Hair Algae

[jap1]

Well, for the past few months I've been dealing with hair algae. It wasn't too much in the past, but now it's growing around and choking out my zoos, xenia and my other softies. What's the best way to rid myself of this nuisance. And yes, I know I'll be treating the symptoms and not the root of the problem. I just really want to get rid of it once and for all. Now once that's accomplished, what really can you do to treat the source of the problem other than regular water changes using RO/DI, not overfeeding, and not overstocking? All of which I'm pretty good about. My Scooter Blenny just died today for some inexplicable reason, so now I'm back down to only one fish. Definately not overstocked. :(

[aprilmayjune]

I got a seahare for my hair algae. He cleaned up my tank in a couple days, granted mine wasn't that bad.

[DaBird47]

There's allways the trusty Lawnmower Blenny...works every time and a really cool fish....

[caferacermike]

Sea hares rock. I'm so glad I got RCA to stock them regularly. I see you like your blue spot so much you made it an avatar. Check out the smooth green "dwarf" if you get a chance.

[aprilmayjune]

I can't find anything about the green dwarf online. I think I have seen them before though. Do you know of a website that has a picture at least?

[Hotrod32487]

I had hair algae real bad on one particular rock. It was there for a few months and finally i just started placing my mexican turbo snails and other little ones on it every chance i could (2-3x/day) The algae completely went away in about a week and i havent seen a trace since, and i use tap water

[caferacermike]

There's allways the trusty Lawnmower Blenny...works every time and a really cool fish....

My lawnmower switched over t prepared frozen soon after establishing itself in the tank. Tangs are supposed to really do it as well but I haven't tried any.

[reeferRob]

There's allways the trusty Lawnmower Blenny...works every time and a really cool fish....

except the times you have a Hawkfish kickin his ***** every time he tries to eat. :angry but mine doesn't seem to do much with the hair alge. He like the rest of my clean-up crew pick at the cleanest rocks around and don't go near the hair algae :sick my .02

My Tangs do very little to the hair algae either i dunno :unsure

[mkengr45]

I have a hair algae problem also, but am not sure what the cause of it is. My tank is a 240 gallon square (4'X4'X2'), with about 300# LR, lots of corals (LPS, Ricordia, and a few SPS), I have 1 blue tang 1 maroon clown 1 watchman goby 1 bicolor pseudochromis. I have lots of snails and crabs, and just recently added a sea hare. I do 40 gallon water changes every 3 weeks using RO/DI water. I test the TDS of my RO water and it is less than 5ppm everytime. I run carbon and Phosban. I only feed maybe 1 cube of brine twice a week. I also have a 20gallon fuge with cheato. I don't feel like I am overfeeding and I am not over stocked. I mean come on, 4 fish in a 240 with plenty of rock. I run 2 250w halides with fairly new bulbs, and I keep up with water changes. My tank has massive amounts of xenia also. What do you folks think? Overstocked (I think not)? Overfeeding (I don't think)? Whats the deal here........ Also, I have had the rock for several years so I know its not a cycling issue. What are your thoughts?

Randy

[reeferRob]

I have a hair algae problem also, but am not sure what the cause of it is. My tank is a 240 gallon square (4'X4'X2'), with about 300# LR, lots of corals (LPS, Ricordia, and a few SPS), I have 1 blue tang 1 maroon clown 1 watchman goby 1 bicolor pseudochromis. I have lots of snails and crabs, and just recently added a sea hare. I do 40 gallon water changes every 3 weeks using RO/DI water. I test the TDS of my RO water and it is less than 5ppm everytime. I run carbon and Phosban. I only feed maybe 1 cube of brine twice a week. I also have a 20gallon fuge with cheato. I don't feel like I am overfeeding and I am not over stocked. I mean come on, 4 fish in a 240 with plenty of rock. I run 2 250w halides with fairly new bulbs, and I keep up with water changes. My tank has massive amounts of xenia also. What do you folks think? Overstocked (I think not)? Overfeeding (I don't think)? Whats the deal here........ Also, I have had the rock for several years so I know its not a cycling issue. What are your thoughts?

Randy

I'm listenin!! I have a 180 w/20g sump, 200lb LR about a year old, 35g or > RO/DI every week lately sometimes 2, tried phosban reactor, rarely feed anything :huh can't find source of trates? always above 40 (ordered a salifert nitrate kit, not sure how accurate this one is)

[jap1]

Wow, I guess I'm not the only one. Hehe. I'm amazed you have the same problem in a 240! And HotRod has no hair algae and uses tap water?! That is too cool, Hotrod. I've heard before that phosphates and nitrates lead to hair algae, but no problems with those. Especially in ReeferRob and MKenger's cases. Well, I'm in a 12 Gallon Nano. Would a sea hare be too big for it? And I've seen lawnmower blennys that were pretty large. Do ya'll think I could get a baby that would be as effective? I'd trade him back to the LFS once he got too big for my little tank.

[Jeff]

try some sailfin mollies and black mollies, it is rumored that they will eat hair algea,and since they are pregnant all the time you get a free source of food.