Sea Hair In Fuge ?

[bart84]

I have a lot of hair algae in my refugium and it is choking out my macro algae. I know that is where I want it but could I put a sea hair in there to control it ? Or should I just leave it alone and let it do its thing ?

 

[jeffopentax]

A sea hare will eat all your algae VERY quickly. I wouldn't put one in if you want any left.

 

[bart84]

Will they eat macro as well ? I thought they only ate hair.

 

[Poseidon]

Does it matter what algae is in there ? Lol
As long as it's eating up all the nutrients haha

 

[bart84]

Ya I don't know I thought macro was better then hair but I guess your right as long as it gets the nitrates down who care.

 

[jeffopentax]

You could try borrowing a sea hare from someone.  Mine died from starvation (i'm fairly certain) after completely clearing my tank of algae.  You'd probably only need one for a few days.  You'd be surprised how quickly they eat!

 

[AdInfinitum]

...but the point is to manually remove the algae to actually export the nutrients.  If a sea hare eats it then excretes, you are just pushing the nutrients back into the system....

 

[Poseidon]

...but the point is to manually remove the algae to actually export the nutrients.  If a sea hare eats it then excretes, you are just pushing the nutrients back into the system....

Doesn't algae use the nutrients to grow, hence 'exporting ' them from the water into tissue / plant

 

[AdInfinitum]

[quote author=AdInfinitum link=topic=8932.msg96154#msg96154 date=1402053488]
...but the point is to manually remove the algae to actually export the nutrients.  If a sea hare eats it then excretes, you are just pushing the nutrients back into the system....

Doesn't algae use the nutrients to grow, hence 'exporting ' them from the water into tissue / plant
[/quote]

Yes but at that point the nutrients are just sequestered, not exported until they are removed from the system.  If the algae dies off or something eats it those nutrients go back in.

 

[bart84]

That makes sense about eating and depositing nutrients.