasites not the algae. They are notoriously hard to keep so I would avoid that one. Go with snails and conchs is my answer. Fighting conchs keep your sandbed nice and clean and queen conchs are said to clean the rocks (I haven't found any yet so on the queen I am trusting others.) I know my sandbed noticeable improved after adding a fighting conch and in fact I now have 3 in my 125. One large and two tiny.

 

[prow]

the cleaner wrasse like lynn said avoid them. even if you get one that lives, which is almost never hear of, they only live about 18 months normally. by the time we get them half their life span has gone by and they will not help with algae.

the conchs are good just be careful that you get a conch and not a look a like whelk, which are preditory. easy to ID the ture conchs they have a eye that sticks out. kinda like the nassarius siphon nose but with a eye on the end.

the tiger serpants are not hard to find. i am surpised your LFS doesnt have them. here is a link for ya. http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/scateg.cfm?pCatId=528 you can see on that there are brittle stars and serpants, look into it and make sure you know the difference. some fish stores might sell you something else saying its this or that, same with the conch snails. i would check out a different LFS and see if they have the serpants.
tiger serpants will not harm anything they are ture scavengers. they will take care of any dead snails you might have. o BTW they are not good for anything under the sand, nassarius and cerith snails and white sand sifting stars will take care of that.

 

[prow]

oo one other thing all of these cleaners need to be drip acclimated. non are tolerant of suddent salinity changes or really any sudden changes in water chemistry, so just take your time when acclimating them.