need a hair algae eating machine

[tasmith09]

What eats hair algae? I don't have enough to require a sea hare. Also must be reef safe.

[bnumair]

Turbo snail. Lawnmower of the reef. Some blennies also can consume algae.
But this is all band aid fix. Usually nitrate and phos are the reason behind algae or week old bulbs. Find the source for permanent fix.

[oscarinw]

I have heard the chitons also do the trick... Never tried personally but have read good reviews.
Good luck with things

[davidadelp]

good luck im trying to find out that answer myself. I have no water issues really but have tried a lawnmower blenny he has done a little work but not much. I've heard sea hares to a good job not tried them yet but its coming soon. I've heard fighting conchs do good jobs on red slime algae also going to be trying soon.

I read on reefcleaners.org that pincushion urchins do a good job cleaning up hair algae but haven't really heard from anyone else about them I've always been Leary of urchins. Anyone had experience?
My diamond goby use to keep my sand bed stirred up enough to where I never got anything growing on it but he has got really lazy and doesn't do anything anymore.

[worm5406]

One thing is... The algae, a lot of us see, in some tanks is long (.5 inch+)

Some of the inhabitants like the fresh sprigs of HA that we don't consider to be a problem, yet.

One of the quickes things to do is scrub the rock. Take a vacuum cleaner attachment (the small one with the brush on the end) and put a hose down the hole. Put some rubber bands on it to make a good seal.

Run the hose into the sump, INSIDE a mesh filter sock, not the micro one.

Scrub away on the rock, being slow when scrubbing and moving it away from the rock. This will suck it down and let you pull it out of the sock.

Now.. your inhabitants will be all over this new area and start eating away the sprigs as they come up.

Put it this way, some of us love lettuce. Ever let it grow too long? Yeah.. not the same flavor as the fresh younger stuff. They eat the young version like candy to keep it from growing up all over the place.

Been there and wondered why some sections were clean but they never touched the older strands.

[St1ckyReefer]

I heard acclimating some mollies and guppies in is a big help

[tasmith09]

My hair algae is over 0.5 inch long. Going to pick up a couple turbo snails. See what that does.

[Nina51]

pincushion urchins do a good job cleaning up hair algae but haven't really heard from anyone else about them I've always been Leary of urchins. Anyone had experience?

i have a tuxedo urchin in my 29g and he does a great job keeping the rocks AND the glass clean. gonna pick up another one for my 14g as i'm starting to see some algae on the rocks. they're cool critters! i've seen him walk all over my corals and even my clam. they close up while he's traveling and after he passes through, they open back up.

once in a while, i'll see him packing around a polyp or some other critter.
<a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/user/Ninapearl/media/urchinpolyps_zps0d13d13f.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y203/Ninapearl/urchinpolyps_zps0d13d13f.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo urchinpolyps_zps0d13d13f.jpg"/></a>

sometimes he gets lazy and hitches a ride around the tank.
<a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/user/Ninapearl/media/urchinonconch_zps403d24d5.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y203/Ninapearl/urchinonconch_zps403d24d5.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo urchinonconch_zps403d24d5.jpg"/></a>

this was taken when they were both in my 14g. i have since moved them to my 29g.
<a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/user/Ninapearl/media/clamampurchin_zps9fd99344.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y203/Ninapearl/clamampurchin_zps9fd99344.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo clamampurchin_zps9fd99344.jpg"/></a>

[kegogut]

Ive had luck with emerald crabs eating all types of algae.

[azjohnny]

Sea Hare is the best. Some Reefers in my area let others borrow him. Once the algae gets eaten they can die and they have a pretty big appetite. They look a lot like a garden slug