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View Full Version : Cure for a tank overrun with hair algae...



Since1971
08-13-2011, 04:08 AM
Greetings from the States. Here is a cure which worked for me years ago when I had started up yet another nano size reef tank... 29g. After loading it base rock and some cured live rock, before any corals or fish were added, I noticed hair algae growing... on everything... not good. The tank looked more like an unkept golf course than a a salt water tank as the tank seasoned. The cure... add one sea hare. Nothing consumes hair algae like a sea hare. These little guys live on the stuff and starve to death without it. Their life span isn't all that long, either... one year or less for the kind thats usually available at the local reef shop. I think this type comes from Florida where they swarm around boat marines in crystal clear waters. Another type comes from the Pacific somewhere and are rare in shops here on the East Coast of the States.

Anyway, when a local reef shop finally got a few sea hares in the hair algae completely took over the tank. It was a mess; it looked horrible. Where all the nutrients came from had to be the new live rock since the whole tank was begun with steam distilled water.

After acclimating the hare the little bugger ( 3 inches long ) immediately began what nature designed him to do... relentlessly consume hair algae.

Unfortunately, after it was all gone in 3 days the hare had nothing natural left to eat and he wouldn't touch store bought processed algae sheets. He eventually died. It made me sad.

I haven't had a return of the hair algae except for a little here and a little there long after the tank was loaded with soft corals on live rock purchased that way. No doubt the hair algae came supressed on the newly purchased live rock with the soft corals.

So I bought another sea hare from a different local reef shop but this place had a better deal going... buy the hare for 20 dollars and when he's done his miracle, bring him back and get 10 dollars rebate.
Very nice.

Well, that's how I cured my in tank out of control hair algae problems. Now that I'm building my very first scubber I wish I had all that hair algae to glean. Ironic !

kerry
10-13-2011, 07:09 AM
Good luck on your build. Post some pics, we all love to see new builds.