Myka vs Valonia Round 672 - Page 4

Okguy · #31 11-25-2008, 07:23 PM

sorry no pic... I can try and get one when I get home, but I don't think it will show up very well. I just used the hosing you can buy for the Fluval 304. It fits on the the remora perfectly.

Delphinus · #32 11-25-2008, 07:29 PM

FWIW .. I am dealing with a TERRIBLE valonia infestation in my 20g right now. What seems to have stemmed the tide is an introduction of 3 or 4 emerald crabs and a green urchin. I have a green urchin in another tank and that tank is valonia free (although it has hermits so I wasn't 100% on whether it was urchin or combination urchin/hermits to thank for that).

Anyhow, about 6 weeks on, I'm noticing significantly less valonia. The bigger ones don't go away but I am able to remove those manually (or the urchin uses them to decorate himself).

I'm not 100% sure of the latin id on the urchin but this has been one of my favourite algae controlling purchases I've ever made (so much so that I now have 2.

). He does wonders for filamentous algae too. Not sure if he'd go after caulerpa too, but I should see if I can find a caulerpa infested rock that I could try an experiment on.

Anyhow since I can't give you an id to help you if you want to find one, here's a picture:

If you see one of these, try it. Only thing as a decorator urchin, be prepared to have to glue down EVERYTHING in your tank that you don't want rearranged. Zoanthid frags are a favourite...

PS. I'm also eating my words from the past that I've never had emerald crabs deal with valonia. I do have them now and they are indeed doing their job (I can see them). The problem is that one crab is probably only good for removing so many valonias in a time period .. and so if the valonia can replace themselves faster than the crab can eat them, you have a problem. With the case of my 20g, it seemed that I needed a good 3 or 4 before the tide was turned.

Marlin65 · #33 11-25-2008, 07:32 PM

Your coraline will do better under the higher K as well.
I have algae (hair) in my main tank, but nothing in my fuge. (had to take all the algae eater out)
Same K bulbs but one is a DE and one is a SE. Par is much higher on the DE almost 3x so that can contribute as well. I have always found it strange that I don't have any algae under the SE bulb and so much under my DE at least it is just on my Koralines and frag rack.

Keri · #34 11-25-2008, 07:37 PM

I think magaritas are actually supposed to be kept in cooler temps so they don't live as long in our setups

Myka · #35 11-25-2008, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Okguy

sorry no pic... I can try and get one when I get home, but I don't think it will show up very well. I just used the hosing you can buy for the Fluval 304. It fits on the the remora perfectly.

Ah ok. I was thinking you hard plumbed it with PVC.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delphinus

FWIW .. I am dealing with a TERRIBLE valonia infestation in my 20g right now. What seems to have stemmed the tide is an introduction of 3 or 4 emerald crabs and a green urchin.

Worse than mine?!?!

Now that you say that, someone(s?) did mention an urchin before. I forgot about that. I wasn't expecting to need so many Emerald Crabs either!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keri

I think magaritas are actually supposed to be kept in cooler temps so they don't live as long in our setups

Ya, they are temperate. I asked for 5 Nassarius, and the person came back with 5 Margaritas. I took them anyway as they didn't actually have any Nassarius. Margaritas are wonderful algae eaters, but they sure don't last long in the high temps.

Marlin65 · #36 11-25-2008, 08:43 PM

[quote=Myka;362968]Ah ok. I was thinking you hard plumbed it with PVC.

I run a Mag 3 with mine same dimensions as the Mag 5. I just used some 3/4" hose fits on both well. Just slip it over the treads of the mag with a hose clamp.

Myka · #37 11-25-2008, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marlin65

I run a Mag 3 with mine same dimensions as the Mag 5. I just used some 3/4" hose fits on both well. Just slip it over the treads of the mag with a hose clamp.

I'm actually not sure if mine's a Mag 3 or 5...the sticker is worn off. It has all the connections from being on a Remora Pro, so it looks like I can just slip it on there.

Myka · #38 11-30-2008, 12:52 AM

I have changed so much in the tank in the last week that it will be very difficult to determine which changes are making a difference and which aren't. I changed the lighting from a Giesemann 6000K and Giesemann True Actinic to an Aqua Science 17,500K and a Korallen Zucht Fiji Purple. I'm waiting for a new KZ bulb though because it arrived broken. The AS 17,500K is waaaaaaaaay bluer than I was expecting. Since it has such a high PAR I was expecting it to run whiter than the 17,500K suggests. It's a lot bluer than the Hagen GLO 18,000K that I originally purchased with my T5 unit., and it's actually bluer than the Giesemann True Actinic, although that bulb is a little over a year old now. Even though the light is much bluer than I prefer it sure makes the corals look nice, and if it help get rid of the Valonia, then I might learn to like it a lot more!

I also added two Emerald Crabs. Plus the Kole Tang. Oh and for the record, the Kole Tang is DEFINATELY eating the Valonia. I can go in there at any time and observe it. It also looks like at least one Emerald crab is taking a liking.

mike31154 · #39 11-30-2008, 02:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Myka

I'm actually not sure if mine's a Mag 3 or 5...the sticker is worn off. It has all the connections from being on a Remora Pro, so it looks like I can just slip it on there.

It's a Mag 3 Myka.

Myka · #40 11-30-2008, 04:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike31154

It's a Mag 3 Myka.

I figured so, thanks for clarifying! I'm finally hooking it up today onto my Remora. Trying to hide it all behind my rocks...