Natural coral reefs are oligotrophic (i.e. nutrient-poor) environments. What’s more, they tend to harbor an unusually high density of very hungry animals. Given their extremely low levels of algal productivity, and their minimal quantities of organic sediments, one could easily describe these environments as pristine.
Aquariums? Pristine? By and large, not so much. Especially when they contain more than one or two fish. Poopy sludge all over! And algae over the sand, over the rock, over the tank panels… Is that what you imagined when you built your saltwater aquarium system? Very likely not! Most probably, you envisioned something naturally clean like the reef itself.
To have such a system, free of fouling algae and detritus, one must include all members of the natural reef community. This certainly includes certain herbivores (especially algae-grazers) and detritivores. These animals should be well-represented in any aquarium big or small. While they are not always very colorful or exciting, they serve a vital purpose–cleaning. Thus, collectively, they are referred to as the clean-up crew.
These assemblages typically include “cleaner’’ animals such as snails (Nassarius, Trochus, Astrea, etc.), sea urchins or decapod crustaceans such as small, reef-safe shrimps or crabs. While dominated by invertebrates, there are a few small fish species that fit the bill. Indeed, to achieve maximum cleaning efficiency, the more the diverse the crew, the better!
This crew is truly a team. The most carefully selected clean-up crews do not exhibit undue or excessive competition. Firstly, one should be careful not to get too many individuals of the same species. It may be tempting to do just that when frustrated with, say, huge films of prolific green algae. But issues might show up down the road through overstocking or starvation that occurs after the food source has been depleted. For example, snails might starve to death; worse, deaths of these little gastropods often go unnoticed, leading to decomposition, nutrient spikes and increased levels of organic waste.
Secondly, and perhaps even more importantly, for excessive competition and maximum efficiency, the team should exhibit strong niche partitioning. In other words, make sure that each type of animal has its own resources and is specialized in exploiting them. For example, pincushion urchins and Nassarius snails both eat algae; however, while the urchin consumes it more quickly, the snail can alternately use detritus as a resource. Though Nassarius snails consume detritus more efficiently than copepods, copepods nevertheless are much smaller and so gain access to tiny pools of sludge (e.g. between little fissures in the rock) that are unreachable by the snail.
In this article you will learn how particulate organic matter and algae accumulate in aquaria as well as which types of clean-up crew animals most effectively eliminate which types of these waste accumulations.
We’ve come a long, long way in advancing natural marine aquarium keeping. Those of us who started out in the 80’s with barren “aquascapes” dead coral skeletons and crushed coral bottoms might look back with amazement at how so much has changed so fast. Just recall how many developments have taken place over the last …
Corals in a Box of Water: Creating a Natural Reef Tank Read More »
Earth is a planet of pods. Wherever there is water, there are amphipods, isopods, branchiopods, and so on. Pods are an integral part of pretty much every freshwater, brackish and marine ecosystem. But even among all these big players, the tiny copepod is a giant; in terms of both biomass and sheer number, copepods (subclass …
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One of the biggest challenges of keeping a successful reef aquarium, especially over the long term, is maintaining the purity of the main tank’s inner sanctum. We go through great lengths—expense, too—in order to achieve this. Think gravel vacuuming detritus, wringing filthy sponges over your kitchen sink, and so on… Is it necessary? The answer …
Most aquarists are already aware that snails eat algae. To be most correct, the majority of snail species are algivores. To be sure, some have extremely specialized diets that do not include algae; other snails are technically omnivores, eating all sorts of things including algae. Then, for marine aquarists in particular, there is the issue …
My first sight of a real, live sea urchin was in an aquarium (a friend’s) rather than in the sea. This was in my youth (i.e. quite a long time ago) in the upper Midwest–a time and place when/where marine aquarium livestock was quite difficult to get your hands on. Back then, and especially there, …
No one ever said that keeping reef aquaria is totally uncomplicated. Especially keeping them clean! Sure, some maintenance approaches are simpler than others; natural methods are, for example, fairly effortless means to control nuisance algae, detritus and pests. Natural methods certainly require some research, planning and occasional monitoring; but for the most part, they involve …
Even though battling algae is best done by finding and solving the underlying nutrient or lighting issue, it certainly doesn’t hurt to have a few algae eaters in your tank to help keep it in check. Home aquariums naturally have more nutrients than wild ecosystems, and the slightest change in maintenance can lead to short …
Utilizing saltwater creatures is one of the best ways to keep aquariums clean. Not only are you adding more interesting organisms, but you are also increasing biodiversity. This allows for an overall more stable reef. There are quite a few of these saltwater tank cleaners that will prove to be a great helping hand to …
They are found in freshwater, saltwater, and on land; they are called snails! Hobbyists have found saltwater snails to be one of the best critters for reef aquarium algae control. There is a saltwater snail for almost every kind of algae. For this reason, It is not surprising that they are one of the most …
Whether it’s just been installed as part of a bone-dry, newly set up aquarium system or as an add-on to a well-established, heavily stocked reef tank, you’ll probably want your new refugium to be operating at its peak performance from the onset. Seeding the right beneficial organisms in the right amount at the right time …
By: Haley Fitch 2018 Writers Contest Winner! When setting up your new saltwater aquarium, it is vital to include a strong clean up crew to take care of your tank in ways that we as the aquarist can’t. By nature, the invertebrates that make up our aquarium clean up crews are vital to establishing a …
A Beginners Guide to a Saltwater Aquarium Clean Up Crew Read More »
Some of us aquarists are satisfied just to find a pod or two in our systems—just to know that they’re still there! Then again, some of us are always reaching for that endless bumper crop. Those who push for ever higher copepod yields might indeed be on to something really big. Let Them Eat Pods …
Detritus and algal films compromise the aesthetic appearance and environmental quality of any saltwater aquarium. For sure, they present some of the most serious (and frustrating) issues for an aquarist to contend with. The easiest and least expensive way to deal with these issues is through biological control. This typically involves the use of a …
Amphipods and/or Copepods: Can They Peacefully Coexist? Read More »
Marine aquaria have a peculiar way of growing (in terms of both size and complexity) over time. These “add-ons,” be they filtration units, reactors, or whatever, grow from the so-called main tank in an almost organic manner. But, no matter how elaborate an aquarium set-up becomes, the sum of all the parts can always be …
No matter who you are, how skilled you are as an aquarist, how diligent you are at cleaning your tank, how little you feed or how advanced your filter system is, one thing is all but certain: unwanted forms of algae will appear in your reef tank from time to time. Nuisance algae can be …
Pincushion Urchins (Lytechinus variegatus): The Algae Destroyers Read More »
Pretty much nobody wants their marine aquarium to be covered with filth and green slime. Yet, mulm and benthic microalgae show up (at least in some amount) in just about every system. This is normal to some degree. However, anything more than a patch here or there can be seen as a symptom of problems …
From Detritus to Delicacy: Using Harpacticoid Copepods for Natural Nutrient Cycling Read More »
Are There Pods in Your Reef? Considering that they are an integral component of pretty much all natural marine ecosystems, it is likely that a large, stable population of copepods could benefit any reef aquarium. The surest means of establishing a lasting supply of copepods in your reef is to seed the aquarium system with …
Benefits of Pods In Your Reef: Microcrustaceans (or “pods”) in general, and copepods in particular, are an integral component of aquatic food webs. This is so in virtually every marine environment including coral reef habitats. Therefore, pods in your reef are a healthful addition to any reef aquarium. Lucky, a handful of useful copepod species …
Pods In Your Reef: Seeding a Marine Aquarium with Copepods Read More »
Algae, of course, is not an inherently bad thing; without it, the natural world could not exist as we know it. However, there are many types of algae that readily grow in plague proportions under certain environmental conditions. Imbalances of nutrient levels (whether in nature or in the home aquarium) can quickly result in blooms …
An aquarium substrate surface can be a dirty place. Detritus, feces, uneaten fish food, film algae and other unwanted materials might pile up there. Fortunately, there are many “clean-up crew” creatures that can be used to remove various types of nuisance algae and/or settled organic wastes. There are only a few cleaners, however, that will …
Aquarium Cleaning Machines: Cerith Snails in the Reef Tank Read More »
