Sea hares and powerheads 06/05/2008
Hi, I bought a sea hare once, it was amazing for eating algae, however it died 1 week later as it got stuck in the powerhead SEIO110. I've heard all sea slugs have this problem with powerheads. Now I have another algae problem, nitrates are 0 and phosphates are 0, it all started because I didn't change the bulbs, I did know, however algae does not die. People have told me that the rocks probably have some phosphates and the algae is consuming it all and so that's why there's no reading.
However I want to buy a new sea hare as I know it can solve the problem quickly, however I'm wondering what options do I have to avoid it being killed by the powerhead. Is there some mod I can do to the SEIO so that the sea slug won't look after it, can I just turn it off until the sea hares eats all the algae maybe 3-4 weeks?. Its a 175gal and the other circulation I have is the return pump and a Tunze wavebox.
<<The easiest solution is to cover powerhead / filter apertures with coarse foam, and secure with elastic bands or zip ties for the duration of the stay...Thanks, hope this helps. A Nixon>>

Re: Some Inputs on Dying Snails Query  12/30/06
Hi everyone!
I just want to comment on the problem of the dying snails (original query attached below).  I had this problem before in my fully stocked reef tank, everything was ok, except for the gastropods, who seemed to lose grip and balance, fall down to the gravel, unable to right themselves and dying after a few days.  
I teach undergraduate invertebrate zoology, and I soon made a connection between one additive and the gastropod deaths: Magnesium sulfate and Magnesium chloride.  In the lab, either of these compounds is used to slowly anesthetize and 'relax' aquatic invertebrates to allow for easy dissection.  In my case, magnesium overdose was traced to the poor quality sea salt I was using at the time ( I know better now). I shifted to natural seawater for a time, and then used a quality sea salt, and my snail problems have stopped. Magnesium toxicity may also be brought about by dosing (or overdosing) on magnesium supplements.  It just may be that certain gastropods are more sensitive to this compound, become anesthetized, and become so relaxed that they asphyxiate, or otherwise become vulnerable to predators in the tank. I never did any full scale experimentation to prove or isolate Magnesium as the culprit, all I'm saying that it's worth looking into.
Hope this little info helps!
Best regards,
Richard (Manila, Philippines)
<Thank you for this. BobF>

Help! Dead sea hare, wilting LTA, high nitrates 11/08/07
Hello WWM,
I hope you guys can help, I have searched your site and can not find anything near what happened to my aquarium today.
I have a 75 gallon with the two clowns, LTA, a yellow tail damsel, Chromis, royal Gramma, snowflake eel, choc chip star, and Bahamian star.
<What species is this last?>
Everybody has been living together peacefully for 3 months. The system has been running for 6 months. I have 3 powerheads, 75-80 lbs live rock, crushed coral as substrate.
On Sunday I added a sea hare
<...? What species? Many sold are coldwater>
to help control some algae. Today I can home from work to find him sucked into one of my powerheads, and my CC star eating him!!!
<... not uncommon>
I got the CCstar off and took the powerhead and sea hare out. I was unable to completely get the sea hare out of the powerhead so I just threw the powerhead out so I wouldn't contaminate my tank by putting it back in.
<?!>
I immediately checked all my levels and found my nitrates had risen. 2 days ago my nitrates were 0 and now they are at 10ppm.
My ammonia was 0 two days ago, now it seems to be between 0 and 0.25.(which I expected to rise due to a dead critter)
Nitrates:0
Phosphorus:0
pH: 8.2
specific gravity: 1.023
<I'd raise this...>
I am assuming I need to do a water change, however will be unable to until tomorrow. I just did a water change a week ago so I don't have any RO/DI water on hand. (lesson learned about having reserve water!)
When I got home my LTA was spread out and looked perfectly happy. Now, about an hour after I removed the powerhead and dead sea hare I noticed my LTA has begun to wilt and start to deflate.
Everybody else seems perfectly happy in the tank, at this time.
I have not fed the tank or done anything else to it.
Am I just overreacting to my LTA's behavior? Could it possibly miss the powerhead? Or is it due to the sea hare disaster?
<Much more likely the two former...>
What is the best thing I could do right now?
PLEASE HELP!!!
Thank you for all your wonderful help and wonderful site.
~Michelle
<Welcome. I would do nothing overt here. Likely all will be fine. I'd clean up and return the powerhead. Bob Fenner>

Lettuce Sea Slug/Systems    4/10/06
I have 4 lettuce sea slugs in my 29g reef (yeah, probably 2 if not 3 too many). <Maybe four too many.> I have had them in there for a couple months.  Only one of them explores the entire tank, another explores sometimes, but the other two and the "sometimes" one mostly hang out on the glass at the top of the tank, in the direct flow of my power filter and obviously near the light, and the two don't move hardly at all.  I have a couple of times taken them all and placed them within the rock but they end up back at the tank top.
My question is, is this considered "normal"?  I figured they are partially photosynthetic but they are getting little if any solid food, other than what they may be filtering/catching in the water flow.  should I be concerned with their health?  <Yes, the Lettuce Sea Slugs are photosynthetic but need sufficient green algae to
survive.  Without providing this they will soon perish.> they so far don't seem to be adversely affected, at least on the outside.
Patrick  <James (Salty Dog)>
29g, Prizm skimmer, Marineland bio-wheel 200, 2x65w compact fluorescent, about 30lbs live rock, 1 goby and 1 blenny, several hermits and Astrea snails.

Sea hare?... pass 4/12/04 
Hi There 
<howdy> 
My LFS has sea hares they are selling for which they claim is algae and Cyano control. I have heard before that the sea hares can consume Cyano. 
<some do> 
These dudes are real ugly rock like critters. Do they really help control red algae/Cyano?? 
<its likely a moot point. The few sea hares that make it into the aquarium trade are typically temperate species (cool waters). They are naturally short lived to begin with. Not a safe or recommended choice IMO. Furthermore, they would be treating the symptom (Cyano) and not the problem (nutrient control). Focus on the latter my friend... we have many recommendations for this in the archives. Do a keyword search from our home page at wetwebmedia.com for "Cyano", "sea hares", "nutrient control", etc. Anthony>