Are snails worth the hassle?

[Mike in CT]

I have been dealing with pretty good hair algae outbreak in my 2 year old 75 gallon reef tank. I have been doing all the customary things to deal with it, and things are looking a bit better but still need to do more. I am thinking about placing an order of snails since after 2 years, I have only a small clean up crew left. From fellow reefers experience, have your snails made a appreciable dent in your algae problem, or was it minimal at best. One thing I didn't like when I had a large snail population was they were alway getting stuck in my herbie overflow and I had to constantly play with my valves to get the snails unstuck. I can put screen over my overflow teeth, but then that requires daily cleaning to keep things flowing. I would also like to hear your favorite snail species.. preferably ones that don't need to be turned over when they fall.
Thanks!

 

[sureal00]

turbo snails are good at eating green hair algae.I added some and a lawnmower blenny and they did a good job with my algae problem

 

[megisawesome06]

Lawnmower Blenny will only eat the algae if it's short. You may have better luck with snails. Astraea is what I'm getting next as I have a GHA problem myself. I read that they help eat it down to the base of it so it's less likely to come back.

 

[dave171]

Turbo snails are the best investment. They clean so much in so little time. Its truly a great idea.

 

[cloak]

Nip it in the bud. Good husbandry first and foremost. GFO can solve a lot of problems too.

http://www.reefcleaners.org/nuisance-algae-id-guide

 

[dbl]

...I would also like to hear your favorite snail species.. preferably ones that don't need to be turned over when they fall.
Thanks!

Trochus snails are self-righting. I don't know if they eat hair algae, as I don't have any hair algae. Or maybe I don't have hair algae because of the Trochus snails? Now I'm confused!!!

 

[Mike in CT]

I had turf algae to begin with, then I started with gfo, and then it mutated into some nasty light green wispy hair algae that floats around the tank when disturbed. Been siphoning that out and slowly been getting less and less, but still unsightly.

 

[Vaughn17]

Money cowries will mow the longest hair algae down to the rock. They're not as klutzy as Turbos and are much hardier.

 

[g6gang]

I never had any luck with snails lasting in my tank let alone making a dent in any algae. I would suggest spending time/$ towards the root excess nutrient issue that feeds the algae first. What do your parameters look like?