# Algae eaters/clean up crews



## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

I have tried to resist staying "fixed" in the past with my current reef tank.I kept and was fairly successful with corals(what was available) in the late 80's
through early /mid 90's(last century young folk).I ran wet/dry when "reef lake" was new,when corallife was "energy savers",and most used ozone.I had 3 175w MH and 2 140w actinic(phillips TLO3) in my hood.Eventually following the same ideals that still seem to run reefing I had clean up crews and many angles or tangs to help with natural maintenance.I came to the conclusion ,years into it ,that all the cleaners pooped green!I didn't and still don't(I treid) believe they "naturally" clean your tank.They transform one nutrient into another.I know my filter(functioning bio & mech) cant remove algae as easily as poop, but it was still in tank in different forum.I came to believe then ,and continue to obsess on more mechanical filtration being necessary than most think is needed.The largest protien skimmer will never stop removing scum.3 (12"X18" )drip drawers still had detris all the way through to third drawer.RO was young then and I distilled(until 1 1/2 years ago) my own water.Distilling I beleive(still)is better but was a time and materials type set up(not economically efficient{expensive;uses elec,burns out elements{$150 replacement for last "auto 8 G a day" unit} and has low daily limit, compared to RO 75 G a day} So I switched to good RO/DI unit.I think its great(but distilling is natural and we are all trying to replicate nature) and take full advantage of its potential(about 400 G of fresh tanks also{and I change water}).So I'm back where I was in the last century;I think instead of thinking(hoping) that the "magical" addition of a snail(I have 3-4 different species) , or the right algae eating fish,urchine,crab or "special"invert will "right" my tank ;IT'S BUNK! Get the biggest filter you can(maybe two of them),get the biggest(best performing) skimmer you can, Use the best lights you possibly can , and change water.Slowly my clean up crews have been removed(not cleaning ,and pest to corals) ,my algae eating angles,tangs,crabs and urchines are not eating calurpa to control it.They may need the things we wish removed from our tanks ,but they won't remove them;they transform them.Our tanks are not natural(microscopic boxes of life and waste) and therefore will never naturally take care of themselves.You(I) must always look to husbandry before seeking "natural" relief for the tank created.Just a thought(a long one).


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

Bravo. Nicley put. But......The snails and ( I don't like em either ) hermits eat the algae, and poop em out, can't deny it. But, I will disagree that if you didn't have them, you may have the most unruley Algae ridden tank out there. If you have enough of your CUC, and I prefer just snails, they will devour everything on the sand and rock, now, the poop i could care less about, I have a skimmer, and water changes to take care of that mess. Now as far as the mechanical filtraion is concerned, you are correct, in that they will continue to remove detrius in decent amounts, as you stated, through 3 filters, but, given the time frames, will also, can also, give you a major headache in Nitrates. Now from my stand point, I could care less about that also, as I Carbon Dose, and run Trates where I want to keep them, less than 20 but not under 10. I don't keep Anemones or SPS, so 0 is a number that from my experience Leathers don't much care for. So, there you go. Food for thought.


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