I have been cursed by GHA!

Discussion in 'Algae' started by Travis45, Mar 30, 2010.

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  1. Travis45

    Travis45 Scooter Blennie

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    Yeah thats what I was thinking, I'm hoping they clear soon. They are bothering my corals and me!:angry:
     
    Travis45, Mar 30, 2010
    Travis45, Mar 30, 2010
    #21

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  2. Kevin3884

    Kevin3884 Tassled File Fish

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    I have 2 Sallys in my 125G reef...they are awesome algae cleaners, they keep to themselves, and clean my back glass, clean my rocks...I added them because i had my rocks bloom with GHA out of no where...and my params were spot on, and seriously it took the sally's 3 days and i couldnt spot a single piece of GHA in my tank, and hasnt been back sense
     
    Kevin3884, Mar 31, 2010
    Kevin3884, Mar 31, 2010
    #22
  3. amcarrig

    amcarrig Super Moderator

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    A few things:

    1. Read the thread that ReefSparky linked to. Lots of good advice there.
    2. Sally Lightfoot crabs do get huge and aggressive. Adding animals that eat green hair algae is just putting a bandaid on your problem. You have to figure out why you're getting the algae in the first place and fix it.
    3. The "algae" you described above is most likely dinoflagellates, not diatoms. You have to treat dinos the same way that you would red slime. By reducing phosphates and nitrates and increasing flow in the area where it's growing.
    4. You say that you don't have any phosphates in your tank. It could be because the algae is consuming all of the phosphates. Test your top off/water change water for phosphates and nitrates to see if that's where your problem lies.
     
    amcarrig, Mar 31, 2010
    amcarrig, Mar 31, 2010
    #23
  4. Travis45

    Travis45 Scooter Blennie

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    Sweet thanks for the great advice, I will definitely test my top off water.
     
    Travis45, Mar 31, 2010
    Travis45, Mar 31, 2010
    #24
  5. Travis45

    Travis45 Scooter Blennie

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    Heres some pics of the algae in the tank.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
    Travis45, Mar 31, 2010
    Travis45, Mar 31, 2010
    #25
  6. Kevin3884

    Kevin3884 Tassled File Fish

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    That doesnt look like GHA, that looks like Cyano Bacteria to me..
     
    Kevin3884, Mar 31, 2010
    Kevin3884, Mar 31, 2010
    #26

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  7. Travis45

    Travis45 Scooter Blennie

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    Yeah when it first started it was looking like a brown version of GHA but now I don't know what the heck it is.
     
    Travis45, Mar 31, 2010
    Travis45, Mar 31, 2010
    #27
  8. Kevin3884

    Kevin3884 Tassled File Fish

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    looks like the red slime/brown slime cyano....how old are your bulbs? How often are you feeding?
     
    Kevin3884, Mar 31, 2010
    Kevin3884, Mar 31, 2010
    #28
  9. Travis45

    Travis45 Scooter Blennie

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    My bulbs are barely a month old. I usually feed daily due to my anthias but I guess I can try to cut them back to every other day.
     
    Travis45, Mar 31, 2010
    Travis45, Mar 31, 2010
    #29
  10. browntrout

    browntrout Fire Shrimp

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    Hemet CA
    LOL. I should take a pic of my tank. I have a huge outbreak of GHA
    I have not done a water change in about 3mo on my 135g tank. Im a little burned out on the upkeep of this big tank. I pluck it out by hand and it just keeps coming back.

    Doesn't help that Im too lazy to have tried to stop it
     
    browntrout, Mar 31, 2010
    browntrout, Mar 31, 2010
    #30
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