First saltwater tank, 40 breeder

[KleineVampir]

I finally broke down and took out some of the hair algae by hand. My current thinking is that the sea hare can probably keep the amount of hair algae down if it's in there before the hair algae grows...but once it grows, the hare isn't going to be able to mow it all down for you. Still thinking about getting another sea hare...that with some manual removal and I might be pretty close to where I wanna be!

I gotta say though, even if I had to take out hair algae by hand every now and then, it's a lot cheaper and easier to do that than it is to mess around with water changes.

 

[KleineVampir]

Now I'm thinking about getting a cowrie. They say they can eat hair algae and they can scavenge the substrate too. 5 bucks a pop for a little guy the size of a nickel though. Kind of nuts!

Either way I want to up the hair-algae eating power of the tank even more. But it has to be something that eats a lot for how much space it takes up in the tank. Maybe nothing that size can keep up with that much algae, but I gotta try!

 

[KleineVampir]

Well then, that was fast. I saw that there were only 3 left on one site and I just bought them! 40 buck shipping, so oof. Paying more for shipping than the cowries themselves. They say they eat hair algae, and they might look good too.

If I can just find the right critter to eat hair algae, I can finally have the ultimate 0 maintenance tank!! Dang expensive process trying to find the right one though.

 

[KleineVampir]

Also I'll have the opportunity to report my experience with the cowries. That may be of some value given that there doesn't seem to be much info on them at the current moment. I'll consider them a success if they eat enough hair algae and if they live long enough.

 

[NY_Caveman]

Also I'll have the opportunity to report my experience with the cowries. That may be of some value given that there doesn't seem to be much info on them at the current moment. I'll consider them a success if they eat enough hair algae and if they live long enough.

Looking forward to hearing that!

 

[KleineVampir]

Well don't look too far forward! You might miss it! Lol I got them this morning.

They seem to be mostly like snails. However I think I've observed them eating hair algae already, and one went on the glass and apparently was trying to eat the film algae like any regular snail would.

But their value is still pretty questionable, unless they are absolutely stellar at keeping algae down. Then I could safely say that they're actually worth paying considerably for. If they eat pretty much like a trochus or something else, then you'd just be paying for the cool smooth shell they have and the fact that they're a little different from a normal snail. Then some of what you're paying for is just the fact that other people want them, so to some degree they might be like a collector's item or something to that effect. In a hobby that's already pretty extravagant, honestly, not sure this is the critter for most people value wise. I appreciate algae eating snails probably more than most people, so to me they're great. Function and fashion, with an aura of mystery around them too! That's great for me but I can't speak for most people. And I will say I don't think they really "add" to the tank for other people looking in. Whereas if you get a tang that will give you that "wow" factor that really contributes a ton to your tank.

Anyways I've seen it said that they eat a tremendous amount of hair algae. Not sure anything this small is gonna be eating any amount anybody would consider "tremendous" but we'll see. For the record, they're about the size of a trochus snail.

I dropped all 3 in the water this morning. 1 went onto the glass. 1 went into that hole in my middle rock. 1 stayed on the substrate eating the short hair algae that grows on it, I think. So apparently they'll eat off of basically any surface, and pretty much any algae from what I can see. Not sure if they can actually take the film algae off the glass in a visible way.

 

[KleineVampir]

Also I saw that the brittle star is back! Or more likely it's actually another one. This one is currently missing 1 leg, but they regenerate from what I understand. It's kinda cool. I'm glad to have him! Free brittle star!

 

[KleineVampir]

What do you guys think about copepods in the tank? Should I get a bunch and dump them into the fuge? Or are my fish too small? I figure if they're eating algae, the algae will then have room to grow. That's the theory anyways. Still doing research on them.

 

[KleineVampir]

I just got even more stuff! The amount of algae eaters in this tank is getting pretty silly but I have to know which ones can keep the hair algae down! It's still growing. Maybe there are less patches than there would be without the algae eaters I have so far, but the patches that remain are getting pretty long.

I have bought, but not yet recieved:
1 sea cucumber
5 fuzzy chitons
5 nerites
5 limpets
5 ceriths

We'll see how the chitons do. They're supposed to be good with hair algae and I think I'll just like them in general. Also we'll see if the sea cucumber is actually gonna eat the hair algae off the substrate. I'd imagine he would but we'll see.

 

[KleineVampir]

Given that this tank is 0 water change, I'm thinking it could sustain a clam! There is hardly any actual filtration in this tank even. And obviously there's plenty of light and nutrients. Also I have plenty of calcium and so forth to keep the calcium up for it. Seems like it should work in theory, but they are expensive and I'd like to know more for sure. Somebody said my tank wouldn't be ready for a clam...well, the tank ages fast when you don't change the water. I'm thinking Tridacna crocea. It's small and it's pretty.

 

[KleineVampir]

The other concern is whether or not my feeding the corals coral chilli is adding to the nutrients in the tank. I thought they were not really water soluble, just solids that the corals would either eat or not. My fish like to eat it too. The other question is: If I have so many nutrients in my tank that the GHA is growing, do I even need to feed my corals? Or do they need the bigger particles?

 

[KleineVampir]

By the way, this is the last push for clean up crew. After this I'll start trying another approach to algae control. Not exactly sure what I'm gonna do but I can't keep buying algae eating critters. There's just only so much room in the tank!

 

[KleineVampir]

I got these goofs yesterday but the chitons are not looking good. And I don't think it's my fault, or at least there's nothing I coulda done. They came "dry" in a moist paper towel on a shell. There's no acclimating that because there is no water to begin with, so that would not make any sense. I coulda quarantined them though I guess. Anyways they are not moving at all. It's annoying because they were the thing I spent the most on but looks like I'm gonna get the least out of, and I'm gonna have to remove them at some point if they don't show signs of life, probably by tomorrow morning. Also nobody seems to know anything about them. No stories about how people's chitons were DOA or anything like that.

 

[KleineVampir]

Ok at least 3 of them are definitely dead. If they weren't before, they are now! 2 down the toilet and the emerald crab snatched one up like the crazy opportunistic insectoid that he is! At first I counted 4 out of 5 and thought maybe one finally started moving. Then I saw the crab and some....thing...he was gnawing at. Welp I guess that one was dead! And he got a head-start on the cleanup process.

The 2 I got out of the tank most certainly had the smell of death. I know it very well. The 3rd one I picked up smelled really salty, like a tidepool or something but it was not obviously the stench of death, so I put him back. The last one is firmly attached to the shell he came in. Not sure what he's waiting for but he refuses to leave that shell so far. Maybe he is having a hard time in the tank as well for some unknown reason. Not sure why they aren't making it. Everything else is fine.

 

[KleineVampir]

Also I've been pondering buying a clam. Not the fancy kind, just a "cleaner" clam. It's totally dull and not very big, but apparently I need one that is not gonna be photosynthesizing its own food. It needs to actually take in food.

Then again, the photosynthetic clams might be easier to keep alive and I probably wouldn't have to feed them. Dunno. All I know is I want a filter feeder to see if I can't get something to reduce the nutrient level in the tank. Something that lasts a while. I was thinking of sponges too, but I dunno. They are kinda tricky in some ways.

 

[KleineVampir]

Sponges cost a lot and if they touch air one time they die. Gosh I dunno, sounds risky! Might be the best option I got though. I don't want something I have to feed, like a clam or scallop. But yet they do filter. Oy vey.

 

[KleineVampir]

Well I messed around with my fuge to try and get it working better. I got the light more into the middle and shook out a crapload of gross algae, not even sure what kind it is. Some film, some hair I guess. I guess you have to manually move the chaeto around a bit if it isn't moving by itself. I think we'll see if I see any difference just doing that, along with the new algae eaters. Though only 1 chiton survived and who knows if he'll make it for too long either.

Btw I think the cowries did not make it either. There might be 1 that's still alive but I'm pretty sure 2 of them are dead. Right now I can't recommend cowries or chitons. Just stick to regular snails.

 

[KleineVampir]

Oh yeah. I finally glued my corals down too. It feels a lot better with them glued down. I shoulda figured it out and done it sooner. Oh well, both of them were doing fine where they were. Why can't all coral just be like GSP? Imo GSP is the most bestest coral ever! You don't have to glue it, it looks cool, and it's a filter feeder.

 

[KleineVampir]

That said I'm starting to believe that pure filter feeders are not right for the home aquarium. Unless maybe you have a huge tank with very few filter feeders.

I'm starting to think the next step may be a sump. I gotta figure those things out. In the beginning, it seemed too daunting wallet-wise and brain wise. I was already learning a lot and spending a lot of money. Now I'm doing less of both. I'm thinking I save up money, stop buying algae eaters, and then invest in some better equipment. Maybe a sump with a skimmer and a better light. More space for more chaeto. Might try to go all natural and do chaeto only. Not sure if I really believe in things like skimmers. More research needed. Lol.

 

[count krunk]

it's not the equipment, but the methodology.

It is clear, in some way or form, you have to replenish used elements. You could change 5-10g a week and have a pretty slick tank,

I've been down this road before, but I watched your blenny video and the rocks are still very white. They just need time to mature and if you're not adding elements back to the water it is going to slow that down.

End your experiment and do a water change.

Tangs (or anything) shouldn't die within the first 24 hours.