Using herbivores as the sole method of controlling an algae problem is akin to "an old lady who swallowed the spider to catch the fly". "don't ask me why", hobbyists insist on not addressing the underlying nutrient(s) issue that affords algae the energy needed to grow and reproduce. Before asserting "well according to _______ test kit my _______ is ppm!", think about the statement rationally. Every living thing, even primary producers like algae, need some external source of nutrients in order to conduct cellular functions and add biomass/grow. If compatible inorganic or organic nutrients are limited, then so too the life dependent on said nutrients. Test kits and arbitrary recommended parameters for marine aquariums be damned, if alga is growing then there are enough nutrients within the system to support it. By extension, if you have an algae problem then there is also a nutrient problem and its presence is the definitive "œtest". FYI, green alga loves Nitrogen, the simpler the better i.e. ammonia preferred over nitrite or nitrate. Increase your tank's ability to export Nitrogen and life which is limited by this nutrient will be curtailed as well. Critters never address the underlying issue and can potentially make issues worse be their "œmessy" eating, reproduction of alga via fragmentation, and adding their own bio-mass to an already out of balance system. No critter is 100% efficient in utilizing consumed nutrients. Only a small amount of the potential energy available is used for cellular functions, growth and reproduction, the rest exits as "œwaste" is some form or another. "œwaste" is nutrients, inorganic or organic energy, and become available for something to use which starts the process all over again. No energy, i.e. nutrients, are ever lost. Energy is temporarily stored in one form or another but never lost "“ unless maybe a singularity is involved. So all the nutrients/energy we put into our tanks stays in our tanks until in some way removed by us.
With the obsessively frugal nature which abounds within the hobby, I'm amused by the tenacity of which "œcritters for algae issues" is clung to and almost preached. It is perpetuated by a mostly ethically bankrupt industry, yep I'm a part of said industry, and a hobby in which most want a "œpretty" tank but aren't really willing to put forth the effort to achieve the desired result. You'd think routinely spending money on a flawed concept would be dismissed or at least sparsely accepted by now. Then again there is that whole "œpeppermint" shrimp sham"¦. Nevermind, buy some more Emeralds for that bubble algae.
