NATURAL HAIR ALGAE CONTROL FOR REEF AQUARIUMS

Geothermal Aquaculture Research Lab
1726 Merrill St.

Boise Idaho 83705
U.S.A
Email: leroy@garf.org

REEF ALGAE CONTROL CENTRAL

IF YOUR REEF AQUARIUM IS MORE THAN FOUR MONTHS OLD AND THE MAIN PROBLEM ALGAE IS A DARK GREEN HAIR ON CORALS AND ROCKS - YOUR REEF HAS A HAIR ALGAE BLOOM.

The Reef janitors Hair Algae control mixture contains extra Cerith and Mexican hermit crabs. Both of these Janitors do a great job of eating Hair Algae.



LIVE SAND ACTIVATOR
REEF JANITOR HAIR ALGAE CONTROL SPECIAL SALE
GREAT REEF AQUARIUM LINKS


NEW - THIS HERMIT CRAB EATS GREEN ALGAE AND WILL NOT HURT CORALS

MEXICAN DWARF HERMIT CRABS

Clibanarius digueti


Congregos Ermitanos
Arthropa
super family - - Coenobitoidea (Hermit Crabs)
family -- Diogenidae
genus -- Clibanarius
species - - digueti
Lower Gulf of Mexico and outer Baja to Bahia de Magalena.

Species is usually red in appearance with expanded chromatophores forming blue spots over their cheliped (claws) and walking legs. The antennae and antennules are bright red. The tips of all legs are also red or orange.

This small crab is the best algae eating hermit crab we have tested.
Chibanarius digueti feeds on algae that grows on the rocky substrate and mangrove roots.
C. digueti occupies a large variety of shells. This hermit crab is found in the oldest coraline incrusted shells. I have found entire colonies in broken sand worn shells. The crabs from La paz often occupied such a strange assortment of shells that I could identify the colonies before I looked at the crabs.
Both the Blue leg hermits and the red San Sabastion crabs always are collected in clean fresh shells. Both of these crabs have eaten snails in my reef tanks. I have kept C. digueti in reef tanks in colonies of over 10 crabs per gallon with many types of snails.

SUGGESTED RETAIL EACH $2.98



CERITH SNAIL THIS SNAIL EATS REEF AQUARIUM HAIR ALGAE

Family Cerithiidae (CERITHS)
Cerithium strercusmuscarum

Dark brown sculptured tower shaped (Turriform) algae eater. Active glass cleaner
This is the best cerith snail we have tested. It stays down in the aquarium on the glass cleaning algae and diatoms. It is listed in Julian Sprung's Reef Aquarium as a good algae eater. One inch long pointed shell, it can get in between rocks, it is a great glass cleaner. This snail cleans in zig zag pattern. It's radula is able to remove diatoms so well that they do not regrow from the original algal film. This snail does not dislodge or disturb any specimens.



NERITE SNAIL

Family Neritidae
Nerita funiculata

Brown and black round algae eater. Active glass cleaner This species of Mexican Nerite is the best one we have tested. Nerite snails will clean the glass very well. IT STAYS IN AQUARIUM
This snail lives much longer than astraea, it is slower and much better at removing all the algae and diatoms from the rocks and glass. This snail does not leave an algae film on the glass. It is also listed in Julian Sprung's Reef Aquarium as a good algae eater.

One half inch round shell with ridges. Found only on smooth rocks below average lowest tide. The choice of reef expert Larry Read.


LIVE SAND ACTIVATOR

HAIR ALGAE IS OFTEN A PROBLEM IN OLDER TANKS BECAUSE THEY HAVE MORE NITRATES. THIS GRUNGE WILL ADD MANY OF THE NEEDED FILTER BACTERIA YOUR REEF AQUARIUM LACKS.

CONTROL DIATOMS WITH GARF GRUNGE*

BACTERIA AND OTHER ORGANISMS FROM THE FINEST MARINE AQUARIUMS THAT WE HAVE KEPT DURING THE LAST TWENTY YEARS. WE ADD TO THIS GENETIC POOL OF FILTER ANIMALS EACH TIME WE RECEIVE LIVE ROCK FOR OUR RESEARCH.

GARF GRUNGE* HAS A VERY LARGE NUMBER OF CORALINE ALGAE SPECIES IN IT.

NO WILD LIVE SAND CAN HAVE THE BIODIVERSITY FOUND IN THIS ACTIVATOR!

$5.00 PER POUND

Reef aquariums require a large variety of organisms to filter the water properly. Aquarium habitat is very different from ocean habitat.

Live Sand from a natural reef is good for starting marine aquariums, but each location on a reef has a limited number of species. Poor packing and shipping methods further deplete this fragile wild population.

We have been keeping an unbroken chain of successful reef aquariums in Idaho since 1977. Several times during this period we have had over 100 aquariums. We have researched captive breeding of such diverse species as Chambered Nautilus and Acropora coral.

LIVE ROCK RESEARCH

Our continuing research into the commercial production of tank raised live rock has allowed us to purchase tons of prime live rock and live sand. We select species from the rock for our live rock genetic bank.

During the last year I was able to purchase over 1000 lbs. of the live sand and rubble from the bottom of the live rock holding tanks at several of the most famous live rockers.

This mixture was much more than just live sand!! Hundreds of invertebrates from the tons of live rock held in these tanks are now reproducing here in Idaho.

RESEARCH COLLECTING TRIPS

This mixture is now being added to by myself and Sally Jo. We are collecting sand stirrers and filter organisms on our research trips. We have made several trips to Mexico during the last two years looking for a site for a live rock farm. We are able to select various types of live sand for our experiments.

Last year Tom Frakes and I Explored Coronado Island in the Sea of Cortez. We found a bay with sand made up of branching coraline algae fragments. This coraline is the fastest growing dark purple and blue types I have found.

TRY LIVE SAND ACTIVATOR

GARF GRUNGE $5.00 LB.

0NE POUND FOR EACH THREE GALLONS WILL ACTIVATE TWO INCHES OF ARAGONITE SAND
ADD ONE POUND PER 10 GALLONS TO IMPROVE WILD LIVE SAND!

'the most important part. This is a "Grunge"' from G.A.R.F. What the stuff contains is a culture of sand, coral rubble, small reef rocks, macro-algae, annelid worms, small pieces of sponges and corals, snails and crabs that is some of the coolest stuff I have ever seen!

I still keep seeing different things I didn't see before. We got 10 pounds about a week after the system was set up and mixed it in with the top layer of sand. This really gave the reef a pleasing natural look since it is very coarse and has a lot of color to itē *

Letter from The Sea Star
     A monthly publication 
    for the marine aquarium hobbyist
 by the  President - Tim L. Weidauer
Wasatch Marine Society in Salt Lake City, UT.

HOW TO ORDER HAIR ALGAE CONTROL REEF JANITOR MIXTURE*

JANITOR SPECIAL SALE

WE ARE OFFERING THIS COMPLETE REEF JANITOR PACKAGE FOR $1.50 PER GALLON.

WHEN YOU PURCHASE OUR JANITOR MIXTURE YOU SAVE 2/3 OF YOUR MONEY AND YOU WILL HAVE THE PROPER MIXTURE OF HERMIT CRABS AND SNAILS TO KEEP YOUR REEF ALGAE FREE

 


REEF JANITORS is your top destination on the Internet to purchase algae eating snails and hermit crabs. Please take a moment to review our latest product selection for exclusive sale through the Internet. Proceeds go directly to funding the cost of maintaining this web presentation as a public information source about natural algae control and the reef janitors role in a cleaner reef environment.


THINGS TO DO WHILE YOU WAIT FOR YOUR REEF JANITORS - ABOUT TWO DAYS -
  • A 20% water change will lower nutrient level - ALWAYS USE OCEAN PURE/OCEAN PURE PRO
  • Add another power head to increase current
  • Light bulbs shift to red and grow more algae when they age - change bulbs
  • Cut food to 1/2 for one month
  • Add Phosphate control product from SeaChem

    MISSION STATEMENT

    TO PROVIDE THE CITIZENS OF IDAHO AND THE WORLD A SHOWCASE COLLECTION OF AQUATIC PLANTS, FISH, REEF ANIMALS AND PRODUCTS. TO STIMULATE INTEREST IN, APPRECIATION FOR AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF THESE COLLECTIONS. TO BE IMPLEMENTED THROUGH PLANT RECORDS, PUBLIC DISPLAYS, COLLECTIONS, APPLIED RESEARCH, PUBLICATIONS, INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS, AND SALES OF QUALITY PRODUCTS.


    Much of our research is being conducted in the field of reef farming. We are conducting these studies both in marine aquariums and in the ocean. Reef aquarium research is being conducted by members of the foundation both in the U.S. and in several other countries.
    We also supply expert advice on algae control for the reef aquarium, wetlands and backyard ponds.
    Contact: LeRoy Headlee - Sally Jo Headlee | Phone: 208-344-6163 | Fax: 208-344-6189

    Email: leroy@garf.org