What clean-up crew / strategies for algae? Pics

[ps2cho]

I'm trying to catch up from general neglect over the past few years, nothing crazy, but I've pushed water changes off etc...

 

My cleanup crew seems depleted, but I always felt like they didn't ever touch the sandbed.

 

1) What cleanup crew should I get for the algae in the photo?

2) Frequent sand bed cleanings? Frequent water changes? What cleaning strategy should I set into action to get this tank cleaned up?

 

[Tamberav]

Get a siphon hose and clean the sand bed with water changes, can start with a section each time till it is much improved. 

 

No CUC is going to give you a shiny nice sand bed. Most people manually maintain it (especially in nano's where it is easily accessible). 

 

Ofc, I would still get a CUC if you don't have many. 

[mcarroll]

What cleanup crew is I there already?  Try to be as specific as you can.

 

What do you have for flow in the tank?

 

What are your most recent test results for everything?  (Especially no3 and po4.)

 

FYI:  At least from a distance/in the photo, things look pretty good.  Don't do anything too crazy to change things up all at once.  That sand bed might not be pretty, but it is healthy.  So don't be too harsh in your judgement of the tank.  Aesthetic looks are important to a point, but VERY over rated, generally speaking.

[ps2cho]

On 6/10/2020 at 8:20 PM, mcarroll said:

What cleanup crew is I there already?  Try to be as specific as you can.

 

What do you have for flow in the tank?

 

What are your most recent test results for everything?  (Especially no3 and po4.)

 

FYI:  At least from a distance/in the photo, things look pretty good.  Don't do anything too crazy to change things up all at once.  That sand bed might not be pretty, but it is healthy.  So don't be too harsh in your judgement of the tank.  Aesthetic looks are important to a point, but VERY over rated, generally speaking.

CUC leftovers are probably half dozen hermits, 3-4 Nerites, some Dwarf Ceriths, that's about it. Most have died off I think since its been well over a year since my last reefcleaners order.

 

I have an MP-40 and an MP-10 for flow.

 

No3 last test was 5ppm and PO4 0.1

 

 

[mcarroll]

Two or three Nassarius snails may help you not have to do siphon cleanings as much.

 

It seems like an mp40 and an mp10 would be a lot of flow, but that does look at awful lot like a tank lacking flow.  Double check that both pumps are clean and working optimally.  If they are, then switching one or both to something with more "kick" might be in order.  What are the dimensions of this tank?

 

Those test numbers look good.  Plenty of room to go up.  (I wouldn't take them any lower though.)

[ps2cho]

I could lower the Vortech's a little more so its getting more flow on the sandbed, maybe I'll try that.

 

Its a 24x24 50G Cube.

[Crys]

Turbos, pink turbans and astrea snails for rocks and glass.

Peppermint shrimp for aiptasia and any left over food

emerald crab for bubble algae (not every one likes emerald crabs so it up to you, but mine have been good so far)

I wouldn't add any more hermits

I would also recommend siphoning the gravel.  I didn't do mine enough at the start and ended up with a huge algae bloom.

 

Love your coral colours

 

All the best

[Tired]

I would just put in a big handful of ceriths and/or dwarf ceriths. They're multipurpose, so they'll stir your sandbed and eat some algae and detritus. Stir the sandbed a bit during water changes, but don't obsess over getting it super clean- there's all sorts of stuff that grows in there and has some benefits. 

 

Your corals look really happy. If your nitrates and phosphates are at those levels without many water changes, don't do many water changes! Any lower on those parameters and things will start starving. Algae can and should be dealt with by adding things to remove it, not by trying to starve it.

[mcarroll]

On 6/15/2020 at 7:38 PM, ps2cho said:

I could lower the Vortech's a little more so its getting more flow on the sandbed, maybe I'll try that.

 

Its a 24x24 50G Cube.

About the limit for a single mp40, but it usually does a good job.

 

A single pump necessarily has "blind spots" though, and you're only covering those blind spots with a tiny little mp10.  

 

I do think there's a lack of flow...so if a pump rearrange doesn't seem to get it, consider replacing the mp10, or even both pumps, to get better coverage/more kick.

[ps2cho]

On 6/17/2020 at 2:02 PM, mcarroll said:

About the limit for a single mp40, but it usually does a good job.

 

A single pump necessarily has "blind spots" though, and you're only covering those blind spots with a tiny little mp10.  

 

I do think there's a lack of flow...so if a pump rearrange doesn't seem to get it, consider replacing the mp10, or even both pumps, to get better coverage/more kick.

 

Thanks thats a good point. I could throw a Jebao wavemaker under the MP-10 pointing in a different direction to get some more flow as well!

 

CUC arrives today so that may help!