New tank, CUC ready. Very minor green hair algae

[cwatkins]

Hi All,

Our 90G tank has been setup for a month, the rock that was added was pre-cycled, so there wasn't any cycle. Added the sand within the last week or so.

But we made a mistake and decided to try some RO water from the grocery store. I don't think it was as pure as the RO/DI water we got from the purified water store when we initially filled the tank. So the phosphates are around 0.5ppm (looking at a phosban and carbon reactor to keep the water free of nuisance nutrients). Running some phosphate remover in a sock right now.

I think it's ready for a CUC to keep the very small amount of green hair algae in check.

We're not ready for fish yet, so what can I get that will climb the rocks and eat the hair algae (not that bad of a problem, but there are some 1/2" little patches growing here and there. A few stragglers that are 1" long).

I'm thinking 5 to 10 turbo snails and 3 emerald crabs.

Since there is nothing else in the tank, I'll probably need to supplement them with food as well? What's suggested?

Any other ideas on keeping the hair in-check? We'll probably add 1 or 2 corals and maybe 1 or 2 fish at the beginning of Feb.

Thanks.

[freddy]

I use boiling water in a syringe,just squirt the water at the base of the algae,it will kill it,works great for me.:biggrin:

[no_bs]

Seahares have worked for us. But you must pass it on after problem solved or it will starve to death. I heard j&l will give money or credit when brought back.

[Albertan22]

If there's nothing in the tank, I'd add the snails and keep your lights off. I kept the lights off in my tank for over two months while it cycled and didn't have significant algae problems, though I was running phosban in a reactor. I didn't turn on the lights until I added my first coral.

[Myka]

I would choose Astrea and Trochus snails over Turbos. Turbos are bulldozers.

[SmallFry]

Hi,

I had three turbos in my tank when I had a really (really) bad hair algae problem, and I can tell you they eat a LOT.. If you don't have that much they'll probably get through it pretty fast...

I have no corals so the bulldozing wasn't a problem for me... My turbos died a while back but I'll get more when I get the chance, but probably only one or two this time...

Rob.

[ScubaSteve]

I went with a Strawberry Top Snail to take care of that stuff for me. He's huge, eats like a pig, is cool to look at and doesn't rearrange the tank like a Turbo. He's my favourite!

[DCDN]

Ive had good luck with my Astrea snails, they cleared up most of the hair algea i have. Just some left on one rock the rest was cleared up fast.