Keeping your octo tank clean - is it possible?

[alligator]

How does one keep an octo tank clean?

I have a 55 gallon tank that's been up and running for 3 years. I just changed to a DSB about 3 weeks ago. I now have some algae back in the tank. Since I have no fish or corals, I have left the lights off to hopefully start with a "clean" tank when I get my octo.

The thought then occured to me, how do I add a clean-up crew when the octo will eat everyone???

I've also heard of the octo playing with the magnetic algae scraper.

Am I doomed to an algae infested tank?

[schmunkel98]

Your octo won't eat everything. Try some starfish, sea cucumbers, and turbo snails for a clean up crew. Hermit crabs will probably be toast, but a few wouldn't hurt.

Mike

www.schmunkel.0catch.com

[NHreefer]

I have a yellow cucumber in my octo tank and he does a great job, many cleaned poop piles. I put in a chocalte chip starfish first, but he tried to eat the cucumber. DOH!!! I have to snag a serpant star from one of my other tanks, I think the octo will like it better, moves faster. I do not have a light over the tank so algae has not been a problem, just yellowing water, which new carbon takes care of.
Chris

[jimichonga]

Also a health dose of "elbow grease" on the glass.LOL

I use an electric powered gravel cleaner to just suck-up any left-overs with out disturbing the sand.

[cephalopoder]

I use a plenum and my main octo tank has been up and running for a few years. I keep sand sifting sea cucumbers, serpent stars, and lots of bristle worms and tiny brittle stars to keep the tank clean. The only algae I have ever had is the green stuff that grows on the glass. I use magnets to clean the front glass and a razor blade. I do not clean the other sides. By letting the algae grow on the other 3 sides it provides food for copepods. This can come in hand as a food source for baby cephs.
I did loose a filter feeding pink cucumber when my last bimac ripped it off the glass. When octos reach a certin size most octos will not bother with blue legg hermits or small red leggs. I guees they think its not worth the effort. It helps if you keep your octo well fed too.
chris