Mobile Bay Reef Keepers

What would be the best critters that I could add to my refuge to control some of the algae. I pull plants out every few day but the stuff I don't like is the slimmy algea that grows all over the glass, its mostly the green kind not red of brown. I also wouldn't mind something that would eat some of the bigger plants so that i don't have to throw away so much of it. I really like my tank to be low maintenace and I'm tired of digging around in my refuge pulling plants out. I feel like i'm having to pull weeds. I just don't want something that will gobble up everything. I put a emerald crab in the other day but I was wondering if maybe shrimp would do the job or snails and hermit crabs. I'm up for suggestions.

Snakeman wrote:What would be the best critters that I could add to my refuge to control some of the algae. I pull plants out every few day but the stuff I don't like is the slimmy algea that grows all over the glass, its mostly the green kind not red of brown. I also wouldn't mind something that would eat some of the bigger plants so that i don't have to throw away so much of it. I really like my tank to be low maintenace and I'm tired of digging around in my refuge pulling plants out. I feel like i'm having to pull weeds. I just don't want something that will gobble up everything. I put a emerald crab in the other day but I was wondering if maybe shrimp would do the job or snails and hermit crabs. I'm up for suggestions.

Welp, as far as taking care of green algea on the glass, worms will eventually grow large enough, they'll eat on the glass, you can also get a few different types of snails that will eat on the glass.

If you want something that'll eat the macro algea, then get a tang... the ordinary run-of-the-mill yellow tang will do, and he'll eat and eat and eat, and your refuge will be bare in no time

Here's a thought... a refuge is usually setup to either a) export nutrients by throwing stuff out or b) growing macro for tangs/etc. Why even have a refuge otherwise?

I've got so many plants that a tang would just float on top of them. I was thinking that snails would do a good job on the glass. The stuff I have just grow really fast. If anybody wants some i'll bring some to the meeting. I threw a pile of the stuff in the garbage the other day. Has anybody had any luck raising shrimp in a refuge? Who has a good deal on snails?

Snakeman, I need a LOT of macro... when I say I need a lot, I need to fill a 55G refugium with macro, that's how much. Bring as much as you can on Saturday, and keep it wet with some tank water please... you'd be my hero!

I'll bring as much as I can spare. I'll have plenty more later.

I want to mention that the success of Snakeman's refugium has really impressed me.. He's got all sorts of things growing at a phenomenal rate in that thing. It's given me some good ideas and I am redoing my sump area to be more like his.

Thanks Brandon

Hey Snakeman, I need help with ideas how to set up my future refugium and prop tank. I will be picking your brain this Saturday, but pics of your refugium and how it is plumb can be very nice of you.

I'll be glad to answer any questions. Here is the thread when I first set up my tank. There is a few pictures.

http://www.mbrk.com/viewtopic.php?t=419

Hope there pictures will give you some Ideas. So far most everything is working great. Had to make a few adjustments.

refugiums rock...#3rd reason for havin a fuge is to raise food for your tank...my refugium is facinatin,,,got 6 diff caulerpa's and some halemeda growin in it and it seems like millions of pods are coverin everything...What kinna lights u runnin on ur fuge?

Film Algea ??? Astrea Snails will total it out for you, enough said. You can see the difference very quickly after adding them.

Thank for the advice. I'm going to get some snails. I running one 55 watt pc.

Hey guys, I'm a newbee to your group, but I'd like to chime in on this conversation. I'd like to suggest a sea urchin to control the algae and reduce the macro algae. If I remember right, they do not eat the "critters" you are trying to raise. The macro algae serves as a food source/ home to the critters and plankton to grows in the refugium. If you do not have a nitrate issue and do not need to harvest it to control the nitrates, then a sea urchin would be an excellent macro algae controller. Did I mention cheap? Cheaper than snails. Realistically, the sea urchin will eat the macro first, so you probably will need the snails too. They are very efficient, only use one to start with.

Welcome to MBRK!

I hadn't considered it, but you know what, you're 100% right, a sea urchin would be a great refuge critter... he'll eat coralinne algea, and just about everything else he mows over... however that seems to be just what you want!

I have a purple long spiny urchin (caught out of panama city beach!) in my 29G all fish. Ya, I know, all fish? Well, its attached to a 65G reef. I like the starfish that eat corals and they do well in this small 29G. I move the urchin back and forth between the two tanks. He does eat alot of coraline algae in the reef tank, but not enough to damage anything permanent.