So Much Hair Algae!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Spotted Leopard]

Well...I can't use snails because I have reef hermits-reef hermits kill snails.

 

[Spotted Leopard]

Is there some sort of chemical I could put into the tank to kill the algae?

 

[Plantbrain]

That does not address the cause, merely treats the symtom.

To deal with algae, you need to focus on the inducement, the germination, the life history to control and manage it.

You need to see what specifically induces it, not mere correelation of speculation without any real testing.

You will rarely get anywhere without going through that process and be dependent on the symtom treatment from then on, which ususally has a fitness penalty for other non target organisms.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[mastou]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10463759#post10463759 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Spotted Leopard
Well...I can't use snails because I have reef hermits-reef hermits kill snails.

Maybe Columbellid snails are the answer, they spawn in my aquarium and despite the presence of three different hermits they have been growing in number in my aquarium
They will not be able to eat the macro algae but maybe prevent them from reappearing...

/Magnus

 

[cnidaria nut]

Spotted Leopard, what are these "reef hermits"? Not all hermits will eat snails, and not all "turbos" are equal. Get the mexican turbos wich are large, and red leg hermits wich don't usually kill snails. Blue leg hermits kill snails a lot from what I've seen. Just trying to help.

 

[Spotted Leopard]

well...I have 7 blue-legs and some extremely large hermits (larger than red legs) that I forgot the name too-but the LFS told me they would kill any snails they come in contact.

 

[Spotted Leopard]

Don't hermits also eat hair algae as well as snails?

 

[cnidaria nut]

Hermits eat algae too, correct. Blue leg hermits are notorious for eating snails however. The snails do the better job at cleaning algae, it's all they eat whereas the hermits will also readily eat meat. If you are attached to these hermits you will just have to limit your nutrients better. If you are not really attached to them I would suggest you remove them and replace with snails. They will do a much better job, and you can still have some red leg hermits with them without a problem.

 

[rcypert]

Nothing works. True story. To get rid of my hair algae I took all my infested rock to the fish store and left it in one of their cleaner crew tanks for a month. That was like a year ago. A Kole tang helped me keep it nice for a while. Sold him when I moved. Its back.

 

[Spotted Leopard]

I think I'll stick with my blue-legs.

I forgot to mention that I hate snails

 

[Spotted Leopard]

After brushing the rock with a toothbrush, the algae hasn't come back from what I'm observing. I think I know why. Before, the algae was like 3 inches high covering a total area of 4 square feet. So the hermits couldn't keep up with the algae growth. But now, there is only like 4 square inches of algae ! So the hermits probably can easily take down that little amount of algae.

Does this theory sound legitimate?