Chevron + hair algae

[Dawn II]

I've had the chevron about a week now- 3 yr. old tank- he eats in the sand and on the rocks, but not the vivible clumps of hair algae I teep brushing with a toothbrush!

 

[marrone]

I would try a Rabbit fish or Foxface on the hair algae.

 

[Dawn II]

No- they are not fish in my plan. Anyone else have a chevron??

 

[YoungReefer06]

Bristle Tooth Tangs such as the "Yellow Eyed" or "Kole" Tangs and your Chevron Tang are diatom and detrius eaters.

-Kyle

 

[Dawn II]

I see in reading Sprung's algae book that they take care of the algae film-perhaps this will help keep the new from forming, plus the rasping on the rocks!

 

[marrone]

They're probably aren't going to eat it, unless there is nothing else in the tank for them to eat, and you'll need to either get some thing else to get rid of it, like a rabbit fish or some small hermit crabs or get you nitrates or Phos. under control.

 

[Dawn II]

phosphate is zero

 

[tanglovers]

We had a chevron tang and he did not touch our hair algae. We used a long spine urchin and mexican turbo snails to take care of our hair algae. Had a bloom when we moved our tank, once it was eated got rid of the urchin and alot of the turbos and has been great since.

 

[Dawn II]

How many turbos?

 

[marrone]

Turbos snail aren't alway going to eat it and it's best to get a mixure of smail red/blue hermits and a couple of turbo and try taking as much out by hand as possible.

 

[tanglovers]

We did 2 dozen mexican turbos in 220 gallon reef with about 200-250 lbs of liverock.

We got rid of some now as I do not think we have enough algae to keep this many turbos long term. Like I said they devoured it but can not vouch if this was lucky or the norm for them.

 

[fishfiend00s]

Are the mexican turbos much larger then regular turbos?

 

[Vili_Shark]

They are often found for sale at larger size, but you can also get them small.

Zebrasoma spp. tangs will eat hair algae as well as Siganus spp. The Fox Face.

Hermit crabs will eat it, but it depends on how much you have.

If you have one of those huge blooms, its worth to check the water parameters and find out why you have such a bloom and take care of the water parameters as well as the algae itself.

 

[Dawn II]

Everything is in line- except the nitrate about 15. The tank is 3 years- this problem started about 6 monthes ago- i use the toothbrush to control it.