Hair Algae Cures?

[fio1022]

I looking for a way to eradicate green hair algae.i read a thread the other day on Bryopsis and raising mag levels to around 1600 which appartently kills it.I don't think I have that type of algae.My tank is heavily stocked and I'm wondering if there is a way to manage it or kill it without removing any fish.
I'm hesitant to add anything that will eat it unless its a sure thing!

 

[ScubaDiver93]

tang?

 

[Chef Reef]

cucumber.. my little 3 inch cucumber (forget what he is just all black little spines.. basic cucumber) just finished eating all mine.. my tank is 30 gals and was covered.. took him about 2 weeks to get it all.. just remember at least 20 gals of water per cucumber...

best off all there only like 2-3 bucks a pop..

 

[Trigeek]

Trochus snails are another option.

 

[MeuserReef]

Snails and time.... in that order.

 

[HDAlien]

What kind of cucumbers are you referring to? The only ones I saw on marinedepotlive.com are like $23.00 a pop?

 

[Lytehouse]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10691202#post10691202 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MeuserReef
Snails and time.... in that order.

That's also been my experience and advise given to me.

 

[darkcirca]

My best experience was used a phosban reactor and a tang. I recently had an outbreak back in July when my Yellow Tang died, it just started popping up everywhere. I added phosban at the end of July, and a tang about 2-3 weeks ago. I only see a few random spots of algae, which the turbos are getting to as well.

 

[rickytikki]

Search on here for how to get rid of nitrates and phosphates. There is no really quick cure for it, but if you can control PO4 and NO3, it will eventually go away and not return (at least not bad). As far as what eats it (not always but these all have the propensity) here you go:

sea hare (watch out for powerheads)
sailfin tang (get big)
turbo snails (other snails will eat it, but these are the best)
blennies
emerald crabs

I'm sure I'm forgetting some, but that's a good start. Control the two above nutrients is my best advice.

Also skim a lot, have a good cleanup crew, rinse your food, and pull as much of it out as you can, if you leave any, when it dies it will release NO3 and PO4 back into the system, just fueling the fire.

 

[chrisqueenz]

A friend threw an orange spotted rabbit fish (I think thats what its called) and ate my hair algea within 4 days.. But I also had to correct some things within my water parameters...

 

[fio1022]

I have a Kole tang,great fish constantly plucking at rock but doesn't touch hair algae.Have numeruos snails and crabs.Also using Phosban in a reactor.
I was leaning towards a sea hare or a cucumber.I really don't know the difference between the two and if there is a certain type that eat hair algae.
I saw a pink cucumber at local LFS but again I don't know much about it.

 

[Alexj716]

I am running into the same problem. So I pick up a small sailfin tang and a long spine urchin. The both seem to be doing a great job. The tang is nipping at the algae all day.

 

[coral_crazy150]

Lawnmower blennies feed on hair algea, at least thats what i have been told and mine does.

 

[rickytikki]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10692866#post10692866 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coral_crazy150
Lawnmower blennies feed on hair algea, at least thats what i have been told and mine does.

mine picks at it, but it doesn't make a whole lot of difference