GHA sticking around despite low feeding + waterchanges

[Plumber_Ballsy]

I'm battling GHA after getting a 10g tank. It's been setup for a year overstocked without water changes. I just recently changed out the sandbed with new live sand since it was completely full of crap. It's been running for this long without an outbreak, but since I've moved it to my house and changed the sandbed the liverock and glass became covered with GHA. Not sure why that would be?

Like I said, I've been feeding nearly nothing as there is just a cleanup crew, cleaner shrimp and multiple Zoanthid colonies. From the start I was doing big water changes to lower nutrient levels.

Should i just keep doing what I'm doing? Just yesterday i scrubbed my rocks clean of recent crazy growth. I'm thinking about trying phosphate removal. My cleanup crew has been little help.

Also, nitrates are undetectable since they are probably being gobbled up.

 

[Uncle99]

GHA requires phosphates and light.
What is your phosphate level.
What lighting, type, hours on....

 

[Plumber_Ballsy]

Skkye light LED by Innovative Marine
Generally on for 10 hrs, sometimes 9.
I can't check my phosphate levels since I haven't got a kit, yet. But obviously there are phosphates.

 

[mcgyvr]

Ill adjust the statements some...GHA needs nutrients and light...Ive had bad algae in tanks that have never had phosphate issues but have had elevated nitrates....

Tanks dont get that way overnight and wont clear up that quick either...You basically need to starve it out...An overstocked tank will have plenty of nutrients for algae to thrive...

Get those nutrient levels tested and lets go from there..

 

[Plumber_Ballsy]

Ill adjust the statements some...GHA needs nutrients and light...Ive had bad algae in tanks that have never had phosphate issues but have had elevated nitrates....

Tanks dont get that way overnight and wont clear up that quick either...You basically need to starve it out...An overstocked tank will have plenty of nutrients for algae to thrive...

Get those nutrient levels tested and lets go from there..

I'll get a phosphate checker if I need to. I've been monitoring my nitrate levels and they were undetectable Friday and are now 5ppm. I'm pretty positive the GHA is garbling up the nutrients, which is why I'm hesitant to even get a test for phosphate.

I don't know where excess nutrients could be coming from. The tank isn't overstocked, the sand bed has been replaced, and I rinse/vacuum filter media and substrate weekly.

The live rock is the only place GHA grows now, and it has tons and tons of crap come out when I turkey baste it. Has this absorbed phosphates/detritus?

 

[mcgyvr]

sounds like a totally normal neglected tank situation...
You can take out a rock a week and do a 50% old tank water/50% peroxide soak for 10-15 minutes while scrubbing some with a brush...That will kill the algae..
Do 1/4 of the rock per week and in a month it will all be clean again and if your neglect and nutrients are taken care of that may be it

 

[Plumber_Ballsy]

That's a good idea, I'll consider doing that if the hair algae comes back after its recent toothbrush session. Can I expect die off from pods and brittlestars living in the rock?

 

[mcgyvr]

n. Can I expect die off from pods and brittlestars living in the rock?

Yes...thats why I suggest a bit at a time...

 

[rjjr1963]

I'll get a phosphate checker if I need to. I've been monitoring my nitrate levels and they were undetectable Friday and are now 5ppm. I'm pretty positive the GHA is garbling up the nutrients, which is why I'm hesitant to even get a test for phosphate.

I don't know where excess nutrients could be coming from. The tank isn't overstocked, the sand bed has been replaced, and I rinse/vacuum filter media and substrate weekly.

The live rock is the only place GHA grows now, and it has tons and tons of crap come out when I turkey baste it. Has this absorbed phosphates/detritus?

Don't worry about phosphates. Remove as much as you can mechanically. GHA is full of sugars and the more you can remove the better.