Which tangs eat both hair and bubble algae?

[zachfishman]

My 120 has both hair and bubble algae (plus a small variety of other "hard" green algae - like valonia but in different shapes and configurations). I was planning on buying a sailfin tang to take care of the harder and bubble algaes, and a yellow tang for the hair algae. Is there another tang that like both micro and macro algae? Do yellows eat valonia? I know my other sailfin won't touch hair algae but demolishes valonia. I have already reduced phosphates and nitrates to zip, but the stuff still grows.

 

[Teraphage]

No tang species will always eat both (or either type) reliably. I've seen the best success with Ctenochaetus (ie Kole or Chevron Tang) for hair and other low lying algae that needs to be rasped from the rock surface. My Kole won't touch valonia though. My foxface (as well as other rabbitfish) I've seen chow on valonia, and will also eat hair algae once it's grown into a long enough plume for his mouth to take a bite of. In my experience few people get hair algae under control until they set up a refugium; bryopsis and derbesia are just too darn efficient at sequestering nutrients. Best of luck.

Steve