hair algea
- Thread starter nemogonecrazy
- Start date
Yes that is Hair Alge.
Emerald crabs are supposed to eat it. As well as several types of snails. Also some tangs will eat it. (usually bristle tooth, but i'm not sure)
what are your tank readings. Are you using RO/DI water.
The hair alge is indicitive of hight levels of nutrients in your water. I have found though i have no readings for Nitrate, Nitrite, and Amonia I still get hair alge because I use tap water. (phosphates) However, the level of hair algea I get in my tank is not to the level that it is a nusance.
Emerald crabs are supposed to eat it. As well as several types of snails. Also some tangs will eat it. (usually bristle tooth, but i'm not sure)
what are your tank readings. Are you using RO/DI water.
The hair alge is indicitive of hight levels of nutrients in your water. I have found though i have no readings for Nitrate, Nitrite, and Amonia I still get hair alge because I use tap water. (phosphates) However, the level of hair algea I get in my tank is not to the level that it is a nusance.
synchiropi
Low energy alien reefer
I had a significant amount of hair algae. However, a few weeks ago I got a sea hare from Spectrum. This sea hare took its time but it finally defeated the algae. I did help him a little by removing some of the easily accesible clumps.
I am actually looking for a new home for him, since my tank is now running out of algae. I will substitute him for one or two lettuce nudibranchs, since those should be able to take care of any future algae.
One other thing is that, the sea hare does not pay attention to bubble algae. I think emerald crabs are a favorite for dealing with that.
I am actually looking for a new home for him, since my tank is now running out of algae. I will substitute him for one or two lettuce nudibranchs, since those should be able to take care of any future algae.
One other thing is that, the sea hare does not pay attention to bubble algae. I think emerald crabs are a favorite for dealing with that.
nemogonecrazy
Non-member
im still kinda new never saw a sea hare what does it look like
my readings are good too no phos or any of the others..
my readings are good too no phos or any of the others..
NateHanson
Non-member
that's a lot of hair algae 
.
Sounds like sea hares have worked for some, although they are short lived. If you can get one locally that is a proven survivor I'd definitely do that.
Other options, as people have noted are lettuce nudibranchs and mexican turbos. I've personally never seen an emerald crab pay much attention to hair algae.
A tang could help if your tank is big enough for one.
Try feeding less, and make sure your water source is clean.
Nate
.Sounds like sea hares have worked for some, although they are short lived. If you can get one locally that is a proven survivor I'd definitely do that.
Other options, as people have noted are lettuce nudibranchs and mexican turbos. I've personally never seen an emerald crab pay much attention to hair algae.
A tang could help if your tank is big enough for one.
Try feeding less, and make sure your water source is clean.
Nate
synchiropi
Low energy alien reefer
About the sea hare:
The one I have is identical to the one in this website. I agree with everything this guy says. They are REALLY ugly, SO ugly that they are interesting.
http://www.janetsreef.com/sea_hare.htm
The one thing is that the sea hare goes to sleep late at night till early evening (he is always under sand when i see my tank in the morning). So I think its really important to have a substrate to make it happy.
Furthermore, acclimatization has to be done slowly. If distressed too much, the sea hare secrets ink, like an octopus. You would need to have activated carbon, just in case. The ink is not toxic per se, but it might distress the other beings in the tank. Then again, Spectrum took it out with his hand, and I brought back home w/o any problems.
The one I have is identical to the one in this website. I agree with everything this guy says. They are REALLY ugly, SO ugly that they are interesting.
http://www.janetsreef.com/sea_hare.htm
The one thing is that the sea hare goes to sleep late at night till early evening (he is always under sand when i see my tank in the morning). So I think its really important to have a substrate to make it happy.
Furthermore, acclimatization has to be done slowly. If distressed too much, the sea hare secrets ink, like an octopus. You would need to have activated carbon, just in case. The ink is not toxic per se, but it might distress the other beings in the tank. Then again, Spectrum took it out with his hand, and I brought back home w/o any problems.
Last edited:
Moe_K
Stabbed by Foulke
Work on your nutrient control.
Are you using RO or RO/DI water?
Is your skimmer working well? Is the skimmer undersized for your tank?
Do you drip kalkwasser? You may want to do so. It helps w/ phosphate control.
Look into a refugium with macro-algae like Chaetomorpha and Gracilaria. They'll use up any available nutrients.
I know your test results say zero PO4 now, but that could be because the hair algae (HA) has sucked up all the available PO4, and none is available for testing.
Are you using RO or RO/DI water?
Is your skimmer working well? Is the skimmer undersized for your tank?
Do you drip kalkwasser? You may want to do so. It helps w/ phosphate control.
Look into a refugium with macro-algae like Chaetomorpha and Gracilaria. They'll use up any available nutrients.
I know your test results say zero PO4 now, but that could be because the hair algae (HA) has sucked up all the available PO4, and none is available for testing.
