Green Hair-like algae

[deuceb]

I have this green hair-like algae stuff starting to grow and take
over my tank. I frequently do water changes, but I hear it is
do to the high amount of phosphates in the tap water. Any
advice on how to stop and prevent this growth?

 

[cnlight]

Well you could start switching over to RO water with each water change. Or you could put a fish or a crab that eats it. Just make sure that it fits in your currect tank size. There are quite a few fish and crabs that eat hair algae. Do some research, and I'm sure you will find the answer.

 

[deuceb]

any suggestions on fish or crabs that will eat the algae?

 

[aarone]

Lawn mower blenny, Scarlet hermits, Lettuce Nudibranch. Im sur ethere are others out there, but that is all I know of!
aaron

 

[trigger reid]

yah i dont think they will survive wit tap water and youcould also get hermits and if you have any on the glass turbo snails

 

[scotts]

dB,
Putting a fish or anything else in your tank that will eat the hair algae is putting a band-aid on the problem. What you need to do is to solve the problem. What worked for me was to stop feeding the fish so much food and to add a clean up crew. I still feed the fish once a day, just not as much food. Also the clean up crew, mainly of red hermit crabs, will eat the stuff on the bottom of the tank. This stuff on the bottom of the tank turns into nitrates that the hair algae uses for food.
Scott

 

[trigger reid]

only turn your light on 7 hours a day then you hermits will have time to eat it wile it isnt growing as fast