Fish to control hair algae in refugium

  • Thread starter Thread starter HKfshkpr1
  • Start date Start date
  • Tagged users Tagged users None

HKfshkpr1

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 26, 2018
Messages
184
Reaction score
72
Location
Southern California
What state or country do you live in
California
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have some hair algae in my 1 year old refugium that's hindering the growth of my caulerpa prolifera. Which hardy yet inexpensive fish should I try that will help?
Right now I'm thinking yellowtail damsel and sailfin blenny. Is the blenny interested in caulerpa? Other suggestions? Thanks!
 
I have a single turbo snail in mine who keeps my fuge floor and walls spotless
 
Is the algae growing on the walls of the refugium or in the caulerpa itself? What light are you using? I use a light director from @TheHarold that keeps the light from my H160 from spilling over everywhere. My old sump was covered in hair algae. With the light director focusing the light on the chaeto my current sump is very clean.
 
If you are able to grown a good amount of hair algae in your refugium then why would you rather grow caulerpa? Nutrient export is nutrient export, regardless of what the macro algae looks like. Right now I am grown chaeto very quickly in my refugium and it has eliminated the hair algae, but personally I preferred the hair algae. I feel it was a better nutrient export than the chaeto. Also my pods absolutely loved the hair algae and were reproducing very quickly.
 
If you are able to grown a good amount of hair algae in your refugium then why would you rather grow caulerpa? Nutrient export is nutrient export, regardless of what the macro algae looks like. Right now I am grown chaeto very quickly in my refugium and it has eliminated the hair algae, but personally I preferred the hair algae. I feel it was a better nutrient export than the chaeto. Also my pods absolutely loved the hair algae and were reproducing very quickly.

The hair algae keeps clogging the drain and powerhead strainer, etc.
 
Mine doesn’t bother anything but the micro algae
That's normal. I have the same thing in my sump. The GHA will grow in dense matts on top of the cualerpa prolifera. I just cut out the GHA and toss it....nutrient export made simple :)
 

WHAT MOST OFTEN MAKES YOU REACH FOR YOUR CAMERA AROUND THE REEF?

  • Coral behavior (feeding, extension, or movement)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • New growth or a color change

    Votes: 2 11.1%
  • Unusual fish behavior

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • The whole tank looking especially good

    Votes: 6 33.3%
  • Something I want to document in case it changes

    Votes: 1 5.6%
  • A funny or unexpected interaction

    Votes: 2 11.1%
  • I usually put the camera/phone down and just watch

    Votes: 3 16.7%
  • Other (Post in the comments)

    Votes: 4 22.2%
Back
Top
Home
Post thread…
Market
What's new