3 important questions

[puff(er) daddy]

I'm going to ask 3 questions in one post since any other topic I post seems to go untouched. OK, the first of my questions is that I added some caulerpa algae that I added to my tank to reduce the nitrates and it's not doing the job I thought it would and it's dying. The problem is it's clinging onto the l/r and I'm in the process of adding more to the tank. Should I cover the algae with more l/r or get rid of it while I can?
I also have the brown algae covering my l/s and when I mixed it up I have these skin like algae pieces on my sand. What's the best way to remove it?
Finaly, I brought a sand sifting star without knowing that they destroy l/s beds. It's about 3inches in diameter and my tank is 125 gal. with 3inches of l/s. Would he be alright in there or should I remove him? I want to keep him and you know that the lfs is not going to take him back.
Any info or past experiences would be appreiciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[sinner's girl]

The only thing I can comment on is that some lfs will take back fish. They'll give you a store credit or your money back. So ask your lfs

 

[puff(er) daddy]

NOT MINE! On the door when you walk in, it's bigger than there sign on the outside with thier logo on it. NO refunds NO returns

 

[puff(er) daddy]

It's actually a good fish store so I don't want to give it's name out.

 

[fishymissy]

If the algae is dying, then go ahead and remove it.
The brownish skin like algae is I suspect red slime algae. It's best to physically remove it with a gravel cleaner (on the substrate) and a sponge (on the glass). One of the things that red slime loves is high nitrates, it also loves low flow areas, so you might want to think about adding a powerhead. Have you recently changed your lighting?
I only know one thing about the sand sifting stars and that is that they will eat the fauna in the sandbed. I am wondering if you wanted to keep it, if you couldn't reseed the sandbed from time to time? Comments on this anyone?

 

[dburr]

Caulerpa is a pain in the neck in the main tank, it'll always need to be cut back or it will take over. It's best used in a refugium. I would take it out if you can.
Like fishymissy said use a vacuum on the slime, if you have a DBS don't go to deep. I have just used a hose and get close enough to the slime and it sucks right up in the hose. If you get some sand in their just put your finger over the other end to stop the siphone. The sand will just fall back down, then release your finger to resume.
Not sure on the sand sifter. Thats a big tank for a small star to desimate the pod population, IMO.
good luck, HTH.

 

[jsolomon]

I also have a very good LFS and right as you leave, above the door it says "ABSOLUTELY NO RETURNS, ALL SALES FINAL" in huge print. I think alot of LFS are like this. However, in some circumstances, if your fish mate the store will take the juvinile fish and give you store credit.

 

[puff(er) daddy]

Thanks you guys I removed most of the caulerpa algea and vacumed the sand (great idea) and everything is going great the sand looks better except for some pieces that I wouldn't come up in the vacum or the net so I just left it. You all were right I do need another powerhead and I need to change the light bulbs.
I don't want all of those powerheads inside the tank do you have a ideas on hiding them via l/r or anything else?

 

[fishyclown]

I've been doing some research myself, on how to maintain a DSB, even though they don't require a lot... One of the posts I read was from a guy who has a tank your size and has two sand sifting stars and says they do a great job. So I think your star is going to be ok in there. Fishymissy might have a point though... you could reseed after a while, although with what I have no idea. I'd like to know that myself for future reference.
Shelly

 

[lu]

You can use the argonite live sand to reseed the bed, it's great stuff and cheap enough, probably 40#"s for your tank size. I'm waiting on my sand sifting stars to arrive but that's what they do, they keep the sand cleaned and stirred up, a good thing. Keep him, he'll do a good job for you...

 

[puff(er) daddy]

How do you all hide your powerheads or do you just leave them out in the open? I think that looks tacky!

 

[wrassecal]

all my powerheads are black, so I streched a black piece of canvas across the back of the tank (tank has balck rims and black base) and velcroed top and bottom, so for now it blends. I think all that stuff looks tacky too and I want a refugium and q tank but I just can't figure out how to make them look decent. Been looking at tanks on the web and some tanks are so beuatiful but still have all these tubes and other tanks hanging around. I've seen some powerheads that are covered with algae like the back of the tank and blend in real well, but I'm not quite that far along yet.