Tang???
- Thread starter meeks101
- Start date
lion_crazz
Active Member
What kind of algae are you dealing with?
I certainly would not get a tang for most algae issues.
What size is your tank?
I certainly would not get a tang for most algae issues.
What size is your tank?
stanlalee
Active Member
Originally Posted by meeks101
http:///forum/post/2712707
The soft hairy algae on the rocks, not the hard to get off kind but the easy kind. I have about a 55 gallon tank.
honestly nothing besides large mexican turbo's and sea hares (neither may be suitable) eat that stuff. you may get a indiscrimanent rabbitfish that will eat it. lawnmower blennies and tangs wont make a dent in it even if they do eat it.
you should try a iron based phosphate removal media (TLF phosban, magnavore phos-lock, dr foster and smith phospure or rowa rowaphos) preferably in a reactor (I just have it in a media bag stuffed between dividers in my sump but the water HAS to pass thru it to reach my return pump). the prices are different (phospure cheapest but only available one place and rowaphos most expensive) but they are the exact same thing other than rowaphos being shipped moist(use the one you can get cheapest locally or online).
manually remove the hair algae as much as possible (I usually scrape it off with a butter knife often grading off a good portion of aragonite off the rock with it. out the tank and dunked in bucket of saltwater is best), large water change and run the media. If it comes back strong or unmanageably with the media and freshly mixed water then there is probably a problem with the supply water, salt mix or food/feeding habits (assuming your nitrates are low. phospate test are fairly useless when you have an algae problem since the algae is harboring much of it and most test kits arent that good).
http:///forum/post/2712707
The soft hairy algae on the rocks, not the hard to get off kind but the easy kind. I have about a 55 gallon tank.
honestly nothing besides large mexican turbo's and sea hares (neither may be suitable) eat that stuff. you may get a indiscrimanent rabbitfish that will eat it. lawnmower blennies and tangs wont make a dent in it even if they do eat it.
you should try a iron based phosphate removal media (TLF phosban, magnavore phos-lock, dr foster and smith phospure or rowa rowaphos) preferably in a reactor (I just have it in a media bag stuffed between dividers in my sump but the water HAS to pass thru it to reach my return pump). the prices are different (phospure cheapest but only available one place and rowaphos most expensive) but they are the exact same thing other than rowaphos being shipped moist(use the one you can get cheapest locally or online).
manually remove the hair algae as much as possible (I usually scrape it off with a butter knife often grading off a good portion of aragonite off the rock with it. out the tank and dunked in bucket of saltwater is best), large water change and run the media. If it comes back strong or unmanageably with the media and freshly mixed water then there is probably a problem with the supply water, salt mix or food/feeding habits (assuming your nitrates are low. phospate test are fairly useless when you have an algae problem since the algae is harboring much of it and most test kits arent that good).
stanlalee
Active Member
I dont know of one case where fish cured hair algae. It grows back as fast as it can be eaten. even if you dont manually remove or the fish eat it you have to starve it to keep it gone. 95% of the time its phospates it needs to be starved from so the media is still a good idea. phophate reactors only cost about $40 TLF, kent or ViaAqua (best bet, cheapest at $35, includes everything and seals best) and the media isn't but about $8-15. the kent and TLF (two little fishies) require a small powerhead and 1/2 tubing. well worth the cost and noticeable within a week even if you do get fish to chomp it (unlikely. you'd do better with the mexican turbo's and seahares).
stanlalee
Active Member
Originally Posted by meeks101
http:///forum/post/2712784
What exactly are mexican turbos and sea hares? I mean I've heard of them but like what are they?
mexican turbo snail. only cons are they get large and may bulldoze loose rock and possibly starve if you dont have sufficient algae to begin with. they also prefer cooler waters so their life expectancy is reduced at tropical temps.
sea hare is just a sea slug. they will devower hair algae. again the only real problem is size and their appetite is usually larger than an aquarium can sustain. almost garaunteed to finish off your hair algae but then you'll need to find somewhere for it. also fense off any overflow openings (dont want one of these guys blocking it off accidentally. make sure you get the right species (some species arent reef safe)
http:///forum/post/2712784
What exactly are mexican turbos and sea hares? I mean I've heard of them but like what are they?
mexican turbo snail. only cons are they get large and may bulldoze loose rock and possibly starve if you dont have sufficient algae to begin with. they also prefer cooler waters so their life expectancy is reduced at tropical temps.
sea hare is just a sea slug. they will devower hair algae. again the only real problem is size and their appetite is usually larger than an aquarium can sustain. almost garaunteed to finish off your hair algae but then you'll need to find somewhere for it. also fense off any overflow openings (dont want one of these guys blocking it off accidentally. make sure you get the right species (some species arent reef safe)
