Algae control

[Monica]

I have had a saltwater tank set up for a little over 2 weeks. It is a 10 gallon tank with live sand, 2 yellow tailed blue damsels and a week ago I got 2 peppermint shrimp thinking they would help with the algae problem, I have brown algae covering the sand the decorations and it is starting to creep up the glass, the shrimp have not helped at all that I can tell. What can I get that will do the job?

[Crakeur]

For starters, did you let the tank cycle out? Second, none of those critters are algae eaters. What you need is an old fashioned clean up crew. A nice mix of small snails and hermits to clean that algae. They will also keep the sand stirred so that you don't get the red algae bloom on the sandbed. An algae scraper will be your best for getting it off the glass (I use a razor, carefully so as to not scratch the glass).

 

Check out any online store and see what their crews consist of. They are almost all identical.

 

I have heard that garf.org is really only good for one thing, and that is their clean up crew. They break down the different types of algae problems and what cleans it up. Per Reef Central, ordering from them is a nightmare so you might want to see what they suggest and then buy it elsewhere. Marinedepot is good, as is premium aquatics, ipsf.com and others.

[tinyreef]

just wanted to pipe in that the tank is getting pretty crowded so you may want to down size any 'recommended pre-packaged' cleanup crews. crakeur's right you do need a janitorial service of inverts (i.e. hermits crabs and snails) but the two damsels of distress and voracious shrimps are definitely going to test your bio-load. just my $0.02

[Crakeur]

agreed but as I said, if you are will to do the extra water changes, you might not have a problem. Again, one fish is really the most you should do. (my extra two were gifts)