Puzzled and getting frustrated

[Rafaelpadro24]

Hello everyone, going crazy and really don't know what to do. Been dealing with gha for well over a month. Been checking parameters and for sure nitrates are in the upper 20 range and phosphates between 0.08 to 0.20 range. Have been dosing diy nopox 25ml in a 200 gallon water volume for 2 1/2 weeks saw small decrease but yesterday checked and number back to nitrates 29.6 and phosphates 0.20. I proceeded to brush gha vacum sandbed and blow the rock and did a 40 gallon water change. Checked the parameters this morning and nitrates 28.6 and phosphates at 0.04. I am preety good on my husbandry cleaning skimmer, changing foam filter in my Lifereef sump weekly I even use floss pads as a pre-filter before sponge and chage them almost every 3 to 4 days. Have a biopelets reactor, media bricks in the sump. Just can't figure why so high numbers.
I was feeding frozen 2 time a day and figured this could be driving the nitrate so began feeding pellets reef nutrition TDO just a little 2 times a day and ad slowly so fish can consume it all and minimize waste.
Also rodi water output is 0-1 checked with hanna tda meter and rodi system inline tda meter. My clean up crew is hermits, variety of snails, urchins, sand sifting starfish and shrimps. I also have a rabbit fish and powdered blue tang. I did order a new cleanup crew to reinforce what I have.
Just don't know what else to look at to get these numbers in line. Any suggestions is greatly appreciated.

PS. I use hanna checkers and redsea test kits for parameters.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Getting rid of gha is never a quick fix. We’re talking weeks for sure maybe 2 or 3 months. Frustration should not be a part of this process, patience should. Keep doing what you’re doing. By your tank photo, you’re tank looks relatively new, no coralline on back wall etc. There is something to say about an established tank. Fewer things like gha happen to established tanks.
On a practical note: I like that you’re getting a larger clean up crew. Keep an eye on your lighting schedule. If you run 10 hours a day. Knock that down to 7. Diffused or direct window sunlight in fish room, eliminate. Keep pulling gha off of rocks. You’ll win this. We all do.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Judging from the clean sand against the glass and the greenish rocks , I will guess that this is a new system? Algae will grow in new systems because of an imbalance of a new ecological system. As your system matures and more biodiversity is introduced, it will become harder for algae to grow.

Do you have a skimmer on the tank? I notice the water surface is very flat and your fish are all up top in every pic, ensure the water is well oxygenated. If no skimmer, then point one of those powerheads towards the surface to agitate the surface.

 

[Rafaelpadro24]

Judging from the clean sand against the glass and the greenish rocks , I will guess that this is a new system? Algae will grow in new systems because of an imbalance of a new ecological system. As your system matures and more biodiversity is introduced, it will become harder for algae to grow.

Do you have a skimmer on the tank? I notice the water surface is very flat and your fish are all up top in every pic, ensure the water is well oxygenated. If no skimmer, then point one of those powerheads towards the surface to agitate the surface.

This tank is going on 18 months, I do run a skimmer is part of my lifestyle refigium and berlin sump. There is 2 mp 40 one on each side of the tank and there is 2 1 inch returns on each side of the tank split into a Y line locks. The sand was vacuumed yesterday before a 40 gallon water change.
My lighting is coral lab AB+ at 60% starting at 09:00 am till 08:00 pm. 3 ecotech radion xr30w pro gen 4

 

[Rafaelpadro24]

Getting rid of gha is never a quick fix. We’re talking weeks for sure maybe 2 or 3 months. Frustration should not be a part of this process, patience should. Keep doing what you’re doing. By your tank photo, you’re tank looks relatively new, no coralline on back wall etc. There is something to say about an established tank. Fewer things like gha happen to established tanks.
On a practical note: I like that you’re getting a larger clean up crew. Keep an eye on your lighting schedule. If you run 10 hours a day. Knock that down to 7. Diffused or direct window sunlight in fish room, eliminate. Keep pulling gha off of rocks. You’ll win this. We all do.

 

[Rafaelpadro24]

Here are this morning pics on the condition of the tank. I do have coraline algea developing. Sand looks clean because of vacuming yesterday before a 40 gallon water change

 

[Keko21]

I hate being that guy buuuuut.... I just had a major GHA outbreak in one of my tanks- a desk mate nano only running since December. Nutrients were all in check, feeding frozen, have a tuxedo urchin doing hard work along with the rest of my CUC, and the GHA kept coming back even after 48 hours.

I randomly found a bottle of API Algae Fix from a really old tank that I don't have anymore and said "screw it, lets give it a go". Scrubbed my rocks and manually removed as much as I could, and there were still quite a few tufts of GHA all over. I dosed the algae fix and BOOM all of it gone in less than 24 hours with no ill effects to my inhabitants or corals and no apparent regrowth so far.

I am absolutely not an advocate of chemical fixes, and would always recommend figuring out the root issue, or supplementing via natural competition in the ecosystem, but in this particular case I definitely lucked out haha!

 

[The_Paradox]

Here are this morning pics on the condition of the tank. I do have coraline algea developing. Sand looks clean because of vacuming yesterday before a 40 gallon water change

That’s really not bad.

 

[Cthulukelele]

I hate being that guy buuuuut.... I just had a major GHA outbreak in one of my tanks- a desk mate nano only running since December. Nutrients were all in check, feeding frozen, have a tuxedo urchin doing hard work along with the rest of my CUC, and the GHA kept coming back even after 48 hours.

I randomly found a bottle of API Algae Fix from a really old tank that I don't have anymore and said "screw it, lets give it a go". Scrubbed my rocks and manually removed as much as I could, and there were still quite a few tufts of GHA all over. I dosed the algae fix and BOOM all of it gone in less than 24 hours with no ill effects to my inhabitants or corals and no apparent regrowth so far.

I am absolutely not an advocate of chemical fixes, and would always recommend figuring out the root issue, or supplementing via natural competition in the ecosystem, but in this particular case I definitely lucked out haha!

How do you feel about the use of algaecides and their effect on the overall stability of a tank? That's my biggest concern with most of the hair algae fixes out there

 

[Rafaelpadro24]

I was considering in using vibrant but ill have to remove my chaeto from my refigium. But I can figure why my phosphates and nitrates keep increasing even after all I do to reduce them.

 

[exnisstech]

JMO adding chems at this stage is just going to start a roller coaster ride. Tank looks new just let it do it's things. Tanks need time to mature and growing algae is part of that process.

 

[Rafaelpadro24]

JMO adding chems at this stage is just going to start a roller coaster ride. Tank looks new just let it do it's things. Tanks need time to mature and growing algae is part of that process.

Is 18 months still considered new?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Trying to reduce algae by limiting nutrients is usually sub-optimal and prone to failure.

Control with herbivores, especially fish, works much better.

 

[exnisstech]

Is 18 months still considered new?

Sorry your tank looks new to me. You must do a good job keeping it up. I still wouldn't add chems to that tank tho Too often they solve one problem and create another. Out with the GHA in with the cyano is how it worked for me when I went that route.

EDIT : this why I thought your tank was new. These are my rocks today. Tank was started with dry rock 1yr 8 days ago

 

[Troylee]

I was considering in using vibrant but ill have to remove my chaeto from my refigium. But I can figure why my phosphates and nitrates keep increasing even after all I do to reduce them.

Stay away from that! I don’t see the algae in your photos? lol… get a clean up crew and enjoy your tank..

 

[Rafaelpadro24]

Stay away from that! I don’t see the algae in your photos? lol… get a clean up crew and enjoy your tank..

Sorry your tank looks new to me. You must do a good job keeping it up. I still wouldn't add chems to that tank tho Too often they solve one problem and create another. Out with the GHA in with the cyano is how it worked for me when I went that route.

EDIT : this why I thought your tank was new. These are my rocks today. Tank was started with dry rock 1yr 8 days ago

I began my tank with sterile rock that where bleached and cleaned thoroughly. I wish my rocks looked like your but in time I'll get there I hope.

 

[Rafaelpadro24]

Stay away from that! I don’t see the algae in your photos? lol… get a clean up crew and enjoy your tank..

I placed an order of:
20 blue hermit crabs
20 Mexican Red hermit crabs
25 Astrea turbo snails
15 Nerite snails
25 Mexican turbo snails
25 Cerith snails
5 Peppermint shrimp

Awaiting for delivery hopefully by the end of this week. They are locally harvested by a seller in the Florida keys. Hopefully this will address the gha issue.

 

[Cthulukelele]

Stay away from that! I don’t see the algae in your photos? lol… get a clean up crew and enjoy your tank..

This is my feeling as well. I don't see much in the way of problematic algae in that tank. A bit of algae is part of most reefs, and I wouldn't be concerned with the quantity in those photos.

 

[buruskeee]

This is a bad algae outbreak. All my rocks look like this. What you have is a very minor outbreak that will take care of itself by simply getting a decent CUC and reducing white lighting.

My case I’m clueless about because I have LCA sand dinos that have taken over the GHA as real estate. Can’t keep nutrients up because of GHA and can’t zero them out because LCA. Can’t keep a CUC because they die off from Dino and already tried fluconazole but the GHA is too dense I think (and I don’t want to overdose). I’ve resorted to getting a SeaHare but doubt it will survive with the Dinos. All I can do is blow the Dinos off the rocks the sea hare is working on.

SeaHares are too effective and starve out when there’s no more algae to eat, so you can try one if you’re looking for a quicker fix, but be prepared to rehome it.

You are exactly where you want to be with “uglies” and it’s just a matter of time for you. Consider yourself lucky.

 

[Rafaelpadro24]

This is a bad algae outbreak. All my rocks look like this. What you have is a very minor outbreak that will take care of itself by simply getting a decent CUC and reducing white lighting.

My case I’m clueless about because I have LCA sand dinos that have taken over the GHA as real estate. Can’t keep nutrients up because of GHA and can’t zero them out because LCA. Can’t keep a CUC because they die off from Dino and already tried fluconazole but the GHA is too dense I think (and I don’t want to overdose). I’ve resorted to getting a SeaHare but doubt it will survive with the Dinos. All I can do is blow the Dinos off the rocks the sea hare is working on.

SeaHares are too effective and starve out when there’s no more algae to eat, so you can try one if you’re looking for a quicker fix, but be prepared to rehome it.

You are exactly where you want to be with “uglies” and it’s just a matter of time for you. Consider yourself lucky.

Thanks for the feedback, I think my situation would be worst if I didn't take the time to clean by brushing and siphoning the gha I have. It almost being done almost every 7 to 10 day at a time. Also I'm dosing fiy coral snow after blowing the rocks weekly. Just trying to keep the junk of the rock to feed gha.