hair algae

[cwalters]

my gorgonian (spelling?) looks as if it needs a hair cut very badly. I have some spots on my sand that looks the same. I was told by lfs that a kole tang will take care of the hair. any truth to that? I was trying not to put anything in there but percula clowns but if that will fix it I will do that.

 

[logan15]

Wow a kole tang might help but I'snt needed at all a kole gets pretty big and dont just get a kole to get rid of hair algae if you do anything i would get 2 emerald crabs they tear through it.Please post your tank specs and tank inhabitants so we can help you better.Welcome to the board
Logan

 

[ryebread]

Emerald crabs eat bubble algae spores......not hair algae.
I would first try hand trimming the hair off of the sponge. Just gently pick off the hair algae as much as possible.

 

[melissa v.]

I know a lot of people on here say that a lawnmower blenny is supposed to get the hair alge off, but they say that theirs does not eat any of it, but mine on the otherhand mowed right through mine, i do not have any left, (and i had a lot), so i guess what i am saying is try a lawnmower blenny, but you might be taking a 50/50 chance (if he decides not to eat the alge, he is still a pretty cool fish, we have fun playing "where's waldo") he blends in with the rock so well.
hope this helped some
Melissa V.
(OH BY THE WAY THE THREAD ABOVE MINE WAS GREAT ADVICE AS WELL, GET OFF AS MUCH OF IT AS YOU CAN)

 

[sea goblin]

If it is a lot of hair then simply buying a fish and a few inverts isnt going to solve the problem...it may help a little, but what you need to do is find out what the nutrient source is that the algea is feeding off from.
Do you use tap water or RO/DI? Do you have a fuge? what kind of substrate, sand or cc? these are a few things that can help in finding where the nutrients are coming from.
and like Logan said, please give full tank specs.
Sea Goblin

 

[nerdy]

Also blue legged hermits and turbo snails can get rid of it!

 

[dreeves]

Thats odd...both my emeralds in two different tanks eat hair algea...
I think a more suitable statement could be something like...emerald crabs also eat bubble algea...

 

[cwalters]

yeah, I guess more specs would be nice. Sorry! I have a 75 with 100lbs of LR, 80lbs LS, a purple long tip anenome, 1 percula clown, 1 mandarin, 1 scooter blenny, 5 turbo snails, 3 red leg crabs, 1 decorator crab, 1 gorgonian (red), 1 metalic green star pollyp, 1 sand sifter star fish, 1 chocolate chip starfish, 2 peppermint shrimp.
As for filter, I have a 150 aquaclear wet/dry w/skimmer (pro version as they call it) I use corallife lights. it has 4 bulbs 2 auctintic and two regular. (pc type) and probably to much stray light from a window.

 

[dreeves]

The window light would be a problem...

 

[eeyrg]

Kalkwasser.
I had a good amount of hair algae, in fact, it covered everything. Best way to control it (w/out having to add fish & do a lot of hand work) is to remove it's food source.
Dosing with kalkwasser does this (and adds other benefits to the tank) but you have to do it VERY slowly.
I advise buying a dosing jug (kent marine makes a decent one for small money)
Anyway, yeah.
I was hair algae free in about 2 weeks with daily dosing.
Hope it works!

 

[bas12547]

What is kalkwasser?
Brian

 

[hunterdaddy]

I developed the hair algea problem right after I fixed a red slime algea problem. The major factor in my problems was my lighting was a year old. I got new PC bulbs and a lawnmower blenny. FIxed everything. There is also a product out that is not chemical but all biological that my LFS (I am friends with the owner) says does a good job controling it.
If you are intrested in finding out exactly what the product is called email me at HERMENATERHERM@cs.com

 

[sggavin]

Originally posted by RyeBread
Emerald crabs eat bubble algae spores......not hair algae.
I would first try hand trimming the hair off of the sponge. Just gently pick off the hair algae as much as possible.
My Emerald eats hair algae

 

[ryebread]

In my experience...........
The Emerald crabs do not eat hair algae, they may trim it from time to time and let the hair algae float away into the water but, not eat it. Emeralds don't even eat the Bubble from the Bubble Algae......they simply cut it open and suck up the spores leaving the shell behind.
Just my experience.

 

[maroonclownfan]

I have experienced my Emeralds eating SOME hair algea if it is short enough. But I would not say they are a good hair algea control method. I think hermits do a better job than emeralds on hair algea.
But emeralds are awesome for bubble algea, I had a big problem before introducing ECs to my tank, I have been bubble algea free for more than 6 months now.
MCF

 

[cadbury]

I agree MCF, Emerald crabs are defenitly not a solution, but I do have to say that my Emaralds do a decent job of eating the hair algae I do have.......

 

[krishj39]

I have three kinds of hermits, three kinds of snails, a sallylightfoot, a LM blennie and 2 emeralds ALL of which are supposed to eat hair algae. While all of them did eat hair algae in the past, the only animal I still observe eating hair algae (and this is still rare) is the emerald crabs. IME