Best Hair Algae Eater?

MangoB · Jan 13, 2021

Hi R2R my tank is about 9 months old and I had a really bad hair algae outbreak after i moved the tank about 3-4 months ago. since I have balanced the tank (parameters below). The algae isn't growing or spreading anymore and I just want something to get rid of all of it. I have around 30 dwarf Ceriths, 15 Florida Ceriths, 5 Nerites, 6 Hermits, 2 green emerald crabs, and a lawnmower blenny. But none of them seem to mess with the hair algae too much so I was just looking for some suggestions for a really good hair algae eater.

Parameters:
Alk:9dkh
Ammonia:0ppm
Calcuim: 360ppm (want to raise a little)
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate:0ppm
Phosphate: undetectable
pH:8.2

MangoB · Jan 13, 2021

Tank is a 32g biocube

Daniel92481 · Jan 13, 2021

If you have 0 nitrates and 0 phosphates you will want to make sure you don’t have dino’s. They can sometimes look like GHA.

Dan1788 · Jan 13, 2021

I had a problem with hair recently.
I bought a Sailfin and a Cole tang and they are tore it to bits and it's gone.
The Cole tang in particular has done a excellent job.
Other than this Sea Hare is sussposed to be very good but if It dies it leaves a toxic waste that can wipe out a tank.

Dan1788 · Jan 13, 2021

Dan1788 said:
I had a problem with hair recently.
I bought a Sailfin and a Cole tang and they are tore it to bits and it's gone.
The Cole tang in particular has done a excellent job.
Other than this Sea Hare is sussposed to be very good but if It dies it leaves a toxic waste that can wipe out a tank.

Tang would be no good in this size of tank.
Vibrant is another good method.

Garf · Jan 13, 2021

Most algae eaters concentrate on the new short growth and leave the long stuff alone. If you can manually siphon it out, that works, or pick it off with a plastic tool and run it through filter media, then remove it that way. Then your crew should take over.

MangoB · Jan 13, 2021

Garf said:
Most algae eaters concentrate on the new short growth and leave the long stuff alone. If you can manually siphon it out, that works, or pick it off with a plastic tool and run it through filter media, then remove it that way. Then your crew should take over.

I've thought of this before but there is quite a bit on the back, would removing it harm the tank in any way?

Garf · Jan 13, 2021

MangoB said:
I've thought of this before but there is quite a bit on the back, would removing it harm the tank in any way?

Not if you make sure you actually remove it. You don’t want loads of it decaying in a dead spot anywhere, but a little is of no concern.

TriggersAmuck · Jan 13, 2021

I like Melev's Reef's method of using a cup of freshwater nearby to deposit any algae you rip out so it makes it easy to remove from your fingertips/hands as you work. Then add a pincushion (I have a purple pincushion) urchin and some turbo snails (I have Chestnut ones) which are good about eating and wandering within the rock work, not just the glass. I get the impression that the Cerith snails are better at cleaning the substrate. My purple pincushion is a beast of a lawnmower!

Camaro Show Corals · Jan 13, 2021

Are you using RODI water? Have you checked your tds?

ThePurple12 · Jan 13, 2021

Do you have a pic? It's possible that you have Bryopsis, and nothing that I'm aware of eats that except lettuce sea slugs.

mrrealmadrid · Jan 28, 2021

Lawnmower Blenny

Kfactor · Jan 28, 2021

Turbos did amazing job in my tank

TangGang · Jan 28, 2021

Tuxedo urchin

vetteguy53081 · Jan 28, 2021

MangoB said:
Hi R2R my tank is about 9 months old and I had a really bad hair algae outbreak after i moved the tank about 3-4 months ago. since I have balanced the tank (parameters below). The algae isn't growing or spreading anymore and I just want something to get rid of all of it. I have around 30 dwarf Ceriths, 15 Florida Ceriths, 5 Nerites, 6 Hermits, 2 green emerald crabs, and a lawnmower blenny. But none of them seem to mess with the hair algae too much so I was just looking for some suggestions for a really good hair algae eater.

Parameters:
Alk:9dkh
Ammonia:0ppm
Calcuim: 360ppm (want to raise a little)
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate:0ppm
Phosphate: undetectable
pH:8.2

Are you by chance using API test kits ?

vetteguy53081 · Jan 28, 2021

Emerald crabs, Yellow tangs, Turbo snails and lawnmower blennies are the best cleaners with a taste for green hair algae

Dark_Knightt · Jan 28, 2021

Pincushion or tuxedo urchin, or lawnmower blenny

KenRexford · Jan 28, 2021

This algae eater has great hair.

MangoB · Jan 30, 2021

vetteguy53081 said:
Are you by chance using API test kits ?

Using Red Sea test kit

Dan_P · Jan 30, 2021

MangoB said:
Hi R2R my tank is about 9 months old and I had a really bad hair algae outbreak after i moved the tank about 3-4 months ago. since I have balanced the tank (parameters below). The algae isn't growing or spreading anymore and I just want something to get rid of all of it. I have around 30 dwarf Ceriths, 15 Florida Ceriths, 5 Nerites, 6 Hermits, 2 green emerald crabs, and a lawnmower blenny. But none of them seem to mess with the hair algae too much so I was just looking for some suggestions for a really good hair algae eater.

Parameters:
Alk:9dkh
Ammonia:0ppm
Calcuim: 360ppm (want to raise a little)
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate:0ppm
Phosphate: undetectable
pH:8.2

Mexican turbo. It is cheap, but it is a very strong snail that can move things that are not anchored. Also, when the algae is gone, the snail will need to be fed. I have first hand experience with 15 snails that are 2 inches in diameter (I feed them) In a 75 gallon tank. Tremendous appetites!