Best tang for the job...

X-Treme · #1 01-01-2008, 02:13 AM

Just wondering.....Is there any tang that is better at eating algae than others? I have a grape caulerpa and GHA problem and need a tangs assistance.

Myka · #2 01-01-2008, 02:29 AM

Is this for your 38? You better find a REALLY small tang...and have a home ready for it when it grows. Yellow tangs are good for algae, and you'd likely be able to find a small one.

Skimmin · #3 01-01-2008, 02:36 AM

For tangs a minimum of 75gal is typically the recommended starting point for tank size. As for the algae eating end of things I believe all tangs are considered herbivores or omnivores so most do a fine job of eating algae. The other thing with tangs is... What goes in must come out. So in a smaller tank, if the fish (especially a tang) is eating lots it's going to be excreting lots. Up the bio load BIG TIME. In my experiance many people including myself tend to call the tangs the 'pigs' or 'dump trucks' of the tank...

If the rock that you have has hair algae you may want to consider taking the rock out and scrubbing it in a pail of saltwater. Thing is once you have the rock clean try changing something in your tank whether it's flow, lighting, ro,phosban,etc... If you don't make a change of some sort you may find you will end up with the same end result again(more hair algae). Anyways just my 2 or 3 cents.

Myka · #4 01-01-2008, 02:40 AM

I was assuming the tang would be a temporary inhabitant...only long enough to eat the algae...? Otherwise I would never recommend a tang in a tank smaller than 75 gallons either.

I also agree that it is best to find the cause of the algae. If you buy a creature to eat the algae, when the creature is gone the algae will come back.

Snappy · #5 01-01-2008, 02:52 AM

Naso tang is a good algae eater. Maybe a rabbit fish might suit your tank better?

X-Treme · #6 01-01-2008, 02:57 AM

I've been using phosban for a month or more. I have HUGE flow 1640GPH. I only feed every 2nd day and only have 4 small fish. I don't know where to go next.....was gonna try a smaller tang next. And not to worry, would definately only be temporary.

I have had a few people tell me to try a rabbit, but how are they REALLY with lps, sps, clams, inverts and other smaller fish?

i have crabs · #7 01-01-2008, 03:00 AM

i just bought a foxface and he ate up all the caulerpa in my tank

X-Treme · #8 01-01-2008, 03:03 AM

Could it have anything to do with my lighting.......it's a 250MH sitting about 8inches over a 20 inch deep tank. Photoperiod is 10hrs of MH lighting and about 13 hours of actinic.

Myka · #9 01-01-2008, 03:40 AM

Photoperiods are usually 8 hours MH, and 12 hours actinic. Considering you have hair algae, cutting that down may help a little.

How old is your tank? Got pics? How are you running the PhosBan? How much of it? How often do you change it? What are your calcium, alkalinity, magnesium, nitrates and phosphates testing at? How old are your bulbs? What spectrum? What water temp? What kind of source water do you use (grocery store, your own made, RO, DI, etc)? If you make your own water, what is the TDS of your product water?

X-Treme · #10 01-01-2008, 03:58 AM

Tank is 8 1/2 months old (signature), running about 1/3 cup phosban passively in the return chamber from my remora skimmer. Haven't changed it yet, cause it's only 1-2 months old. I don't have ANY test kits YET, (let the flaming begin) so I don't know readings. MH bulb is same age as the tank and it's a giessmann 13k. Water temp is a DEAD-STEADY 78. I use RO water from a bottling company. Been using this since day 1.