GHA Problem

[40g Nano]

I have a GHA problem in my 40g mixed reef. 2 clowns and a six line currently after my nem ate my goby. I have had it in my 14g (moved to 40 and tturned into frag tank) but transfered rock to 40 and have same problem. I have a pincushion urchin that does great when he is on a rock but is on the glass most of the time. Any suggestions besides manual removal?
Thanks!

 

[rapid]

good luck im 1 year into this battle just started dosing vibrant ! and running GFO

you gotta post your parameters to get a beter understanding of why you have GHA probably high nutrients !

 

[rapid]

if your phosphates and nitrates are high you need to find a better solution to lower these parameters !! a better nutrient export! post ur water parameters !

 

[Ippyroy]

Your NO3 and PO4 readings would be off due the amount in the GHA. After manual removal then test them and figure out a plan to remove and maintain lower numbers.
GHA needs to be removed manually. Scrubbing the rocks with a toothbrush connected to a syphon hose afterwards helps. A good diverse CUC is also important.

 

[Hermie]

What works for me is manual removal + snails.

After I nip down a rock or an urchin goes over it, I can tell that a snail is taking up residency right at that spot because it remains hair algae free while the algae grows nearby.

So the solution is to add more snails/clean up crew. Enough snails to be keeping the rocks clean. Also, keep the glass very clean that way there is no incentive for the clean up crew to stay on the glass.

 

[Ippyroy]

What works for me is manual removal + snails.

After I nip down a rock or an urchin goes over it, I can tell that a snail is taking up residency right at that spot because it remains hair algae free while the algae grows nearby.

So the solution is to add more snails/clean up crew. Enough snails to be keeping the rocks clean. Also, keep the glass very clean that way there is no incentive for the clean up crew to stay on the glass.

 

[40g Nano]

Just cleaned the glass and rocks

Po4 and No3 are 0
Ammonia-0
Nitrite-0
Calcium-480
Alk-8
pH-7.8

I know pH is a bit low, but my coral is growing good and since the new light (Maxspect Jump LED), my frogspawn has grown a bunch of new little tentacles

 

[40g Nano]

I have the urchin along with some snails and hermits, but snails dont really last but a month or two in my tank
Any clue why?
Iodine?

 

[Hermie]

I have the urchin along with some snails and hermits, but snails dont really last but a month or two in my tank
Any clue why?
Iodine?

could be high salinity but that's a random shot in the dark

 

[tnewell]

could be high salinity but that's a random shot in the dark

I would Garuntee that Mexican turbo snails would help significantly with this problem. I had a chance problem and they knocked it out within a couple weeks. They poop LOTS though and it may be annoying, but I can’t them the cows of the ocean.

 

[40g Nano]

My salinity is at 1.025, and I have astrea snails, Ill try Mexican turbos though as I have read somewhere that they are hardy

 

[Sleeping Giant]

10 turbo snails
10 astaria snails
2 emerald crabs
2-3 Tronchus snails
10 blue legged hermit crabs

Cut feeding back to half amount

Use chemical as a very last resort

I got this same cleanup crew and a tuxedo urchin, and my GHA disappeared in a month and a half.

The manual removal is necessary and has to be done weekly until your CUC can catch-up. Nothing will eat the long strands, that removal is up to you.

Now it's all gone and I love it.

 

[40g Nano]

I dont want to get the emerald crabs as they can possibly eat fish
Thank you for the responses!

 

[Sleeping Giant]

I dont want to get the emerald crabs as they can possibly eat fish
Thank you for the responses!

They don't eat fish, they swipe but are way too slow to catch a healthy fish.

 

[40g Nano]

I didnt say this earlier but I have a fuge(in the aio) that has chaeto that has at least doubled in size in the past month

 

[40g Nano]

My wrasse goes into its little rock crevice every night, so I dont want to risk it

 

[Sleeping Giant]

My wrasse goes into its little rock crevice every night, so I dont want to risk it

Wrasses are very defensive, they will let the crabs know who's boss. No risk at all.

 

[Hermie]

My salinity is at 1.025, and I have astrea snails, Ill try Mexican turbos though as I have read somewhere that they are hardy

just be sure your refractometer is calibrated, I thought I had 1.025 salinity for over a year and it turns out I was running 1.029+ because my hydrometer was off

 

[40g Nano]

How do you calibrate them?
I thought it was just RO water right?

 

[Sleeping Giant]

How do you calibrate them?
I thought it was just RO water right?

Depends on which kind you have, Hanna has calibration packets