I'm loosing the war with GHA, help?!

[Der_Iron_Chef]

Do you run lights in your refugium on a reverse cycle? In other words, does your PH remain constant?

I know that the higher the PH, the lower the levels of dissolved Co2, which would help (in theory) to reduce algae growth.

[michika]

Originally Posted by Der_Iron_Chef

Do you run lights in your refugium on a reverse cycle? In other words, does your PH remain constant?

I know that the higher the PH, the lower the levels of dissolved Co2, which would help (in theory) to reduce algae growth.

I don't run my lights on my refugium on a reverse cycle, because of how my tank is set up. My apartment is one big room, and the 'fuge light is quite bright, thus making it hard to sleep. I only see a slight pH drop though from say the middle of the day with MH & actinics, to just the moonlights at say midnight. Day is 8.2, and night is about 7.9.


argileh,

Unfortunately lowering my salinity is not a viable option. For starters it would probably kill my tank, clams, inverts, etc.

Would you be able to show me, or point me to the literature that you read on a lower salinity?

[Quagmire]

Don't know what your Alk is at,but you can try raising it to around 10-12.Algea doesn't like the high Alk.Also take a small piece of algea covered rock and clean it off.Then put it in a bowl with fresh made salt water.Let it sit a couple days and test for nitrates.It seems that everything you have done so far should have had at least some effect,so maybe your rock is whats causing the problem.

[Redrover]

I had it a few years back...good old foxface to the rescue, he was like a lawnmore,never had it since...he now is helping another reefer.

[andrewsk]

Sorry if I missed it, but where exactly is the algea growing?

Is it on the rocks, the sand?

Is it possible that where it grows, there is an excess of nutrients?

Could the live rock or sand be leaching nutrients?

Something has to be fueling it's growth.

Could you pull out the rock and put them in a quarantine tank? Where does the algae grow then?

[fishface]

i'm not sure if this would work but there's a thread on RC that pertains to getting rid of bryopsis with elevated Mg levels. for some reason it all just dies off within a very short period of time, might just work for GHA and give you a leg up. i haven't read the thread for a few months so i'm not 100% sure what new but it might be worth taking a look, it is a very long thread.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...light=bryopsis
good luck and hope this might help...

[honkey sauce]

bristletooth tangs and lots of snails , done

[Der_Iron_Chef]

Originally Posted by fishface

i'm not sure if this would work but there's a thread on RC that pertains to getting rid of bryopsis with elevated Mg levels. for some reason it all just dies off within a very short period of time, might just work for GHA and give you a leg up. i haven't read the thread for a few months so i'm not 100% sure what new but it might be worth taking a look, it is a very long thread.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...light=bryopsis
good luck and hope this might help...

Hey Darryl....I remembered this thread, too, and searched for it when Catherine posted this again. They did discuss whether or not the elevated Mg levels would be effective against other algaes, but mentioned that it only seemed to affect the Bryopsis.

Damn, eh?

[michika]

Quagmire,

My alkalinity is 9-10 dKH consistently. What would a higher level do for me? You mentioned 10-12dKH, so I'm curious. I based my 9-10 levels on readings from Reefkeeping Magazine, and a collection of books, and papers I have read. Am I missing something as to why I should keep it higher?

Redrover,

If I could find a super tiny foxface, I would consider it, but its not really a long term solution in a 24g nano.

Hockeysauce,

My tank actually does hold two tiny tangs at the moment, a kole, and an orange shoulder. They eat the algae, but they can't get ahead of it at all.

Fishface, and Der_Iron_Chef,

I did go back and look at that thread on RC. I am 95% sure that I don't have bryopsis. I did my best to double check my algae with photos of byropsis on algaebase.org, and unfortunately they didn't match. I am however still considering raising my magnesium to see if it it has an effect. I just need more magnesium first.

Andrewsk,

The algae is growing exclusively on my rocks, and its getting into the frag plugs if they are also on the rocks. It has also developed on the shells of some of my larger clams.

The algae grows everywhere, even directly in the path of my powerhead. If there is an excess of nutrients I'm a) unsure how they are getting into the system, and b) seeing growth everywhere, so I can't rule even guess where nutrients may be coming in anymore. Would a photo help?

The sand is new as of May, and I was very careful about washing it well. The liverock is between 3 years, and 6 months old depending on the piece. I never had any problems with these pieces in my 230g or any preceding tanks if that was the case.

Due to the incrediably small nature of my apartment, 400sq ft total, I literally have no room to set the rock up elsewhere. As well I have tons of frags glued down, as well as clams. While I could temporarily dismantle the tank again to scrub the algae off a second time, I fear like the first it will come back worse, or I'll end up loosing frags because of their sheer number.


Can anyone think where I'm getting nutrients in my system? I don't really feed that much, and lately when I do its just a tiny pinch of cyclopses, new life spectrum pellets, and formula one (maybe two) pellets. All of my RO/DI cartriges and resin are good, still almost brand new. None of the equipment I use has ever been used for anything else other then tank related things. I run two three reactors, Calcium, Kalkwasser, and Phosban (with phos-lock).

[tknude]

FYI, I have been battling it for 6 months or so. I think mine may finally be under control (knock wood). As well I pulled my rock out and scrubbed over running water 3 or 4 times before it was finally under contnrol. - Ted.