Bad Hair Algae

[michika]

Originally Posted by likwid

What kind of urchin, and will it fit in a 10g tank? I had a Sea Hare for a few days before it got sucked into an intake, but in those 2 days it would just sniff the stuff and not eat any of it. It pooped like crazy though.

I have a longspine urchin.

[likwid]

Finally got my test kit in. Params are as follows:

Calcium - 300 mg/L
Alk - 11.2 dKH
PH - 8.2
Nitrate - 0
Phostphate - 0
Salinity - 1.021

[hillbillyreefer]

I picked up a tuxedo urchin on Saturday to help out with my GHA problem. He's about 4" across so they should fit in a 10 gallon. If you get one it may require feeding eventually. Mine leaves a path free of GHA after he passes over. Moves pretty slowly and is going to be a while cleaning up my 24 gal but is doing a great job. As an added bonus I think it's one of the coolest critters in the tank. The urchin has done more cleaning in three days than the rest of my CUC has done in four months.HTH

He seems to be a consumer of coraline also.

Brad

[likwid]

How are my levels? Do I need to increase/decrease any?

[likwid]

bump

[dsaundry]

Looking at your last reading, I might suggest you bump the salinity up to 1.023. One question I have though is what type of salt are you using. I was told by another reefer that for reef tanks he found that TM worked best for him. Less dosing was one of the benefits he stated. I am going to try it next time but right now I am using IO in my 72g. I did have a hair algae issue a little while ago and in my case narrowed it down to overfeeding. I didn't think I was at first but after looking at how some other reefers fed their tank I determined I was. I seem to have it under control as in the last 2 weeks it has virtually dissappeared. I also used rowaphos in my aquaclear 500 as well.
Hope this helps.

[michika]

Are you doing a hyposalinity treatment on your system? If you aren't I'd bump your SG up to 1.025-1.026, assuming you have inverts, its from what I've read is the best level for them.

[likwid]

Originally Posted by dsaundry

Looking at your last reading, I might suggest you bump the salinity up to 1.023. One question I have though is what type of salt are you using. I was told by another reefer that for reef tanks he found that TM worked best for him. Less dosing was one of the benefits he stated. I am going to try it next time but right now I am using IO in my 72g. I did have a hair algae issue a little while ago and in my case narrowed it down to overfeeding. I didn't think I was at first but after looking at how some other reefers fed their tank I determined I was. I seem to have it under control as in the last 2 weeks it has virtually dissappeared. I also used rowaphos in my aquaclear 500 as well.
Hope this helps.

I am using IO salt. How much/often do you feed? And how much/often would you feed a 10g tank with 1 clownfish, corals and a bubbletip anemone.

Originally Posted by michika

Are you doing a hyposalinity treatment on your system? If you aren't I'd bump your SG up to 1.025-1.026, assuming you have inverts, its from what I've read is the best level for them.

I am not doing a hyposalinity treatment, that is one of the safe levels that is shown on my crappy little hydrometer, so thats what I have been keeping it at.