Tough GHA Need Suggestions

[DHill6]

Started Vibrant 3 weeks ago, dosing once a week. Reefer 170 BB, Tonga branch has been in there approximately 6-9 months. Parameters are:
35 ppt using Tropic Marin Pro
7-7.1 Alk, CA 480, MG 1500, N03 4, P04 .04
PH 8.1-8.3
Using a sock, Nyos skimmer, SM drop 1.4 and two mp10s. Plenty of flow, SM drop has brown slimy gha in it, skimmer running wet, RedSea carbon, 3 TBS, I didn’t want to over do that. Weekly water changes 4 g.
Three weeks ago I removed the frags, removed the branch used peroxide and a syringe, went over it twice. I’m at a loss what to do next. I’ve actually lost some coral. Pics were taken under 5,000 Spectrum. Light is Radion G4 pro at 34% max using AB program. Par meter used 200-300 range on branches.
I’ve gone after this stuff three times already. I’m using an airline to syphon GHA during weekly wc. This week I’ve dosed Vibrant on Monday, will do a wc on Thursday. Prior I’ve dosed Vibrant on wc day and waited a week until next wc to dose again. Crazy HA, it won’t die off.

 

[DHill6]

This is what it looks like out of display.

 

[Jay Tosi]

I would suggest a sea hare and hermit crabs, also manual removal really helps. I had this problem in my frag tanks.

 

[DHill6]

I’m not a crab person, they like to steal from the LPS. I’ll look into a sea hare, thanks for the idea.

 

[DHill6]

I have an urchin and snails, not interested in this stuff. I’m not a crab person, they like to steal from the mouths of LPS. I’ve done manual removal weekly.

 

[Jay Tosi]

I’m not a crab person, they like to steal from the LPS. I’ll look into a sea hare, thanks for the idea.

just be careful with a sea hare they can ink but its rare. mine did when i was doing a water change and mistook him for Algea ( it was at night) and sucked him up Poor guy

 

[RJinPV]

Dang. You're already doing what I have found works. I'm assuming your tank isn't getting direct sunlight or the cycle time is ~10 hrs or less. What about your livestock? Do you have fish and what are you feeding them? Are you feeding coral with coral food. All of this is excess nutrients going into the tank. Other than that it is a CUC thing. I have heard lots of good thing about sea hares but I couldn't keep them alive. I have seen mexican turbo snails eat GHA. My lawnmower blenny seems to help too. Emerald crabs didn't seem to do anything for my tank

 

[Ling_Thing]

Api algaefix I swear by it, saved my reefer 450 from being torn down because of gha. I have a thread under the algae threads.

 

[DHill6]

Dang. You're already doing what I have found works. I'm assuming your tank isn't getting direct sunlight or the cycle time is ~10 hrs or less. What about your livestock? Do you have fish and what are you feeding them? Are you feeding coral with coral food. All of this is excess nutrients going into the tank. Other than that it is a CUC thing. I have heard lots of good thing about sea hares but I couldn't keep them alive. I have seen mexican turbo snails eat GHA. My lawnmower blenny seems to help too. Emerald crabs didn't seem to do anything for my tank

One clown, one mandarin, one red tuxedo urchin, red banded trochious snails and one chestnut snail. TDO pellet for mandarin, LRF frozen small amount for clown, whatever is left feeds coral. I did use a small amount of Aquaforest dry aminos, dry coral boost, reef roids target fed to coral. Not often. No sunlight, light cycle is less than 10, kicks into moonlight.

 

[DHill6]

Api algaefix I swear by it, saved my reefer 450 from being torn down because of gha. I have a thread under the algae threads.

I’ll look for it.

 

[RJinPV]

Api algaefix I swear by it, saved my reefer 450 from being torn down because of gha. I have a thread under the algae threads.

API algae fix is an algaecide that one could logically conclude it is a threat to the corals. API says it is toxic to freshwater shrimp. You obviously used it with some success but were there any ill effects? Was the tank a FOWLR or did you have coral? Shrimp and crabs? I am curious

 

[Hemmdog]

I’ve never ever seen my blue leg hermits “steal” from lps. I’d recommend that. It’s a part of the reef ecosystem, personal tastes sometimes need to take the back seat when your maintaining a foreign ecosystem in your home. Best of luck !

 

[Fiesty]

I’m not a crab person, they like to steal from the LPS. I’ll look into a sea hare, thanks for the idea.

+1 on the sea hare. Followed a suggestion when battled gha in old tank and it worked wonders in a record short amount of time. They can get into open power heads so cover if u can. Not likely to happen till it runs out of algea for to eat elsewhere and then tries to clean it.

 

[laverda]

Your No3 & Po4 are reading low because the algae is using it as a food source. What are you doing to export nutrients. The least expensive way to do it is with an ATS. You can build one very inexpensively. See my DIY ATS thread for a few ideas.
Pour a little hydrogen peroxide over the rocks will kill it short term. It will return unless you export enough nutrients.

 

[Mical]

Up your mag to 1500 for about two weeks. I used Kent Tech M (it might have other ingredients that had the effect) and in 10 days GHA literally dissolved.

 

[Hemmdog]

Up your mag to 1500 for about two weeks. I used Kent Tech M (it might have other ingredients that had the effect) and in 10 days GHA literally dissolved.

+1 this does work

 

[Tamberav]

My Mexican turbos eat gha....bryopsis.... Macroalgae...pretty much anything.

 

[Ling_Thing]

API algae fix is an algaecide that one could logically conclude it is a threat to the corals. API says it is toxic to freshwater shrimp. You obviously used it with some success but were there any ill effects? Was the tank a FOWLR or did you have coral? Shrimp and crabs? I am curious

No I used it in a full mixed reef with zero losses of inverts or corals. Check out my thread called gha was won tank tear down.

 

[Dolelo96]

I have a RSR 425xl. Bought 10 Mexican turbo snails & it was gone in 2 days

 

[RJinPV]

No I used it in a full mixed reef with zero losses of inverts or corals. Check out my thread called gha was won tank tear down.

Thanks for pointing me to the thread. It was very interesting. I am amazed at how fast the turn around was. I guess I'll add algaefix to my last resort list