critters for alage removal

[Oscar]

Kwirky: Thanks for your thoughts.

I have had a recent hair algae bloom (and macro algae) since adding my first 2 clowns 3 weeks ago. Since they do not capture more than 50% of the food I feed them (it flows away too fast for them) I am getting a build up of phosphates. My current CUC is underpowered.

My current 4 hermits and ~10 snails worked well before I added my first fish.

So I want to beef up my CUC, a combination of hermits and snails, but I am also open to adding a phosban reactor.

What is a suitable sequence of CUC/reactor without starving the CUC after they are established?

[Marlin65]

I only have about 3 snails and 5 blue legs in my tank and am wondering if they are going to starve as I don't have much algae. I think they should be added if you need them. Every tank is different so what works for one might not work for someone else. I know that if I had that many snails in my tank they would definitely starve. As it is they are already climbing across my sand to get to the small rocks and frag plugs to eat.

[Marlin65]

Originally Posted by Oscar

Kwirky: Thanks for your thoughts.

I have had a recent hair algae bloom (and macro algae) since adding my first 2 clowns 3 weeks ago. Since they do not capture more than 50% of the food I feed them (it flows away too fast for them) I am getting a build up of phosphates. My current CUC is underpowered.

My current 4 hermits and ~10 snails worked well before I added my first fish.

So I want to beef up my CUC, a combination of hermits and snails, but I am also open to adding a phosban reactor.

What is a suitable sequence of CUC/reactor without starving the CUC after they are established?

I would test your PO4 before adding a reactor. I don't run one as my PO4 is at 0.04 Maybe you don't need one.
Turn your pumps off when you feed that will help them get more food, and you will be able to feed less.

[kwirky]

Originally Posted by Marlin65

I would test your PO4 before adding a reactor. I don't run one as my PO4 is at 0.04 Maybe you don't need one.
Turn your pumps off when you feed that will help them get more food, and you will be able to feed less.

feeding flake foods contributes to algae too because half of it gets dissolved uneaten. Plus rinsing your mysis shrimp under the tap with a brine shrimp net helps too compared to just thawing it and dumping it in.

As for testing phosphates it's a moot point unless you have an organic phosphate kit. Our hobby kits test inorganic phosphates. You could have zero inorganic phosphate on your hobby grade kit, but sky high organic and never know it. Organic kits usually run $250, such as the Hanna kit, which makes them out of reach of most hobbyists.

As for deciding on your clean up crew, snails are more likely to starve than crabs and shrimp. Go light on your snails (like 1 trochus or turbo per 10-15 gallons). Go for younger (smaller) snails too because most molluscs have a 2 year lifespan. Those giant trochus snails in the store might croak in a couple months. Crabs and shrimp you can just toss in food for them if there's not much else for them to eat.

Shimek's 500 aquarium invertebrates book has great info on snails and other CUC animals (including what might end up munching on coral heh). An addition to the library for only $20.

[Marlin65]

I had my water tested at my LFS store they have a Hanna Tester.
You can ask your LFS to run a test to see what they are.