GHA Help

[fishntyme1]

I am not a new reefer and know the steps you are already going to suggest (feeding, water quality, lighting, Crabs, Snails, Fish, by hand, ect) I have tried them all multiple times. My nutrient level is so low my cheaeo has died back. I have no pictures but it is bad enough it has consumed SPS colonies.

I have been battling this GHA for 1.5+ years now and at the point for just getting out of the hobby. I am doing weekly water changes, run carbon and GFO, lighting hasn't changed and had no problems for 4 years before.

NO2 = 0
NO3 = 0
PO4 = 0
PH = 8
Mg = 1350
CA = 450
KH = 11.2

Only thing I haven't tried is "Lights Out". Anyone with experience doing this method?

I have battled bryopsis, red bugs, diatoms and GHA in the past with success. Why not this time?

Anything new I haven't heard of trying yet?

 

[fishntyme1]

Oh and I am currently trying the Vodka Method just in case the GHA is fouling up the NO3 and PO4 test

 

[CSample]

What lights? I have heard of raising mag to 1600 then letting it fall back down works. You could try a sea hare, they are known lawn mowers. A 3 day total black out will def. Help.

 

[Willow01]

What lights? I have heard of raising mag to 1600 then letting it fall back down works. You could try a sea hare, they are known lawn mowers. A 3 day total black out will def. Help.

He's running AI SOLS, and he's tried the Sea Hare.

 

[fishntyme1]

AI SOL BLue W= 65 BL= 75 RB= 75
I have had the AI at 100 everything in past for years and no ill affects
I have done Mg to 1600 only worked for bryopsis in past, tried 4 sea hares at different times......... all died.

 

[jporter]

This wouldn't cure it overnite, but an ATS should out compete the GHA for nutrients. I would also recommend Kent Tech M Magnesium. Elevate the Mag level to 1600-1700 for a couple weeks and it should kill it off. There is some impurity in it unique to Kent. I have been successful when using the Kent M and ATS together. JP

 

[fishntyme1]

Could try Kent Mg. I have only used dry Mg in past so I could mix heavy doses for cost reasons and it only worked with bryopsis

 

[fishntyme1]

Needs to be cured by this weekend so I will feel good about spending money at the auction. lol Looks like a good one this month!

 

[jporter]

You can also try manually removing the bigger patches. Just make sure to use hemostats as you don't want that free floating around the tank.

 

[fishntyme1]

^ every 2 days I do this.

Looks like an ATS is my next move. Just watched a video from a guy claiming to use no other methods of filtration. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD6kA3xDPaM

Worth a shot. I hope I have room in my sump. Small system so I shouldn't need a large turf area. and can run the flow from my media filter. Maybe one day I can run no skimmer too. It's loud. lol

I now know what to do with the extra PVC I'll have after my garden sprinkler install.

 

[zibba]

Are you running a skimmer and/or doing water changes? What do your corals look like? Pale? Rich color? Brown?

How big is the tank that we're talking about? And, if there are corals, are they really encrusted or can you take them off? I'm asking because perhaps it's possible to take the rock out and physically scrub it off or just replace it outright.

 

[vanillagorila]

It only seems to be recommended as a last resort, but there is a big thread over in the reef chemistry forum about people using a product called "algaefix". I was in the same place as you are, even to the point of selling off my tank and starting up a smaller one, only to have the hair algae follow to my new tank. I had quite a bit of GHA, I started using algaefix at the begining of August and within a few weeks I was about 90% GHA free. I still have some here and there, but it's hardly noticeable.

 

[azjohnny]

It only seems to be recommended as a last resort, but there is a big thread over in the reef chemistry forum about people using a product called "algaefix". I was in the same place as you are, even to the point of selling off my tank and starting up a smaller one, only to have the hair algae follow to my new tank. I had quite a bit of GHA, I started using algaefix at the begining of August and within a few weeks I was about 90% GHA free. I still have some here and there, but it's hardly noticeable.

I have also used this product and it worked for me. I think the reason I got the GHA was I went too long without replacing my halides. It was about 18 months but I thought I would be ok since I was only using them if I was home to view the tank. I was taking some pictures of the tank and noticed a purple hue I had never had before.

I changed the bulbs but the GHA already had a foot hold in the live rock. The Algaefix took a few weeks to kill off the algae and no pulling of the algae was needed. Its been a month and the algae has not come back

 

[schristi69]

I used Algaefix with no adverse reactions

 

[gormo]

I did the hydrogen peroxide dip of my rock and added lots of crabs. Finally got ahead of the GHA and my tangs keep the tank clean now.