Natural way to rid of hair algae

So in my nano tank there is the start of hair algae in many places on just the glass and obviously some places that blue leg crabs cant get to. I was wonder what types of snails could be used or fish that would be able to do work on the hair algae?

 

Get rid of their food source. Check for nitrates and phosphates. Using RO/DI water as top off and source water generally helps reduce GHA. Clean up crews help when they are under control. They won't eat it if the strands are long.

 

And then...a small sea hare looks cool in tank but if there isn't much GHA, then they like nori pieces. Mine got into nooks and crannies in the LR and sucked out the small pieces of GHA once I got the large bloom under control. Also, if you test for nitrates and phosphates, they may not show up on your kit because the GHA is consuming them faster than they can be tested for. Remove GHA manually and test again. My lights were old and contributed to the algae, too. Good luck!!

 

try a lawnmower blenny. I have one in my nano, and he cleaned the back wall in about 2 days. very effective algae control

 

Blennies are very hard to care for and usually die of starvation if the tank is not established with natural food supplies. If the hair algae is long, they generally won't touch it. But if the algae is still short, they will clean it up.

 

Correct-o-mondo, great advice. Mexican turbo snails do a great job as well, but before you go out and buy some turbos, I would rather find whats causing/feeding the LHA. Luna

 

Well let me tell ya, We purchased a lawnmower blenny in Feb. at about 3 inches long and since then he has gotten about 4 1/2 inches and is as big around as he is long. lol His fins have also went from that dark gray black to a really pretty maroon color. We are still at battle with our multiple algaes but it is looking alot better then it did.

 

i use ro/di water for top offs but perhaps a water change sometime this week of about 10-20% would help? I heard about lawn mower blennys being used but once the food source is gone it is hard to get them to eat prepared foods but I do have for algae eating snails in the tank but they seem to like the rocks more than the glass haha Does any one have any good recommendations on a cleanup crew for the nano...It's a 20 gallon and I have a nano goby and a red scooter blenny in there now as well as the 4 algae eating snails and 5 blue leg crabs

 

I bought a few mexicans and all they ate was my coraline.... go figure?

 

Like others have tried to point out, you are trying to "band aid" your problem. A phosphate reactor will most assuredly eliminate the source of your problem, that being, excessive nutrients. When GHA gets a hold the only way of getting control is to manually remove it and stop its' food source. If you feed flake food that can be a problem. There are many ways phosphates will enter the tank, a reactor will remove them.