GHA Issues... STILL

[+C Lo Slice]

Not to rain on your hopes... but I doubt it works.. It didn't for my algae problem.. Here is hoping for you though.

That looks exactly like the outbreak I had.. and the amount too.. It took about 2 months of Mg dosing to rid my 135 of it.

Yeah, I'm not getting my hopes up, but just figured I would give it a shot anyways. I may give the Mg dosing a try after this.

I'd start buying your ro water from a lfs until you get it under control, that way your sure you aren't adding anything back in that you don't want.

I was thinking the same thing. I'm almost positive my water is the culprit.

Here's what I would do:

1) Stop using the food you're feeding the tank. In my opinion, that kind of food (mysis, frozen foods) should only be used as an occasional treat, certainly not fed every day and not in the quantities you're using. In your case, you need to eliminate them altogether. Don't even use flake foods or Nori for a while because they break-down fast in the water. Switch to something like New Life Spectrum 1mm slow-sinking pellets and only feed once per day. Even better, buy an automatic feeder, that way you know the tank is only getting a designated amount every day. Feeding by hand tends to lead to over-feeding because in our minds, the fish always look hungry.

2) Buy a hand-held TDS meter and check your top-off and water-change water. If using your own RO/DI unit is not an option, you may need to start buying RO/DI water from a LFS.

3) Many people have seen great results by increasing their Magnesium levels using Kent Marine Magnesium (levels of 1500+). Keep pulling-out whatever GHA you can by hand.

4) With the way you've been feeding, that sandbed is probably loaded with nastiness. I would start to slowly thin it out over the next few weeks.

Also, clean-up crews don't remove nutrients from water. They eat stuff and poop it out. Clean-up crews break-down waste/detritus so that the tank's nutrient export system (skimmer, water-changes, etc) can remove it. Can you imagine the waste a Sea Hare would create by eating all of that GHA?

Thanks for all the advice, Pat. I will keep it all in mind and implement it.

Have you tested for PO4 yes or no. If it is high I don't care what you do you are still going to have an algae problem. What are the nitrates normal or within reason? What's within reason.

I have not tested for PO4, but I know I need to. Nitrates are either at zero or five, consistently. They haven't been above that since the initial cycle.

I keep seeing "RO WATER" but dont see "ro/DI" water, except first post. Are you using true RO/DI or just RO water? When my DI resin went south, GHA started showing up in my tank along with some cyano. I replaced the resin, added 2 tangs, and upped the water changes to 5g a week and in a month I was GHA/Cyano free. Snails didnt do squat to it... I did also use chemiclean for the cyano.

PO4 + TDS + daily feeding = GHA/CYANO heaven...just my .02c

Since you dont have a sump to put macro in, might put a TLF reactor on the back of your tank with some BRS hi cap GFO or the seachem (bit expensive). This will help as well.

Sounds dumb, but also you could stick a couple large chunks of cheato in the tank, the GHA will have to compete with it for nutrients ect and will loose some ground. Heck of a lot easier to pull out a large chunk of cheato vs GHA all stuck to the rock.

My bad... it is a RO/DI unit. I may try the chaeto trick. I hadn't thought about that.

[+Capt. Obvious]

#1 Do you have a TDS meter? if so what is your TDS of your water (pre-salt mix)

#2 Algae turf scrubbers....seriously, I have turned around GHA-Laden tanks with one a few times. and they are cheap/simple to make

[+C Lo Slice]

#1 Do you have a TDS meter? if so what is your TDS of your water (pre-salt mix)

#2 Algae turf scrubbers....seriously, I have turned around GHA-Laden tanks with one a few times. and they are cheap/simple to make

I don't have a TDS meter. I plan on taking water from the tank and from my RODI unit with me to the LFS next time I go.

I'll look into those turf scrubbers. I haven't seen them before, but you have me intrigued.

[+Capt. Obvious]

Let me know man, I can assist in setting one up, designing one for your space (no charge, for the lulz) and I have a tds meter you can use to check your water, pre and post ro

[+C Lo Slice]

Right on, man. I appreciate the offer.

[ckyuv]

alot of ppl may disagree but if you fail to get it under control, i had the same problem on my old 55g and i used vodka. imo it was the best thing i could have done and never had made so much skimmate! vodka dosing is cheap and will help super quick!

[+Capt. Obvious]

I know what you mean, if I get GHA problems I develop a drinking habit as well

[Mad Reefer]

.

[+Capt. Obvious]

Wiser words were never spoken.

[+brian.srock]

I had some GHA growing in a little patch by my pump and a couple other places and after pulling it out by hand I checked my TDS and it had spiked to I think 50 so it was definately time to change out my RO/DI filters.

Also I run a carbon filter so I changed those out and cleaned my skimmer cup b/c it had all sorts of gunk in it.

Started water changing 10 gallons at a time every other day since it takes 2 hours for 5 gallons and at least 12 hours for salt mix.

Haven't seen any since and that was 3 months ago.

And I'm right off the 130 Toll just past 71 if thats closer for you to borrow my TDS meter.