Help with Hair Algae

[mizah00]

What fish cah help me with hair algae? I already have a large blonde naso, yellow tang and a foxface rabbitfish in the tank. Is there Anything that can help with this problem!!!!!!

 

[saltwater junky]

with that many tangs and a fox face you shouldnt have a problem, what size tank is this?

 

[mizah00]

my tank is a 150 gallon and they are eating and healthy but are not controlling the algae. My naso only eats algae sheets nothing else.

 

[skriz]

Fish can be finiky when it comes to eating hair algae. the best way to control it is to eliminate it's food source and clean the rock the best you can.

A sea hare will do some damage too. I am goign to try some lettuce nudibranches, but you need to trim the algae first.

 

[victor626nj]

the nudi will only take care of the briopsis go with the sea hair but becareful and good luck with the battle

 

[ralph atl]

you must export the same or more nutrients than you put in. Overfeeding, tap water, whatever. Use a phosphate reactor with some phosar or ROWA or whatever, and something to lower nitrates like a fuge, AZNO3, or whatever. As you do that, add some cleanup crew like hermit crabs, Tangs, Rabbit Fish, Top crown snails, astrea snails, emerald crab what have you. Take a good 1/2 inch hose without any "funnel" on the top;just hose and suck it (syphon) all down when you do a water change. It works great!

Nitrates and phosphates are high. How are you measuring nitrates & phosphates? Phosphates kits (under 100.00) that measure low enough are DD Merk, Hach, & colormeter.

check out:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/index.php">http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/index.php</a>

[IMG]http://www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...st2003/chem.htm">http://www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...st2003/chem.htm</a>

[IMG]http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php">http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php</a>

Ralph

 

[mizah00]

ive been doing water changes evey three days of about 10-15gallons for a week and ive been cleaning and cleaning. all tests are at zero. i havent been able to check phosphates but ive added a phosphate pad to my sump about a week ago and it has made a little difference. does any have advice on the sea hare and there needs and how many can be put together?

 

[cameron]

You could try some Mexican Turbos. I believe those will eat hair algae and they have voracious appetites. Don't get just a random turbo make sure it is the Mexican Turbo and if you order several be prepared to get rid of them if they finish of the algae... these things eat A LOT and need a lot of algae/seaweed to survive.

You also have to watch them as they cannot right themselves if they land on their back.

 

[jcusmarine]

Even if your water paramaters are good, you can have a hair algae problem. Tried and tested method is to remove hair algae by hand, pulling it up and trashing it. Remember to dip your hand in freshwater before you put your hand back in to pull another clump. Do this periodically without stirring it up so it cannot attach to another area in the tank.

If you do this and keep your water column clean via skimming, UV etc and keep your water perfect within reef parameters you will rid yourself of the alga issue.

This method will only work if you are doing everything else correctly.

Good luck.

 

[xyzpdq0121]

Sally light foot crab... I sware by these things and hair algae... I would use two in any tank over 90 gal is the algae problem is bad. Give her about two to three weeks to start banging it out. Last time I recommended one to someone, they had a 240 gallon that you could not see the rock work in because the algae was so bad I threw in two sallys and 5 emerald crabs. Within about two months (I tell you it was REALLY a big job) is was clean as could be.

 

[dannybradley]

Can you post a detailed pic of the algae? There are a few kinds of 'hair algae' and some of them are really annoying.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

Mizah00;106209 wrote: ive been doing water changes evey three days of about 10-15gallons for a week and ive been cleaning and cleaning. all tests are at zero. i havent been able to check phosphates but ive added a phosphate pad to my sump about a week ago and it has made a little difference. does any have advice on the sea hare and there needs and how many can be put together?

If you have hair algae in abundance, then you have significant nitrate and phiosphate. No matter what you get to remove the visible algae, make ure you address the root problem- excess nutrient.