Am I combating GHA correctly?

t5Nitro · 08/29/2008, 09:24 PM

I am now starting to do 5 gallon water changes on a regular basis, and I'm siphoning out green hair algae as I do it. I just take a brush and scrub the rocks while I hold the siphon tube over it. Really, not a lot of it is able to be removed per 5 gallon water change, but you can really notice a difference. A lot of "dust" floats around the water while scrubbing. Is that sort of a sign of detritus build-up or something and a possible cause of the green hair algae? Are the rocks holding NO3 and PO4 within them? If so, what is the best route to get around that? I've been fighting this stuff since March. Every time I do the water change though for sure I put a filter sponge in front of the main drain and remove and dispose that the next day. Am I taking the green hair battle algae the best way or is there a better way to do it?

Thanks.

Mariner · 08/29/2008, 09:36 PM

IMO, water changes and scrubbing are a good way to fight green hair algae, but you may need to do more.

First of all, a 5 gallon water change isn't going to accomplish much in a 125 tank, unless you're doing that much every day.
Something on the order of 20+ gallons per week for awhile would be appropriate, vacuuming out all the detritus each time. (I'm assuming you're using good RO/DI water for your new saltwater).

Second, you should check nitrates and phosphates with a good test kit. Reduce these by stronger skimming, growing macroalgae in a fuge and running GFO.

Third, feed less.

Fourth, get some good herbivores. Turbo snails are said to eat some GHA, and some tangs will go for it.
HTH,
Mariner

shuguley · 08/30/2008, 08:41 AM

I was getting over-run with green hair algae in my fairly new 55 gallon. I was doing like you, scrubbing and siphoning. Well, I added chaeto to my fuge and a phosban reactor to my sump, once the chaeto had abut a week to start growing and the Phosban reactor had a couple days to run, the green hair algae literally quit growing overnight.

Now my tank looks like it never had green hair algae, and I haven't scrubbed for over two weeks. IME, chaeto and a phosban reactor have worked wonders!

Sk8r · 08/30/2008, 08:45 AM

shuguley is right. One or the other. If you have algae, you have phosphate, no matter what the tests say: they can't read what's in the algae. And yes, phosphate comes in the rock and sand. And fishfood. And conditioned tapwater.

08/29/2008, 09:24 PM	#1
t5Nitro Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 4,384	Am I combating GHA correctly? I am now starting to do 5 gallon water changes on a regular basis, and I'm siphoning out green hair algae as I do it. I just take a brush and scrub the rocks while I hold the siphon tube over it. Really, not a lot of it is able to be removed per 5 gallon water change, but you can really notice a difference. A lot of "dust" floats around the water while scrubbing. Is that sort of a sign of detritus build-up or something and a possible cause of the green hair algae? Are the rocks holding NO3 and PO4 within them? If so, what is the best route to get around that? I've been fighting this stuff since March. Every time I do the water change though for sure I put a filter sponge in front of the main drain and remove and dispose that the next day. Am I taking the green hair battle algae the best way or is there a better way to do it? Thanks.

08/29/2008, 09:36 PM	#2
Mariner Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: North Alabama Posts: 3,952	IMO, water changes and scrubbing are a good way to fight green hair algae, but you may need to do more. First of all, a 5 gallon water change isn't going to accomplish much in a 125 tank, unless you're doing that much every day. Something on the order of 20+ gallons per week for awhile would be appropriate, vacuuming out all the detritus each time. (I'm assuming you're using good RO/DI water for your new saltwater). Second, you should check nitrates and phosphates with a good test kit. Reduce these by stronger skimming, growing macroalgae in a fuge and running GFO. Third, feed less. Fourth, get some good herbivores. Turbo snails are said to eat some GHA, and some tangs will go for it. HTH, Mariner __________________ DESIGN DEMANDS A DESIGNER. ~The perception is that perception is reality, but the reality is that it isn't. Current Tank Info: 75g mixed reef; 135g mixed reef

08/30/2008, 08:41 AM	#3
shuguley Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Smiths Station, AL Posts: 536	I was getting over-run with green hair algae in my fairly new 55 gallon. I was doing like you, scrubbing and siphoning. Well, I added chaeto to my fuge and a phosban reactor to my sump, once the chaeto had abut a week to start growing and the Phosban reactor had a couple days to run, the green hair algae literally quit growing overnight. Now my tank looks like it never had green hair algae, and I haven't scrubbed for over two weeks. IME, chaeto and a phosban reactor have worked wonders! __________________ 2 Ocellaris Clowns, Midas Blenny, Spotted Mandarin, Pistol Shrimp, 2 Cleaner Shrimp, Large CUC Corals: Xenia, Candy Cane, Zoas, Frogspawn, Brain, Bubble, Shrooms, Sun Current Tank Info: 55G Reef w/ 15G sump/fuge w/chaeto, Phosban Reactor w/GFO, AquaC Remora Protein Skimmer, 2 Koralia 3s, Nova Extreme T5HO 216W, 85lbs LR, 60lbs LS

08/30/2008, 08:45 AM	#4
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	shuguley is right. One or the other. If you have algae, you have phosphate, no matter what the tests say: they can't read what's in the algae. And yes, phosphate comes in the rock and sand. And fishfood. And conditioned tapwater. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.