CUC not touching hair algae

[ZzyzxRiver]

I’m not having the world’s worst hair algae outbreak, but I’d like to nip it in the bud before I do. My 16g tank’s current clean up crew (which is great on everything BUT this):

1 Trochus
4 cerith
2 astraea
1 strawberry conch
1 nassarius
1 bumblebee
1 cleaner shrimp
1 peppermint shrimp
3 sexy shrimp
1 emerald crab
A zillion Copepods

This pic is representative of the density of the algae currently across my other rocks:


Anything else I can do besides upping magnesium (trying to solve this naturally before going to dosing) or just waiting it out?

Side question: my new emerald crab has not left a 3” area since dropping it in two days ago (it picks at the algae in that area, but there’s not hair algae there). Do I have a dud or does it just need more time to get comfortable?

 

[VintageReefer]

Look for Mexican turbo snails. They are the best for hair algae from my experience. They are larger snails with a spiral shell shape

 

[Purpletang92]

You need to add hermits, with a tank that small preferably dwarf blue legs they will pick away at it. Most snails prefer film algae not hair. Emerald crabs work well in numbers but I wouldn’t add more to that small of a tank.

 

[kvansloo]

I would get 10 - 15 hermit crabs and some 3 - 4 Margareta snails. With the Margaretas once the algae is gone you can put nori in the tank for them.

As far as emerald crab mine took about a week to start moving around.

 

[ZzyzxRiver]

That many hermit crabs??? For a nano tank? What do they eat after the algae is gone?

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I’m not having the world’s worst hair algae outbreak, but I’d like to nip it in the bud before I do. My 16g tank’s current clean up crew (which is great on everything BUT this):

1 Trochus
4 cerith
2 astraea
1 strawberry conch
1 nassarius
1 bumblebee
1 cleaner shrimp
1 peppermint shrimp
3 sexy shrimp
1 emerald crab
A zillion Copepods

This pic is representative of the density of the algae currently across my other rocks:


Anything else I can do besides upping magnesium (trying to solve this naturally before going to dosing) or just waiting it out?

Side question: my new emerald crab has not left a 3” area since dropping it in two days ago (it picks at the algae in that area, but there’s not hair algae there). Do I have a dud or does it just need more time to get comfortable?

I would consider Pitho crabs! They are strictly algae eaters! Once your algae is under control though, you will definitely need to feed them nori daily, because that is truly all they eat.

 

[Lavey29]

The best cleaner for GHA is you.

 

[ZzyzxRiver]

The best cleaner for GHA is you.

I don’t even clean my own house, friend
Clean up crews only on land or in sea.

 

[kvansloo]

That many hermit crabs??? For a nano tank? What do they eat after the algae is gone?

I Have 50, 25 red leg and 25 blue leg in my 90 gallon they will eat excess food and detritus also get a few to start with and if its not going fast enough get a few more. Also if you go with the bigger ones get extra shells in different sizes for them.

 

[ZzyzxRiver]

ok, here’s the plan:
1) Tweeze out the hair that I can see and easily reach without knocking things over (a constant danger with my tiny tank and huge clumsiness).
2) wait for that emerald crab to relax and see what impact it has.
3) if it gets out of hand I’ll reduce my lighting schedule.

It’s still a young tank and I feel like it’s already a really busy place so I’m reluctant to add any more critters for a while—I also have some childhood trauma from failing to keep any of a sequence of hermit crabs alive so I don’t think I’m ever going to want another

Let me know if there’s anything else y’all suggest!

 

[stewy14]

this is my 10g stocking for cuc: 35+astreas(dont ask) 5+nasses 1 turbo 3 emeralds 2 hermits
the emeralds made all my algae gone in 3 days, not even
hermits are just there, they help
astreas like to clean the rocks/corals/mainly glass
nasses clean up after the fish
turbo is there eating around
and clowns eat algae too so that helps a little!

 

[stewy14]

this is my 10g stocking for cuc: 35+astreas(dont ask) 5+nasses 1 turbo 3 emeralds 2 hermits
the emeralds made all my algae gone in 3 days, not even
hermits are just there, they help
astreas like to clean the rocks/corals/mainly glass
nasses clean up after the fish
turbo is there eating around
and clowns eat algae too so that helps a little!

hermits are also really really easy, jut put them in and they'll do their thing!

 

[Purpletang92]

Be careful adding too much clean up crew , if they have a mass die off your nutrients will spike and with a tank that small a crash is inevitable. Try to keep your hands out the tank wear gloves if you can and be patient.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

When I had GHA, I manually removed a lot of mine and that fixed my issue

 

[ZzyzxRiver]

Well, the emerald crab died after five days without leaving the 3” area where I dropped it. Bubble algae remains untouched. 100% invert death rate from this particular LFS, so I’m not going to them anymore.

Question though: should I take the dead body out of the tank or let my cleaner/peppermint/sexy shrimp and bumblebee/nassarius and other snails at it?

 

[ZzyzxRiver]

Actually, forget I asked…. There’s already major action as everyone tries to eat the crab.

A $5 snack for the CUC!

 

[Rjukan]

Actually, forget I asked…. There’s already major action as everyone tries to eat the crab.

A $5 snack for the CUC!

Holy moly, how deep is that sandbed?!?!

 

[ZzyzxRiver]

Holy moly, how deep is that sandbed?!?!

A little under two inches.
Please tell me I haven’t made some grave unspeakable tank error- the LFS shop that I have since learned not to trust advised me to put a full 10lb bag of caribsea sand into my biocube 16.

 

[Rjukan]

A little under two inches.
Please tell me I haven’t made some grave unspeakable tank error- the LFS shop that I have since learned not to trust advised me to put a full 10lb bag of caribsea sand into my biocube 16.

No it's fine! It looks like 3 or 4 inches in that pic tho lol

 

[ZzyzxRiver]

No it's fine! It looks like 3 or 4 inches in that pic tho lol

lol phew! I tossed the crab, btw