I think I have lost the battle

[ducati1212]

So I set my latest tank up about 4 years ago now I guess. Its a 30 Gal with live rock no corals - just snails, hermits, 2 gobies a damsel. Shrimp when they dont swim into my pump. I have about 2 to 3 inches of sand base. No sump. I have a remora skimmer and lots of flow. I use only RODI water.

I had just bryopsis for years lots and lots of it no other algae at all just 100% covered tank with bryopsis. for the last year I was starting to make headway against it but as it subsides its being filled in by all sorts of other macros.

All fish are healthy and happy most have been in the tank over 3 years. I test params allot they are always fine. I test phosphates of RODI and tank water they are fine. sometimes my PH can be low but not often.

I just set up a 20 gal next to my 30 and I am going to move 1/2 my live rock over and let it sit with no lights for a few weeks. I did that once before and it was 100 % algae free Then I will move all my fish over if I can catch them and put lights on the small tank and turn the lights off on my 30 for a few weeks then maybe if things go well re assemble my 30 and use the 20 as a new sump.

Any thoughts on this strat? I am wondering if the 30 gal tank without 1/2 the live rock will have enough bio filter working??

Before you bash me I have tried everything to remove the algea I am patient use all the right stuff read all I can I dont understand why it does not go away. if this does not work I break the tank down until I re do the basement and get a 180 in wall

[Michael]

you could try raising magnesium levels to around 1600-1800, as there is no corals it shouldnt hurt, high magnesium i believe is known to aid bryopsis removal, i believe 1600 is recommended, i have seen an article somewhere on this, my mag has been at 1800 before with no concerns noted, just a though.

[ducati1212]

Hi

Thanks for the reply. I tried that about 2 years ago after reading some articles on here. It did not seem to make a large difference. I would guess I kept it about 1700 for maybe 5 monthes then I stopped dosing tech M.

[darkdruid]

Throw a cheap Bio-Wheel filter on your tank and let it cycle for a few weeks, then put it on your other tank and move your livestock. That, with a few water changes will keep everything alive for months if need be. That way you can do all your rock at one time. You could even pull the rock out, dry it in the driveway for a week, scrub it down, and put it back in the tank. Then move the fish and stuff back over. The Bio-Wheel will keep everything alive while the rock recycles.

[ducati1212]

interesting idea. I think I will try that since I am kinda going in that direction anyway. The rock is so alive with worms and stuff though hate to have to dry it. but it might be the only way.

any idea on a bio wheel filter brand that is good

[WhoDey64]

The marineland version is as good as any.

[tomasga]

I had a GHA problem for about 1.5 years. I finally beat it with high volume water changes, adding phasban, and taking all of the rocks out of the tank and placing them in a seperate tank for a few months, I did leave a few rocks in the sump to keep the ana bacteria going during this process. It is a pain but you can overcome it; really just takes a lot of patience and careful maintenance. The phosban really helped even as my salifert did not detect any phosphates, it seems like the algae was consuming it before it became detectable.

[darkdruid]

Originally posted by WhoDey64
The marineland version is as good as any.

+2 I like the Marineland the best.