algae control!!!

[adam & jeanne]

my 55 gallon fish-only tank is about to finish cycling. any ideas on friendly tank mates to include to keep my algae in check? thanks for your opinions!

 

[templar]

Turbo & Astrea snails.

 

[adam & jeanne]

thank you!!

 

[ocellaris_keeper]

Add some hermit crabs too. Wait a few months and add a few star fish too.
Crabs, snails and star fish will do the job.

 

[spankr]

I have a golden star, chocalate chip star, blue leg hermits, a porcelain crab, cleaner shrimp, coral banded shrimp, and more I can't think of. But the best is the Turbo snail. I bought 8 full grown turbo's for my 90reef and had they have munched every piece of algae available. Almost too good, I have almost no algae in my tank! <img src="graemlins//uhuh.gif" border="0" alt="[U-Huh]" />

 

[twoods71]

Along with the snails and crabs mentioned above when your tank is ready to accept fish there are some types of angels and tangs that will eat algae. With a 55 though caution needs to be taken on fish selection. Many angels and tangs grow to a large size.
There are other fish and inverts as well that eat algae like the lawnmower blenny or the pink knobby cucumber.
Some of the animals mentioned above should not be introduced however untill your tank has matured a little more.

 

[jonthefb]

the lawnmower or bicolor blennies are IME one of the best and least expensive algae eaters on the mark. I have a lawnmower in my 135, and a bicolor in my 30, and both constantly chow the rock, and have great personalities. Next to tangs, these guys are the best!
good luck
jon

 

[iswimwithmyfish]

get a dwarf angelfish , i.e. Coral Beauty, pygmy dwarf angels because they need algae to survive!

 

[iswimwithmyfish]

also, add more powerheads to circulate the water more and remove excess algae