Reef safe inverts to help clean rocks

Vanquishxxxx · #1 10/27/2006, 01:34 PM

I am lloking for reef safe inverts that will clean my rock of the little hair algae and other algae that is on it??

trippyl · #2 10/27/2006, 02:29 PM

You can try a sea hare, however the obvious statement is to reduce wastes in the tank by rinsing frozenfood before feeding, increasing flow (reducing it during feeding times) and doing more water changes (with RO/DI water).

Vanquishxxxx · #3 10/27/2006, 02:32 PM

weell the tank is about 6 7 months old, and it only started about 3 weeks ago when i put the new lights on, do you think it iwll jsut go away?or will it stay because of the new lights

trippyl · #4 10/27/2006, 03:02 PM

The lights provide light for the HA, but the HA needs food with which to grow. Bear in mind, plenty of tanks are out there with more lighting than yours and grow no algae. It's all about reducing wastes within the tank. That your tank is 6-7 months old isn't a factor. What likely is your approach to feeding.

Rinsing food is key, so is reducing flow in the tank during feedings so all the food gets eaten. If your tank has little flow, you need to look at increasing it. HA generally appears in spots where wastes are accumulating.

Vanquishxxxx · #5 10/28/2006, 12:29 PM

ok i will start to rinse my food and see if that helps, should i rinse cyclopeeze too?

Dunky019 · #6 10/28/2006, 01:15 PM

I would just use a toothbrush to brush off the HA from the rocks - its much faster

flameangel88 · #7 10/28/2006, 04:19 PM

Hey, that's what I do and toothbush is quicker. But in the long term I do want to add some more invert to clean instead of me.

Vanquishxxxx · #8 10/28/2006, 07:35 PM

yeah ill try that, still no one has mentioned anything that will clean rocks of HA ??

onevia_01 · #9 10/28/2006, 07:50 PM

I've added hermit crabs which graze on it and anything foreign on the rocks which seems to have worked well. I recommend that.
It worked well for me.