Reefflux resistent GHA

[GammaYankee]

I have been battling GHA for the past year in my 25 gallon Nano. Eight months ago, I dosed 2X recommended dosage of Reefflux and it worked like a magic. All of the GHA turned white and died within a week, and I saw no side effect on my LPS and chaeto. I did not do water change for four weeks to make sure that all of them are gone.

Two months ago, the GHA came back again. I dosed 2X the dosage again, but this time nothing happened for two weeks and I start to see less polyp extension on my torches. So I made a water change and left the GHA alone for a month. I dosed 4X the dosage four weeks ago, and to this day, I still see no effect on the GHA. They are actually growing crazy in my tank.

I did manual removal and I have a refugium for Chaeto. My phosphorus is already at 4ppb and my light schedule are only for 8 hours with almost only blue channel. I have added a purple sea urchin and it did not help much. I only have two nano tanks, so having a tang is not really an option for me.

Any idea what has gone wrong this time, and any suggestions? I am hesitant to further increase the dosage.

 

[ryanjohn1]

Probably just gotta keep plugging away at it manually. Getting into pretty sketchy areas with the chems bud.

 

[ryanjohn1]

Add more snails. That helps

 

[gbroadbridge]

I have been battling GHA for the past year in my 25 gallon Nano. Eight months ago, I dosed 2X recommended dosage of Reefflux and it worked like a magic. All of the GHA turned white and died within a week, and I saw no side effect on my LPS and chaeto. I did not do water change for four weeks to make sure that all of them are gone.

Two months ago, the GHA came back again. I dosed 2X the dosage again, but this time nothing happened for two weeks and I start to see less polyp extension on my torches. So I made a water change and left the GHA alone for a month. I dosed 4X the dosage four weeks ago, and to this day, I still see no effect on the GHA. They are actually growing crazy in my tank.

I did manual removal and I have a refugium for Chaeto. My phosphorus is already at 4ppb and my light schedule are only for 8 hours with almost only blue channel. I have added a purple sea urchin and it did not help much. I only have two nano tanks, so having a tang is not really an option for me.

Any idea what has gone wrong this time, and any suggestions? I am hesitant to further increase the dosage.

The solution to gha is elbow grease and a toothbrush.

Once it is trimmed short herbivores will help keep it in check.

Chemicals are a short term bandaid that almost never result in good outcomes.

 

[Jimbo327]

Did you run heavy carbon and water changes to remove all of the fluconazole after your 1st treatment? I've been warning others to not keep fluconazole or any medication in the tank for too long...especially at a low dosage because the GHA or bryopsis may gain resistance. And if that resistant GHA/byropsis spreads in the hobby, then everyone loses a very valuable tool to fight it...especially devastating for those with bryopsis since there are no other treatments and nothing really eats it. I wish the product labels would give more warning or clear instructions for hobbyists on its uses, and we hobbyists need to understand the implications as well.

I also recommend when using chems....hit it hard and get it all out of your system as soon as it is done with its job. Low doses allows it time to gain resistance. This is why most of these medications are supposed to be prescription only, so it does not get used in low doses. Just like any antibiotics you take, the pharmacist tell you to take it all and then stop.

In your situation, I would say load up on trochus snails and a couple hermit crabs.

 

[GammaYankee]

Did you run heavy carbon and water changes to remove all of the fluconazole after your 1st treatment? I've been warning others to not keep fluconazole or any medication in the tank for too long...especially at a low dosage because the GHA or bryopsis may gain resistance. And if that resistant GHA/byropsis spreads in the hobby, then everyone loses a very valuable tool to fight it...especially devastating for those with bryopsis since there are no other treatments and nothing really eats it. I wish the product labels would give more warning or clear instructions for hobbyists on its uses, and we hobbyists need to understand the implications as well.

I also recommend when using chems....hit it hard and get it all out of your system as soon as it is done with its job. Low doses allows it time to gain resistance. This is why most of these medications are supposed to be prescription only, so it does not get used in low doses. Just like any antibiotics you take, the pharmacist tell you to take it all and then stop.

In your situation, I would say load up on trochus snails and a couple hermit crabs.

I did a four week treatment on GHA and did a 30% water change + added carbon back. So there shouldn't be a prolonged chemical presence.

I will probably get a few more snails and do a thorough manual cleaning. I am that kind of reefer that wants to get things done right the first time. But after two failed attempt, I kind of want to give up...

 

[GammaYankee]

The solution to gha is elbow grease and a toothbrush.

Once it is trimmed short herbivores will help keep it in check.

Chemicals are a short term bandaid that almost never result in good outcomes.

I will try it one more time this week. Last time, I did a thorough manual cleaning, ran my filter for a few hours and did a water change to remove all the floating algae. Only after that I pulled in my reef flux.

Do you think I should try to does reef flux again? And what herbivores would you recommend?

 

[GammaYankee]

Add more snails. That helps

What snails would you recommend?

 

[GammaYankee]

Just want to confirm with everyone that I am indeed fighting GHA...

 

[GammaYankee]

I have been really struggling with my tank recently. Things are dying left and right, while parameters are just fine. Here is the good old day of my tank... When algae were at bay and everyone was happy.

 

[ryanjohn1]

What snails would you recommend?

Astrea and turbo

 

[ryanjohn1]

And looks like hair and turf maybe.