clean up crew?

[D.Barta]

Having a bad problem with hair algae, was wondering where I could get
some mexican turbo snails.At LFS they are about three dollars apiece.
I have a 135 gallon tank with lots of live rock,wondering how many I should get and most affordable place to buy them? If any one has any other suggestions on clean up crew please share.

[Salty]

I like Reeftopia.com Edie has good prices and excellent critters. You might think about a Tang for your hair algae problem too.

[GaryP]

The best place locally for clean-up critters that I know of is CB Pets in Bulverde. I don't know that Turbos are the answer you are looking for. I have had a lot better success with Nerite & Cerith snails. The absolute best hair algae grazers I have had were the dwarf mexican hermits from GARF, but others will disagree with me.

I think they are about .75/snail at CB Pets. I would also take a good look at what you are doing to control your phosphate levels. Grazers will help control hair algae, but phosphates are usually the cause.

Gary

[D.Barta]

I have'nt been doing water changes like I should so I'm sure that does'nt
help. Told I should use phosphate gaurd & pour kalk in after letting it sit for several hours.

[RobertG]

Be very careful with the kalk you want to make sure it is dripped in slowly. It can cause a rise in ph. I have used the phosgaurd, it worked. I would look for the cause of it & go from there. RO/DI water fixed my problems.

I have alot of astrea snails from reeftopia & have been very happy! A group order worked out good for me. Also the nasarius snails.

hth

[Tim Marvin]

Were is Marion TX? I have mexican turbos...

[cac]

Marion is between San Antonio and Seguin ( slightly off of IH 10) and about 15 miles from New Braunfels.

[Ram_Puppy]

D.Barta, are you using reverse osmosis water? you may have phosphates and nitrates in your water and could be 'adding' to your problem.

You may want to consider running a refugium with macro algae in it.

[Dozer]

I have been very happy with the hermits/snails I got from GARF several months ago. They cleaned up my initial "bloom" and it's never been back. The only algae I really ever get now is coralline. I don't use any chemicals in that regard (in fact I don't personally dose anything at all, just haven't needed to). I definitely do use RO/DI water. In case it matters I only have a few softies, a couple RBTA's, 4 fish, bunch of live rock. There could be other situations where hermits would be a bad idea, not sure.

[TAXMAN]

Here is an individual that is selling cleanup crews himself. I just bought a couple hundred and some hermits. He has gotten real good feedback from everyone he has sold the to. I paid 60.00 includeing shipping for 100 Nassarius snails, 30 red tipped hermits and 20 Margrita snails. Thats a very good deal. And he usually throws in some extras.

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