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View Full Version : "Natural" Hair Algae Control


schneibert
06/20/2006, 09:14 AM
I am looking to find a way to naturally control Hair Algae. My tank is fairly small (44 gallon, corner pentagon). I've tried hermits and astraea's but still have some hair algae. I would like to do it with a fish...preferrably a colorful one. Because of the limited space in my tank, I want each addition to make a splash (not literally).

I hear lawnmower blennies are good at algae control but they aren't very colorful.

I hear Yellow Tangs are good at this also and are colorful but I don't think my tank is big enough to hold one of these guys. Any thoughts on this one?

I also read that the Rainford's Goby grazes on Algae as well...is this true?

I'd also like to not break the bank on this purchase. If I was willing to do this, I'd upgrade to a larger tank. The algae isn't so bad that it makes a huge mess or deters from the look of the tank. I'd just like to have a natural way of trimming it so I don't have to reach my had in there to cut and pull the algae off.

Anybody have any ideas?

Thanks!

Nabob89
06/20/2006, 09:35 AM
turbo snails.....i have 3 fairly large ones in my 55 gallon......in about a week, they had completly wiped out all hair algae in the tank...i hear they can be a hit or miss though to eat hair algae....i guess I lucked out....and for the lawnmower blenny, mine doesn't touch hair algae.

daFrimpster
06/20/2006, 09:38 AM
Improved nutrient export via better husbandry. It's free. It works.

Fusch13
06/20/2006, 09:39 AM
I have to agree with NaBob89, i have 4 mexican turbos which i put in last friday, and i do not have a ounce of it anywhere...they are like lawnmowers!

Shooter7
06/20/2006, 09:42 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7593919#post7593919 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by daFrimpster
Improved nutrient export via better husbandry. It's free. It works.

Agree with this.

Ti
06/20/2006, 10:18 AM
Turbo snails have been awsome for me, try those

six.line
06/20/2006, 10:30 AM
Agreed with Shooter7 and daFrimpster.

schneibert
06/20/2006, 02:20 PM
I can honestly say that I feel my husbandry is good (just ask my wife!) I have no slime algae, cyano or buble algae. My levels are pretty much normal and I do regular water changes (every other week-or so). I clean my tank/pump/protein skimmer every other week. I also have good water moverment.

The hair algae came about when I added some live rock (haven't been able to buy all of it at once - expense I can't justify). So, the die-off probably caused it. The rock is good, gulf rock but there is always die-off. Anyway, there are about 5 small tufts of hair algae. I wanted to get a fish or something that could help keep it under control. I found several that would munch on it and that's why I posted, just asking advice. It doesn't necessarily need to be eradicated but I don't want it to get out of control. When I have my sump finished (a month or so), the plants in there will use up the nutrients that this algae is using and this won't be of concern to me. Then I'll have to suppliment the tank w/some type of plant material, but I'll worry about that when the time comes.

Has anybody had any success with the Rainford's Goby? That's a cool little fish. Black Sailfin Blennies look cool too. Any other cool little fish with an appetite for herbs come to mind?

daFrimpster
06/20/2006, 06:39 PM
If you are not concerned with total eradication mexican turbo's will eat it for sure. For me the final fix was more robust nutrient export. I drained of a bucket of tank water and removed each piece of live rock and swished it around in the bucket. After I was done I would pour the byucket water through a sieve to catch any bristleworms or other critters and return them to the tank. I did this and then blow my live rock off with a turkey baster prior to water change and eventually things got better. It sounds like we had different problems. Mine was nutrient build up and yours seems to be form new rock die off. Yours might level off on it;s own. Beware though, hair algae can grow really fast in the right conditions.
p.s. I didn't mean to knock your husbandry practices. We all probably have room for improvement there
hth,

skeeter_ca
06/20/2006, 07:18 PM
You want an interesting looking animal that eats hair algae. Hmmm..........I would go with a Sea Hare. You won't regret it. I love mine. It is one of the most interesting animal in my tank.

Freed
06/20/2006, 07:22 PM
It's only a 44 gallon tank though. You will starve it to death in short time after the hair algae is gone. Mine has eaten all the hair algae in my 180 over the last 3-4 months and I now will have to start feeding it supplements to the hair. I would not recommend a sea hare for a 44 gallon tank.

rags111875
06/20/2006, 07:59 PM
5 turbo snails did the job in my 120

Sk8r
06/20/2006, 08:09 PM
A conch will get it on the substrate, and is entertaining. You won't find an odder looking creature.

skeeter_ca
06/21/2006, 07:49 AM
I've heard that some LFS's will let you bring back a Sea Hare for credit after he finishes cleaning your tank. Or you supplement feeding him. Either way they work pretty good.

Sk8r
06/21/2006, 08:10 AM
BTW, the rainford is mostly a sand-sifter and is about an inch long---I don't think it would help your situation, but it's a neat-looking little fish.

If you're into natural methods, a 'fuge is good: I had no other space for one, so I just dumped cheato into the downflow of my sump, added some live rock and turned a light on it---to my extreme surprise, it thrived. I also feed my pod population along with my clam, and though this means dumping algae soup into the tank, I think that it has increased one of nature's best little algae eaters: pods.