Best resolution to GHA?

daveydoodle

daveydoodle

Blenny
#1
#1
I thought I was pretty smart dodging the diatom bloom in the new tank, but low and behold, my tank is starting to look like the green monster (Fenway)! I have 5 scarlet hermits, 5 blue legged hermits, 3 dozen Nassarius Vibex and Nerite Snails. What's next...sea hare, urchin, lawnmower blenny? Or just a tooth brush rock by rock? Any other ideas? Maybe I'll changed from a mixed reef to a planted tank...oh wait, apparently I already did and someone didn't tell me.
 
daveydoodle

daveydoodle

Blenny
#3
#3
I've been doing 15-20% weekly. I'll look into the GFO. That essentially controls phosphates, correct? I have Chaeto, Caulpera, Red Gracilaria and Mangroves. I might convince my wife she wants a lawnmover blenny tomorrow for Mother's day. (to go along with her real gift, of course!)
 
cdrewferd

cdrewferd

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#5
#5
That was Don's avatar. The BOD all has them to pay respect in a way.


Drew

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Wicked Color

Wicked Color

Tiger Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#8
#8
Algae is all about nutrient mitigation, a media reactor, more/productive skimming, less addition, and more frequent water changes are all possible approaches, the goal is equilibrium between what goes in/comes out/gets consumed.
 
dvenson

dvenson

Dolphin
M.A.S.C Club Member
#9
#9
Phosphates IMO can cause as much as or more algae than Nitrates. What foods are you feeding. If you have a fine enough dip net use it to rinse the food off and that will reduce excess nutrients. Also where are you getting your water from?

If your looking for a quick cosmetic fix not a solution to the problem. I would suggest a sea hare, but take into consideration that is all it eats. You will have to find him a new home after he is finished mowing the lawn. In the past several people including myself have DBTC them to fellow hobbyist.
 
Cake_Boss

Cake_Boss

Blue Whale
M.A.S.C Club Member
#10
#10
RHF latest article states that the phosphate that you put into the tank stays in the tank unless you remove it. So the foods you feed contain phosphate, fish eat the phosphate, phosphate is pooped out, algae uses phosphate, cleaners eat phosphate, cleaners poop phosphate...

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Fine.... http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2012/3/chemistry




I give up, get your own pictures.
 
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dvenson

dvenson

Dolphin
M.A.S.C Club Member
#11
#11
rockys_pride;166791 said:
RHF latest article states that the phosphate that you put into the tank stays in the tank unless you remove it. So the foods you feed contain phosphate, fish eat the phosphate, phosphate is pooped out, algae uses phosphate, cleaners eat phosphate, cleaners poop phosphate...

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Click to expand...
Pics or it didnt happen...Jamie you know the rules LOL
 
daveydoodle

daveydoodle

Blenny
#12
#12
Up until yesterday I only had two Firefish in there (the Bangaii died) so I was only feeding 1/4 - 1/2 a frozen cube of mysis shrimp every other day. I used lanthanum chloride (Seaklear Phophate remover) on my 68 pounds of dry rock for a month before starting up the tank. I tested phosphates in the Brute tub during this process, and the DT water for the first week or so once in the DT. At this time phosphates were minimal. I stopped testing phosphates with the addition of the 80 pounds of live sand and around 40 pounds of live rock. That's how I thought I beat the diatom bloom. I'm using premixed RO saltwater from Todd's Tropical, only fish store close to me. Fish Palace is also close, but keeps there RO saltwater at 1.024 which I've read to be too low for a mixed reef, Todd's is at 1.026. Certainly I want the fix for aesthetic reasons but would like to have the long term resolution as well.
 
Cake_Boss

Cake_Boss

Blue Whale
M.A.S.C Club Member
#13
#13
daveydoodle said:
That's how I thought I beat the diatom bloom. I'm using premixed RO saltwater from Todd's Tropical, only fish store close to me. Fish Palace is also close, but keeps there RO saltwater at 1.024 which I've read to be too low for a mixed reef, Todd's is at 1.026. Certainly I want the fix for aesthetic reasons but would like to have the long term resolution as well.
Click to expand...
Any ill affects from the lanthanum chloride? I've been wanting to try this for awhile.

I though diatoms ate silicates?

You'll want a lower sg for our altitude for more oxygen, a higher sg means less oxygen in your water. To each their own though.

Lastly, are you sure you have GHA? You might have bryopsis, which I've read that it doesn't matter if you have no po4 or no3, it still thrives. Raising mag will help here.
 
daveydoodle

daveydoodle

Blenny
#14
#14
I'll post a picture when I get back, you're right though, I'm not sure it's GHA. A few of my rocks look like astroturf! I have tons of the Lanthanum left so don't by any, you can use whatever you need of mine.
 
dvenson

dvenson

Dolphin
M.A.S.C Club Member
#15
#15
If it's bryopsis the sea hare will not touch it but when I get bryopsis outbreaks I use a GFO reactor and that seems to help alOng with more frequent or larger water changes
 
dvenson

dvenson

Dolphin
M.A.S.C Club Member
#18
#18
i would say bryopsis and a green turf algae of some sort. try getting some Tech M to raise the Mg. I have heard that its not the Mg that is killing the bryopsis but some other additive in the Tech M brand that is killing the algae.
 
Andrew_bram

Andrew_bram

Tiger Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#20
#20
Ditto Jamie. We see how this works and we both report back. Next step lazer. Not another toy(says the better half)

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