GHA problems - Any ideas?

t5Nitro · 07/18/2008, 08:48 PM

I've been having a problem with GHA for many months now. I cannot figure it out and it is really annoying. It grows over corals and just looks plain ugly. I have been trying to manually remove some of it, but that never seems like it helps anything. I bought more snails to see if that helped but it didn't. I also purchased a kole tang, hoping it would eat all of it. Fortunately he eats none of it

I have a fuge going with chaeto in it along with a phosban reactor and running carbon and a skimmer 24/7. I cannot figure out what is causing this algae break out...

My nitrates tested to be 20ppm, which normally they were 0 back in the good days of a smooth running tank. I really don't know what bumped the trates though. I kept everything the same. The TDS on the RODI water is comming out 0. The other filters on the RODI unit are about 6 months old so it is time for a replacement. I ordered the filters today. I don't think that has anything to do with it though since the GHA came around months ago.

Anyone have any ideas? I'm just really frustrated and stumped at the moment

Thanks in advance.

ihavtats29 · 07/18/2008, 09:19 PM

kole tangs do not eat hair alge as a first choice, they eat the film that forms on your glass and diatoms for the top of the sand. over feeding can and will cause nitrates to rise, also any dead snails or hermits will cause it also along with adding new tank mates will cause a minicycle, id do a water change and recheck after a few days

SCIFI_3D_zoo · 07/18/2008, 09:34 PM

I had similar problems. With a Phosban reactor, cheato too. Apparantly GHA, among other algae, survive on minute amounts of phosphates (0.015). I think I read they can store and release some to help itself grow too. And it just takes off. Waste, over-feeding can hurt too. I ended up just having to take some rock out and scrub it off. Bought blue leg hermits, and astrea snails too. But once you get on top of it and wipe it out it doesn't seem to be able to get a foot-hold again.

Don't forget the great MELEV article on GHA too.

MinnFish · 07/18/2008, 09:56 PM

Beat the algae, kill the source. Find the source of the phosphates (foods, additives, water, cleaning maintenance tools with soap or tap are just a few).

Aquarist007 · 07/18/2008, 10:08 PM

here are some suggestions for limiting phosphates

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1329802

07/18/2008, 08:48 PM	#1
t5Nitro Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 4,384	GHA problems - Any ideas? I've been having a problem with GHA for many months now. I cannot figure it out and it is really annoying. It grows over corals and just looks plain ugly. I have been trying to manually remove some of it, but that never seems like it helps anything. I bought more snails to see if that helped but it didn't. I also purchased a kole tang, hoping it would eat all of it. Fortunately he eats none of it I have a fuge going with chaeto in it along with a phosban reactor and running carbon and a skimmer 24/7. I cannot figure out what is causing this algae break out... My nitrates tested to be 20ppm, which normally they were 0 back in the good days of a smooth running tank. I really don't know what bumped the trates though. I kept everything the same. The TDS on the RODI water is comming out 0. The other filters on the RODI unit are about 6 months old so it is time for a replacement. I ordered the filters today. I don't think that has anything to do with it though since the GHA came around months ago. Anyone have any ideas? I'm just really frustrated and stumped at the moment Thanks in advance.

07/18/2008, 09:19 PM	#2
ihavtats29 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: cordova , TN Posts: 2,882	kole tangs do not eat hair alge as a first choice, they eat the film that forms on your glass and diatoms for the top of the sand. over feeding can and will cause nitrates to rise, also any dead snails or hermits will cause it also along with adding new tank mates will cause a minicycle, id do a water change and recheck after a few days __________________ got reef? Current Tank Info: 29 biocube HQI

07/18/2008, 09:56 PM	#4
MinnFish Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Home of 10,000 lakes Posts: 917	Beat the algae, kill the source. Find the source of the phosphates (foods, additives, water, cleaning maintenance tools with soap or tap are just a few). __________________ 33G Long, 4x54 watt T5, Tunze 6025, Tunze Osmolator ATO, Tunze Streamfilter 3163 Posts about moving an oversized fish to a bigger tank. Is like hearing every stripper is just working to pay for colle

07/18/2008, 10:08 PM	#5
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	here are some suggestions for limiting phosphates http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1329802 __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock

07/18/2008, 09:34 PM	#3
SCIFI_3D_zoo Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sebring, Florida Posts: 1,072	I had similar problems. With a Phosban reactor, cheato too. Apparantly GHA, among other algae, survive on minute amounts of phosphates (0.015). I think I read they can store and release some to help itself grow too. And it just takes off. Waste, over-feeding can hurt too. I ended up just having to take some rock out and scrub it off. Bought blue leg hermits, and astrea snails too. But once you get on top of it and wipe it out it doesn't seem to be able to get a foot-hold again. Don't forget the great MELEV article on GHA too.