Am I losing control of GHA?

[Reef and Dive]

How do they export nutrients aside from WC?

Very few fish and scarce feeding.

kill also the macro algae?

Caulerpa usually yes. Chaetomorpha usually no.

 

[Spare time]

Manually remove all you can. The hair algea can uptake nutrients faster than the macro. Get an urchin or 2. They will scour the rocks. Glue corals down. They won't hurt the macro but might grab a piece occasionally. They prefer the hair. I still think you could add

You need 5 crabs

Urchins can definitely eat macroalgae

 

[KonradTO]

Manually remove all you can. The hair algea can uptake nutrients faster than the macro. Get an urchin or 2. They will scour the rocks. Glue corals down. They won't hurt the macro but might grab a piece occasionally. They prefer the hair. I still think you could add

You need 5 crabs

Thanks Duncan! We were writing few weeks ago about my nutrients being too low and now look they say nothing happens fast in reefing..
I am trying to see if some online retailer here has some small urchin species. (I guess tuxedo are the smallest).
With crabs I am a bit worried, especially with only 30g. So many people reporting emeralds go rogue and kill stuff, in my tank there are only few "targets", I'd they actually go rogue I will have a crab-only tank.

 

[KonradTO]

Very few fish and scarce feeding.

Hard to tell the amount I am giving is enough or too much.. It disappears fully within few minutes but could be that is filtered out from the system as well. I usually prepare a cup with half cube mysis half cube brine and some tank water with live phyto, that last for 2 days..
Definitely I am not understocked.. 6 fish in 30 gal

Caulerpa usually yes. Chaetomorpha usually no.

Most of my macros are Caulerpa brachypus, prolifera and taxifolia..

 

[Duncan62]

Thanks Duncan! We were writing few weeks ago about my nutrients being too low and now look they say nothing happens fast in reefing..
I am trying to see if some online retailer here has some small urchin species. (I guess tuxedo are the smallest).
With crabs I am a bit worried, especially with only 30g. So many people reporting emeralds go rogue and kill stuff, in my tank there are only few "targets", I'd they actually go rogue I will have a crab-only tank.

Will Algeabarn deliver there? They have the best inverts when they are in stock. WWC supplied me with my 2 newest
The crabs won't go far from your rocks. I have a 30 mixed with 2 small ones. 3 in the others. In the 30 I never clean the back glass to feed them. Watch a good video on gluing acrylic and you can build a very effective hob scrubber. Put your macro you harvest and some cheato in there. I have a new one I just started running. The scrubber will out compete most of the hair. Let anything that grows grow there. The macro in your tank will still grow and be beautiful. Very simple to build. Basically a rectangle. I just made one for a 40 frag tank. I'll send a pic of the big one and the one in progress. You can buy them but they are silly in price.

 

[KonradTO]

Will Algeabarn deliver there?

I don't think would be smart to make them deliver through the atlantic live animals, even if they would do it.
I found that an online shop here has every sort of invertebrate, from cuttlefish to urchins and sea hares of different species.

They have the best inverts when they are in stock. WWC supplied me with my 2 newest
The crabs won't go far from your rocks. I have a 30 mixed with 2 small ones. 3 in the others. In the 30 I never clean the back glass to feed them.

Did you ever had one of them killing other inhabitants? Do you know what exact species are they?

Watch a good video on gluing acrylic and you can build a very effective hob scrubber. Put your macro you harvest and some cheato in there. I have a new one I just started running. The scrubber will out compete most of the hair. Let anything that grows grow there. The macro in your tank will still grow and be beautiful. Very simple to build. Basically a rectangle. I just made one for a 40 frag tank. I'll send a pic of the big one and the one in progress. You can buy them but they are silly in price.

I have seen some DIY algae scrubbers online, interesting for sure. TBH I was making some plans for a refugium above the tank for little money. Basically a 10g tank drilled so it overflows into the DT, and a return pump in the DT. In 10g then I would have enough space for algae scrubbers and macros. The only problem would be that in such a way I cannot run an inverse light cycle because I cannot screen the light from above. I could turn lights off for few days each month on my DT and make the refugium absorb all the nutrients released by algae. Worst case scenario I have a 10 gallon tank drilled I can use as QT or as an emergency tank

 

[Duncan62]

Thanks Duncan! We were writing few weeks ago about my nutrients being too low and now look they say nothing happens fast in reefing..
I am trying to see if some online retailer here has some small urchin species. (I guess tuxedo are the smallest).
With crabs I am a bit worried, especially with only 30g. So many people reporting emeralds go rogue and kill stuff, in my tank there are only few "targets", I'd they actually go rogue I will have a crab-only tank.

Emerald will only get mean when large and there isn't enough algea to feed them. They will pick over xoas and other things cleaning them up. The worst thing I've ever seen one do is tame food from a nem or lobo before its consumed. I've got 8 small emeralds in a 30 and a dozen in 75. I'm a crab fan. Lol. The big ones are mean to the smaller ones. They move to the sump or scrubber to live

 

[Duncan62]

I don't think would be smart to make them deliver through the atlantic live animals, even if they would do it.
I found that an online shop here has every sort of invertebrate, from cuttlefish to urchins and sea hares of different species.

Did you ever had one of them killing other inhabitants? Do you know what exact species are they?

I have seen some DIY algae scrubbers online, interesting for sure. TBH I was making some plans for a refugium above the tank for little money. Basically a 10g tank drilled so it overflows into the DT, and a return pump in the DT. In 10g then I would have enough space for algae scrubbers and macros. The only problem would be that in such a way I cannot run an inverse light cycle because I cannot screen the light from above. I could turn lights off for few days each month on my DT and make the refugium absorb all the nutrients released by algae. Worst case scenario I have a 10 gallon tank drilled I can use as QT or as an emergency tank

 

[Duncan62]

This one is on a shelf behind the tank.

 

[GARRIGA]

Water changes are likely not the reason nutrients are dropping. GHA likely the main driver. Sometimes best to just let nature run it's course. Once nutrients are in check then start pruning away. Have heard about vibrant but might affect your macros my assumption. Could remove the macro then treat and return post clean-up.

 

[Duncan62]

This one is on a shelf behind the tank.

This one runs 2 tanks. You need a tray 6 inches wide and 6 inches deep. Hide it behind. Your tank will stabilize as the scrubber matures. The one I've built for a frag tank is what you need. Water enters thru a siphon tube and is returned with a 200 gph return pump. This allows it to be at the top of the tank. I think you'd like it.

 

[Duncan62]

Urchins can definitely eat macroalgae

They can and will but they will eat the hair and slime off the glass as a preference. Reward is greater than risk imo.

 

[KonradTO]

This one runs 2 tanks. You need a tray 6 inches wide and 6 inches deep. Hide it behind. Your tank will stabilize as the scrubber matures. The one I've built for a frag tank is what you need. Water enters thru a siphon tube and is returned with a 200 gph return pump. This allows it to be at the top of the tank. I think you'd like it.

What happens if the siphon is interrupted? do you have a safety float that switches the pump off?

 

[KonradTO]

They can and will but they will eat the hair and slime off the glass as a preference. Reward is greater than risk imo.

I mean, I throw away buckets of Caulerpa every month. I would not mind them eating it as long as they don't prefer caulerpa over GHA.

 

[Duncan62]

What happens if the siphon is interrupted? do you have a safety float that switches the pump off?

It will restart when power returns. When the pump lowers the waterlevel on the scrubber the siphon supplies water at the same rate. When pump stops water level in the scrubber comes up and siphon stops. Pump comes on, water in scrubber drops and siphon continues. Install behind and near the top. Like a mini sump with no pumbing.

 

[Duncan62]

It will restart when power returns. When the pump lowers the waterlevel on the scrubber the siphon supplies water at the same rate. When pump stops water level in the scrubber comes up and siphon stops. Pump comes on, water in scrubber drops and siphon continues. Install behind and near the top. Like a mini sump with no pumbing.

I still think time and patience are your best friends. Most tanks have an algea phase in the first year. The scrubber can be matured very quickly with algea you harvest. I'll take a puc of the one for the frag tank when I go to the shop in a bit. So simple you'll be surprised.

 

[KonradTO]

I still think time and patience are your best friends. Most tanks have an algea phase in the first year. The scrubber can be matured very quickly with algea you harvest. I'll take a puc of the one for the frag tank when I go to the shop in a bit. So simple you'll be surprised.

I am very curious to see how you built it! I think I am quite conviced to go throug the hob/same level sump way. I can find very cheap 30-50 liters glass tanks here, just need to find/build something that can hold that much weight and fits between my tank and the wall. Unfortunately I planned the positioning of the tank poorly so now I have limited space to deal with.

I also will follow the tips from you and other reefers that suggested for an urchin/emerald crab. At the moment I am a bit overstocked but if I manage to build this external refugium I will have some extra space.

 

[Duncan62]

 

[Duncan62]

This one is much wider than you need. 6 in would be enough. Obviously that isn't the siphon tube I'll use but just to illustrate. The baffle on the left has holes in it the right is solid. It maintains the water level if power is out so algea stays in water and the siphon is maintained. This was built for a 55. The one I run my 30 on is 8wide and 14 long. No water changes for over 4 years. I never hang mine on the tank. Build a shelf if you can. The size you need won't hold a gallon of water or so. Much lighter and more efficient than a aquarium would be. The pump goes in the chamber on the right. I run my lights 24 hours. Helps keep pH stable when DT lights are out.

 

[Midrats]

What urchins? I've had several different varieties over the years and they all only have eaten coralline.