Advice on recent purchase

[returnofsid]

Hi all!! Need more advice. Yesterday, I purchased about 20-25# of live rock, 2 Marroon Clowns, 1 large red-legged hermit crab and a Chocolate Chip Starfish. I have no idea what I'm going to do with the CC Starfish though...lol. I understand they aren't reef safe but it came with the deal. I feel it was a great deal at $45.00. The 2 Marroons are definately a male and female and seem to get along great.
Now to my problem. Some of the live rock is covered in hair algae. It's all sitting in a 5 gal bucket right now with saltwater and a powerhead running. The clowns, hermit and starfish are all in a QT tank. A few pieces of the live rock also contain some very nice featherdusters. The featherdusters are colored really cool. There's some bright red ones, some light and dark browns. I'd really like to save the featherdusters but don't know how to remove all of the hair algae without destroying the featherdusters. I'm considering taking a toothbrush to the rock to try and get rid of all the hair algae.
Any suggestions on how to rid the rock of all the hair algae while saving the featherdusters? Also, any idea what I should do with the CC Starfish? It's a fairly large one compared to those I've seen in the LFS. I'd say it's about 5" across.
I've heard that lawnmower blennies do a great job with hair algae and I've also heard of blue legged hermits doing a good job. I do have some hair algae in one of my existing tanks as well, the 29 that I've been having the on and off ich problem with.
I'm open to all suggestions and ideas!! Thanks all!!

 

[spongebob lover]

aahh dood, well you sure got a nice deal but definetly get rid of the starfish or suffer the consecuence of no corals or you can always set up a nice tank for a fish only tank and just put it there, but other than that.... it's probably good if you get rid of it.
About the rock, did you buy your rock already cured? if yes then
i used to have the same problem and my best advice is.... use a toothbrush dood (don't use your old one... buy a new one though )
just save some of your old water while you're doing water changes and then just start brushing, that's what i did and it worked really good it takes a long time but its worth it or just buy a big brush and do it which ever way works for you but i rather do it with the tooth brush because i can get on the details .
Also if this rock is in a stablished tank then just get yourself some snails, theyre awesome at eating algaeor if you have a bigger tank (min 75 gals) then get yourself an urchin they're good at eating algae and coralline too .

Now if this was a no cured rock, then you can probably chisel the pieces where the feather dusters are and just put them in an stablished tank and just cured the rock because otherwise you don't know what kind of stuff is in the rock.

I wouldn't buy a fish to just get rid of algae..... snails, ohhh yeah and a very important one........water changes !!! .... try doing big water changes, that will help to stop your algae from growing since they like phosphates.

 

[returnofsid]

Well, this rock was from an established aquarium so it's definately already cured. I understand what you're saying about water changes and I do them religiously, although not with RO/DI water. I need to get one of those dang things...lol. Water changes won't really help in this situation though because this rock isn't in an aquarium. It's still sitting in a bucket..lol. I think I'm going to go after it with a toothbrush today and tomorrow (my days off) and then see where I sit. As for the Starfish, I have been considering putting together a FOWLR tank however, I know that if I do that, I'll end up wanting to add corals to it at some point and won't be able to resist the temptation...lol. Guess I'll be looking for a home for the starfish instead.

 

[spongebob lover]

in that case just brush the rocks good (don't forget to wear globes(did i spell it right Krish? ) ) and yes if i was you, I'd save up for a RO/DI just because it's probably where the algae is feeding from or i'm not sure if you can do it here but you could try buying RO water from you lfs.... just while you get your RO/DI.
If you're plannin on leaving you rocks in the bucket for sometime, i'd change the water in the bucket ....but that's just me ... not sure if someone would say different.
FOWLR are very kewl but yeah you gotta resist the temptation .

 

[returnofsid]

Well, I don't want it in the bucket more than a day or so. I'd like to get it in a tank but will definately get the hair algae off of it first.

 

[jesseb]

Brush it with a plastic brush....

Well, I don't want it in the bucket more than a day or so. I'd like to get it in a tank but will definately get the hair algae off of it first.

Brush it off with a small, stiff brush. the worms will duck in. try and get the attach surface.. and keep an eye on it. if it grows back, a couple of brushings should elimiate it.