Hair Algae

[DavidA717]

What can i get to help eat some of this hair algae that i have. my clean up crew is one mexican turbo snail, 6 nassarius, 2 astraeus snails, and 4 or 5 blue-legged hermits. im just havin a problem with hair algae getting out of control, its even growing on my hermits' shells

 

[Bifferwine]

You definitely need more turbos. And you might think about getting a sea hare. They love to eat hair algae.

 

[yote]

What Biff said,Plus a bottle of T.L.C.s Marine S.A.T.

BTW
What are you parameters,lights,and lighting sechedule?

 

[Rcpilot]

I got like 14 astreas and 4 margarite snails in my 30g tank. Lost count and don't know if they are all still alive. But thats what I used to have in there. :shock:

I wouldn't get turbos unless you got a big tank. I hear they will get huge and start knocking corals over.

I started skimming heavily with a better skimmer too. I think that by removing the nutrients from the tank, it starved the algae.

 

[hotimportknight]

Ive got quite a few turbo snails in my tank now, I think like 10-15 and like 20 or so. Is there anything smaller than a sea hare that will devour this hair algae? The guy at the LFS has a huge sea hare and its pretty disgusting looking... and way too large for a tank my size Id think.

 

[Bifferwine]

A sea hare would do okay in a 50 gallon tank. Take it back to the store once it's done cleaning up your tank.

 

[Doc]

importknight,

if you have 20 turbos in your tank, you are WAYYYYY overstocked and they will quickly drop like flies. When that happens, you could be in for a nasty surprise. In your tank, I would not put in any more than 4 turbos

-Dr Marco :sfish:

 

[hotimportknight]

I meant to say 10 turbos and 20 nassarius. and they arent even close to keeping up with cleaning the class alone, let alone the rocks or anything else in the last week...

 

[hotimportknight]

Im cleaning the glass on the front and sides 2-3 times a day to get all the algae off, I leave the back for the snails and they aren't even keeping up on just the back.

 

[Bifferwine]

That means that you are having water quality issues. Have you thought about getting a phosphate reactor? They are cheap, around $25.

 

[Doc]

not to mention algae is part of a new tank set up. I am having mild algae issues even tho I used mature tank water and mature live rock. I have to clean my glass every day, but that only lasts for a few weeks and then it just goes away. You have WAYYYY too many turbos for the long haul and you will have tank problems when they all die.

-Dr Marco :sfish:

 

[Bifferwine]

For some comparison, I have four turbos in my 240.

 

[hotimportknight]

whats up with this cleaner kit? All i have are turbos and nassarius for glass and substrate, well then my starfish and my little horseshoe crab. They have 20 turbos + like 30 other snails in this 55 gallon crew.
Algae Attack Pack - Standard

 

[Bifferwine]

For the 55 gallon crew they have 20 turbos OR margarita snails, plus 45 hermits, not 50 snails total...

In my experience, animals ordered from Live Aquaria come VERY small, especially the snails. So 20 of their turbos equal, like, four of mine.

 

[fishbait]

the best way to get rid of hair algae? hmmm, let me think, drain the tank for a few months. or take everything out to the driveway and use a torch on it for a few minutes. lol, that's the only easy way I know of!

 

[akfirefighter]

I have heard increasing your magnesium will help with hair algea. Can anyone else go into more detail with the levels it needs to be at and what will help to get rid of hair.

 

[hotimportknight]

I got my snails from fosters and smith. which operates liveaqaria.com. once my algae clears up I can always sell a few to the LFS... but as of now they come out everynight and just chow down on the abundant algae supplies I leave on the back walls.