GHA battle

[Megsez]

Hi every one, yes unfortunately another thread about it (sorry).

I have read all i can about it in an attempt to try and not have to creat another thread.

What I aim to do is outline my history, system and what i have done in attempt to bring my tank up to scratch. I am not the only one that has what i think has happend with my tank but i never find posts with an ending so i will hopefully be able to provide that also.

Problem: Huge amount of GHA that grows very quickly.

Probbible cause: Conssitantly high Phosphate levels.

Tank: 4 x 1.5 x 2.5 very shallow sand bed

Sump: 3 foot with skimmer,heater, Chateau and reactor with phosguard and charcoal. 300W viperspectra R300 Led grow light

Display lighting: Ilumagic blaze 4 foot

Live stock: 2 clowns, bi colour blenny, blue tang, shrimp gobey, cleaner wrass, crabs, snails

History: reefing very successfuly for 15 years but admittadly lack of maintinance for past few years and Topping up with rain water that i suspect has high phosphate.

Suspected cause: suspect due to the above live rock is leaching phosphate. Phosphate is Constantly above .075 using nyos and API test kits. All other levels not detectable using high range kits. Do not have low range.

What i have done to date over the past 3 months.

1. Switched to RO water
2. Carry out water changes twice a week at 100L a time using NSW (very clean)
3. Ran rowaphos and now phosguard
4. Upgraded fuge light to ViperSpectra R300 300W LED grow light

Result no improvment and algae has gone nuts even in the sump. Ref picture.

This is the part i need some help. I finnaly had enough today and removed all live rock excluding pices with coral. The leaching is the only thing i can think off that will be causing the issue. Or have i missed something?

1 1/2 weeks ago had no GHA in sump now it covers everything. Ref above

Skimmer

Fuge light

Tank after breaking it down moving it marking the start of the journey. GHA Was 10 times worse then in the pic as of today before taking rock out

Whats left after taking most of the rock out today

What tank used to look like.

I know removing most of the rock will remove a lot of filtration but i am hopeing the skimmer and the chateau will cope untill i work out what to do about getting new rock or treating the rock i removed.

I look foward to hearing if any one thinks i jave missed something or has a better idea of a plan of atack.

Thanks
Megsez

 

[Jrainey312]

Have you tested your water source for po4? What's your CUC like? How often do you feed? I'd also suggest getting a better test kit for po4.
One thing I've done with GHA is get a bowl of water and punch the algae off the rock then dip my fingers in the water to wash it off then repeat.

 

[Megsez]

Hi jrainey,

Thanks for the reply

Yep water source was introduceing PO4 but not now as changed to RO water. RO water is good and so is the NSW. I get it from a very well known exporter of marine corals. They use it on their farm. Clean up crew is hermit crabs, snails and a sand sifting star fish

Getting the algae off isent i problem but i need to fix the cause of the issue so i dont need to keep cleaning it off.

 

[Megsez]

Ok fingers crossed. Only early days but carried out a phosphate test and it is the lowest it has been for a very long time. So hopefully removing the rock has sorted my issue.