XS and nimble algae eaters?

[thebookshark]

I had to re-home my 2 turbos and large trochus as they were large enough to block my intake while grazing and trigger my gravity-fed bottle ATO. This caused salinity swings in my 20G AIO so better to keep salinity stable and deal with algae another way. However my hair algae has taken off since then. I have a small pincushion urchin but he can’t get into the nooks and crannies of my rockwork which is where the hair algae seems to be taking hold. I have an emerald crab, a bunch of little hermits, and a few ceriths as well as hitchhiker asterina stars and a lone stomatella. I’m looking for small and nimble snails or something that can really get in there and mow the grass. Recommendations? Fine getting a ton of little critters since they can’t do the damage a single large snail can.

Before anyone asks, my nutrients are LOW. Measured today with Hanna checkers, nitrate 0.54 and phosphate 0.15. Please don’t harangue me to “get my nutrients under control”.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

IMO turbo snails are great and might be the best in such a small tank. I’ve never wanted an urchin in my nano’s but apparently they are great for algae.

How about a picture? Nutrient tests are pointless IMO if you have a bad algae problem. If algae is growing then nutrients are plentiful despite what the test shows. Aggressive water changes and manual removal is always the best, starve the algae out so that cuc can be effective, they cannot be the primary means of removal. Wish you good luck.

 

[Justfebreezeit]

No experience with one yet because I can't find one local.

However pithos crab seems to be a possible solution.

I have a similar issue. A couple nooks in my tank where a normal snail couldn't reach has sprouted some hair, nothing crazy but sounds like a similar situation.