best cleaner of LS

[browniebuck]

I have a 55g tank that has been up and running for nearly 5 months. We have nearly 70lbs of LR and nearly 70lbs of LS. I have noticed that my sand is getting a layer of brown algae on the top that my Mexican Turbo snails don't seem to be interested in (nor the queen conch, the red leg hermits, the blue leg hermits, or the cleaner shrimp). What can I do to get rid of this layer (as nothing seems to want to eat it!). Is there another type of snail that would more readily go after this stuff? Is there a fish that would enjoy? Starfish? HELP, it is UGLY!!!

 

[integral9]

Sounds like your sand is not getting turned over enough. I have that problem w/ my fuge, but my mysis shrimp population is starting to take care of it. (they seem to be eating the brown stuff) But you can't count on that in your main tank as your fish will eat the little guys like crazy.
Try getting some nassarius snails or a brittle star. If don't want copapods to build up in your tank, you can get a sand sifting star or a few horseshoe crabs.

 

[trigger11]

I ended up getting some kind of Mexican hermits from the LFS. I cant recall the exact name they used but those guys stay on the sand a lot turning it over. You may also want to look into how long you are leaving your lights on. Depending on what corals you have in the tank you can try cutting back the time the lights are on.
Depending on your particular setup you may wish to add a refugium to the tank. The plants in the refugium will eat up the nitrates and phosphates in the water that the algae wants to grow. This kills two birds with one stone really as you help the overall filtration system plus make it so the bad algae wont get much of a chance to grow. Good luck.

 

[bang guy]

Sounds like Diatoms. The best solution is to attack it multiple ways.
1 - Many Cerith Snails or a single Fighting Conch
2 - Use only RO/DI water
3 - Bristleworms, specifically Cerratulid Worms
4 - Sea Cucumber (not the filtering type)

 

[patandlace]

Sand sifting gobies are great at keeping the sandbed clean. I'd get a diamond or dragon goby. They'll sift the sand all day and are fun to watch.

 

[fisherkid91]

Originally Posted by patandlace
Sand sifting gobies are great at keeping the sandbed clean. I'd get a diamond or dragon goby. They'll sift the sand all day and are fun to watch.
Agreed, i have a golden headed sleeper goby and he is really cool

 

[catawaba]

Just don't get too many sand sifters...eventually they will perish from starvation.

 

[fish3]

get this my tame clowns killed my diamond

 

[chilwil84]

my sandsifting(not filtering like bang stated) cuke does a great job and doesnt undermine my rockwork the way fish do because they dont (at least mine doesnt) create paths under the rocks causing calapses the way fish do but this is a mix of the looks if you are having a diatom breakout on a tank that is over 6 months you may have some other underling problems like water quality (silicates in your top off) or something else that you want to look into do you use rodi water?