GHA only in 1 location

[sevitz5]

Guys, hopefully you have experienced this and can help me with this problem.

A little background, I have a 180 gal SPS dominant display tank with a 130 gal SPS growout tank attached for a 310 gallon system. Display has been running for 4 years and the growout has been running for 2 years. My parameters are steady at:
Alk 8.1
Po4 0.25
No3 25.0
I am doing the Reef Moonshine program to keep everything steady.

I had the SPS in the growout attached to rocks, but they started encrusting on the rocks. About 3 months ago I decided to remove the rocks and put black egg crate in its place. I put all the rock i removed immediately into the systems sump. After about 4-5 weeks I got severe GHA on the egg crate…..no where else in the system, just the egg crate. I tried adding a lot of bacteria (Bio digest, microbacter 7, & Fritz 9) but all that did was lower my nitrates.

What gives? What do I do? Getting frustrated.

 

[DED65]

If it’s only on the egg crate, it may have something in it that fuels the growth. You can try removing the egg crate and see if it goes away.

 

[sevitz5]

If it’s only on the egg crate, it may have something in it that fuels the growth. You can try removing the egg crate and see if it goes away.

It is only there. I been debating on making up another set of egg crate racks and just switch them out once the algae starts. I would think all the bacteria would take hold and keep the algae away, but it hasn’t happened

 

[Dan_P]

Guys, hopefully you have experienced this and can help me with this problem.

A little background, I have a 180 gal SPS dominant display tank with a 130 gal SPS growout tank attached for a 310 gallon system. Display has been running for 4 years and the growout has been running for 2 years. My parameters are steady at:
Alk 8.1
Po4 0.25
No3 25.0
I am doing the Reef Moonshine program to keep everything steady.

I had the SPS in the growout attached to rocks, but they started encrusting on the rocks. About 3 months ago I decided to remove the rocks and put black egg crate in its place. I put all the rock i removed immediately into the systems sump. After about 4-5 weeks I got severe GHA on the egg crate…..no where else in the system, just the egg crate. I tried adding a lot of bacteria (Bio digest, microbacter 7, & Fritz 9) but all that did was lower my nitrates.

What gives? What do I do? Getting frustrated.

Adding bottled bacteria will likely do nothing about algae growth.

The algae might be growing on the egg crate just because it’s a nice clean surface and there are no snails around to eat it.

 

[sevitz5]

Adding bottled bacteria will likely do nothing about algae growth.

The algae might be growing on the egg crate just because it’s a nice clean surface and there are no snails around to eat it.

I actually have a dozen or so snails, and 3 lettuce nudi’s in there

 

[Dan_P]

I actually have a dozen or so snails, and 3 lettuce nudi’s in there

And they aren’t eating the stuff right?

If you are convinced the cleanup crew is healthy, maybe the hair algae is cyanobacteria or cyanobacteria covered hair algae.

 

[sevitz5]

And they aren’t eating the stuff right?

If you are convinced the cleanup crew is healthy, maybe the hair algae is cyanobacteria or cyanobacteria covered hair algae.

I think they are eating it, just not able to keep up.

It’s not cyano, it’s literally only on the egg crate……its not even on the tiles sitting on the egg crate.