Gha

t1a1c1h · 03/21/2017, 12:55 PM

So I know this topic has been discussed countless times before - believe me I've read a LOT of those threads!! But I am now at my wits end having tried everything to control an insane outbreak of GHA. With the exception of the bits directly covered with corals 90% of our LR is coated with hair algae and nothing we are trying seems to be making a blind bit of difference. Its 90G mixed reef with 4 blue star damsels, pair of clowns, single bangaii cardinal, pair of orchid dottys and a midas blenny so not over stocked. We feed a pinch of pellets most mornings, and a block of mysis (defrosted, rinsed and strained) in the evening. Top up water is RO, tested for nitrates and phosphate both 0. Running RowaPhos alongside carbon in the sump. Lighting has been reduced in period (from 12 to 9hrs) and intensity. CUC consists of 10 nass snails, 5 astrea, 5 trochus, 2 halloween hermits, 6 blue and 6 red hermits, 4 emerald crabs and a tuxedo urchin which annoyingly seems to only eat coralline. In the fuge we have caulerpa (chaeto has died) which will shortly be having a lighting upgrade. We are trying to be eco friendly and thus have no skimmer and the rowaphos is in a bag not reactor, and ethically trying to avoid wild caught fish (our damsels and blenny are rescued from tank shut downs, others are tank bred). Sorry its such a long post - what should we try next??!! More CUC? Algae eating fish? Sea hare? Vodka dosing????

WatDatThing · 03/21/2017, 01:10 PM

Same thing happened to me. I turn off the white band completely leaving only the blue on. 10% wc weekly, and a lawnmower blenny. It took about a month and a half before I regain control and turn the white light back on. I still have a little bit of algae on the substrate. But I don't mind it because it has a natural look to it. I only feed enough so that no food sink to the bottom.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

JonezNReef · 03/21/2017, 01:16 PM

The first question everyone will want to know is what parameters your tank has as far as Nitrate, Phosphate, salinity and so on.

I think a skimmer might be something to look into and Im not sure how not having ones "eco friendly". I ran skimmerless when I upped the amount of NPS corals for about 3 months thinking that the skimmer would remove all there food and in this period almost killed my tank between algae and other parameters being off. Now I run a skimmer and a algae turf scrubber... that it for filtration. Add in some weekly husbandry and your tank should turn around.

Here is a couple of articles that breaks down what a skimmer does and pulls out
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2010/2/aafeature
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-06/fm/feature/

FishN00b83 · 03/21/2017, 01:32 PM

If you are feeding lightly, lowering light intensity, and running GFO, manual removal is going to help considerably. You need to export more than what is being imported. Once that happens the algae will start to subside. Your rocks might leach for a bit, but if you keep the tank clean and do the above, it will subside.

f3honda4me · 03/21/2017, 01:37 PM

Either use flucanazole, or set up an ATS.

03/21/2017, 12:55 PM	#1
t1a1c1h Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Birmingham Posts: 31	Gha So I know this topic has been discussed countless times before - believe me I've read a LOT of those threads!! But I am now at my wits end having tried everything to control an insane outbreak of GHA. With the exception of the bits directly covered with corals 90% of our LR is coated with hair algae and nothing we are trying seems to be making a blind bit of difference. Its 90G mixed reef with 4 blue star damsels, pair of clowns, single bangaii cardinal, pair of orchid dottys and a midas blenny so not over stocked. We feed a pinch of pellets most mornings, and a block of mysis (defrosted, rinsed and strained) in the evening. Top up water is RO, tested for nitrates and phosphate both 0. Running RowaPhos alongside carbon in the sump. Lighting has been reduced in period (from 12 to 9hrs) and intensity. CUC consists of 10 nass snails, 5 astrea, 5 trochus, 2 halloween hermits, 6 blue and 6 red hermits, 4 emerald crabs and a tuxedo urchin which annoyingly seems to only eat coralline. In the fuge we have caulerpa (chaeto has died) which will shortly be having a lighting upgrade. We are trying to be eco friendly and thus have no skimmer and the rowaphos is in a bag not reactor, and ethically trying to avoid wild caught fish (our damsels and blenny are rescued from tank shut downs, others are tank bred). Sorry its such a long post - what should we try next??!! More CUC? Algae eating fish? Sea hare? Vodka dosing????

03/21/2017, 01:16 PM	#3
JonezNReef Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Florida Posts: 782	The first question everyone will want to know is what parameters your tank has as far as Nitrate, Phosphate, salinity and so on. I think a skimmer might be something to look into and Im not sure how not having ones "eco friendly". I ran skimmerless when I upped the amount of NPS corals for about 3 months thinking that the skimmer would remove all there food and in this period almost killed my tank between algae and other parameters being off. Now I run a skimmer and a algae turf scrubber... that it for filtration. Add in some weekly husbandry and your tank should turn around. Here is a couple of articles that breaks down what a skimmer does and pulls out http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2010/2/aafeature http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-06/fm/feature/ __________________ "I chop up animals and glue them to rocks" Current Tank Info: System 1 Mixed Reef: 180g DT,180g Fuge, 120g Sump http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2611735

03/21/2017, 01:32 PM	#4
FishN00b83 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Long Island Posts: 1,140	If you are feeding lightly, lowering light intensity, and running GFO, manual removal is going to help considerably. You need to export more than what is being imported. Once that happens the algae will start to subside. Your rocks might leach for a bit, but if you keep the tank clean and do the above, it will subside. __________________ My 125 to 180 thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2525019

03/21/2017, 01:10 PM	#2
WatDatThing Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 830	Same thing happened to me. I turn off the white band completely leaving only the blue on. 10% wc weekly, and a lawnmower blenny. It took about a month and a half before I regain control and turn the white light back on. I still have a little bit of algae on the substrate. But I don't mind it because it has a natural look to it. I only feed enough so that no food sink to the bottom. Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

03/21/2017, 01:37 PM	#5
f3honda4me Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,218	Either use flucanazole, or set up an ATS.