Muddy357 March 13, 2012 March 13, 2012 Well when I got home today I had a hair algae outbreak happen during the day I picked up 2 turbo snails that are going threw it but what fish would also eat hair algae?
Saltwaterworx March 13, 2012 March 13, 2012 (edited) Im not too keen on buying fish to destroy HA, but Ive seen foxfaces, lawnmower blennies, and some bristletoothed tangs(kole's, convicts) eat it. Ive HEARD of a few others. Sea hares work great, on a biological level. You may want to consider doing something to maintain phosphate. Hows your lighting? Edited March 13, 2012 by Saltwaterworx
Muddy357 March 13, 2012 Author March 13, 2012 I just tested my phosphates and they are almost zero. The light is a Icecap 2x250watt MH that are on for 6 hours, 2 54watt T5's that are on for 7 hours, and 2 LED strips that are on for 8 hours. it is a 55 gallon tank. where would I get a sea hair locally?
Origami March 13, 2012 March 13, 2012 BRK normally carries sea hares. Give them a call first to confirm. Your phosphates are almost zero because the hair algae's consumed it all. (That's the truth.)
SunWyrm March 13, 2012 March 13, 2012 Give me your hair algae. Lol, I have too many herbivores. I found banded trochus snails to be awesome when I used to have hair algae in my 15. Lawnmower blennies are equally awesome but mine limits fish choices and frag placement. She destroyed my hair algae in a week when I got her in my 90 though and has kept everything in check since. Srsly though, I want some I should try to grow it.
Coral Hind March 13, 2012 March 13, 2012 I like sea hares, conchs, and blue knuckle hermits as HA mowers.
benjipang March 13, 2012 March 13, 2012 Fish does have personalities though. My foxface is extremely lazy. He will eat HA that I pull out and float in the water, but only infrequently nibble on HA attached to rocks. However, he does not mind violently tearing up the nori I place.
OldReefer March 13, 2012 March 13, 2012 Attack phosphates like a wild man. You have to pull the phosphates out before the HA does. The levels have to be 0.00 for a long time. If you don't manage to do that, it will grow faster than anything you put in your tank can eat it. Of course keeping the Mag levels above 1500 with Kent Magnesium is also a tried and proven trick. I have a kole tang and a rabbitfish. Neither one touches hair algea. They prefer frozen mysis. Sea Hares can't eat anything else, so they are a safe bet.
Muddy357 March 13, 2012 Author March 13, 2012 Well I did a 20% water change this morning and I think I found out what happened my brother had been feeding the fish a second time after I had already fed them every night for the past week.
EGKS March 13, 2012 March 13, 2012 Well I did a 20% water change this morning and I think I found out what happened my brother had been feeding the fish a second time after I had already fed them every night for the past week. What kind of water? TDS readings for output?
hbh March 16, 2012 March 16, 2012 Lol on your brother feeding the fish a second time! I know that routine. Hopefully not having a second feeding will help drop your phosphates.
Muddy357 March 16, 2012 Author March 16, 2012 Yeah well 2 water changes later, and a couple of turbo snails the parameters are finally back to 0 and the HA is pretty much gone. I explained to my brother about what happens when he over feeds so now I told him I will wait till he gets home to feed the fish so he gets to watch them eat. Thank you everyone for your help and suggestions.
OldReefer March 16, 2012 March 16, 2012 Keep looking for an opportunities to bulk-up you filtration. It makes the hobby much more enjoyable when you had some reserve capacity for when things go wrong. You ought to be able to feed your tank at least twice a day. I feed mine 4 to 5 times. Fish and corals love food.
Muddy357 March 16, 2012 Author March 16, 2012 right now I have a aquaC Remora skimmer HOB and a Eheim 250 HOB now I feed the fish ounce in the morning before I go to work, Then ounce in the after noon when I come home for lunch, and ounce in the evening a little bit after I get home from work. The main problem was I asked my brother to show me how much food he was putting in and it was a lot and he was doing that in the morning before he left for work which is before I wake up, and the same amount when he got home after I had already fed them. I am going to get a few more hermits this weekend to add to the CUC. The main thing I will be doing is educating my brother and try to get him to get on wamas as well.
DaveS March 16, 2012 March 16, 2012 right now I have a aquaC Remora skimmer HOB and a Eheim 250 HOB now I feed the fish ounce in the morning before I go to work, Then ounce in the after noon when I come home for lunch, and ounce in the evening a little bit after I get home from work. The main problem was I asked my brother to show me how much food he was putting in and it was a lot and he was doing that in the morning before he left for work which is before I wake up, and the same amount when he got home after I had already fed them. I am going to get a few more hermits this weekend to add to the CUC. The main thing I will be doing is educating my brother and try to get him to get on wamas as well. You have a shared interest in the hobby with your brother. Could be worse. My wife hates feeding the fish while I'm traveling for work...
Muddy357 March 16, 2012 Author March 16, 2012 Yeah it is one of the only common interests we have other then hunting.
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