Choice GFO - Hair Algae issue

djbetterly · Jun 12, 2015

So for quite some time my PO4 has been between .03-.09 and I'm still suffering from green hair algae. I didn't notice it until my tank had a temperature spike, now I'm battling it. I've cut my feedings down to once a day and its a small amount. Also, my nitrates are <=1ppm.

With all of that in mind, is it possible the GFO that I'm using just isn't cutting it? I use the BRS standard GFO. For checking PO4 I use the hanna UL phosphorus checker (multiply by 3.1 then divide by 1000 to get reading).

I'm not sure what else to do...

rayn · Jun 13, 2015

I have never had good luck with the BRS stuff either. I use phosguard and it seems to do a better job for me.

MikeCizzle · Jun 13, 2015

Rowaphos and a Foxface keeps my algae at bay.

that Reef Guy · Jun 13, 2015

The BRS High Capacity would be a better option as it is very effective.

But why use GFO when Tiger Trochus Snails Devour Hair Algae.

brandon429 · Jun 13, 2015

Also consider this

Why does hair algae grow on natural reefs where the water has less po4 in the water than our ideal gfo tanks?

The point is algae finds a way, and hair algae is easy to take care of simply by killing the cells where your current gfo or new gfo wouldn't matter. Grazing is how nature does it, never by nutrient starvation. I bet your current gfo would work fine and you wouldn't risk stressing corals by upping the gfo levels if you'd help the tank simply kill off the algae.

brandon429 · Jun 13, 2015

I put peroxide biased as a descriptor for good reason

its a near exclusive bias heh. Only due to the results and not much else.

I havent even seen your pics but the prediction laid and tested on the 5yr peroxide threads remain

since you are using gfo at all this will extend any growback period out months potentially, giving you time to find a better grazer and export balance as a preventative

couple easy spot kills with p your tank is algae free in 48 hrs and looks like it never had any. That's the origin of my bias lol

gfo imo shouldn't be changed to be made an algae remover, removers are separate so you don't overstrip po4 and bleach corals.

gfo is also a great cheat (its absorbing wastes from unexported stores in our tanks, we shouldn't need it for po4 issues where pre export fixes the bandaid) but I promise we get better sustained results w a simple directed kill.

The ideal is never needing any bandaid, but when a bandaid is needed consider ones that come with 120 pages of nothing but before and after pics

or get a tang lol

I don't see any method as really good or bad we are all cheating. offers online are really just those offering what worked well for them and we should pick the method we think we have the best chance with.

djbetterly · Jun 13, 2015

@brandon429 so what is your suggestion? Ha! I agree with your statements, right now I'm just trying to get rid of what I have. I have two emerald crabs, and a few turbo snails. Nothing seems to touch it. The rocks I was able to remove I dipped in hydrogen peroxide. I've had several suggestions for snails, lettuce slugs, and so on. My tank is 45 gallons so tangs are out as are fox face. Any other vegetarians?

gacolt · Jun 13, 2015

djbetterly said:
So for quite some time my PO4 has been between .03-.09 and I'm still suffering from green hair algae. I didn't notice it until my tank had a temperature spike, now I'm battling it. I've cut my feedings down to once a day and its a small amount. Also, my nitrates are <=1ppm.

With all of that in mind, is it possible the GFO that I'm using just isn't cutting it? I use the BRS standard GFO. For checking PO4 I use the hanna UL phosphorus checker (multiply by 3.1 then divide by 1000 to get reading).

I'm not sure what else to do...

how often do you change your gfo?

I would test and see how long it takes for your gfo to exhuast.
my old 125g would take 9days so i changed it every week.
my new tank i change it every 2 weeks.I use ESV.

brandon429 · Jun 13, 2015

Can you post a tank pic it really helps w hidden details

Before p I used to take rock out and fire burn off algae therefore I went ten yrs without algae. I'm really for any method that simply disallows it regardless of the mode ~

And I hope we all keep striving to find out what prevents algae and other takeovers until responsive methods are no longer needed. I totally support using gfo as an enhancement and its fun to know we exact a removal on unsightly algae rather quick w no delay, then see if gfo upping does its job as a preventer. It wouldn't even matter if someone did a blended approach and hit the easy rocks up top then waited on the gfo starve to hit the inaccessible lower areas under some scape arrangements as in very large tanks, whatever makes a nice clean after pic is ideal.

brandon429 · Jun 13, 2015

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/268706-peroxide-saves-my-tank-with-pics-to-prove-it/page-59

Consider our friends here at nano reef.com where a large pic repository exists

Just this one page is picturing typical low level gha growth having nothing to do with nutrient issues. The natural ocean will grow many times denser and varied clumps tangles of micro and macro ask any diver. Grazers are sustained not by high nutrients always in the wild, but just natural algae levels algae can extract still from oligotrophic conditions.

For the link above, the handy part is the before pic, after pic, and time it took to get there, about 24 hours.

Now the tank is free and the preventers aren't used to catch up, its a nice balance! All we do is a catch up zap where we don't even dip most of the time we just spot kill and snap follow up pic

By all means anyone should employ preventers as the other half of the equation to a clean tank.

djbetterly · Jun 13, 2015

I will do my best, most of it is in the back so it's hard to get a good photo.

ice fish · Jul 3, 2015

Rowaphos +1 on this. My gha is going away after a good month of using this and it doesnt leak back into the system.

reefbeard · Jul 3, 2015

MikeCizzle said:
Rowaphos and a Foxface keeps my algae at bay.

+1 Rowaphos along with my Tomini Tang.

Reefing Madness · Jul 3, 2015

I use SeaKlear, its made for pools, so its industrial strength for a reef tank, and perfectly safe. A 32oz bottle will last you a very very long time. I'd recommend running a mechanical filter is you go this route. You just dose this stuff by the capful, and only when you need it.

trio91 · Jul 3, 2015

MikeCizzle said:
Rowaphos and a Foxface keeps my algae at bay.

agreed rowaphos has been my choice....pricey but it works

djbetterly · Jul 3, 2015

So I switched to rowaphos, and my SPS is much happier!! In regards to the GHA, I pulled off a big chunk this morning and realized it's not green! It's a deep burgundy so I'm beginning to think it's some sort of a cyano. Is that possible? A fuzzy cyano? I always thought cyano was related to low flow, which I don't have...I have two MP10's on a 45gallon tank set at 100% in reef crest mode.
PO4 is always between .03-.08. I took the rocks I could out of the tank and scrubbed them off and rinsed in RODI. Guess I'll have to see what happens.