Algae eater to go with a Valentini Toby?

The forum for those beautiful marine puffers!
Post Reply
User avatar
hadla
Mbu Puffer
Posts: 1626
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2007 8:33 pm
Gender: Female
My Puffers: 2 gsps and a big Stars and stripes
Location (country): California
Location: Sacramento, CA
Contact:

Algae eater to go with a Valentini Toby?

Post by hadla »

So, I come home after a week and a half away and there is brown algae on the glass in some spots and it looks horrible!! What would be the best creature(s) I can get to eat it? The obvious choice is snails but puffers pick on snails.
Never trust big puffers. The fingers you save may be your own. -RTR
LRU
Dwarf Puffer
Posts: 50
Joined: Wed Jul 31, 2013 2:30 pm
Location (country): USA

Re: Algae eater to go with a Valentini Toby?

Post by LRU »

MagFloat. :)
User avatar
Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: Algae eater to go with a Valentini Toby?

Post by Pufferpunk »

I agree... IDK of any SW tank that doesn't have a Magfloat sitting in the corner. I wipe the glass daily.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
LRU
Dwarf Puffer
Posts: 50
Joined: Wed Jul 31, 2013 2:30 pm
Location (country): USA

Re: Algae eater to go with a Valentini Toby?

Post by LRU »

Other things to consider to reduce brown algae would include running actinic lights mostly vs. white/10000K as the whiter light tends to encourage algae in a SW tank from my observations. Also does the tank get direct sunlight? Although that usually encourages more green-type algaes. Check your water source for phosphates because those contribute to marine algae grown. Finally, you could increase your water changes because high nitrates will also encourage algae.

At the end of the day, a MagFloat will make it easy to clean the algae off and sometimes you will get it over time regardless of the above factors.
RTR
Mentor
Posts: 6155
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 4:39 pm
Gender: Male
Location (country): East Coast, USA

Re: Algae eater to go with a Valentini Toby?

Post by RTR »

Diatoms are highly dependent on soluble silicates in the water supply. If you us tap water for mixing your saltwater, call your utility and ask them for the diatom content. If your water supply is high in soluble silicates, you will have diatom problems in the tank. If you operate the tank as FOWLR the diatoms will fade as the water is changed less and the soluble silicates are used up more easily.

Pufferpunk's solution is the commonest and does work.

The water may also be pretreated with phosphate remover (before marine mix is added). Commercial phosphate removers also remove soluble silicates. You cannot do this after the salt mix is added, it must be done before the salt mix is in.

HTH
Where's the fish? - Neptune
User avatar
Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: Algae eater to go with a Valentini Toby?

Post by Pufferpunk »

Yes, by all means, use RODI water!
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
User avatar
hadla
Mbu Puffer
Posts: 1626
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2007 8:33 pm
Gender: Female
My Puffers: 2 gsps and a big Stars and stripes
Location (country): California
Location: Sacramento, CA
Contact:

Re: Algae eater to go with a Valentini Toby?

Post by hadla »

Ok thanks
Never trust big puffers. The fingers you save may be your own. -RTR
User avatar
Terrance
Fahaka Puffer
Posts: 578
Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2011 1:10 am
Gender: Male
My Puffers: Retired Puffer Addict
Location (country): USA
Location: Seattle

Re: Algae eater to go with a Valentini Toby?

Post by Terrance »

Is there algae anywhere else?
Kind regards,
Terrance
User avatar
hadla
Mbu Puffer
Posts: 1626
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2007 8:33 pm
Gender: Female
My Puffers: 2 gsps and a big Stars and stripes
Location (country): California
Location: Sacramento, CA
Contact:

Re: Algae eater to go with a Valentini Toby?

Post by hadla »

There is a little bit in the sand. I have snails that are taking care of the glass, Lila is slowly realizing that she can't get to them lol. They stay mostly under their shells.
Never trust big puffers. The fingers you save may be your own. -RTR
Post Reply