GHA in Macro refugium

[mossanimal]

Hi,

I have a refugium in my sump that I set up to grow Graciliaria that came with some gulf live rock. I'm using an extra AI prime simply because I have it. I have it set at 100% red, 65% blue, 50% royal, 100% violet and 15% white and is on at night time for around 8 hours. I can't remember exactly how I decided on those numbers. My 90g tank is at 6 months and so far that refugium has had far more growth of GHA than the macro algae. This has been going on throughout nutrient swings and was happening even while my nutrients were completely bottomed out. I started feeding ReefRoids once per week a few weeks ago and this has now swung the other way and my phosphates are now on the high side (0.5-1). Struggling to find a happy balance with my nutrients! Anyway... just wondering about the GHA in my fuge. It is growing all over the Graciliaria as well.

 

[Sump Crab]

I find that certain types of macro cannot out compete gha in some tanks. If it were me I would try chaeto as that has been my most prolific macro algae in refugiums.

 

[Pvtgloss]

I was growing red Graciliaria like crazy until GHA took over the refugium. Now the Graciliaria doesn't grow at all and I'm cleaning GHA out of the regularly. I take the macro out and try to wash off the gha. Not sure how to get it back the way out was without deep cleaning the whole sump.

 

[mossanimal]

I was growing red Graciliaria like crazy until GHA took over the refugium. Now the Graciliaria doesn't grow at all and I'm cleaning GHA out of the regularly. I take the macro out and try to wash off the gha. Not sure how to get it back the way out was without deep cleaning the whole sump.

Did you notice a change in your nutrients when this started to happen?

 

[exnisstech]

I guess maybe be glad its growing in the fuge and not the display? I get a lot in my fuge but its on the glass and doesn't bother the chaeto I keep in there.

 

[Dan_P]

Hi,

I have a refugium in my sump that I set up to grow Graciliaria that came with some gulf live rock. I'm using an extra AI prime simply because I have it. I have it set at 100% red, 65% blue, 50% royal, 100% violet and 15% white and is on at night time for around 8 hours. I can't remember exactly how I decided on those numbers. My 90g tank is at 6 months and so far that refugium has had far more growth of GHA than the macro algae. This has been going on throughout nutrient swings and was happening even while my nutrients were completely bottomed out. I started feeding ReefRoids once per week a few weeks ago and this has now swung the other way and my phosphates are now on the high side (0.5-1). Struggling to find a happy balance with my nutrients! Anyway... just wondering about the GHA in my fuge. It is growing all over the Graciliaria as well.

Nutrient is a little vague. What are you trying to control? What are the current level(s)?

 

[GARRIGA]

I'm currently experimenting with a GHA Fuge. Seems logical to grow that which ATS are based on, readily available and free. Have done similar in FW with both floating plants as well as green water and the floating plants out competed the green water as well as turf and glass algae. It's not pretty but then I'm seeking function over form. Oddly, improving the lights have now encouraged cyano along with what I believe to be the suspended version of dinos. Both seem to be receding slowly and that's part of the experiment. Will GHA at some point out compete that I don't otherwise need or want. Carbon dosing seemed to reduce both. Might have been a coincidence but I've suspended that and just infrequently add MB7 although not sure that helps but I've read where it might out compete the cyano.

Running single Radion G6 Pro on full spectrum at 100% over a 20H for 10 hours but now increasing to 16 and then 24 since goal is to have the Fuge run 24/7 pegged to PH where exceeding 8.5 shuts the lights off. Want automatic everything as much as possible. Keep it simple. Less likely to go wrong. Only reason I haven't already exceeded 16 because I have resident damsels since start up September 2021.

More importantly. No water change since start up. Plus I want to keep introducing food as I assume that adds some trace that might be needed by the macro algae although plan on testing iron soon and adding chaeto grow or other supplement based on that, if needed, until I start running ICP to better gauge what is happening.

No corals. Purely experimental for the unforeseen future. No way I'm investing in a big tank with a recession likely looming. Just because I can doesn't mean I should.

 

[mossanimal]

Nutrient is a little vague. What are you trying to control? What are the current level(s)?

As I said above... phosphates just got up to 0.5 to 1 likely from the ReefRoids. My nitrates are at 10. I'm gonna chill on the ReefRoids. But I had the GHA growing even when my kit was saying 0 on both phosphates and nitrates. They were probably being tied up in GHA growth.

 

[Dan_P]

As I said above... phosphates just got up to 0.5 to 1 likely from the ReefRoids. My nitrates are at 10. I'm gonna chill on the ReefRoids. But I had the GHA growing even when my kit was saying 0 on both phosphates and nitrates. They were probably being tied up in GHA growth.

OK, thanks.

Don’t attempt to remedy phosphate concentration with algae, just use an adsorbant like GFO to adjust it. Algae is used primarily to reduce nitrate concentration. View high nutrient control as requiring multiple methods. Here are some additional thoughts on algae.

Healthy macro algae isn‘t overgrown by green hair algae or other epiphytes like cyanobacteria because a healthy plant can ward off these squatters. Good health results from very good water flow, the right light intensity (not too much nor too little), a nitrogen source and trace elements. Green hair algae benefits from these also and will grow well along with, but not on macro algae. Algae is easier to grow than coral but aquarists probably make similar mistakes growing algae as growing coral: not knowing what the organism needs to grow. Sometimes it takes a little experimentation. It is not clear what the issues are in your set up. A good photo of the sump under white light might reveal some possible remedies

 

[Pvtgloss]

Did you notice a change in your nutrients when this started to happen?

No, GHA did a great job at taking up nutrients. Now that I got most of it out my nutrients went up. But GHA seems to be growing back pretty quickly in there and the macro still hasn't grown.

 

[mossanimal]

OK, thanks.

Don’t attempt to remedy phosphate concentration with algae, just use an adsorbant like GFO to adjust it. Algae is used primarily to reduce nitrate concentration. View high nutrient control as requiring multiple methods. Here are some additional thoughts on algae.

Healthy macro algae isn‘t overgrown by green hair algae or other epiphytes like cyanobacteria because a healthy plant can ward off these squatters. Good health results from very good water flow, the right light intensity (not too much nor too little), a nitrogen source and trace elements. Green hair algae benefits from these also and will grow well along with, but not on macro algae. Algae is easier to grow than coral but aquarists probably make similar mistakes growing algae as growing coral: not knowing what the organism needs to grow. Sometimes it takes a little experimentation. It is not clear what the issues are in your set up. A good photo of the sump under white light might reveal some possible remedies

Okay... will try to get some pictures tomorrow. It's my science classroom reef tank. You do mention one issue I'm about to try to remedy. I don't have a powerhead in my macro refugium. I have a small pump I'm going to throw in there to get more movement.