GHA Issue and Plan of Attack

CZS_0017

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Hello All,

I have newly established RSM E 170 that is just over a month old. I know this subject has been beat to death but I am very frustrated with the explosion of GHA in my tank. Currently my Phospates are at .08ppm and Nitrates are at 0. These levels have remained constant for a week now despite dosing NOPOX at 50% the recommended dosage based on my nitrates being zero. I know what fueled the explosion, when I added my CUC a bunch of snails, a few hermits, and an emerald crab died (testing indicated tank had cycled, did not acclimate CUC properly) and were not removed in time. The gha then exploded and overtook my tank.

Currently I have an algae blenny, small kole tang, several scarlet and zebra hermits, 3 turbo snails, and handful of cerith and nassarius, lastly one emerald crab. Only 2 coral - a frogspawn and zoas.

I hate losing. I have done everything according to Red Sea's Reef mature program, followed by their algae management system. I test my water every few days and I use RO/DI water <2ppm TDS. I use Red Sea Coral Pro Salt and perform weekly water changes of 10%.

My current plan of attack: Remove the RS GAC, suspend NOPOX dosing, add Chemipure Elite and Purigen. Once phosphate decreases to 0, hold it there until the GHA starves. Then remove CPE, add back in plain GAC, resume dosing NOPOX and bring parameters back to Red Seas recommended levels for an SPS dominant tank (for future plans). If the CPE does not bring the Phosphates to zero I will run a bag of PURA GFO.

My question is will this plan of attack work? I figure the only way to beat GHA is to starve it out based on the research I've done. I will continue dosing Reef Energy A and B to keep the corals feed. Any advice or feedback will be greatly appreciated.
 

GoVols

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Welcome to Reef 2 Reef!!!

Is the GHA all over the place or just on your live rock?
 
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CZS_0017

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Ill send pictures when I get home. Its all over several of the rocks and in the sand. Plus i have other types of nuisance algae all over
 

GoVols

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Ill send pictures when I get home. Its all over several of the rocks and in the sand. Plus i have other types of nuisance algae all over
Pictures are good for everyone to go by.

Sometimes algae can hold in phosphates from the water column and test kits will not detect them.

But, You got a young reef and could just be going thru a stage of the ugly's.

Tumbling GFO in it own reactor was a life saver for my reef. Beats carbon dosing in my book and your reef is so young.

Which test kits do you use for nitrates and phosphates?
 
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CZS_0017

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I use redsea pro test kits.
Here is the situation in pics
20180207_185647.jpg


20180207_185651.jpg
 

saltyfilmfolks

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My current plan of attack: Remove the RS GAC, suspend NOPOX dosing, add Chemipure Elite and Purigen. Once phosphate decreases to 0, hold it there until the GHA starves. Then remove CPE, add back in plain GAC, resume dosing NOPOX and bring parameters back to Red Seas recommended levels for an SPS dominant tank (for future plans). If the CPE does not bring the Phosphates to zero I will run a bag of PURA GFO.
A couple things.
You don’t want zeros. It actually not good for the tank in general. A ULNS is not easy. (I also have stupid n/p and no gha)

I’d stop the nopox completely. You have almost no no3.

GAC and GFO are basically purigen and chemipure.
You have almost no Po4

Just run carbon imo. I’d stop trying to mess with the nutrients. It’s not what is fueling the GHA.

What we see most commonly now is overs stripping and the dreaded Dino’s. Or worse.


It’s also a young and the nutrients are going to fluctuate as well as the other parameters. Don’t sweat those.

Something else is going on that tank. The sand gha is an indicator. It’s not common.

Off hand wild guess , tds should be zero.

It’s only a month old tank. Give it time and scrubbing.
It may be to program , I forget) but that’s pretty soon to be adding coral and foods.
 

JimmyV

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Unfortunately GHA is part of this hobby . start pulling out the hair algae by hand . if you can take pieces of rock out to scrub the hairs off that will help also.
 

Cory

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You really want it gone? The only thing to get rid of it imo is a sea hare. All the others dont work very well ime. Sea urchins work good too but require longer duration and like 1 for every 10 gallons. Other option is a lettuce nudibrach. These are specialized feeders and will prey on hair algae.
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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The options would seem to be:

1. Starving the algae, which carries its own risks for issues like dinos, but that doesn't always mean starving by N or P, but can also be in other ways (trace elements, for example).
2. Adding organisms that consume the algae. Harder in a smaller tank, since some of the best fish get larger, but this is often the most easily attained success.
3. Treating with some of the things that people think may kill algae (e.g., hydrogen peroxide).
4. Manual removal by the aquarist
 

Cory

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The problem with starving the algae is usually you starve the corals too. Imo starving isnt an option.
 

skiergd011013

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GFO reactor! I just started using one for the first time a week ago. Only had slight algae issues, especially bubble algae. My tank already looks better in general. I wish I got one years ago.
 

GoVols

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The problem with starving the algae is usually you starve the corals too. Imo starving isnt an option.
I'd be scared of getting Dino's by staving, anyways :eek: :eek: :eek:
 

GoVols

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GFO reactor! I just started using one for the first time a week ago. Only had slight algae issues, especially bubble algae. My tank already looks better in general. I wish I got one years ago.
Love mine too :D
 

Cory

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Is there a huge difference in putting gfo in a reactor as opposed to a high flow area?
 

GoVols

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Is there a huge difference in putting gfo in a reactor as opposed to a high flow area?
To get the full benefit, I like to tumble it, in it's own reactor.

I've never tried GFO in a media bag, in a high flow area.
 
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