Snail Question

[Nameless]

I'm finishing up my cycling of my 75 gallon with 75 lbs. of rock. I did have one crab and a bunch of snails and/or nudis make it in with my rock, but apparently not enough. I'm now facing a micro bloom, and I'm getting sick of scraping.

I know I could reduce my light and/or keep scraping, but I want to get some snails for algae control anyway, so I was thinking now was the time to add them.

What kind of snails should I look for? Is it ok to add them now?

 

[Fish Guy]

If your nitrites and ammonia are down to 0 you can get some more snails. I would also suggest a blue tuxedo urchin. They will eat corraline but also strip the rock clean of all annoying algae. even if you buy all these critters you will still have to scrape the tank. (At best corraline algae will grow all over it).

 

[reefaquariumsecrets]

Exactly!!!!!! My experiences also indicate by doing this alot of cool stuff will grow on the back of aquarium along with providing a surface area for amphipods and such to also have some protection from preditation. My aquariums are loaded with these guys. In my lagoon tank I have turtle grass and all sorts of cool algae on three sides of the aquarium and I have seen sea squirts and all sorts of cool stuff on the back glass. I also see all sorts of snail, worms, amphipods and other cool micro-organisms crawling through all the stuff growing. I believe this would also create an ideal natural filter for the tank by growing the algae and other organisms that thrive in your tanks environment. The beauty is that this natural filter area would also help address your aquariums needs as far as nutrient cycling. For people with algae problems they already know that it is gonna grow no matter what they do. Trick is if it is gonna grow don't fight it because you usually can't win so just encourage it to grow where you want it too or encourage higher forms of algae to out compete it and everyone is happy.

 

[Nameless]

I'm fine with doing some scraping, but I would like some help too....

I'd like to avoid things that eat corraline for now, although I think that sea urchin actually helps spread it around by grinding it up....

 

[reefaquariumsecrets]

Why go nuts over the algae?????? Algae can be a tanks best friend! As long as it is not taking over the tank you are usually best to leave what you can alone. I let the back glass of many of my tanks grow what it likes. This sort of creates an in tank algae scrubber. Just remember algae grows in our tanks for a reason. Many times these algae are utilizing nutrients your tank is not. Many organisms that will clean your tank will also strip it of valuable life forms on your rocks and other surfaces. So a clean tank is not always a healthy one.

 

[Nameless]

So you would just scrape the front and sides and not worry about snails?