Green Hair Algae Cure

[saweasel]

Just wanted to let you all know how I finally got rid of my hair algae. I bought a sea hare and in one month my tank was 98% clean of the hair algae.
My tank is a 75 mixed reef. It looked pretty bad. I had the problem for months and wasn't able to get it under control. Tried various suggestions but they didn't work for me.
Well, just thought I would pass this on since I've learned so much from the group.

Now I just have to see if I can keep the hair algae from taking over again after the sea hare is gone.

[Mr Cob]

great news. What size tank.? I occasionally buy rocks with hair algae for the Tangs and they clean all hair algae within a day.

[Europhyllia]

How worried are you about that sea hare dying? Isn't it one of those critters that release some kind of toxin

[mabel_photo6]

I've had about 3 different seahares at 3 different times. Longest lasted me like 3 weeks.
They died so quick, I had no idea why.
My water was fine too.
But I think mine was a short bloom of algae 'cause now it's totally gone.
My Tuxedo Urchin helped some too but he seemed to prefer the coralline algae.
Doesn't bother me much since he's a slow grazer. By the time he's munched a good area out... he moves to the other side of the tank and it seems the coralline algae grows back like nothing.

[phippsj]

I bought an orange spot rabbit fish. That thing cleared my 180G of hair algae in 3 days. I now wish I could grow some just to feed it!

[saweasel]

My tank is a 75 gallon with a 20 gallon sump. I put the sea Hare in the sump to clean it up.
I am worried that he doesn't have enough to eat so I will be getting him out soon. I also tried a pencil urchin but he didn't eat much of the hair. He does keep the rocks clean so i will keep him. The urchin seems to prefer the corralline algae instead.

[Mr3plus1]

Ive tried a Sea Hare and a Sea Cucumber and both disappeared within a week of dropping them in the tank. Not sure if they got stuck somewhere and the crabs ate them or the black brittle starfish hiding in the rockwork picked them up. Whatever the case, neither poisoned my tank when they vanished.

[cyrus]

I bought an orange spot rabbit fish. That thing cleared my 180G of hair algae in 3 days. I now wish I could grow some just to feed it!

Is that the only rabbit or foxface that will eat hair algae?

[ismvel]

Isn't it one of those critters that release some kind of toxin
I read that they do release something, but it isn't toxic or as toxic as a sea cucumber or sea apple. I hear those two can nuke tanks...Don't know never had either one. I do plenty well tearing up my tanks on my own ;)

[ErikH]

I had a sea apple once. ONCE. :(

It made my tank look like a gallon of milk got poured into it.

[diego]

Erik I remember that. That was crazy.

[cyrus]

raise your MAG to 1500-1600 It will kill off the types of hair algae that fish and snails woun't touch.

[BIGBIRD123]

my mag is at 1550 and i have a sea hare...95% gone...now growing some in the wife's tank for my sea hares new condo...lol

[kkiel02]

raise your MAG to 1500-1600 It will kill off the types of hair algae that fish and snails woun't touch.

Is there hair algae that fish wont touch? jk My tangs do eat it all though, I guess Im lucky.

[cyrus]

My 240g is in cycle and I run lights 24hrs. I turned them off for a day and lost a butt load of my hair algae. Now that I know I can keep it in check I'm going to let it grow like mad! I only have one tang in there and she eats the crap out of it.

[jlh81]

Like rob said get some tangs they love that hair

[cyrus]

Is there hair algae that fish wont touch? jk My tangs do eat it all though, I guess Im lucky.


yes I read up on it the other day "ber" something is the latin name. fish just wount touch it. I'll try and find the article again thats were you raise your MAG in combo with the eaters and thats why bigbirds got it beat. Its a cheap laborless solution. Just mind your ph.

[Europhyllia]

I am pretty sure raising mag is specific to getting rid of bryopsis -not hair algae.
If you have bryopsis though the Kent Tech-M will work great. Just be prepared that hair algae will replace the dead bryopsis if your nutrient levels still support algae growth.
http://bryopsis.com/

[BIGBIRD123]

It might be Karin, but it worked for me and still is. I hope to not get rid of it all because it looks cool having that sea hare truckin' 'round the tank. He runs 24/7. He's real healthy.

[Europhyllia]

I'd love a seahare but I am afraid of his interaction with the Vortechs :(

[BIGBIRD123]

I'd love a seahare but I am afraid of his interaction with the Vortechs :(


I think if you kept the sponge covers on them, he'd be fine. He doesn't go near my wavebox.

[BIGBIRD123]

Those Blue-spots are so purdy...

[Europhyllia]

I kind of liked the Bursatella more than the Dolabella. (don't want it to get too big).
I am so lazy about cleaning the sponge covers... scrubbing sponge covers or living without a seahare... got to make up my mind! lol

[cyrus]

Yes that is the one I was shooting for Euro thankyou. was my statement correct that nothing will eat the bryopsis?

[Europhyllia]

cyrus I think the only thing I came across tht's supposed to eat it is the lettuce nudibranch . Most other animals can't eat it in large amounts because of some kind of toxic substance in it.
The lettuce nudibranch eats only bryopsis and will starve once it's gone. The Kent Tech-M has done the trick for me before (see above link). Once the bryopsis is gone hair algae tends to take its place but of course there are lots of critters eating hair algae so that's easier to manage with herbivores. :)

[cyrus]

I'm actually planing for the opposite I want a full scale algae bloom of the hair and wount be upset if bryopsis forces me to buy a nudi lol

[MKCindy]

I have had my Sea Hare for over a year. He is wonderful. When my tank is clean, I scoop him up and float him in the other tank for 20-30 min. and release. If there isn't much green hair, I add some sea weed on a clip at dark time. (so other fish don't get it first) He will find it and loves it too. During the day, he buries himself in the sand, so be careful rearranging rock. Mine climbs on my Kor 4, cleaning the outside, I do have protective shields on the fronts just in case. Once, he cleaned my over flo, found him wedged next to the grill and used a wood dowel rod to gently flip him back in the tank without issue. Amazing to watch and surprisingly, rarely rearranges my tank.

[SoLiD]

Erik I remember that. That was crazy.

Yeah Me Too... :what_smile: