My tank has been up for about 14 months now. All of my 40 naussasrius snails have been eaten by the damn mantis thats in there that i cannot find. I still have about all 25 ceriths and about 8 or so hermits and astrae snails. Then also have a bout 10 strombellas. What else could i add that would be good for removing excess algae in the tank? I have a lot of hair alge im trying to get rid of that my tang cant keep up with. either fish or snails what would be good? thanks
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reef cleanup crew
- Thread starter reefNewbie
- Start date
Hi reefNewbie,
I added about 30 little teeny blue legged hermits, that went to town, and now keep the rock tip top shape. Nassarius snails don't eat algae IME, but are great for eating excess food, and waste. Oh, I've got a 55g for comparison. 'Might also want to try Mex. Turbos. They eat like crazy too.
Also, don't know how old your tank is, but you could also add a lawnmower blenny <insert latin genus/species here>, and their antics around the tank can be amusing too.
HTH,
~Wings~
I added about 30 little teeny blue legged hermits, that went to town, and now keep the rock tip top shape. Nassarius snails don't eat algae IME, but are great for eating excess food, and waste. Oh, I've got a 55g for comparison. 'Might also want to try Mex. Turbos. They eat like crazy too.
Also, don't know how old your tank is, but you could also add a lawnmower blenny <insert latin genus/species here>, and their antics around the tank can be amusing too.
HTH,
~Wings~
I highly recommend you stay away from the hermits, at least don't add so many as that! 8O 8O
The reason? Well if you're like me (and you may not be) all life in the tank is important. I value the small sponge, tube worm, tunicate, or tiny starfish as much as the $50 coral frag. I love seeing tiny species of grazing snails that just seem to pop up.
Hermits destroy all these things. Sure, your rock will be clean - OF EVERY LIVING THING besides your corals. Is that what you want? Having rock without all those living things thriving in it does not constitute "tip top shape" for me.
Hermits are also hard on the sand bed. Stick with snails. Or just know that your tank will be minus a lot of interesting little critters.
Jim
The reason? Well if you're like me (and you may not be) all life in the tank is important. I value the small sponge, tube worm, tunicate, or tiny starfish as much as the $50 coral frag. I love seeing tiny species of grazing snails that just seem to pop up.
Hermits destroy all these things. Sure, your rock will be clean - OF EVERY LIVING THING besides your corals. Is that what you want? Having rock without all those living things thriving in it does not constitute "tip top shape" for me.
Hermits are also hard on the sand bed. Stick with snails. Or just know that your tank will be minus a lot of interesting little critters.
Jim
I heard from a reputable source that Sally Lightfoot crabs do a good job on hair algae.
I've got my fair share of it in my 29... The Turbos do kick butt, but they don't do much for the long, wavy stuff.
I just added 5 small Nassarius snails this evening. Man! do those little buggers move out! Zzzzzooooommmmm, and two had gone from end to end in a 30" tank. Then they buried themselves. All you could see were the little snorkels.
Hope this helps.
Mike
I've got my fair share of it in my 29... The Turbos do kick butt, but they don't do much for the long, wavy stuff.
I just added 5 small Nassarius snails this evening. Man! do those little buggers move out! Zzzzzooooommmmm, and two had gone from end to end in a 30" tank. Then they buried themselves. All you could see were the little snorkels.
Hope this helps.
Mike
You don't need a clean up crew if you maintain control of nutrients.
I don't have snail and hermits in my tanks although I do have a serpent star in 3 of the 7 tanks.
Even after the summertime crash I had, water changes took care of things so that after about 3 or 4 months, the hair algae dissapeared again and the tank is back to normal.
I don't have snail and hermits in my tanks although I do have a serpent star in 3 of the 7 tanks.
Even after the summertime crash I had, water changes took care of things so that after about 3 or 4 months, the hair algae dissapeared again and the tank is back to normal.
I have a DSB in one tank but the other 6 are bare bottom berlin systems.
I thought the detritus was supposed to be taken care of by the life in the sand bed, not by the snails that might churn things up a bit.
With the Berlin systems, I just vacuum up the detritus whenever I happen to do a water change.
I thought the detritus was supposed to be taken care of by the life in the sand bed, not by the snails that might churn things up a bit.
With the Berlin systems, I just vacuum up the detritus whenever I happen to do a water change.
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