Urchins eating too much?

[greg97527]

I have 2 purple urchins and 2 pencil urchins in my 55 gal.
they are sucking everything off the ricks lol is this bad or good?
there is plenty more for them to eat so im not to worried yet i would just like to know before the food is gone for them.

 

[egdevilboy]

Urchins eat alot. 4 in a 55 is quite much. Try feeding them some calerpa. Also be careful cause they will feed on coraline (good) algae.

 

[greg97527]

what exactly would u recommend with the urchins? should i get rid of them or keep one of each? i dont know the differences in algae's or how to identify them and this is my first time with urchins.

 

[steve the plumb]

They will eat your coraline algea.I have one coloured.I ave him eat the calerpa in my sump when its overgrown,then when he is done I stick him in my return.I used to have him in my tank but he knocks things over

 

[romunov]

See more on urchins here:
Sea Urchins, A Testy Subject

 

[rdmpe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6829317#post6829317 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by steve the plumb
.........I ave him eat the calerpa in my sump when its overgrown,then when he is done I stick him in my return..............

This is one way to keep your caulerpa trimmed, but doesn't it defeat the whole "nutrient export" idea of having macroalgaes in a fuge?

4 urchins in a 55 seems like a lot of eating power. I have one longspine in my 180...

 

[greg97527]

well right now i dont have a return...i just bought a 10 gal tank for a sump setup but i still need to find a sump and overflow setup...to pricey from what i have found