SPS Before and After Pictures, Need Advice From the Experienced

[Tuffloud1]

Just so you know, bristletooth tangs are detrivores. They feed on detritus and other opportunistic items, this may include algae but it isn't exclusive. For tangs, a better suited herbivore would be from the zebrasoma family.

Thanks.

It is amazing how many assumptions and misinformation is out there floating around.

I got the Bristletooth based on numerous articles as well as reviews stating how the Bristletooth will "devour" turf algae.

I'm thinking I will try a yellow tang. Would you recommend starting with a small, medium or large or does it really matter?

 

[cham]

I agree that a yellow or hippo would be fine. I'm not sure where having to remove a hippo after a year came from. I've had a hippo in my 120 for 8 years and it's been fine and is not huge.

 

[Dugless]

I would shy away from the hippo tang as well. I never see them browsing anything from the rocks, detritus or algae. Most of the utilitarian tangs are in the acanthurus and zebrasoma families. These fish will spend the day searching out algae. However, not all algae is palatable to every fish. Some algaes just aren't desirable.

The bristletooth tangs are still active and productive fish. I have a truncatus and it is constantly picking at the rockwork and sand. I wouldn't be too quick in discounting their usefulness. They are still very active fish.

I usually prefer small fish. This gives me a chance to raise them and train them to foods I typically feed, and usually they get less attention from other fish when introduced.

 

[Tuffloud1]

I would shy away from the hippo tang as well. I never see them browsing anything from the rocks, detritus or algae. Most of the utilitarian tangs are in the acanthurus and zebrasoma families. These fish will spend the day searching out algae. However, not all algae is palatable to every fish. Some algaes just aren't desirable.

The bristletooth tangs are still active and productive fish. I have a truncatus and it is constantly picking at the rockwork and sand. I wouldn't be too quick in discounting their usefulness. They are still very active fish.

I usually prefer small fish. This gives me a chance to raise them and train them to foods I typically feed, and usually they get less attention from other fish when introduced.

So for the turf type algae and my tank size, do you think the yellow tang is the most viable option?

 

[reefmutt]

Imo, the yellow tang is a great all purpose tang and will eat many different types of algae..

 

[Dugless]

Agree, go with the yellow or a scopas.

 

[Tuffloud1]

What would you guys suggest for bubble algae?

 

[reefmutt]

Really hit and miss. General consensus would say emerald crabs

 

[Dugless]

I like to manually remove as much as I can without breaking them, some people dislodge and siphon them out. Waiting for something to take care of it will have you waiting a very long time.

I would recommend the yellow tang over the crab. I get better results from these fish than I ever have seen with a crab. I don't know who started the emerald crab rumor, but I've never seen them touch it. That is just my experience though.

Don't get into the mindset that you need to be entirely free of algae. It is good to employ different organisms to keep it under control so it doesn't impede on the health of your corals, but some growth here and there isn't the end of the world. I have spots where coral growth has limited access to fish and I have algae growth. Even low nutrient tanks will have algae.

 

[mhucasey]

I like to manually remove as much as I can without breaking them, some people dislodge and siphon them out. Waiting for something to take care of it will have you waiting a very long time.

I would recommend the yellow tang over the crab. I get better results from these fish than I ever have seen with a crab. I don't know who started the emerald crab rumor, but I've never seen them touch it. That is just my experience though.

Don't get into the mindset that you need to be entirely free of algae. It is good to employ different organisms to keep it under control so it doesn't impede on the health of your corals, but some growth here and there isn't the end of the world. I have spots where coral growth has limited access to fish and I have algae growth. Even low nutrient tanks will have algae.

I've had good success with emerald crabs, but you need to add a bunch all at once. I get 10-15 and they do the job pretty efficiently. They don't survive very long, unfortunately.

 

[Tuffloud1]

I like to manually remove as much as I can without breaking them, some people dislodge and siphon them out. Waiting for something to take care of it will have you waiting a very long time.

I would recommend the yellow tang over the crab. I get better results from these fish than I ever have seen with a crab. I don't know who started the emerald crab rumor, but I've never seen them touch it. That is just my experience though.

Don't get into the mindset that you need to be entirely free of algae. It is good to employ different organisms to keep it under control so it doesn't impede on the health of your corals, but some growth here and there isn't the end of the world. I have spots where coral growth has limited access to fish and I have algae growth. Even low nutrient tanks will have algae.

Are you saying Yellow Tangs eat turf and also possibly bubble algae?

I'm finding it very difficult to remove without popping.

What I don't understand is even when I had no algae, both Hannah digital checker as well as Elos read 0 phosphate. Now with the turf growing like crazy, it still reads 0.

How do I distinguish the true low end reading when either the algae is consuming the PO4 before I can even detect it or it is too low to show a reading at all.

If I get it up to .03 which is what I would like, the true reading may be much higher if there is algae in my tank because it is skewing the reading since a portion of the PO4 is being consumed before it can be read.

 

[Dugless]

I have a Z. Scopas, which I compare very similarly to Z. Flavescens. I have two tanks running off the same system. The smaller tank without any tangs and an emerald crab has bubble algae. The larger display with multiple tangs (Z. Scopas, A. Achilles, P. Hepatus, A. Tenneti and C. Truncatus) and no emerald crab has no bubble algae. That isn't exactly scientific, but I think it hints towards these fish consuming it.

I think too much emphasis is placed solely upon PO4 as a reliable control for algae. Low PO4 will slow algae growth but it won't eliminate it. I think the main visual benefits of low PO4 are more colorful corals and less micro algae growth on the glass, requiring less frequent wipings.

There are many nutrients outside of just PO4 that feed algae, and even if these nutrients are kept at very low levels algae will still grow. If our tanks were void of these nutrients, the symbiotic algae present within corals wouldn't have a food source and would die.

I am saying yellow and scopas tangs are the best option in my opinion for having a diverse palette for browsing different types of macro algaes. Nothing is ever guaranteed.

 

[Tuffloud1]

I have a Z. Scopas, which I compare very similarly to Z. Flavescens. I have two tanks running off the same system. The smaller tank without any tangs and an emerald crab has bubble algae. The larger display with multiple tangs (Z. Scopas, A. Achilles, P. Hepatus, A. Tenneti and C. Truncatus) and no emerald crab has no bubble algae. That isn't exactly scientific, but I think it hints towards these fish consuming it.

I think too much emphasis is placed solely upon PO4 as a reliable control for algae. Low PO4 will slow algae growth but it won't eliminate it. I think the main visual benefits of low PO4 are more colorful corals and less micro algae growth on the glass, requiring less frequent wipings.

There are many nutrients outside of just PO4 that feed algae, and even if these nutrients are kept at very low levels algae will still grow. If our tanks were void of these nutrients, the symbiotic algae present within corals wouldn't have a food source and would die.

I am saying yellow and scopas tangs are the best option in my opinion for having a diverse palette for browsing different types of macro algaes. Nothing is ever guaranteed.

Awesome, I appreciate all your help.

 

[Tuffloud1]

My next question is, will I have too many fish by adding a yellow tang? Not so much much worried about nutrients but space.

Currently have:

Flame Angel
Gold Head Sleeper Goby
Midas Blenny
Lawnmower Blenny
2 Oscellaris Clowns
McCosker's Wrasse
Fire fish
Two Spot Bristletooth Tang
20 Turbo Snails
10 Trochus Snails
10 Hermits

 

[Dugless]

I think if you find a small tang you should be fine, something under 3". The smaller the better in my opinion. Zebrasoma tangs grow pretty slowly. I've had a Scopas for seven years, and I've seen only 1/4" or so of growth each year.

 

[Tuffloud1]

Between a One Spot Foxface and Yellow Tang, which is the best all around algae eater?

 

[reefmutt]

I would say tang because I don't completely trust fox faces, in general, in a reef...

 

[Dugless]

I'd also push for the tang. The slower growth rate on the zebrasomas is a bonus in my opinion. I think rabbitfish can grow pretty quickly and they have a dodgy reputation for leaving all corals alone.

 

[Tuffloud1]

I ended up getting the Yellow Tang and it did absolutely nothing to the algae.

It pick this algae out every couple weeks. This is what it looks like after 2 weeks.

I just don't understand. I am on a continuous auto water change, changing out 15 gallons per week, I did 4 large water changes to see if that would get the nutrients down.

I started running gfo, still growing.

Tested new salt water, 0 phosphates. Tested top off water, 0 phosphates.

Tested tank water, 0 phosphates, which it has always read 0 even when I didn't have algae. (Hanna low phosphate and Elos)

Nitrates are undetectable. I feed once a day, conservatively.

What kind of horrible algae is this?

 

[Tuffloud1]

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