Gha removal

[Devan Patel]

Hi, so I ran out of the normal mysis I feed and was forced to feee really heavy phosphate food. And my nutrients went through the roof and there is gha everywhere. So I’m wondering what is the best way to take the gha off the rocks? And I’m doing a 20% water change on a waterbox 50.3 aio later on today?

1. Scrub the rocks while they’re in the tank? (But will these release more phosphate/nitrate in the tank?)
2. TSKE each individual rock out and put it in the dirty water when I take it out, and scrub each rock in the bucket?

I used to use reefflux but I don’t want to go through the medication route, I would like to focus on the more biological route. Also I’m still working on getting my clean up crew since my died awhile back when I had a crash.

I’ll attach pics before the crash then when I got it under control and how it is now.

I always did have a high nutrient system my nitrates just never went down they always stayed at 50 even with water changes and skimmer

 

[Uncle99]

What’s phosphate running at?

 

[Devan Patel]

What’s phosphate running at?

Well when I had it under control api test said .25 but now it’s gotta be insane

 

[Uncle99]

Well when I had it under control api test said .25 but now it’s gotta be insane

Ok, so yes to your plan 2.
25% water change every day for 4 days, this will bring our parameters mostly in check.
Keep nitrate and phosphate stable in terms of level, no rise, no fall week to week.
If they start a consistent upward trend, then either water change or carbon dose.
Never let either of them go zero.
Reduce white lights.
In time, your good algae and bacterium will out compete that green, or other stuff, provided your water chemistry stays absolutely stable.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi, so I ran out of the normal mysis I feed and was forced to feee really heavy phosphate food. And my nutrients went through the roof and there is gha everywhere. So I’m wondering what is the best way to take the gha off the rocks? And I’m doing a 20% water change on a waterbox 50.3 aio later on today?

1. Scrub the rocks while they’re in the tank? (But will these release more phosphate/nitrate in the tank?)
2. TSKE each individual rock out and put it in the dirty water when I take it out, and scrub each rock in the bucket?

I used to use reefflux but I don’t want to go through the medication route, I would like to focus on the more biological route. Also I’m still working on getting my clean up crew since my died awhile back when I had a crash.

I’ll attach pics before the crash then when I got it under control and how it is now.

I always did have a high nutrient system my nitrates just never went down they always stayed at 50 even with water changes and skimmer

Seeing no coral other than the one monti on this rock, I would place it in a container of tank water and pull off as much as you can by hand and scrub the rest with a firm toothbrush and some 3% hydrogen peroxide.
Return to tank, reduce white light intensity and number of hours of white lighting and add some snails such as :
Astrea
cerith
turbo grazer
trochus

A Pencil urchin

8-10 Caribbean blue leg hermits

Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet ?
What is your phosphate level?
Is tank at or near a window?

 

[Salty_Northerner]

If you're dead set on removing the GHA as you were mentioning pulling out your rock. You can always pull the rock out and get a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide that comes with a spray nozzle that actually will mist the peroxide. I've done it before and had great success. Just pulled the rock out and sprayed it with hydrogen peroxide and let it sit for 2 minutes then took a small brush and went over the Rock, dip it in some used tank water and put back in the tank. Otherwise ride it out and do as the other fellow mentions about doing 25% water changes.

 

[Jekyl]

Just looks like rocks going through the maturing process to me.

 

[Devan Patel]

Seeing no coral other than the one monti on this rock, I would place it in a container of tank water and pull off as much as you can by hand and scrub the rest with a firm toothbrush and some 3% hydrogen peroxide.
Return to tank, reduce white light intensity and number of hours of white lighting and add some snails such as :
Astrea
cerith
turbo grazer
trochus

A Pencil urchin

8-10 Caribbean blue leg hermits

Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet ?
What is your phosphate level?
Is tank at or near a window?

Will do, phosphate before all this gha was .25, probsbly insane now. The tank is near a window but never direct sunlight. This is my light schedule since I got the monti, before I was running just 5% of something for the fish. And I am using RODI 4 stage.

Working on getting a clean up crew from the lfs just waiting for them to get some stuff.

What should I change my light settings too? Before there was hardly any gha even with these settings but now with that food it exploded everywhere.

Also, for my cal and alk, i turned it off when there were no corals in the tank but after a water change my levels are still insanely high, plus 500+ sometimes of calcium. How do I lower them so I can start to turn my dosers on? Just let the monti absorb it?

 

[Devan Patel]

Ok, so yes to your plan 2.
25% water change every day for 4 days, this will bring our parameters mostly in check.
Keep nitrate and phosphate stable in terms of level, no rise, no fall week to week.
If they start a consistent upward trend, then either water change or carbon dose.
Never let either of them go zero.
Reduce white lights.
In time, your good algae and bacterium will out compete that green, or other stuff, provided your water chemistry stays absolutely stable.

This is what I said to someone down below

Seeing no coral other than the one monti on this rock, I would place it in a container of tank water and pull off as much as you can by hand and scrub the rest with a firm toothbrush and some 3% hydrogen peroxide.
Return to tank, reduce white light intensity and number of hours of white lighting and add some snails such as :
Astrea
cerith
turbo grazer
trochus

A Pencil urchin

8-10 Caribbean blue leg hermits

Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet ?
What is your phosphate level?
Is tank at or near a window?

Will do, phosphate before all this gha was .25, probsbly insane now. The tank is near a window but never direct sunlight. This is my light schedule since I got the monti, before I was running just 5% of something for the fish. And I am using RODI 4 stage.

Working on getting a clean up crew from the lfs just waiting for them to get some stuff.

What should I change my light settings too? Before there was hardly any gha even with these settings but now with that food it exploded everywhere.

Also, for my cal and alk, i turned it off when there were no corals in the tank but after a water change my levels are still insanely high, plus 500+ sometimes of calcium. How do I lower them so I can start to turn my dosers on? Just let the monti absorb it?

 

[vetteguy53081]

This is what I said to someone down below


Will do, phosphate before all this gha was .25, probsbly insane now. The tank is near a window but never direct sunlight. This is my light schedule since I got the monti, before I was running just 5% of something for the fish. And I am using RODI 4 stage.

Working on getting a clean up crew from the lfs just waiting for them to get some stuff.

What should I change my light settings too? Before there was hardly any gha even with these settings but now with that food it exploded everywhere.

Also, for my cal and alk, i turned it off when there were no corals in the tank but after a water change my levels are still insanely high, plus 500+ sometimes of calcium. How do I lower them so I can start to turn my dosers on? Just let the monti absorb it?

Its the indirect sunlight thats the issue as the power of UV this time of the year is strong and will penetrate shades-blinds and curtains. As I often suggest to others, place a sheet of black construction paper on the side of tank that faces window and you will in a few days see a reduction. The CA level is not overly high and yes allow coral to absorb it.

Bring blues down to 90% and reduce green and red to 4%

 

[Devan Patel]

Its the indirect sunlight thats the issue as the power of UV this time of the year is strong and will penetrate shades-blinds and curtains. As I often suggest to others, place a sheet of black construction paper on the side of tank that faces window and you will in a few days see a reduction. The CA level is not overly high and yes allow coral to absorb it.

Bring blues down to 90% and reduce green and red to 4%

Especially in the south where it’s 100 degrees. I’ll test and add the results to this thread once I’m done. And my light schedule is from 9-5:40. Not sure if I put that, and I will put reduce the settings too the percentages you recommended, thank you

 

[Devan Patel]

Oh and by blues did you mean just blue or royal blue? Just wanted to confirm

Here are my settings at their peak hour, is that fine?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Oh and by blues did you mean just blue or royal blue? Just wanted to confirm

Here are my settings at their peak hour, is that fine?

Blue and royal blue

 

[exnisstech]

Just looks like rocks going through the maturing process to me.

I agree with this. How old is the tank? It. Looks very similar to my 6 month old tank when I turn on white lights.
JMO but it probably wasn't caused by the food. I flood my tanks with pe mysis and a mix of ground up raw sea food that actually clouds the water for a while after feeding as none of it is rinsed. I feed 3 tanks this way 2-3 times daily without issue.

 

[fish farmer]

So you had a tank crash? Were your phosphates lower then? What caused the crash?

I'm thinking that your tank was running well....then that coral biomass is gone...your tank has lost balance. You said you were feeding....are you still feeding the same amount or much less? I don't see much for fish.

 

[Jekyl]

Still just don't think this warrants any issue. Everyone goes through the uglies. Manage, not eradicate, should be the course of action

 

[Devan Patel]

Neglection to the tank, I thought it could run itself and stopped doing frequent water changes. Then raised nutrients then stuff started dying clean up crew, and a fish. Then Dino’s wiped out the whole tank

 

[Devan Patel]

Ok, so yes to your plan 2.
25% water change every day for 4 days, this will bring our parameters mostly in check.
Keep nitrate and phosphate stable in terms of level, no rise, no fall week to week.
If they start a consistent upward trend, then either water change or carbon dose.
Never let either of them go zero.
Reduce white lights.
In time, your good algae and bacterium will out compete that green, or other stuff, provided your water chemistry stays absolutely stable.

The tank today lol. making RODI right now and salt. So should be able to do a water change by tonight or tomorrow.

 

[Devan Patel]

This is actually crazy now, all that food triggered this haha.

 

[Jekyl]

This is actually crazy now, all that food triggered this haha.

Nah, this is supposed to happen. Natural progression when using dry rock.

My tank being over 5 years now never gets algae. I don't bother testing anymore and do water changes 2 or 3 times a year.