Battling GHA? Turf? Green Cyano?

[mudbugmike]

An argument could be made that the live phyto will compete with the macro algae.

I had been hoping it was, to be honest. If it were the aminos I thought they might show up in the phos/nitrate tests but my historical data has my nitrate and phosphate at a reasonable level (going by Randy's info). I'd be willing to buy a different kind of phyto with a wider species blend too if it were to help.

I have a biota mandarin on order which was the reason for the pod/phyto pop.

 

[lazlodawg]

If that's the case, then absolutely continue using the phyto to maintain your pod population.

 

[Lavey29]

For what it’s worth, I was initially going to leave the lights off for 4 months but I feel like I would’ve just delayed this by 4 months. Still not sure what I should’ve been testing/doing to avoid it to begin with.

I'll give you my .02... stop all the excess dosing except for reasonable amount of phytoplankton. Cut lights to 6 hours with blue and uv only no whites. Get a diverse cleaner crew with turbos and tuxedo urchins. Lots of manual removal. Raise magnesium to 1500 which weakens GHA and let's cleaner crew attack it. Dose PNS probio which is a natural bacteria supplement that gets rid of organic waste. Get you parameters in check with nitrates at 10 and phosphate. 05 to .1. Weekly water changes. Don't expect overnight results. Patience is critical.

 

[ZombieEngineer]

Raise magnesium to 1500 which weakens GHA and let's cleaner crew attack it.

Raising mag above 1400 has an unintended side effect of making snails lethargic. The two effects are likely to cancel each other out and significantly weaken any benefit or possibly make the CUC less effective.

 

[Lavey29]

Raising mag above 1400 has an unintended side effect of making snails lethargic. The two effects are likely to cancel each other out and significantly weaken any benefit or possibly make the CUC less effective.

Not so, I did it very effectively for multiple months with no snail or shrimp losses or hermits. Now we'll over 1600 and your theory is more accurate.

 

[ZombieEngineer]

Not so, I did it very effectively for multiple months with no snail or shrimp losses or hermits.

Makes them lethargic (ie slower and eat less). Does not kill them. Effect is only on snails, not on shrimp or crabs.

 

[Hallowhead]

I am following along. Have a similar issue added a tuxedo two days ago.

It makes sense with it being too big for snails / hermits to manage.

I manually pull it out however, it comes right back quicker than quick.

 

[Lavey29]

Makes them lethargic (ie slower and eat less). Does not kill them. Effect is only on snails, not on shrimp or crabs.

I guess my snails didn't get the memo

 

[vetteguy53081]

Lots of critters won't eat the long strands. Elbow grease with cuc is how I would tackle this.
Phosphates and nitrates are low because of the gha.
Remove as much as possible. I would pull the rocks scrub them off dip in clean sw and place back in the tank. Please be very careful if you have zoas in the midst of the gha.

Agree. Must be physically removed as best as possible with CUC cleaning up the rest of it.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I am following along. Have a similar issue added a tuxedo two days ago.

It makes sense with it being too big for snails / hermits to manage.

I manually pull it out however, it comes right back quicker than quick.

You sure not bryopsis? Bryopsis keeps coming back due to roots not removed. Send a coiuple of pics under white lighting for I.d.

 

[mudbugmike]

So do I let the algae bottom my nitrate/phos out or dose it to maintain a reasonable level while the algae eats it’s fill?

 

[ZombieEngineer]

You sure not bryopsis? Bryopsis keeps coming back due to roots not removed. Send a coiuple of pics under white lighting for I.d.

Even better way to ID is take a chunk and place in a white bucket with water to cover it. Let's you get real close to zoom in and better identify.

 

[sixty_reefer]

You might consider keeping up the phyto dosing to maintain your pod population if you stop using reef roids and change foods (which should be enough of a nutrient reduction). An argument could be made that the live phyto will compete with the macro algae.

The problem I see is not the phytoplankton, is the brine water that may still contain fertiliser and help fuel the algae growth

 

[Hallowhead]

You sure not bryopsis? Bryopsis keeps coming back due to roots not removed. Send a coiuple of pics under white lighting for I.d.

It doesn't appear to be bryospsis to me

 

[homer1475]

Better source for a live 8 species blend of phyto that is not loaded with fertilizer.

Check out @Eldredge on here for a great product, an even greater price, and second to none in customer service. Harvests every monday for a tuesday ship day. A live batch ever week if need be.

 

[mudbugmike]

So do I let the algae bottom my nitrate/phos out or dose it to maintain a reasonable level while the algae eats it’s fill?

 

[Lavey29]

So do I let the algae bottom my nitrate/phos out or dose it to maintain a reasonable level while the algae eats it’s fill?

If you don't get your parameters in check in good ranges nothing beneficial will occur in the tank. Your corals and bacteria trying to fight the problem need to eat too.

 

[mudbugmike]

Dosed potassium nitrate up to 10ppm nitrate ~20 hours ago. Picked some algae clumps off the sand. Looks like the 10ppm dosing was effective and it has stayed here. I know hobbyist test kits are not this precise so I got a nice chuckle seeing exactly 10.0 on the Hanna checker.

New parameters today -

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Lots of critters won't eat the long strands. Elbow grease with cuc is how I would tackle this.
Phosphates and nitrates are low because of the gha.
Remove as much as possible. I would pull the rocks scrub them off dip in clean sw and place back in the tank. Please be very careful if you have zoas in the midst of the gha.

This is what I agree with. Nothing but muscle and a toothbrush is going to be effective against that forest. I would plan a weekend and take the time to pull the rocks and scrub them. Only then will all the other things work, such as increasing the CUC, and other idea's.

 

[mudbugmike]

This is what I agree with. Nothing but muscle and a toothbrush is going to be effective against that forest. I would plan a weekend and take the time to pull the rocks and scrub them. Only then will all the other things work, such as increasing the CUC, and other idea's.

The rockwork is all cemented/expoxy'd together so it'd be a real mess trying to remove it. A toothbrush does nothing. Most of it is not very long. Pulling/scraping it out is extremely difficult like I said - like pulling hair out of my own head difficult.