GSP and green hair algae

[FRANK48]

So I’ve had gsp and I haven’t really seen it spread on to any rocks and I’m not sure if it’s because of the green hair algae I currently have. I’ve heard that gsp usually grows like a wildfire so I’m no sure what’s going on. I also feed my corals. I’m also currently trying to lower my phosphate because of the green hair algae

Alk: 12
calcium: 460
Phosphate: 0
Nitrate: 2

 

[fushi]

So I’ve had gsp and I haven’t really seen it spread on to any rocks and I’m not sure if it’s because of the green hair algae I currently have. I’ve heard that gsp usually grows like a wildfire so I’m no sure what’s going on. I also feed my corals. I’m also currently trying to lower my phosphate because of the green hair algae

Alk: 12
calcium: 460
Phosphate: 0
Nitrate: 2

Have you checked your ph? Low ph will slow growth.

Corals need a little Nitrate and Phosphate to grow so I would be careful about bottoming out those nutrients, I believe the best way to promote growth is to keep parameters stable. I try to keep my nitrates between 2-5 and my Phosphates between 0.09-0.30

As for the hair algae I believe the best way is to just manually remove it as it will also suck up a lot of those NO3 and PO4.

 

[Sharkbait19]

You should consider yourself lucky lol.
I think it is definitely a possibility that the hair algae is using up all the resources, slowing the gsp growth.
Manual removal + strong cuc helps with hair algae.

 

[FRANK48]

Have you checked your ph? Low ph will slow growth.

Corals need a little Nitrate and Phosphate to grow so I would be careful about bottoming out those nutrients, I believe the best way to promote growth is to keep parameters stable. I try to keep my nitrates between 2-5 and my Phosphates between 0.09-0.30

As for the hair algae I believe the best way is to just manually remove it as it will also suck up a lot of those NO3 and PO4.

How do I manually remove it if it’s on all my rocks?

 

[Sharkbait19]

Just have to grab it and pull it out, and repeat until it’s all gone. It’s a pain but it’s hard for to to come back after that assuming nutrient levels are fixed and there is a proper cuc to keep it down.

 

[ying yang]

Can't help you here as I bought a large frag of gsp and was all open for 2 weeks on my sandbed and as wanted a back wall of gsp I cut it up into 10 decent size pieces and stuck on back glass and back overflow .Well tried sticking to back glass as kept falling off so stuck all 10 pieces to plastic overflow then only one or 2 polyps opened and slowly died and urchin ate it after few weeks lol.
Still got bit of purple showing on the glue so never know may grow back but doubt it.
So with a coral that grows like a weed and nearly indestructible I killed it lol
Will try again but just lean gsp rock against back overflow this time.

 

[landlubber]

How do I manually remove it if it’s on all my rocks?

what really turned the tide back when i had gha issues was:
one by one remove the rock use a brush to scrub and loosen whatever you can, plunge the rock into a pail of saltwater to remove the debris and then use a spray bottle containing peroxide to give each piece a decent mist on the surfaces where algae was/is present and let sit for a couple minutes before returning it to the tank.
when algae is short fish and inverts will manage it so this is the time to introduce more cuc (snails, hermits).
its a pain but overall was one time and assuming you keep your feeding and husbandry in check you won't have to do it again

 

[fushi]

How do I manually remove it if it’s on all my rocks?

You can simply pull of chunks off it or you can use a clean razor blade to scrape it off your glass (carful not to scratch the glass). You can also use a hose to siphon the floating pieces into a filter sock in a sump or bucket.

 

[FRANK48]

Just have to grab it and pull it out, and repeat until it’s all gone. It’s a pain but it’s hard for to to come back after that assuming nutrient levels are fixed and there is a proper cuc to keep it down.

Is there anything I could dose?

 

[FRANK48]

what really turned the tide back when i had gha issues was:
one by one remove the rock use a brush to scrub and loosen whatever you can, plunge the rock into a pail of saltwater to remove the debris and then use a spray bottle containing peroxide to give each piece a decent mist on the surfaces where algae was/is present and let sit for a couple minutes before returning it to the tank.
when algae is short fish and inverts will manage it so this is the time to introduce more cuc (snails, hermits).
its a pain but overall was one time and assuming you keep your feeding and husbandry in check you won't have to do it again

What’s the best cuc for gha

 

[fushi]

What’s the best cuc for gha

https://www.reefcleaners.org/aquarium-store/cleaner-packages-with-free-shipping

 

[fluked]

Hey, from my personal experience (I have a few mats of gsp in my tanks) when i had a massive gha outbreak, gsp growth stopped anywhere with hair algae, post gha, i feel like I can see the gsp grow day to day.

 

[FRANK48]

Hey, from my personal experience (I have a few mats of gsp in my tanks) when i had a massive gha outbreak, gsp growth stopped anywhere with hair algae, post gha, i feel like I can see the gsp grow day to day.

How did you get rid of it?

 

[Sharkbait19]

What’s the best cuc for gha

Emerald crab, astreas, and hermits worked wonders in my tanks. Urchins also will mow it down.

 

[FRANK48]

You can simply pull of chunks off it or you can use a clean razor blade to scrape it off your glass (carful not to scratch the glass). You can also use a hose to siphon the floating pieces into a filter sock in a sump or bucket.

The algae on my rocks is very short

 

[fluked]

How did you get rid of it?

Fluconazole (half dose) not recommending it without you doing your research and trying other methods first, but it worked wonders for me.

 

[fushi]

The algae on my rocks is very short

I would just let the clean up crew handle it, I recommend purchasing the appropriate sized cleanup crew from reef cleaners (you can even get the next pack size up as some will die or go missing over time) I have ordered from them 3 times now and couldn't be happier.
But if you really want to get after it scrubbing it off with H2O2 works (H2O2 will kill most things on your rock including good bacteria so keep that in mind)

Also keeping your glass clean and algae free will push your CUC to start cleaning your rocks as they go where their food is most available.

 

[landlubber]

What’s the best cuc for gha

pretty much what i said, snails (astrea, cerith or turbo snails) seem to be the ones i've had and crabs (scarlett are my preference) but blue leg or emeralds will also do the job.
again, you will have to manage the long hair algae before any cuc will touch it

 

[G Santana]

I purchased a small frag of GSP initially to see if my tank could grow anything and it stayed the exact same size until the tank matured and my numbers were stable more than 7 months in. It has more than tripled in size in the last 3 months.
They will grow when conditions are favorable

 

[FRANK48]

pretty much what i said, snails (astrea, cerith or turbo snails) seem to be the ones i've had and crabs (scarlett are my preference) but blue leg or emeralds will also do the job.
again, you will have to manage the long hair algae before any cuc will touch it

I purchased a small frag of GSP initially to see if my tank could grow anything and it stayed the exact same size until the tank matured and my numbers were stable more than 7 months in. It has more than tripled in size in the last 3 months.
They will grow when conditions are favorable

dang corals