Algae eaters requiring least amount of QT time

mitchrapp · 06/12/2015, 04:44 AM

What algae eaters require the least QT time? I'm committed to QT'ing anything wet. So fish undergo TTM and 4 weeks observation after that. Crabs and snails go through 72 days of fallow tank. I'm looking for something I can add to my tank that doesn't require that much QT time. Are there any soft-bodied algae-eating inverts that ich tomonts can not encyst onto?

Shawn O · 06/12/2015, 05:52 AM

Look into nudibranchs, I guess? Not sure if there are any algae-specific ones or not.

Saltliquid · 06/12/2015, 06:47 AM

The sea hair is what you want, but i am afraid the metal content of the algae will eventually kill them.

mitchrapp · 06/12/2015, 07:22 AM

Yeah, I'm scared off by the toxins that sea hares can release. Lettuce nudibranches look like they may fit the bill. Anyone know if ich tomonts can encyst on them? If not, what is the best way to QT them and for how long? Would a few dips/transfers in 2-3 buckets of tank water be sufficient prior to adding to the DT?

tzylak · 06/12/2015, 07:33 AM

Is your goal to get algae eaters or is it to get rid of algae??
My experience with the latter is to regularly clean the DT glass with a magnet scrubber and the rest of the algae is controlled by chaeto in my sump. The chaeto eats up of all the nutrients needed for the others to grow.
Good luck!

Sk8r · 06/12/2015, 10:08 AM

If you want to get rid of pest algae, particularly the initial crop of hair algae, that's a phosphate problem from rock, sand, and (if not ro/di) your water source. An algae eater will liberate the phosphate and poo it back into the water, to go round again, generally

The best thing for that is to get a GFO reactor, which absorbs phosphate. The bad news is that rock soaks very slowly, so it can go on leaching out phosphate for a number of months if it has a whole lot.

mitchrapp · 06/12/2015, 11:01 AM

Thanks. Goal is to get a soft-bodied algae eater and am wondering whether ich trophonts can encyst on them and if not, the best way to introduce to DT.

I don't want this discussion to be derailed about getting rid of algae (I am not only relying on the algae eater - I already have a GFO reactor running and am doing twice weekly 10% water changes).

Jjv123 · 06/12/2015, 11:04 AM

So I have been battling gha since March. It was a new tank build with dry rock. I still have think carpets of this stuff only on my rocks. Ianually remove it from time to time. I run carbon and gfo, a slimmer and filter socks. I'm waiting for this so called new tank syndrome to end. Mind you of course all my parameters are spot on. I have two clown fish that get feed ten pellets a day and twice a week get a 1/4 cube of sbb frozen marine cuisine. I have some other types of algae growing but not to extent of gha. Water changes are once a week at 5 gallons for a tank with a total volume of 47 gallons. I feel your pain.

Sk8r · 06/13/2015, 10:35 AM

The answer to your question --- the only fish little apt to get ich is not an algae eater, and even that is not 100%.

The length of quarantine does not depend on the fish, but on the life cycle of the ich parasite.

06/12/2015, 04:44 AM	#1
mitchrapp Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 297	Algae eaters requiring least amount of QT time What algae eaters require the least QT time? I'm committed to QT'ing anything wet. So fish undergo TTM and 4 weeks observation after that. Crabs and snails go through 72 days of fallow tank. I'm looking for something I can add to my tank that doesn't require that much QT time. Are there any soft-bodied algae-eating inverts that ich tomonts can not encyst onto?

06/12/2015, 05:52 AM	#2
Shawn O Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: People's Communist Republic of Massachusetts Posts: 1,474	Look into nudibranchs, I guess? Not sure if there are any algae-specific ones or not. __________________ "55gal glass box full of water, rocks and some not-so-amused little fishes" 2x Occellaris, 1 Pajama, 1 Neon Dottyback. Current Tank Info: 55gal tank, sumpless, ReefOctopus Classic 90, Twin bulb T5.

06/12/2015, 10:08 AM	#6
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	If you want to get rid of pest algae, particularly the initial crop of hair algae, that's a phosphate problem from rock, sand, and (if not ro/di) your water source. An algae eater will liberate the phosphate and poo it back into the water, to go round again, generally The best thing for that is to get a GFO reactor, which absorbs phosphate. The bad news is that rock soaks very slowly, so it can go on leaching out phosphate for a number of months if it has a whole lot. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

06/12/2015, 11:01 AM	#7
mitchrapp Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 297	Thanks. Goal is to get a soft-bodied algae eater and am wondering whether ich trophonts can encyst on them and if not, the best way to introduce to DT. I don't want this discussion to be derailed about getting rid of algae (I am not only relying on the algae eater - I already have a GFO reactor running and am doing twice weekly 10% water changes). Last edited by mitchrapp; 06/12/2015 at 11:08 AM.

06/12/2015, 11:04 AM	#8
Jjv123 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Northern Vigirnia Posts: 96	So I have been battling gha since March. It was a new tank build with dry rock. I still have think carpets of this stuff only on my rocks. Ianually remove it from time to time. I run carbon and gfo, a slimmer and filter socks. I'm waiting for this so called new tank syndrome to end. Mind you of course all my parameters are spot on. I have two clown fish that get feed ten pellets a day and twice a week get a 1/4 cube of sbb frozen marine cuisine. I have some other types of algae growing but not to extent of gha. Water changes are once a week at 5 gallons for a tank with a total volume of 47 gallons. I feel your pain. __________________ 40B, Internal Overflow, Coralife super skimmer,T5, RIO 1700 return, BRS Mini Reactor run with Carbon, TUNZE nano , 50 lbs dry rock, 40 lbs ls.

06/12/2015, 06:47 AM	#3
Saltliquid Registered Member. Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Brisbane Australia Posts: 911	The sea hair is what you want, but i am afraid the metal content of the algae will eventually kill them.

06/12/2015, 07:22 AM	#4
mitchrapp Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 297	Yeah, I'm scared off by the toxins that sea hares can release. Lettuce nudibranches look like they may fit the bill. Anyone know if ich tomonts can encyst on them? If not, what is the best way to QT them and for how long? Would a few dips/transfers in 2-3 buckets of tank water be sufficient prior to adding to the DT?

06/12/2015, 07:33 AM	#5
tzylak Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Oceanside, CA Posts: 457	Is your goal to get algae eaters or is it to get rid of algae?? My experience with the latter is to regularly clean the DT glass with a magnet scrubber and the rest of the algae is controlled by chaeto in my sump. The chaeto eats up of all the nutrients needed for the others to grow. Good luck!

06/13/2015, 10:35 AM	#9
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	The answer to your question --- the only fish little apt to get ich is not an algae eater, and even that is not 100%. The length of quarantine does not depend on the fish, but on the life cycle of the ich parasite. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.