LONG 2yr GHA battle - what steps to take next?

[Zalick]

1. Fact: Phosphates bind to calcium carbonate.
2. Fact: low or no phosphate RO/DI saltwater will steal phosphate from phosphate laden calcium carbonate in order to reach equilibrium.
3. Fact: chemistry is real.

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[Zalick]

This is a quote from Randy:



"I would suggest that there are three types of rock that can release phosphate over time, and, of course, many that do not:



1. Rock that has dead organic matter on it (like dead algae/sponges/etc.), no matter how old or where it came from. The organics will break down and release some phosphate. Bleach might be the best way to treat this rock, followed by some way to remove the inorganic phosphate that may result (like rinsing in low phosphate water).



2. Rock that, even if once pristine, was exposed to higher than desirable inorganic phosphate concentrations at the end of its time in an aquarium. This will be inorganic phosphate bound to the calcium carbonate surfaces, and will be somewhat easier to get rid of than the organic matter in 1. Keeping the rock in low phosphate water long enough will work, as can dissolving away the outside in acid.



3. Mined rock that has been exposed to terrestrial phosphate in runoff may have a lot of phosphate permeating it. An acid treatment might not be optimal for this as the phosphate may also be deeper inside of it, and treatment in low phosphate water for an extended period might be best."



So, yeah... number one is what I said, number two is what I said, and three is mined dead rock from polluted areas might be polluted.

Also, read his #2 again carefully. It's states my point in plain terms.

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[Zalick]

This is a quote from Randy:



"I would suggest that there are three types of rock that can release phosphate over time . . .



2. . . . This will be inorganic phosphate bound to the calcium carbonate surfaces, and will be somewhat easier to get rid of than the organic matter in 1. Keeping the rock in low phosphate water long enough will work . . .

#2 is what I said. Rocks can leach phosphate. #endofdebate

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[JPMagyar]

Go to youtube and type in Mexican turbo snails eating hair algae. Don't dose chemicals. Get rid of any filtration you have besides a skimmer including and especially GAC or GFO. Add a dozen Mexican Turbo snails and a couple pieces of new live rock from KP Aquatics. I am not a newbie and I know a thing or two about combating hair algae. Ask me how JPMagyar's tank thread

 

[sde1500]

I am not a newbie and know what I am saying.

Neither are the two, myself included, who recommended Fluco. Not sure why that was necessary to include.

 

[wildman926]

Short term - AlgaeFix Marine
Long term - ATS (Algae Turf Scrubber)

I have been hair algae free for about 5 years. I do a water change about once a year, no joke. I top off with sw as necessary.

 

[Zalick]

Short term - AlgaeFix Marine
Long term - ATS (Algae Turf Scrubber)

I have been hair algae free for about 5 years. I do a water change about once a year, no joke. I top off with sw as necessary.

What ATS are you using? That is only my list. I'm not sure if I have quite the space under my stand for the recommended size for 300g DT.

 

[Zalick]

Go to youtube and type in Mexican turbo snails eating hair algae. Don't dose chemicals. Get rid of any filtration you have besides a skimmer including and especially GAC or GFO. Add a dozen Mexican Turbo snails and a couple pieces of new live rock from KP Aquatics. I am not a newbie and I know a thing or two about combating hair algae. Ask me how JPMagyar's tank thread

Thanks! I'm heading to the LFS tomorrow to get some turbos. Since the outbreak started not long after I started up this current tank, I've been ruluctant to add fish or anything else until I get it under control. I have about 30 trochus. Of my 5 fish, only my Magnificent Foxface eats the algae.

I've also held off adding coral, so you can imagine the tank is looking pretty barren except for the rock and algae! :hmm4:

 

[wildman926]

What ATS are you using? That is only my list. I'm not sure if I have quite the space under my stand for the recommended size for 300g DT.

I use Turbos Aquatics ATS's. They are the original, and are worth every penny. Don't worry about getting the recommended size. Just get as large as you can fit, and clean as necessary. An undersized unit will need more frequent cleanings than an oversized one. When you clean them, you are physically removing the phosphate and nitrates that are in the algae.

Until then, use API's AlgaeFix Marine. It allowed me to get my tank in order, then the ATS KEPT it in order. I cannot stress this enough, as I know and have proof it WORKS. The algae die off will put those nutrients back in the tank, so a water change after you get the HA in control is necessary. But have the ATS ready to launch as well.

I had a massive die off of corals due to hair algae. So the sooner you get yours in control, the better.

 

[Zalick]

I use Turbos Aquatics ATS's. They are the original, and are worth every penny. Don't worry about getting the recommended size. Just get as large as you can fit, and clean as necessary. An undersized unit will need more frequent cleanings than an oversized one. When you clean them, you are physically removing the phosphate and nitrates that are in the algae.

Until then, use API's AlgaeFix Marine. It allowed me to get my tank in order, then the ATS KEPT it in order. I cannot stress this enough, as I know and have proof it WORKS. The algae die off will put those nutrients back in the tank, so a water change after you get the HA in control is necessary. But have the ATS ready to launch as well.

I had a massive die off of corals due to hair algae. So the sooner you get yours in control, the better.

This current tank was an upsize from my old tank. Unfortunately the HA took out the SPS I'd been growing for 4 years. It hasn't really killed my LPS (all hammers) but it sure tries. Having 5 different tanks over the last 25 years and this is my first HA outbreak. I haven't even begun stocking the fish in my 300 due to this....for 2 years.... It really sucks.

 

[wildman926]

Again, I can't stress hard enough to use API's AlgaeFix Marine. It WORKS. Do a search here on RC for it, and you will see. Now some say it allowed dinos or this or that to come on, but it just means that they had excess nutrients in their tank and that took over after the hair algae was removed.

Here are some pics of my 150g and 90g almost a year ago. I did not have a recent pic of my 90g.

Also, here are pics of my ATS's, both 150g and 90g. I just took these pics and this is after 2 weeks. The one with more "yellow" algae is on my 90g and is what happens when you wait too long and water does not flow over the algae. You can see that in the other one as well. The one with more yellow just started over a month ago, as I forgot to turn on the lights after a cleaning, and the screen basically died off.

 

[Rancidwolf]

Yeah, I hate the rocks are leaching phosphates myth.

The rock isn't leaching phosphates, the fish poop and food that is not either eaten by detrivores or manually removed is. There's a huge distinction.

It absolutely happened for me. I recently got a new tank, bought dry rock for it and did a leak test with fresh RODI water. After having it run for a few days I tested the TDS and noticed it was really high so did some water tests. Phosphates came out super high. There was nothing in the tank besides a pump, dry rock and fresh RODI water. The only thing that could have produced the phosphates was the dry rock. I let it run for a couple weeks and phosphates kept going up, then I did 100% water change and started my tank. No phosphate issues since.