Which Inverts eat phyto?

Eienna · Jul 12, 2013

Despite near-perfect params at the moment, every time I try turning off my UV sterilizer the green water I've been struggling with comes back. Maybe I simply haven't had my little 3-watt green killing machine (20g tank) on long enough....but I'm thinking, why not take advantage of the situation? Aren't there some reef critters that consume this stuff?

And what specifically are they? Assuming my rather stubbornly abundant supply of phytoplankton (I accidentally seeded it with a live bottle of the stuff) couldn't some of them do okay in a 20g and help keep the stuff in check?

I don't really want to hear "how to get rid of it." I'm already dealing with that. I'm just thinking that maybe I could turn its presence into a positive thing - a self-sustaining food source for my critters.

Perhaps there's a package of mixed zooplankton I can add that would feed off it?

Connie · Jul 12, 2013

Feather Dusters eat phyto. Cucumbers eat it also, but I wouldn't put one in a 20g.

KoleTang · Jul 12, 2013

How did you get this much phyto in your tank?

Have your tried a 80-100 percent water change?

Eienna · Jul 12, 2013

Connie said:
Feather Dusters eat phyto. Cucumbers eat it also, but I wouldn't put one in a 20g.

Do they eat zooplankton as well?

KoleTang said:
How did you get this much phyto in your tank?

Have your tried a 80-100 percent water change?

I did, yes. Nothing doing. It just keeps coming back. Between my sterilizer, better cleaning and a regular dose of Waste-Away, it's gotten much better, but I can't turn my sterilizer off for more than a couple of hours or it starts repopulating again...

How it exploded like that? Long story I'm not getting into right now. Suffice it to say I made a few mistakes. XD