[curtis_rachel]

Steven,
I have read several of your articles and posts conserning Nuisance Algae control. I understand to need to practice good husbandry and appropriate water changes to starve out the algae. However, I am not sure was a good number of snails, mini brittle stars, etc. is sufficient for a 55G tank. Thanks for the help.
It is always good to read your articles.
~Curtis

[Reefland]

Hi Curtis,

You might read an article I wrote on Clean-Up Crews:
http://www.reefland.com/rho/0305/medprod3.php

[Steven Pro]

I am a big fan of self-reproducing clean up crew animals. Things like Strombus, Stomatella, and Cerith snails and mini brittle and Asterina stars. Add a half dozen of each and they will naturally reproduce to a level equal to the amount of food your tank produces.

[romunov]

Hi Steven,
the snails you refer to as Strombus are in fact from a family called Columbellidae. Strombids (Strombidae) have a well developed eye and a lot of them grow huge!

BW,
Roman

[Ninong]

Hi Roman,

I sent Gerald Heslinga a link to that thread we participated in on Reef Central but he still insists on calling his snails Strombus maculatus even though they are obviously not Strombids.

By the way, I don't know if you know this yet or not, but Dr. Ron has left Reef Central.

[Reefland]

Hi romunov,

[romunov]

I sent Gerald Heslinga a link to that thread we participated in on Reef Central but he still insists on calling his snails Strombus maculatus even though they are obviously not Strombids.

Old habits die hard, huh?

By the way, I don't know if you know this yet or not, but Dr. Ron has left Reef Central.

Yes, I saw that. How unfortunate. Hopefully he'll find another forum to participate in wink wink nudge nudge say no more.

Thank you for the warm welcome. I've been reading the forum for some time now, especially the magazine. Decided to "enlist" today, though.

[Reefland]

Hope you've enjoyed reading Reef Hobbyist Online!

[Qcks]

hi...
umm...
i feel like i'm interrupting...

Curtis when you ask about biological filtration are we talking bacterial or are we talking "higher" organisms?

[Reefland]

Hi Qcks,

He's not talking about filtration, he's talking about controls. For example, using certain animals in our tanks that might eradicate other pest animals (snails for hair algae, Copperbands for Aiptasia control, etc.).

[Qcks]

ah...

i misunderstood what was meant by biological control. sorry.

in that case i would only bring in biological controls as my system developed a need for it. Each creature, especially one that has very special needs, adds a new layer of complexity to your system.

If you compound this with the fact that we, society as a whole, often fail to grasp seemingly simply interaction between two species i'm inclined to keep things as simple as possible.... or at least complicate the system as slowly as possible.

Really consider what your doing in your aquarium.

Your building an ecosystem. Piece by piece.

occassionally the ecosystem 'builds' parts all on it's own.

when something like this happens a person should stop and at least consider why their ecosystem has suddenly changed. "Biological controls" are all well and great but why did a particular organism suddenly become soo successful in the provided ecosystem?

any way....

i think that'll do for my 2 cents.