Need Help Bad

[chrisareston]

I have a bad algae outbreak! It is brown and hairy all over my sand and bottom of the tank near the sand. It is not red slime algae. It is also all over my dead corals I have, and some decoration rock. I have 3 hermit crabs but they arent eating it. My local fish store said the algae will go away with time, but it is getting worse!! Is there any cheap kritter that I can put in to clean the algae that wont harm anything else? Could it be that I dont have enough filteration I have an emperror bio wheel , should I add a power head and blow it tward the sand bed? If I do get a power head where should I point it?

 

[almarktool]

might be a diatom bloom are u just finishing up your cycle? if so this is normal and perhaps u are ready for some snails

 

[chrisareston]

that is what my LFS said that it is a diatom bloom... My tanks been up about a month now, my levels are all ok
PH 8.3
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0
Thats why I added the Hermit crab and the 2 clowns. SO I take it that the diatom bloom is normal? Will it go away? What snails do you sugest that I get to take caree of it and how many for a 46 gal tank? I dont care for snails but if it will help THEN I WANT THEM!
Thanks Again

 

[j21kickster]

when i put my trochus snails in, that was the first thing they ate- and fast

 

[j21kickster]

sometimes called banded astera snails

 

[chrisareston]

Anyone have any for sale? I would buy from saltwater.com but they charge $29 for shipping $1 snails!!!

 

[almarktool]

i would start out with 4-5 of them prob best bet would be your LFS since that is all u are looking for

 

[j21kickster]

try the LFS, also you will need more than one for a 46 i would do 15 or so

 

[chrisareston]

How big do they get and do they multiply fast? Will they hurt my crabs or clowns, they wont damage my LR will they? Do they only eat the algae?

 

[j21kickster]

they get about 1 inch- they most likely wont reproduce, they dont hurt anything, and yes they are algae grazers

 

[chrisareston]

Cool thanks so much for the help! Hope my questions arent dumb. One more question though. Is it ok if I mix a few gallons of saltwater and save then uneder my tank in closed juggs until I need them for evap or water changes? Or is it better to mix it when I need it? I use tap water with chlorine remover.

 

[j21kickster]

you replace evoprated water with just plain freshwater- salt dosent evoporate- you havent been doing that have you??? is so check your salinity level- yes you can mix it for future use

 

[j21kickster]

also depending on your tap, you might see algae trouble

 

[chrisareston]

I only add salt when needed, I have had to ad a little bit the other day. Does a bio wheel take away the salt I have heard yes and no?

 

[j21kickster]

no, a little might creep up the sides but that would be an insignificant amount

 

[j21kickster]

Geez i almost forgot the purpose of this thread- tap water is notorious for brown algae- use RO/DI you might be able to buy from the LFS or get your own unit

 

[chrisareston]

Thats why I was wanting to know if I could let the water sit out a few days! Will that help? Is distilled water the same? I think ill still get some snails.

 

[j21kickster]

letting water set oly removes chlorine, not sillicates and phoshates, which is what you dont want- if it is true distilled water it is just water, nothing else