Hair algae ugh - what to do?

[paddyob]

My yellow tang won't eat hair algae anymore. Trained on pellets.

I wanted a lawnmower blenny... But someone told me they may not touch it.

Thinking another tang. Kole maybe.

Ideas?

[Carandiru]

Tackle your phosphates, you can use a phosphate remover like RowaPhos or some other General GFO. Hair algae loves phosphates and in your case go after the cause of them. Manually picking them out and removing from tank works good but you need to reduce phosphates so they don't grow back.

[Proteus]

Is a sea hare out of the question for you

[stellarfly]

Adding things like sea hares, and tangs and blennies is almost always a reactive step to a much bigger issue. Algae problems, like mentioned before are almost always an input issue. Just cause a creature can eat it faster than the algae can appear is not a solution. Find the root of the problem such as managing your inputs. Make sure to rinse food before putting it in the tank. Feeding corals with a lot of stuff can be a recipe for a trashed tank as well.
Also, is your skimmer under rated for your tank? clean the skimmer cup every 3-4 days. Running GFO (or something like it). Also, remember that fixing algae issues is gonna take time. Another thing that people over look is things like rock work. Is the aquascaping as open as possible? preventing detritus from building up helps as well. Last piece of advice is to be patient. Stick to it and stay the course. eventually u will win the war on algae.

Hope that helps

[Proteus]

I agree with above post. But it's nice to be rid of the algea while fixing the problem

[paddyob]

Adding things like sea hares, and tangs and blennies is almost always a reactive step to a much bigger issue. Algae problems, like mentioned before are almost always an input issue. Just cause a creature can eat it faster than the algae can appear is not a solution. Find the root of the problem such as managing your inputs. Make sure to rinse food before putting it in the tank. Feeding corals with a lot of stuff can be a recipe for a trashed tank as well.
Also, is your skimmer under rated for your tank? clean the skimmer cup every 3-4 days. Running GFO (or something like it). Also, remember that fixing algae issues is gonna take time. Another thing that people over look is things like rock work. Is the aquascaping as open as possible? preventing detritus from building up helps as well. Last piece of advice is to be patient. Stick to it and stay the course. eventually u will win the war on algae.

Hope that helps


Feeding is not the issue. NLS Pellets only. On an auto timer. Small feedings. Corals get fed once every 3-4 weeks max these days.

When testing... no detectable PO4.

Its just on the back glass where its hard to reach and its something I want a CUC item to help with.

Thanks

[paddyob]

Is a sea hare out of the question for you

The potential to crash my tank is something I avoid. I heard they can go and take your whole tank.

I have not done nearly the research necessary to even consider one. At this point anyhow.

[paddyob]

Tackle your phosphates, you can use a phosphate remover like RowaPhos or some other General GFO. Hair algae loves phosphates and in your case go after the cause of them. Manually picking them out and removing from tank works good but you need to reduce phosphates so they don't grow back.

No detectable PO4. I have been running bio pellets which are supposed to help. Used them the last 18 mths and only recently algae issues.

[Proteus]

The potential to crash my tank is something I avoid. I heard they can go and take your whole tank.

I have not done nearly the research necessary to even consider one. At this point anyhow.

Yeah a sea hare can release a purple ink when disturbed. And this ink is toxic to a closed system. Though. A lettuce nudi will not crash a tank. At worst if shredded by powerhead you'll have 30 babies

[NIVLEM09]

astrea,turbo snails are good algae grazers

[RuGlu6]

My yellow tang won't eat hair algae anymore. Trained on pellets.

I wanted a lawnmower blenny... But someone told me they may not touch it.

Thinking another tang. Kole maybe.

Ideas?
Depending on a size of you tank try several different sea urchins.
Tuxedo and Lava is good choice. Lava Urchin eat my clove polyps (large green type) too that's why i sold it. But that may be a benefit for someone else.
Po4 is there even you are testing zero or low p04 that's in water. Your rocks are "Home Depot" of phosphates and that what HA is feeding on.

Fish will not go and eat hard hair algae if other softer food is available (pellets).

If you don't have light sensitive corals lower or turn off you light.
Also you can cover HA with shells.
Well regular water changes as well as other techniques to eliminate phosphates and other sources of HA foods will obviously work, but it is harder now when HA is there.

[Carandiru]

Well the only thing that comes to mind is reduce the light cycle per day, emerald crabs and huge snails would work on it in the mean time.

[mike31154]

Feeding is not the issue. NLS Pellets only. On an auto timer. Small feedings. Corals get fed once every 3-4 weeks max these days.

When testing... no detectable PO4.

Its just on the back glass where its hard to reach and its something I want a CUC item to help with.

Thanks

If it's limited to that area & not impacting any of your livestock, might as well rejoice, you have a free algae scrubber. Best phosphate removal system there is.

[paddyob]

If it's limited to that area & not impacting any of your livestock, might as well rejoice, you have a free algae scrubber. Best phosphate removal system there is.

Looks like a$$ though. I know it sucks po4 just not pleasing and it gets stuck to my power heads and overflow box.

[paddyob]

Well the only thing that comes to mind is reduce the light cycle per day, emerald crabs and huge snails would work on it in the mean time.

My buddy had an emerald. No help with anything.