Best hair algae eater

[bug0926]

What do people think is the best hair algae eater? I think if I can get something that will clean up what remains of my hair algae I might be able to solve the problem. What does the best job?

 

[minibowmatt]

your fingers.


I havent found a good animal that will eat all lengths of HA. Some snails and crabs will eat the small HA, and some fish will nibble it too, but I havent found anything that will completely eradicate it all, except WC's and manual removal.

You need to figure out why you have HA in order to remove it effectively.

 

[Anonymous]

Tooth Brush Tang coupled with a siphon hose.

Nothing beats manual removal of hair algea. Make it go away.

Louey

 

[bug0926]

I think it's just due to a maturing tank. It's less than 6 months old, relatively lightly stocked for a 120g...up until two weeks ago it had just 2 false perculas and a hippo, now it has a kole tang and a six line as well. About 100 lbs of live rock...

Skimming hasn't been great, but I just adjusted the sump level and the etss skimmer and it is much better and lowered the mh lighting to 7 hours a day now...

I'll do some manual cleaning and see if that helps...

I use RO/DI water, testing hasn't shown any problems (no phosphates, silicates)...so I am not sure why...

 

[Anonymous]

Keep removing it. If its a new tank its probably part or the maturation process.

Crank up the skimmer and make sure you blast the LR with a turkey baster and/or powerhead weekly to get the detritus in suspension so the skimmer can get it out.
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House MD Forum

 

[Anonymous]

Urchins mow it down for me.

 

[fishfanatic2]

Urchins mow it down for me.

What kind? I recently lost a pencil urchin due to an unknown cause, but he didn't seem to eat much of mine.

 

[Anonymous]

I wonder if a scat or mono would eat it?

 

[Anonymous]

Urchins mow it down for me.

What kind? I recently lost a pencil urchin due to an unknown cause, but he didn't seem to eat much of mine.

Pencil Urchins are carnivores. Use something like E. Lacunter. They come free with Gulf rock LOL

Diadema and Tuxedo's are good too.

 

[fishfanatic2]

I wonder if a scat or mono would eat it?

I'd really hate to see scat eating something. :wink:

 

[fishfanatic2]

Urchins mow it down for me.

What kind? I recently lost a pencil urchin due to an unknown cause, but he didn't seem to eat much of mine.

Pencil Urchins are carnivores. Use something like E. Lacunter. They come free with Gulf rock LOL

Diadema and Tuxedo's are good too.

Thanks, I might try one.

 

[Anonymous]

Tooth Brush Tang coupled with a siphon hose.

I've been doing well with my Tang.

Anne[/quote]

 

[bryndle0313]

The hands down best hair algae eater I have seen and used is a sea hare. They just love it! Only down side is they will wonder into powerhead intakes if not screened (Opps).

 

[trido]

SEE.. I love this site.. I was just logging in to ask about hair algea in my two zoa colonies and here is a thread right up top about it.
that answers alot of my questions. But how do i get it out from in between indidvidual zoas without hurting them?
Also, I see skimmer sugestions. Should i remove the foam filter that my Sea clone comes with? I assume its only to protect the impeller from foreign objects.
Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

I want to change my response.

Nothing eats that stuff. The only thing I will try next is a dpth charge set at 1 ft. I will try and film it.
_________________
Ferrari 575M Maranello

 

[SnowManSnow]

cover it with somthing to starve it of light for a few months.

B

 

[Anonymous]

I think that blasting the rock to hard is not a good idea. What I have done that works the best is water changes and swishing the rock in a bucket. I think that if you blast to hard and often that it pushes the stuff in further.
I noticed such a difference in rock that I only swish and lightly baist. And every week I am seeing more and more critters.

I do almost 50% WC a week and then some more during the week if I can. I also see a difference in mixing the water 2 days before I use it. The PH is a lot higher and the Ca. levels are higher then when I first mix.

Teddy