Another GHA thread...
- Thread starter GeTanked
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This tank has been up for just over a year. I ignored the early onset of the GHA takeover thinking it was just part of the uglies stage but after doing more research and watching it start to over grow some of my corals I’ve come to realize that was naive and should have taken action sooner. My nutrient levels are stable:
PO4 ~ 0.03
NO3 ~ 10
Alk ~ 9
Cal- 400
Mag - 1400
I run a reef Octo Classic 202s skimmer, a large refugium currently full of Ulva, filter socks changed every few days, a BRS reactor with GFO+Carbon mix, and do 10% water changes weekly (sometimes 20% biweekly when life happens).
PO4 ~ 0.03
NO3 ~ 10
Alk ~ 9
Cal- 400
Mag - 1400
I run a reef Octo Classic 202s skimmer, a large refugium currently full of Ulva, filter socks changed every few days, a BRS reactor with GFO+Carbon mix, and do 10% water changes weekly (sometimes 20% biweekly when life happens).
not bad at all, and great reef 
its not like large tanks are easy to just dive in and take control over everything, water tuning and balance is a big aspect of keeping them enjoyed for decades but we were also told in this hobby by nearly everyone to purposefully self invade 100% of reef tanks, then see if they work back and weren't given any other alternate ideas.
its not like large tanks are easy to just dive in and take control over everything, water tuning and balance is a big aspect of keeping them enjoyed for decades but we were also told in this hobby by nearly everyone to purposefully self invade 100% of reef tanks, then see if they work back and weren't given any other alternate ideas.
I just noticed how horrible the video was so I uploaded some still pics, hope they turn out better.
I’ve already started the battle by dramatically reducing feeding for fish, and only target feed corals once a week now. Initially the GHA wasn’t too bad until I started dosing aminos daily and Iron to bring up low levels detected from an ICP test. One week of dosing amino and suggested iron amounts and GHA exploded.
About two weeks ago I took out a rock that didn’t have any encrusted corals and scrubbed the **** out of it and left it in the sun for a couple days then scrubbed it again. When I put that one back I took out another one, wash rinse repeat. I also have been using the siphon tube + sock method to manually remove as much as I can.
I’ve already started the battle by dramatically reducing feeding for fish, and only target feed corals once a week now. Initially the GHA wasn’t too bad until I started dosing aminos daily and Iron to bring up low levels detected from an ICP test. One week of dosing amino and suggested iron amounts and GHA exploded.
About two weeks ago I took out a rock that didn’t have any encrusted corals and scrubbed the **** out of it and left it in the sun for a couple days then scrubbed it again. When I put that one back I took out another one, wash rinse repeat. I also have been using the siphon tube + sock method to manually remove as much as I can.
For anyone who hasn’t seen this, here’s my siphon tube setup
So I put the sock inside of my sump in a filter sock for redundancy, then start a siphon (I just put the tube against a return jet). Then start pinching and sucking. I think they sent me a supervisor Blenny instead of a lawnmower Blenny, he will swim up and sit right in front of my hand and watch me. Rarely do I see him actually working.
So I put the sock inside of my sump in a filter sock for redundancy, then start a siphon (I just put the tube against a return jet). Then start pinching and sucking. I think they sent me a supervisor Blenny instead of a lawnmower Blenny, he will swim up and sit right in front of my hand and watch me. Rarely do I see him actually working.
gha beatdown=
www.reef2reef.com
you were willing to do 98% of a test rock, rare trait.
we talk in that thread that traits control invasions, not params like N and P
the willing we show can first mini model proof the algae wont grow back before its upscaled to the whole tank. if you upscaled the brushing off to the whole tank, it would look clean for two weeks then 5 oclock shadow green comes back stronger.
but making a test rock free of plant via cellular kill vs just mowing, and be targeted to preserve coralline and attached organisms, its reef dentistry and its the most accurate gha kill w 16 pages of work imo.
I can tell from your pics this is the likely outcome if you test rocked a section:
do a test rock fully with rasping from that thread and swish it in tank or bucket to see how much casting/detritus comes off the rocks from its pits and pores. this remarks on feeding backup and circulation in and around the rocks if it casts off a little or a lot of waste (gha feed)
we need to address this if its rampant in the tank, if not, move fwd with direct kill modeling.
target rasp and rinse, make test rock #1 clean by metal and peroxide, rinsed in sw only, put back.
take test rock #2
and pour only 3% across it leaving the algae, pour / dropper creatively to avoid nontargets and let the algae wick it in.
wait 3 mins
rinse in sw, put back.
observe the two for differences over a week it w beat anything and hardly any work. two rocks tells you a for-sure something about the invasion, and its causatives.
**you may not want to battle it manually that's no prob, water controls have benefits as cleaning large tanks is rough work. we think a test rock doesn't require much commitment, it shows us even if your best case options will work or not. uncovers how strong its adapted
Reef2Reef Pest algae challenge thread hydrogen peroxide
What you are really in for: Hand cleaning, hard work siphon and rasp-removing of accumulations and invasions outside the tank and doing massive water changes is 90% of this thread, peroxide is 10%. We almost never dose peroxide into the tank water, this is a you-work-physically-hard as catch-up...
www.reef2reef.com
you were willing to do 98% of a test rock, rare trait.
we talk in that thread that traits control invasions, not params like N and P
the willing we show can first mini model proof the algae wont grow back before its upscaled to the whole tank. if you upscaled the brushing off to the whole tank, it would look clean for two weeks then 5 oclock shadow green comes back stronger.
but making a test rock free of plant via cellular kill vs just mowing, and be targeted to preserve coralline and attached organisms, its reef dentistry and its the most accurate gha kill w 16 pages of work imo.
I can tell from your pics this is the likely outcome if you test rocked a section:
do a test rock fully with rasping from that thread and swish it in tank or bucket to see how much casting/detritus comes off the rocks from its pits and pores. this remarks on feeding backup and circulation in and around the rocks if it casts off a little or a lot of waste (gha feed)
we need to address this if its rampant in the tank, if not, move fwd with direct kill modeling.
target rasp and rinse, make test rock #1 clean by metal and peroxide, rinsed in sw only, put back.
take test rock #2
and pour only 3% across it leaving the algae, pour / dropper creatively to avoid nontargets and let the algae wick it in.
wait 3 mins
rinse in sw, put back.
observe the two for differences over a week it w beat anything and hardly any work. two rocks tells you a for-sure something about the invasion, and its causatives.
**you may not want to battle it manually that's no prob, water controls have benefits as cleaning large tanks is rough work. we think a test rock doesn't require much commitment, it shows us even if your best case options will work or not. uncovers how strong its adapted
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Makers Marc
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Similar scenario as you with my 180g. I let the GHA sit for 15 months till it got really bad.
If there was a single piece of advice for GHA specifically, it is manual removal > everything else.
I have a similar siphon into filter sock method.
If there was a single piece of advice for GHA specifically, it is manual removal > everything else.
I have a similar siphon into filter sock method.
Some of the rocks I manually mowed, these are from last week. Kinda hard to do a direct comparison as these were taken later in the day when the tank is really blue. I’ll post some pics of what these spots look like after this week of not doing any manual removal.
These are current as well. Some places have more growth, but it looks like over all the GHA might be receding. Lots of patches of coralline under some of the GHA. I’m also pretty sure I’m still working through some of the uglies phases. In the late afternoon there’s a layer of brown dusty algae which I’m guessing is diatoms. Also looks like some mats of green cyano in some spots. Initially, I wasn’t vacuuming the sand during water changes but since I started this battle I’ve started sucking any patches out that I come across.
good job on a directed attack, clean after pics
Thanks man! I checked out your thread on GHA, awesome stuff. I learned a ton of info there and if I’m unsuccessful in eradicating my algae problems biologically (and manually) I’m gonna try the peroxide method. I have a feeling my tank is still stabilizing and these blooms are just part of its natural progression. The system is just at a year old and is my first reef tank. All the rock and sand was dry, and although I rinsed the sand and rock well I didn’t cure it. It took about 2-3 months to finish cycling.
thanks tons for contributing your work GeTanked!
agreed the peroxide isn't a requirement, its merely the best growback preventer if such a system warrants growback control. if your algae wasn't really seated in, and the clouding/feed network is low (appears to be a very clean tank) then it sure can stay controllable or gone without it. worst case scenario is a little quicker growback without it for some people
agreed the peroxide isn't a requirement, its merely the best growback preventer if such a system warrants growback control. if your algae wasn't really seated in, and the clouding/feed network is low (appears to be a very clean tank) then it sure can stay controllable or gone without it. worst case scenario is a little quicker growback without it for some people
I haven't updated this in awhile, been super busy with business and kids, but I did want to update to show the progess. I stopped pulling and scrubbing rocks after the first two, and just stuck to a lowered feeding regiment and manually removing as much GHA as I could on a weekly to bi-weekly schedule. Happy to say my GHA problem is gone! Still have a few very small patches here and there that I keep and eye on but I'm pretty sure the tangs are keeping them in check as they don't grow much. No chems, no intense cleaning protocols, just stable feeding/maintenance schedule and mowing the reef until the system balanced out.
