Done with GHA !!! - 27,000 mg dose of Fluconazol one time, along with 115 ml of Vibrant per week.

[14 foot reef]

I've been Battling GHA for 4 months with zero headway. Contacted Jeff and Vibrant and he suggested one dose of 20mg per gallon of Fluconazol plus his vibrant. He is confident I'll be algae free in 14 days !!!!!
I'm very excited and all in. Dosed tonight with his personal help via phone. Jeff, thank you for your personal attention.
Here we go !!! look out GHA !!!!!

 

[splitting_lanes]

Let us know the results

 

[brandon429]

I love it when people get resolved to win

 

[brandon429]

in all fairness though, both products in their work threads are not 100% effective on target but 80%+ seats them permanently in our tool box that's for sure.

agreed you are mass dosing, that's a new variable but there's something beyond water actions you can consider or at least test during this type of resolve: actual man grazing.

while you wait for water actions to work and save tons of direct access, make one single test rock comply in your tank without that fluc or vibrant. Take out the rock, use a knife tip to roughly score and debride the algae off like your a dentist v plaque, rocks bleed a bit due to rough handling.

the whole rock is algae free due to your 45 min job using metal and strength precision to score out the anchors which makes your rock in the condition it would be in if you had the worlds luckiest grazer arrangement.

only when that rock is 100% clean due to your sweat and no more waiting, just this one rock doesn't mean you have to do them all, put peroxide all over it. This does NOT kill the bac, its still able to handle bioload if tested alone. same as untreated rock. the peroxide kills cellular plant bits and holdfasts you missed, and can actually get to them now that you removed the canopy once allowed

have one rock that is handled without any alternate BUT to be algae free, and monitor it among the group of rocks we're hoping to be. Extract from this adventure what you will
B

 

[TheHarold]

in all fairness though, both products in their work threads are not 100% effective on target but 80%+ seats them permanently in our tool box that's for sure.

agreed you are mass dosing, that's a new variable but there's something beyond water actions you can consider or at least test during this type of resolve: actual man grazing.

while you wait for water actions to work and save tons of direct access, make one single test rock comply in your tank without that fluc or vibrant. Take out the rock, use a knife tip to roughly score and debride the algae off like your a dentist v plaque, rocks bleed a bit due to rough handling.

the whole rock is algae free due to your 45 min job using metal and strength precision to score out the anchors which makes your rock in the condition it would be in if you had the worlds luckiest grazer arrangement.

only when that rock is 100% clean due to your sweat and no more waiting, just this one rock doesn't mean you have to do them all, put peroxide all over it. This does NOT kill the bac, its still able to handle bioload if tested alone. same as untreated rock. the peroxide kills cellular plant bits and holdfasts you missed, and can actually get to them now that you removed the canopy once allowed

have one rock that is handled without any alternate BUT to be algae free, and monitor it among the group of rocks we're hoping to be. Extract from this adventure what you will
B

If it is a 14 foot reef, I don’t think you can remove all rock and pick out every speck and root of algae. 45 minutes applies to a vase with 5lb of rock, not a larger system with 500lb

 

[brandon429]

I have some work linkable from the willing who were resolved large tank raspers. Not 14 ft agreed ~

its not practical, but who says its only applicable in hindsight> if he sees how well it works, wont that make the 1st growth on the 1st rock in the redone tank have a new care option?

It is practical when the whole tank isn't a challenge, and its just one rock. But since we're always finding ways NOT to effect control, things take over fully.

That's why I said take from it what you will...the right size tank to select and stock out with ten grand in corals is any size tank where direct access isn't precluded, for any reason.

also, what if a large tank owner wants to build a tank where a few pounds of accessible rocks are controlled, early on, vs a massive untouchable rock wall

Readers with accessible tanks might take the idea to try before total takeover, and 14fr might have smaller tanks as well, it's no harm to practice

nobody gets any practice in this hobby absolutely commanding an outcome, modeling that in a vase or in a large tank has benefits for both readers and the owner. 1 rock, no harm, learn that ultimate control is possible, upscale it only if you have to/need to. its better than total guessing is my angle. That's a truly massive reef wow

True resolve includes possible hard work options too imo

 

[Saltyreef]

Or, 150 giant mexican turbos!!!! Unfortunately if i had GHA in 14 feet of tank...id likely start dosing liquid death too lol.

 

[brandon429]

UV sterilizer, on a reef that big Id never ever ever be without one rated for a koi pond.

 

[14 foot reef]

UV sterilizer, on a reef that big Id never ever ever be without one rated for a koi pond.

I have a top of the line 250 watt UV, change the $400.00 bulb every 6 months

 

[brandon429]

that sounds like a rocket ship of a setup. Id still test rock one five pound section because if its still growing back right at your peak doser offer that gives some sort of insight about the future, after you've hopefully killed it off using water means. It just doesn't hurt to see how different algae control models respond in a reef that big, and its easy to make one test rock comply just to learn about your invader

wow

hey would you rate that reef as heavy detritus retention or low? if you swish a given test rock with algae in tank, does a lot of castings come off?
how about sandbed, did you use one in that huge reef

am gauging growback mechanisms for the future, assuming you get it controlled in one or more ways. that detritus is the universal alternation of invasion generations feed, curious how much collection zones that huge reef has.

 

[14 foot reef]

that sounds like a rocket ship of a setup. Id still test rock one five pound section because if its still growing back right at your peak doser offer that gives some sort of insight about the future, after you've hopefully killed it off using water means. It just doesn't hurt to see how different algae control models respond in a reef that big, and its easy to make one test rock comply just to learn about your invader

wow

hey would you rate that reef as heavy detritus retention or low? if you swish a given test rock with algae in tank, does a lot of castings come off?
how about sandbed, did you use one in that huge reef

am gauging growback mechanisms for the future, assuming you get it controlled in one or more ways. that detritus is the universal alternation of invasion generations feed, curious how much collection zones that huge reef has.

The tank does suffer from detritus zones, the crushed coral is random depths as the Oceans Motion valve on one of the 5000 GPH return pumps keeps things moving around along with 2 MP60's the tank really could use 2 more MP60's but i would have to drain the tank to insert 2 more dry boxes for the dry ends. Not really an option. The tank was set up for 17 years then two years ago I did a complete tear down bleach out and 100% new restart. All new substrate all new Life Rock and amonia cycle. After the cycle the tank ran on the triton method for 18 months with very little success. I switched over to AWC method and change out water hourly at a small rate for a total of 300 gallons per month. The tank is doing much better now on this method, but there are a few problems still to conquer. The GHA and Aptasia. Hopefully the Fluco and Vibrant will kick the GHA and the aptasia is being handled by predators. CBB, green file fish, declivas butterfly, Black Zoster Butterfly and my new helper, The Holo Holo Angel. I'm hoping by end of January we are back to a clean reef. Nothing happens fast in this hobby, patience is a virtue here.

 

[Lionsreef]

How is the progress? Any change?

 

[14 foot reef]

70% of my GHA is gone, the combo of the Fluconazol and vibrant seem to be doing exactly what Jeff at Underwater Creations said it would in the timeline he estimated. I haven't lost any SPS yet but I will add that my LPS corals are a little tightened up or shrunken(Not as full and extended) but I'll take that considering the 6 month battle of GHA has turned around completely in just 2 weeks. I think as others have said, there are less stressful and less aggressive methods than this approach. But if monitored and closely watched, I think this is a solid prescription to get rid of an infestation of GHA. I probably would caution everyone who tries this, and I would also try everything else first, but if clean up crews, water quality and good take maintenance don't work, this surely is and option.
I noticed the GHA turning white within a few days of the Fluconazol. Then continuing, the GHA in the Brightest and strongests light areas died first, the lower light areas and in the sheltered light areas are the last to be turning white and dying, I'm probably going to run this for one more week before I start skimming out the Fluconazol. I will continue the Vibrant until all is gone. But I think 3 weeks with the Skimmer just boiling over back to the sump with the Fluconazol in the system is enough. Going to try and play it safe, and start removing the Fluconazol, as i'm not sure of the long term effect on the LPS. I did NOT have a spike of Nitrates or PO4. I did NOT run GFO either. My PO4 has stayed at .08 and my nitrates are at 1 and have stayed there. I tested for them both three times a week as I was concerned about a nutrient release and spike. That DID NOT happen.

 

[ChuckTownReefer]

any update?

 

[14 foot reef]

Update...........After the treatment, GHA came back. Corals are ok. but the GHA infestation is still here. still doing Vibrant once per week, but it is not helping. I'm thinking of stopping Vibrant and going back to back 2 treatments, maybe even 3 treatments of the Fluconazol. Did a triton ICP test, water was what most people would call ideal. Pretty frustrated at this point. but, bill continue to battle this until its gone. Does anyone think shutting down the 9 Kessils above the reef and running only the T5's would also help ? Of course I'm over skimming with the giant oversized 150 PE - RK2 Skimmer. Nitrates are around 3-5 and PO4 is .03 ..... PH is running steady 8.3 night and day. alk is steady 7.5, Calcium steady 450, Mag Steady 1350. Temp steady night and day 76.5. Running Aqua Ultraviolet SL200 - 200 watt UV with new bulb. The Fish in the system could not look, act, or eat any better than they are. Hoping to break this GHA cycle soon.

 

[brandon429]

still this is great resolve

just as everyone says things happen fast in tiny reefs it’s handy to consider the opposite in one of the largest reefs on this site...you’ll have extra sustain times required for treatment X compared to smaller tanks, and if any improvement is happening then thats the good direction for this beast

if it takes 16 months to be 90% better that’s not stalled, it’s on track for the big picture

if you ever wanted to experiment with peroxide dosing while algae is in weakened state that could be a big help w this many gallons. The only animals to consider in dose prep are lysmata species and higher end smooth sps, fish don’t seem to care much across ten thousand application examples from threads


if you think the algae is on a downtrend left as is, I wouldn’t dose peroxide

 

[Cell]

We are all just test subjects in @brandon429's world!

 

[mermaid_life]

Update...........After the treatment, GHA came back. Corals are ok. but the GHA infestation is still here. still doing Vibrant once per week, but it is not helping. I'm thinking of stopping Vibrant and going back to back 2 treatments, maybe even 3 treatments of the Fluconazol. Did a triton ICP test, water was what most people would call ideal. Pretty frustrated at this point. but, bill continue to battle this until its gone. Does anyone think shutting down the 9 Kessils above the reef and running only the T5's would also help ? Of course I'm over skimming with the giant oversized 150 PE - RK2 Skimmer. Nitrates are around 3-5 and PO4 is .03 ..... PH is running steady 8.3 night and day. alk is steady 7.5, Calcium steady 450, Mag Steady 1350. Temp steady night and day 76.5. Running Aqua Ultraviolet SL200 - 200 watt UV with new bulb. The Fish in the system could not look, act, or eat any better than they are. Hoping to break this GHA cycle soon.

Don't give up!!! My tank has been up for a little over a year and I unsuccessfully battled GHA the whole time. About two months ago, I tried NOPOX despite reading that it made corals starve (which it did, but GHA was killing my coral anyway). Then I found Vibrant and starting dosing that. I started with 1 treatment a week with water changes. It started making my GHA curl within the first week, but that was it. Then I got impatient as I usually do and around week 3 started treatments 3x a week (or everytime that I got mad looking at my tank). Another two weeks went by and the GHA totally turned into this sheetlike material, almost like nori, and started flaking off! As soon as that happened I went back to 1x a week and now I just have a light coating of algae that my snails have no problem taking care of. I consider my tank GHA FREE!!! My corals have also started coming back. All in all, it does take a while, but I saw no ill effects upping the frequency of Vibrant treatments, where upping the frequency of NOPOX was definitely no bueno. I also tried Flucanozole early on, but results were very temporary for me.

From now on I plan on 1x treatment of Vibrant every 2 weeks and 1x treatment of NOPOX as necessary (visual).

 

[AquamanE]

We are all just test subjects in @brandon429's world!

1+

 

[14 foot reef]

Update.........After three full doses of 27,000 mg per dose, I think I have one the battle. My green hair algae is at maybe 5% left. The tank looks really nice again and this weekend I'll do some final small manual removal and then will keep the fingers crossed and the system stable. Patience and persistence is the only way to beat this dang stuff.