hair algae
- Thread starter burch2006
- Start date
flricordia
Active Member
Originally Posted by burch2006
http:///forum/post/2658828
what fish is the best at keeping this stuff under control. I never had a problem with it until about a month ago, and my systems about a year and a half old.
Did you change the flow any jsut before it started and how old is your lighting? Best to find the cause of it before adding more bioload.
http:///forum/post/2658828
what fish is the best at keeping this stuff under control. I never had a problem with it until about a month ago, and my systems about a year and a half old.
Did you change the flow any jsut before it started and how old is your lighting? Best to find the cause of it before adding more bioload.
privatejoker
Member
If you can't find the reason for the hair algae rabbit fish do a great job. You can try some mexican turbo snails as well.
flricordia
Active Member
or a sea hare, but you will need to find a new home for it once all the algae is gone.
sepulatian
Moderator
I had quite a bit of hair algae. I liked how it looked and let it grow. Then it started taking over. I bought a Tiger Cowrie. He is cleaning like crazy. I have two rocks left with it on there. The back glass was covered, along with most of the rocks. The back glass is completely clean. He is working on the rocks when he darn well feels like it. I have had him for two weeks. He is awesome. He does what he feels like doing and to heck with everything else. He roams freely and eats when he feels like it. He has cleaned up a LOT of the hair algae though. That is my lion peeking from his cave.
koesterkep
Member
FInding the cause is always best are you using RO/DI water? If you want to add herbivores, I would go with tangs, rabbits, if your tank is not large enough use the algae blenny aka lawnmower blenny, or some of the above mentioned snails. If all else fails you can get your hands dirty and manual remove some of the hair if it is that bad.
nano reefer
Active Member
certain tangs will control it. mex turbo snails work great. foxfaces are great too. depends on your tank size. i recomend getting rid of it my water changes and getting your params in check.
zoogrl03
Member
I know this thread is a week or so old, but i also had a ? about hair algae. I recently have had a couple rocks become covered in hair algae. It seems as though my snails take care of the smaller ones, but my larger rock that has longer hair, just seems to be getting longer and thicker. I as well liked the way it looked at first in the tank and now realize how quickly it grows! If I manually pull it and some "stray hairs" get away from me will they land somewhere else and begin to spread more?? Someone with experience with this hair algae please help!! Any comments are appreciated. By the way, whether it matters or not I have a 72 Gallon which is about 7 months old now.
big
Active Member
Look at your phosphates levels, higher phosphates can lead to outbreaks. The phosphates act as a fertilizer for the stuff.
Also try cutting you lighting WAY back for a week or so. I will not hurt any corals you do have adversely. If prams are all in line reduce light levels back for at least a week. Even doing this on a regular schedule is not a bad idea. ( like a two or three day storm reducing sun light on occasion in nature.)
I had one spot of the stuff that slipped by me on a frag that I pulled and battled with it for what seems like forever. About 2 months ago I broke a leg on my hood. Sooooooo I keep my lights off or only on with the actinic (blues ones) for short periods for over a week to keep the heat to a minimum till the new one came. Guess what no more green crap!!!! The much reduced lighting was the trick!!!. Now if I ever see a trace of it show up anywhere , back down goes the light for a few days and it magically is
gone!! GOOD LUCK!!
Also try cutting you lighting WAY back for a week or so. I will not hurt any corals you do have adversely. If prams are all in line reduce light levels back for at least a week. Even doing this on a regular schedule is not a bad idea. ( like a two or three day storm reducing sun light on occasion in nature.)
I had one spot of the stuff that slipped by me on a frag that I pulled and battled with it for what seems like forever. About 2 months ago I broke a leg on my hood. Sooooooo I keep my lights off or only on with the actinic (blues ones) for short periods for over a week to keep the heat to a minimum till the new one came. Guess what no more green crap!!!! The much reduced lighting was the trick!!!. Now if I ever see a trace of it show up anywhere , back down goes the light for a few days and it magically is
gone!! GOOD LUCK!!
florida joe
Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by sepulatian
http:///forum/post/2669669
I had quite a bit of hair algae. I liked how it looked and let it grow. Then it started taking over. I bought a Tiger Cowrie. He is cleaning like crazy. I have two rocks left with it on there. The back glass was covered, along with most of the rocks. The back glass is completely clean. He is working on the rocks when he darn well feels like it. I have had him for two weeks. He is awesome. He does what he feels like doing and to heck with everything else. He roams freely and eats when he feels like it. He has cleaned up a LOT of the hair algae though. That is my lion peeking from his cave.
Tiger Cowrie nice idea
http:///forum/post/2669669
I had quite a bit of hair algae. I liked how it looked and let it grow. Then it started taking over. I bought a Tiger Cowrie. He is cleaning like crazy. I have two rocks left with it on there. The back glass was covered, along with most of the rocks. The back glass is completely clean. He is working on the rocks when he darn well feels like it. I have had him for two weeks. He is awesome. He does what he feels like doing and to heck with everything else. He roams freely and eats when he feels like it. He has cleaned up a LOT of the hair algae though. That is my lion peeking from his cave.
Tiger Cowrie nice idea
sepulatian
Moderator
Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/2689905
Tiger Cowrie nice idea
I have to get some new pictures. The hair algae is about gone. He is doing an awesome job. I am very impressed.
http:///forum/post/2689905
Tiger Cowrie nice idea
I have to get some new pictures. The hair algae is about gone. He is doing an awesome job. I am very impressed.
florida joe
Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by sepulatian
http:///forum/post/2690037
I have to get some new pictures. The hair algae is about gone. He is doing an awesome job. I am very impressed.
http:///forum/post/2690037
I have to get some new pictures. The hair algae is about gone. He is doing an awesome job. I am very impressed.
perfectdark
Active Member
Just as a precaution to the would be reefers who are interested in getting a tiger cowrie. They are mainly peaceful in reef systems as juveniles but as they mature they have been know to feed on soft corals, sponges and anemones. They are listed as carnivores.
florida joe
Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by PerfectDark
http:///forum/post/2690258
Just as a precaution to the would be reefers who are interested in getting a tiger cowrie. They are mainly peaceful in reef systems as juveniles but as they mature they have been know to feed on soft corals, sponges and anemones. They are listed as carnivores.
My tiger did a great job on algae but then he took a liking to my GSP and mowed it down so he went to a FOWLR fellow hobbyist. Another reason to research and if you get one make sure it’s a small one if you have corals
http:///forum/post/2690258
Just as a precaution to the would be reefers who are interested in getting a tiger cowrie. They are mainly peaceful in reef systems as juveniles but as they mature they have been know to feed on soft corals, sponges and anemones. They are listed as carnivores.
My tiger did a great job on algae but then he took a liking to my GSP and mowed it down so he went to a FOWLR fellow hobbyist. Another reason to research and if you get one make sure it’s a small one if you have corals
big
Active Member
Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/2690513
My tiger did a great job on algae but then he took a liking to my GSP and mowed it down so he went to a FOWLR fellow hobbyist. Another reason to research and if you get one make sure it’s a small one if you have corals
He will mow down GSP's ???maybe I need one after all!!!!!!!!
http:///forum/post/2690513
My tiger did a great job on algae but then he took a liking to my GSP and mowed it down so he went to a FOWLR fellow hobbyist. Another reason to research and if you get one make sure it’s a small one if you have corals
He will mow down GSP's ???maybe I need one after all!!!!!!!!
florida joe
Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by big
http:///forum/post/2690556
He will mow down GSP's ???maybe I need one after all!!!!!!!!
Yes the GSP was the only think he touched other then the fact that his size accounted for him dislodging some rock and the GSP eating I would have kept him they are very pretty
http:///forum/post/2690556
He will mow down GSP's ???maybe I need one after all!!!!!!!!
Yes the GSP was the only think he touched other then the fact that his size accounted for him dislodging some rock and the GSP eating I would have kept him they are very pretty