Can we Talk Poop for a minute?

[fireemt_us]

So, I have a rather large tank. salt water reef obviously. Lots of fish and LR. I had a problem with algea, lots and lots. I check my phospate levels and I adjusted my lights, bit it still was growing pretty good. So, I went to the store and got a dozen turbo snails and some extra crabs and now they have the algea under control but there pooping up the tank like crazy. Its every where, and lots of it. So, the question is what to do with all that poop. Will it disolve? If so wont that make more algea grow and perpetuate the cycle? Should I clean it up some how? And if yes how??
Please help me with my poop troubles.. Thanks. :notsure:

 

[bigarn]

Maybe it's just me... but I can't imagine a dozen turbos pooping enough to be noticable in a 400 gallon tank. Are you sure it's not dead or dieing algae?

 

[penny ish]

i have the same prob!!!! Its poop alll right i didnt have this prob till after i got the turbo snails and i have no clue how to clean it up!!! I just got a nars snail, horseshow crab and hemit to help but its not!!! See my post "crud on live rock"..... HELP US BOTH SOMEONE!!!

 

[benj2112]

Well, you have an algae problem, which is coming from phosphates, nitrates and such. The algae consume the wastes. Then your snails consume the algae. Then they release the waste back into the water, which dissolves and is absorbed by the algae to be eaten again. So, yes it is just a nice little cycle we have going here.
What you need is something to "lock" those excess nutrients away. You also want something that does this and doesn't make another mess.
One thing you could do is get some macro (I like chatomorpha the most) in a good refugium (a good sized one for your tank) and get that going so it can out compete the micro algaes for the nutrients. Then on occasion cut out about half or a bit more of the macro (which has the excess nutrients locked inside it) and throw it away or trade it or give it to someone else that wants some macro. This will have then removed the nutrients from your tank permanently.
Another thing you could do is get a fluidized bed filter and put Rowaphos in it. This is a good media to lock the phosphate away and then every couple of months you take out the old media and put in some new. The good part about Rowaphos is that it doesn't release phosphate back in the water when it gets full and you accidentally didn't keep a close enough eye on it.
Those are two ideas you could try anyway.

 

[fireemt_us]

Great thanks, I do actually have a pretty big refuge but its not quite done yet. Its about 50 gallon or so. I am working on some carbon filters but I will try your suggestions, thanks.

 

[cowfishrule]

.... could always just vacuum it out