CUC problems, glass cleaning.

[Fitz19d]

Ok, have my CUC which is a dozen hermits + 2 big ones. 25 Dwarf Cerith, dozen Nerrite, Dozen nassarius, some florida cerith,and natural micro brittles/big brittle/random other rock dwellars.

The rocks and coral skeletons have been picked pretty clean. My Nerrites though seem to only sit in a large ball of all of them up at the water line and do nothing. Florida Ceriths seem likewise kinda unproductive.

My problem is the glass walls of my tank have nice tufts of green fuzzy algae. I'd been scrubbing it off but let it grow out for my CUC when it arrived to make sure theres enough food. It seems that the Dwarfs can't keep up and obviously hermits can't get them. What's the solution, do I just need to up the dwarfs to like 50-60? (55g tank.) Should I try other snails like Trochus? I was going to give a turbo a try though I thought those stay more on the rocks than the glass. (Also concern of it bulldozing some loose corals.)

Or am I going to have to scrub regularly regardless of what I do? I know I can cut down on them with less light, just wanted to keep existing corals happy. Currently a 10-12 hour light cycle on main tank.

 

[bush8984]

I've found that uping my mag to around 1400-1500 controls my hair and tuff algeas. Test and see where you're at. Might wanna look at nitrates as well

 

[Fitz19d]

My Nitrates have been pretty steady so far at 0 or under 5. I'm due to test again now that I've let the CUC go for a few days and see what that's done. Tank atm is still just live rock, handful of soft corals and that Torch and the CUC. I need to get timers for my lights as I imagine algae is being spurred on somewhat by my light cycle being usually from noon - 2pm ish till midnight (before I go to sleep and when I wake up for Night shift) so on top of the light time in the evening they get ambient light in the loft from skylight. (Not direct light)

Not sure if no algae growth is supposed to be the norm. I had just left it uncleaned off for a week or two to ensure I had enough for my CUC.

I'll have to take a water test to D&G/Great White as I only have the basic 4 right now. (And was trying to avoid getting into calc/mag/all the other fun stuff I'd need for SPS/LPS)

 

[Badgervet]

Just my 2 cents worth on the turbos. My pair of turbos did a great job with any algae on the glass. They seem to go on the glass and rock. I got rid of them because they got too big and started moving my frags and smaller rockscape around.

 

[Smiley]

trochus snails.....about 6 for a 55g. if you have luck, they will breed in captivity. i believe they are by far the best snail for algae of many kinds. they also right themselves unlike astrea snails which become crab food.

 

[Fitz19d]

Tried a fun experiment, picked up the big hermit crab and just held him near the glass and he went to town on the algae. I think I maybe just need to glue him to a stick and with patience can do it that way. (A joke if not obvious)

Question about razor blades that people use. Are they buying stainless steel somewhere? I thought they would rust rather quickly otherwise and not be good for the tank.

 

[Smiley]

razor blades for the glass? i just use the kent scraper and be careful with the blades during storage so they dont bend.

 

[Haulin Oates]

CUC problems, glass cleaning.

razor blades for the glass? i just use the kent scraper and be careful with the blades during storage so they dont bend.

+1. Once the blade is bent get a new one... I've made many a scratches trying to use a bent scraper. Also, some if the cheaper scrapers use little screws to hold the blade in. Be extremely careful if you have one of these, as at certain angles the screws can make contact with the glass and cause a nasty scratch as well.

 

[Fitz19d]

Now if I only have mushy soft algae do I even need to use the scraper given it's risk? Is it only for coraline algae right? I've got some white spongy aquarium scrub pads, those should be scratch free if I don't pull up sand into it?

 

[Haulin Oates]

CUC problems, glass cleaning.

Now if I only have mushy soft algae do I even need to use the scraper given it's risk? Is it only for coraline algae right? I've got some white spongy aquarium scrub pads, those should be scratch free if I don't pull up sand into it?

Yeah, I have a mag float glass cleaner, and I use it everyday to get the soft algea off the glass. If I go a few days without though it gets pretty hard and I have to use my scrapper. I learned on my last tank that I scratched to heck and back that its better to avoid scrapping if at all possible. Also I don't like the sponge scrapers, as I'd always get too close to the sand and get some in it.