Need HELP - GHA infestation, other algae and hitchhikers

[servus]

10 months old, 75gallon mixed reef and fish, 30g sump, 73-74F, Ca 400, pH 8.3, nitrates <10, phosphates 0.04-0.06. Water clear as the blue sky. Using chemipure for 2 days, phosphate remover in a bag for 2 days. Just removed about 1qt (quart) of GHA last weekend.

I have GHA, some white tube hitchhikers and some sort of white filaments growing on rocks. I had my rocks full of coraline, they looked good up until about 4 months ago, when GHA started. Ignored it, thinking it will go away with the cycle, no luck.

I need help identifying and getting some advice no how to get rid of these things. Fish are doing fine, SPS corals are doing fine, a couple of LPS doing fine, Zoas and Palys doing fine, also. I am getting frustrated.

Photos in the next post.

 

[servus]

Please see the attached images for details to what I am talking about. Please help, need a clean tank. Water changes 10% every week.

 

[servus]

I can take better photos with a macro lens if needed.

 

[servus]

More images on this.

 

[brandon429]

Gabe I hated to not have any option for ya. here's one, this guy has a large tank too same issues

Dr. Tim's Eco Balance

I have a DD300 and have battled GHA twice in 18 months , both times i used Flucon with the first treatment wiping it out to where i thought it was gone .... came back slowly and overtook my tank once again , used Flucon with 2 more treatments and a lot of hours with a tooth brush scrubbing all...

www.reef2reef.com

at least we now have a viable option on file, force cleaning the system.

 

[Garf]

10 months old, 75gallon mixed reef and fish, 30g sump, 73-74F, Ca 400, pH 8.3, nitrates <10, phosphates 0.04-0.06. Water clear as the blue sky. Using chemipure for 2 days, phosphate remover in a bag for 2 days. Just removed about 1qt (quart) of GHA last weekend.

I have GHA, some white tube hitchhikers and some sort of white filaments growing on rocks. I had my rocks full of coraline, they looked good up until about 4 months ago, when GHA started. Ignored it, thinking it will go away with the cycle, no luck.

I need help identifying and getting some advice no how to get rid of these things. Fish are doing fine, SPS corals are doing fine, a couple of LPS doing fine, Zoas and Palys doing fine, also. I am getting frustrated.

Photos in the next post.

What algae eaters do you have in the tank?

 

[Saltyreef]

youll want to manually remove as much as possible by hand. Clean up crew can help keep it in check until it burns out on whatever its consuming.
Microbacter7 during this time can help too.

 

[servus]

Hey, Brandon, I will take a look at that thread.

Garf: algae eaters? I just bought 4 turbo snails last week. Other than that, I have a 2" tang and a pin cushion urchin. The rest of the CUC I don't believe handles algae.
I'll keep on cleaning manually: I got a vacuum pump on a stick with a cloth pouch that dies a really good job and I also do mechanical filtration (pink floss) in the main tank. The water is VERY clear; nitrates/phosphates kept in check; using a skimmer also that does a good job.

I am not sure what the white tube/polyps are, and I HATE them. And now on top of that there's the whitish fungus looking thing that's been spreading over the last three-four days.

I'll take a look at the Microbacter7; at the moment using some chemipure and phosphate remover to clean the water - concerned about the corals not having enough food.

 

[JGT]

Hey, Brandon, I will take a look at that thread.

Garf: algae eaters? I just bought 4 turbo snails last week. Other than that, I have a 2" tang and a pin cushion urchin. The rest of the CUC I don't believe handles algae.
I'll keep on cleaning manually: I got a vacuum pump on a stick with a cloth pouch that dies a really good job and I also do mechanical filtration (pink floss) in the main tank. The water is VERY clear; nitrates/phosphates kept in check; using a skimmer also that does a good job.

I am not sure what the white tube/polyps are, and I HATE them. And now on top of that there's the whitish fungus looking thing that's been spreading over the last three-four days.

I'll take a look at the Microbacter7; at the moment using some chemipure and phosphate remover to clean the water - concerned about the corals not having enough food.

White things are pineapple sponges. Harmless..

 

[servus]

White things are pineapple sponges. Harmless..

LOL ok. I still hate them

 

[JGT]

LOL ok. I still hate them

That’s to be expected. For the GHA,
manually remove/siphon out, check NO3 and PO4 are in range, lessen feeding, shorten light intervals, add CUC if you don’t have and a tang or 2 depending on tank size and lawnmower blenny. Be patient. Will take time to eradicate. Don’t do anything rash. You could make things worse.

 

[Udest]

The sponges will go away on their own I wouldn't do anything too dramatic about the algae like chem bombing , I would see if anyone has a bunch of hungry mexican turbos and margaritas. Also during that period see about cutting the light cycle or intensity down a little bit.

 

[Saltyreef]

Hey, Brandon, I will take a look at that thread.

Garf: algae eaters? I just bought 4 turbo snails last week. Other than that, I have a 2" tang and a pin cushion urchin. The rest of the CUC I don't believe handles algae.
I'll keep on cleaning manually: I got a vacuum pump on a stick with a cloth pouch that dies a really good job and I also do mechanical filtration (pink floss) in the main tank. The water is VERY clear; nitrates/phosphates kept in check; using a skimmer also that does a good job.

I am not sure what the white tube/polyps are, and I HATE them. And now on top of that there's the whitish fungus looking thing that's been spreading over the last three-four days.

I'll take a look at the Microbacter7; at the moment using some chemipure and phosphate remover to clean the water - concerned about the corals not having enough food.

Microbacter7 is just adding biodiversity of more bacteria.
Its not a binder.
Manual removal will help too.

 

[servus]

Thank you all! I was going to say I got about 1 hour direct sun through a window. I will reduce the light interval/intensity.

75 gallon tank, my tang does NOT eat GHA:mad:, not sure what's wrong with him. And trust me, he's not overfed!
I will be patient, I do not want to make any sudden changes. Phosphates/nitrates checked daily. Phosphates 0.04-0.06; nitrates <10.

Lawnmower blenny - I saw mixed reviews - some eat, some don't eat GHA.

My urchin literally mowed the lawn on and off the rocks, now he's sitting on the bottom doing nothing, not even moving (he's still alive), I'm worried about him.

 

[Udest]

Your urchin is probably going to be fine he's likely just having a food coma , just growing lol.

 

[Udest]

Btw has your urchin gotten back to work?

 

[laverda]

Any rocks that can be removed easily, take and poor a bit of hydrogen peroxide over them. It will kill most algae’s, your test kits are showing low nitrate and phosphate because the GHA is consuming it.
I find the best way to control most algae long term is buy using an ATS to out compete the algae in the tank. You can build an ATS for less than $30. It does not need to be fancy to do the job. Check out my DIY thread for some ideas https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/how-anyone-can-build-an-ats-for-under-30-00.518209/

 

[servus]

Udest: urchin still belly up.

Laverda: I could put together an ATS, not a bad idea. At the moment I am looking into macroalgae as a solution, I need to set on one of them... or maybe both.

 

[Udest]

Macros are a big help I'm going to use more of them in my next system look into blade calurepa it likes the substrate more and is less likely to go sexual if it strips out the nutrients.

 

[vetteguy53081]

This is hair algae and some pineapple sponges. Rmove as much of the algae as you can by hand and then reduce white light intensity.
-Are you able to test your phosphate level?
-Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet ?
-Also is tank at or near a window?

Add some cleanup crew. Snails:

Turbo
astrea
nerite
cerith
Trochus
6-8 blue leg hermits