Have a fluval 13.5 looking to take of a the hair algae I have no. I try to keep it in check but not having the best solution. Looking to add better things that will take care of my problem without adding chemicals into the tank. Currently just have 6 nassarius snails. Thinking off adding some other things to tackle my problem
Best Cuc team????
- Thread starter mraysberg
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Sophie"s mom
Valuable Member
Pitho crabs are reef safe and great algae eaters, but once algae is gone, they will need seaweed to supplement
EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal
Just another girl who likes fish
Nassarius snails do not eat algae
Turbos are the best for hair algae, and I like to mix them with astreas and trochus
EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal
Just another girl who likes fish
Your tank is only 2 months old. You'll have a few months of algaes to deal with...
Naekuh
Valuable Member
Turbos, even mexicans are too big for a 13 gal. Same can be said about Trochus, well most of them, hence why you get the small cousins the Astreas.
You want Astreas, but most of us have a love hate relationship with them, because if they flip over they die.
And i always wondered how they made it past evolution and not learn to flip themselves over.
Cernith are great sand stirers.
I also like my Money Cowry... its one of the only reef safe cowry's tho, so don't think they are all reef safe.
But i would go a mix of 5 x Astreas, 15 x Cernith, 30 x dwarf Cernith (these guys are TINY so don't let the amount scare you), 10 Nessarius to help with detritus on the sand bed, and probably 1-2 money cowrys. For a 13 gal.
You want Astreas, but most of us have a love hate relationship with them, because if they flip over they die.
And i always wondered how they made it past evolution and not learn to flip themselves over.
Cernith are great sand stirers.
I also like my Money Cowry... its one of the only reef safe cowry's tho, so don't think they are all reef safe.
But i would go a mix of 5 x Astreas, 15 x Cernith, 30 x dwarf Cernith (these guys are TINY so don't let the amount scare you), 10 Nessarius to help with detritus on the sand bed, and probably 1-2 money cowrys. For a 13 gal.
TinnysReef
Active Member
If you have a place for it to go after it gets too big or all of the algae is gone I'd vote for a small pincushion urchin. They get big fast so would need a new home in a few months.
EricR
2500 Club Member
Do you have a picture of your hair algae issue?
I'd assume it's on the rocks but just guessing.
My opinion for best hair algae removal on rough/porous rocks is:
1. Manual removal
2. Hermit crabs but I don't personally keep them anymore (due mainly to snail predation)
I'd assume it's on the rocks but just guessing.
My opinion for best hair algae removal on rough/porous rocks is:
1. Manual removal
2. Hermit crabs but I don't personally keep them anymore (due mainly to snail predation)
In my algae ridden Evo, the thing that worked the best was draining the tank halfway, ripping up all he hair algae to the roots, misting the surface with H2O2, waiting a few minutes, and then adding water back in. The remaining long GHA died. Of course, GHA would be back. So I had 2 turbo snails and a tuxedo urchin (not recommended for a 2mo old tank), along with other snails. They worked constantly, and I never saw any more GHA. But, I had to supplement them daily or every other day with nori. It was worth it. The rocks stayed clean until I shut down the tank and gave away the turbos and the urchin.
