hair algee outa control...

[royalgamma]

Was wondering what kida fish would help control my hair algee problem....The one guy at my LFS that I kinda trust says a fox face would do the job.
By the way its a 44 gallon tank with 1 small clown , a Falco hawkfish , a Blue Devil Damsell , and a tiny red lipped blenny. Assorted cleaning crew (emerald crabs , Cleaner shrimp, hermits , Serpent star.
Thanks

 

[michaeltx]

what are your readings. the best thing to get rid of the algae is to figure out what is feeding ut and cut its food supply off. Now something else that can cause problems is the source water so what water are you adding to your tank>?
Mike

 

[sly]

...also how old are your lights and do you do any water changes?

 

[bellanavis]

Get a seahare or 2, and somen urchins, and find out the cause.

 

[royalgamma]

well all my readings are ok but my trates are high cause I have gotton lazy and not done a water change in a month and a half...so probably my problem..huh :notsure: gonna do a 5 gallon cange today and another 5 or 10 later this week ...what do you guys think? Are the trates the reason?

 

[sly]

Originally Posted by RoyalGamma
...what do you guys think? Are the trates the reason?
Possibly... But until you get that problem fixed we won't know what other problem might be causing it.

 

[cannonman]

I would test for phosphates also..

 

[royalgamma]

well I think I lost my 2nd casualty to the trates ...lost a Slepper Goby last week and lost my Cleaner Shrimp today...

...Gotta get these trates down...

 

[royalgamma]

well I did a 10 gallon water change ....cleaned filters in my fluval...cleaned filter pads in my HOB filter.... :notsure: lets see if any of this helps. Planning on another 10 gallon change for later this week.

 

[royalgamma]

Well back to my original question...any ideas for a fish that would help clear this stuff up?...Lawn Mowwer blenny? But I already have a red-lipped blenny,
any problems with compatibilty?
Thanks for any replies.

 

[bellanavis]

I have a 125 gallon tank, that was totaly overtaken by hair alge, I have had these 2 seahares for a month now, and there is no hair alge in the tank anymore.

 

[yote]

I've got a polychaete worm that work my hair algia over,,got em as a hitch hiker and the only thing he has touched that I know of is hair algae

 

[sentinel]

Does saltwaterfish.com sells them seahares or who does? I live in Puerto Rico and need a nextday shipper. Thanks

 

[chipmaker]

Adding a critter to get rid of a problem is not the ideal fix. Yu really need to find out andcorrect why you have algae. Its easy to do and easy to figur eout as its fairly limited. Lights and nutrition . Are yur lights on too long, or in need of replacing bulbs? Are yu over feeding? Are you using water that is nitrate and phosphate free? Thats about whats gonna give you the hair algae. Eliminate phosphate or nitrate or light problems and algae wil be history.

 

[royalgamma]

ok well I have changed my light cycle a little and it has seemed to help. Today I did another 25% water change , with it I took out alot of the rock that had hair algae on it and scrubbed them dow. My question is the rocks are still greenish if I have the problem under control will the rocks stop being green after awhile?...If so how long?
Thanks

 

[pandafish]

I have had a similar problem. My NO3=0 and phosphates are 0 sometimes the hair algae comes on a live rock and sustains its self. Unless you get down to the roots of it it will just come back. Sea Hares need a big environment so be careful.

 

[symon]

Originally Posted by BellaNavis
I have a 125 gallon tank, that was totaly overtaken by hair alge, I have had these 2 seahares for a month now, and there is no hair alge in the tank anymore.
I just got a sea hare on friday, these things mow down the hair alge!

 

[memphis]

Originally Posted by chipmaker
Adding a critter to get rid of a problem is not the ideal fix. Yu really need to find out andcorrect why you have algae. Its easy to do and easy to figur eout as its fairly limited. Lights and nutrition . Are yur lights on too long, or in need of replacing bulbs? Are yu over feeding? Are you using water that is nitrate and phosphate free? Thats about whats gonna give you the hair algae. Eliminate phosphate or nitrate or light problems and algae wil be history.
Ditto...

I think sea hares can foul up your tank pretty bad if they go Tango Uniform. This stuff will just go away once the NO3's are gone... PS. dont use tap water.

 

[kdfrosty]

Originally Posted by Symon
I just got a sea hare on friday, these things mow down the hair alge!
It's about time!!!
Lets work another trade!

 

[royalgamma]

not using tap...using the r/o stuff at the grocery store and bottled water off/on. I also fragged ny first set of zoo's yesterday. Got a rock with 3 or 4 diferent colors ( about 100 polyps) split it into 3 smaller rocks. They all look good and open today....That was my chore while watching football.
GO BEARS!!!!!!