One more attack on GHA

[Tango2]

If you have that amount of algae, you should always be reading 0 PO4. If that is any higher, you have something that leaks it. It does get buffered in rocks etc so maybe thats leaking it but normally that amount of algae is also able to pull almost everything out of buffered stone so you really shouldn't be measuring any PO4.
If that's the reason, you can always add GFO to pull it out.

I used to run GFO, but didn't ever notice a huge difference, and still got algae at the time. Maybe it reduced it, but wherever the PO4 is coming from was more than the GFO could handle.

With that .amount of algae, SPS corals are already gone.

I don't have much SPS, but do have a montipora that has survived the infestation. It's not growing much, but it's surviving.

 

[saltwaterpicaso]

yeah the tank is in despair Its more than likely the rock leaching po4 and it wont go away till its gone I would get the light on the fuge for 24 h a day and let the hair algea grow down there cut the light cycle to 5 hours heavy blue your lps will be fine after a month or two it should sort its self. liquid cure alls mostly hurt the tank it makes it unbalanced

 

[Phildago]

Flucanazole. That's all you need. It will destroy your GHA forever and is so simple.

 

[saltwaterpicaso]

because his nutrients are not in check it will come back trust me

 

[Phildago]

because his nutrients are not in check it will come back trust me

But he can get his nutrients in check with a few large water changes, carbon dosing, gfo. There's a bunch of ways to accomplish that. And even if they are in check before he treats the tank, the die off will cause a spike regardless.

My tank was destroyed with hair algae for a long time, nothing took care of it whether it be water changes. Manual removal, carbon dosing, gfo. I did everything. In fact I even did a complete over haul of the rock, got rid of my old rock and got new. Nothing worked until I used Flucanazole. And I've never had GHA again

 

[Vinman]

If you have time this video might help

 

[ScottB]

I am with you on avoiding miracle mystery chemicals. But fluconazole is safe. My LFS uses it on customer tanks that get overgrown GHA or bryopsis. No SPS, LPS, softy mortality. Instructions are simple.

It is used to treat fungal infections in fish, but it also does a number on bryopsis in particular and GHA over time. There are several professional aquaculturists that actually dose it continuously to replace the amount removed by WCs. Seriously.

It WILL NOT prevent GHA from returning once it is removed via WCs. As @Phildago says, there are many methods/tools for controlling your nutrient levels once you knock this back.

a) Dose Reef Flux now. Follow the simple instructions.
b) Order Hanna ULR Phosphate Checker now. (Useless until you kill the GHA; vital thereafter.
c) Order a quality, low range nitrate test kit. Red Sea is good. (Again, useless now but vital later.)
d) Do some research on nutrient export methods & tools.
e) Choose your tool set and measure your nutrients every 3-5 days in the beginning so that you don't completely strip the water. Phosphate is stored in the rock, at will continue to leach out for a while until exhausted.
f) Aim for 5-10 nitrates and .04 to .08 phosphates