Possible addition of small urchin. Algae Control 2/27/07
I have a question regarding the recent proliferation of hair algae in my system.
29 gallon
1 65 watt 10k PC
1 65 watt Actinic PC
35lb of Fiji & Tonga
3-4" of aragonite substrate
Remora skimmer (produces .5 cup of dark skimmate per day), with box attachment for surface skimming, I also added some porcelain rings (can't remember name of them) for added surface area.
Aqua clear 20 filter for minor mechanical filtration and added carbon filtrant.
I use Tropic Marin Pro Reef Salt with my tapwater. No other additives
Established for 1 year.
Inhabitants include
1 lemon goby, full grown yet tiny
1 neon goby,
2 growing ocellaris clowns, can the big one ever nip!
1 Skunk cleaner
1 Blue/yellow damsel, exceedingly well behaved
med frogspawn, <Frogspawn> candy coral, xenia
several hermits and various snails
<Too many fish in your 29, causing excess nutrients in the system.  I'd remove the damsel.>
My problem started in Nov/Dec when I was putting the maintenance on my system on hold while busy finishing my basement and trying work and have a family life at the same time. Anyway, I left water changes for 6-8 weeks and only did the minimum to keep the protein skimmer clear and the water level up. In the meantime, I had the beginnings of my hair algae problem that I thought would go away once I got the parameters under control. The one thing I see now is that the particulate in the water is captured by the growing algae without hitting the filters, definitely not a bonus for keeping nitrates/nitrites down.
<No, is not.  Do you have around 250-300 gpm total flow rate?  This will help keep
the waste in suspension allowing the filter to capture more of it.>
I do extensive physical removal of the nuisance stuff, along with my weekly water changes of 15-20%, I have also doubled my flow rate in the system with 2 more power heads. My question is due to the fact that I still don't have the algae under control, would it be prudent to add a small Egg Urchin to the fray? I am nervous about it not targeting my nuisance stuff and going after my coralline and other "good" algae. My plan was to buy one (urchin) for just the short term and I have permission to take it back to the LFS once it appears to be under control. Will it harm any of the other inhabitants like the xenia, sponges, tubeworms? Also if everything is at least worth a try, how do you remove them from the system without getting poked? Net or rubber gloves.
<Definitely not a net, I just carefully pick them up with my hand.  The urchin you suggest, the Hairy Pincushion or Sea Egg is a good algae eater and, will also eat
Caulerpa.  It has a habit of collecting most anything to put on its body as camouflage.  This may include soft corals etc.  The urchin will not directly harm your corals/tubeworms, but rather indirectly by it's antics.  Also read here and related links for more info.  http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nutrientcontrol.htm>
Thanks again for your opinions.
<You're welcome.  James (Salty Dog)
Jeff

Urchin... comp. & as scavengers mostly  12/2/06
Good afternoon.  <And to you, Mich here.> I recently purchased a variegated urchin (Lytechinus variegatus) at my LFS to assist in some algae control, and there were 2 color morphs, a green variant and a pink variant.  The store owner talked me into choosing the pink for it's brighter coloration, but when I brought it home, it took much greater interest in my pink coralline algae than in the green hair algae I was intending for it to help with.  I realize any urchin will likely have a taste for coralline, but does the animal coloration have anything to do with it's dietary preference?  That is, if I had chosen a green one, would I be having more luck with the urchin devouring my green hair algae?  <Unlikely.  As you know, most urchins will eat coralline along with other desirable organisms ...they are not really reef safe.>
Thanks...<Welcome>
Tim