You do not have an algae Problem. You have an herbivore problem

[Rjmul]

For anyone chasing nutrients, running gfo, doing 50% water changes for the sake of getting rid of algae, stop.

yes there's an ideal range for nutrients, but this is for coral health.
If you're fighting algae you need more herbivores

I use one of these frozen food defrosters, it's full of algae because the herbivores can't get inside.

my tank has no algae.


if you wanna talk about dinos and egg crate, I'm all ears. If you wanna talk about hair algae I'm gonna say go buy herbivores. Look up what Sanjay Joshi runs his nutrients at and then look at his tank.

 

[MadReefer]

For anyone chasing nutrients, running gfo, doing 50% water changes for the sake of lowering nutrients, stop.

yes there's an ideal range for nutrients, but this is for coral health.
If you're fighting algae you need more herbivores

I use one of these frozen food defrosters, it's full of algae because the herbivores can't get inside.

my tank has no algae.


if you wanna talk about dinos and egg crate, I'm all ears. If you wanna talk about hair algae I'm gonna say go buy herbivores. Look up what Sanjay Joshi runs his nutrients at and then look at his tank.

I turn mine sideways or upside down and small fish or snails get in to eat the algae there.

 

[NJTaxMan]

What herbivore do you recommend for sea lettuce? I almost have all of my patches full eliminated but have one or two stubborn section that is just out of my reach and keeps going. Got hermits, tubros, lemon peel tang, collector urchin...wont touch the stuff.

 

[Deleted member 27248]

Correct….my nutrients are <30ppm nitrate and .25 phosphate…My algae is completely gone in display….foxface, 2 tangs, and tons of snails. Woowoo.

 

[Rjmul]

What herbivore do you recommend for sea lettuce? I almost have all of my patches full eliminated but have one or two stubborn section that is just out of my reach and keeps going. Got hermits, tubros, lemon peel tang, collector urchin...wont touch the stuff.

I'm not an algae expert, I've never dealt with sea lettuce. The point I was trying to make is I wouldn't go doing 50% water changes to try and kill the sea lettuce.
I have a kole tang, blue tang, foxface, and a few mollies. I think the kole is the hardest working fish in my tank.

 

[Rjmul]

I turn mine sideways or upside down and small fish or snails get in to eat the algae there.

Exactly.

I turn mine sideways or upside down and small fish or snails get in to eat the algae there.

exactly.

 

[diana a]

Would love to have a tang to eat algae but not a good idea in a peaceful 40 gallon.

 

[MadReefer]

Would love to have a tang to eat algae but not a good idea in a peaceful 40 gallon.

Get a Tomini.

 

[diana a]

liveaquaria.com has it listed as a max size 6", semi-aggressive for a min tank 70g.

in my 40g it has Ocellaris Clownfish, Helfrichi firefish, Jester Goby, Midas Blenny, Yasha goby, McCosker's wrasse and Blue Star Leopard....all scaredy cats!

Get a Tomini.

 

[brokereefer]

Tomini and kole tangs stay pretty small. Some of the least aggressive tangs as well. Had one of each in a 45 gallon frag tank - awesome algae eaters, no problems.

 

[EJGraham14]

Would love to have a tang to eat algae but not a good idea in a peaceful 40 gallon.

You can get a baby fox face and rehome and replace every 18 months or so. I did that in my 32 and there isn’t a speck of algae. Happiest most peaceful fish ever too.

 

[diana a]

I'll have to think about if I want to buy a fish to rehome. I would need to see how much it will cost. I only buy fish from TSM. They should be reopening next week. Thanks!

 

[nightmarepl]

Would love to have a tang to eat algae but not a good idea in a peaceful 40 gallon.

i rang a yellow tang and a hippo in my biocube for 4 years lol

 

[EJGraham14]

I'll have to think about if I want to buy a fish to rehome. I would need to see how much it will cost. I only buy fish from TSM. They should be reopening next week. Thanks!

Foxfaces really don’t mind the tight quarters like some tangs do. They are super friendly personable fish too.

 

[amado]

A small tang will be very happy in a 40 gallon tank for a long time.
I have a few 50 gallon frag tanks and they all have tangs/ fox face.

I try to put a fox face in every tank. I buy them small and when they grow it’s very easy to sell fat heathy fish especially now.

i am a huge fan of algae eaters.
My favorite right now are
Sea hare
Urchins
fox face
Algae blennies
Tangs
Various Snails
Crabs assorted

 

[Ajaykay]

I'll have to think about if I want to buy a fish to rehome. I would need to see how much it will cost. I only buy fish from TSM. They should be reopening next week. Thanks!

Hi,

What/where is TSM?
Been out of the hobby for 5 years but got the itch to get back into it. Starting out slowly and patiently with a Red Sea Max Nano. Been waiting a couple of weeks now for it to arrive so I can get started on the cycling process. Looking for good local places to get my fish and corals when I get to that step.
Thanks!

Alan

 

[NJTaxMan]

I believe it is in Sewell NJ. Someone that knows his stuff says it is going to be a fantastic place once it reopens in the spring.

TSM Aquatics LLC, Sewell, NJ 08080

TSM Aquatics

Largest Quarantined Saltwater Fish Facility. All fish go through a minimum 30 Day Quarantine. We carry Captive Bred & Wild Livestock. Angelfish, Anthias, Basslets, Butterflyfish, Blennies, Clownfish, Filefish, Gobies, Rabbitfish & Foxface, Mandarins, Triggerfish, Tangs, Wrasses. SPS & LPS...

tsmaquatics.com

 

[Ajaykay]

Thank you for the info! Looks like about an hour and a half from me in Pt. Pleasant but worth the drive based on what you've said.

 

[erics210]

Correct….my nutrients are <30ppm nitrate and .25 phosphate…My algae is completely gone in display….foxface, 2 tangs, and tons of snails. Woowoo.

My phosphates are 1.62 and 42.6 before my water change last night...

BUT ZERO Algae in the display...

Yello Tang, Tomini Tang and Blue Tang, plus hundreds of stomatella snails and a baseball size of cheato that slowly grows in a 2.5 gallon tank above my sump.