Gha vs peroxide

[Subsea]

That’s awfully demanding.

I’m pretty sure OP stated he wanted to document his h2o2 dosing. He wasn’t asking to be picked apart or given ideas on how to beat GHA.

We have thread forum for experimentation, if that was his goal. This forum is reef discussion.

Reef Hobbyist Experiments and Research Forum

A place where reef hobbyists can conduct, collaborate on, and discuss experiments and research to benefit reefing. These might include but are not limited to: 1) Microbiology experiments - including cycling, 2) Product experiments., 3) Quarantine experiments., 4. Theories based on new trends in...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Reefing_addiction]

When lights went off, I dosed 12 ml of 3% peroxide into 5 year mature 120G display with 40G cryptic refugium. After 7 days, I no longer observed amphipods in display or refugium.

PS. You used the magic word: control.

I doubt that GHA can be eliminated in a mature tank without severe consequences to biodiversity.

Sterile in a hospital operating room is good, but not in a reef tank.

FYI I have a 5year old 75 gallon tank and no GHA

Controlling GHA is actually the wrong word choice. You can eliminate it, but it’s usually replaced with something else. Or the “control” part is that other algae (usually macro algae in a refugium) out competes the GHA in nutrient export. So yes GHA can be eliminated in a mature tank. But something must take its place.

You stated you had a cryptic refugium…which leads me to believe you have no other macro algae to replace the nutrient export that the GHA was doing. Cryptic refugiums tend to use sponges which do not function the same way.

 

[Reefing_addiction]

We have threads for experimentation, if that was his point.

This is such a thread. A thread to document his H2O2 experience. Because no two tanks are the same and the more data we have the better

 

[Subsea]

“You stated you had a cryptic refugium…which leads me to believe you have no other macro algae to replace the nutrient export that the GHA was doing. Cryptic refugiums tend to use sponges which do not function the same way.“

I export nutrients when I frag a sell coral.

Prior to pruning & exporting, coral consumes nutrients as required.

 

[Subsea]

This is such a thread. A thread to document his H2O2 experience. Because no two tanks are the same and the more data we have the better

Outstanding discussion in “algae discussion” Forum.

 

[Reefing_addiction]

“You stated you had a cryptic refugium…which leads me to believe you have no other macro algae to replace the nutrient export that the GHA was doing. Cryptic refugiums tend to use sponges which do not function the same way.“

I export nutrients when I frag a sell coral.

Prior to pruning & exporting, coral consumes nutrients as required.

Yeah no you are not exporting nutrients by fragging corals and selling them. In fact I would say if your doing that your reducing your export.

Corals do not consume enough nutrients to out compete macro algae.

Just like corals dont consume all the calcium - that’s where coralline algae comes in.

So what you’re saying is you did not have any other algae in the tank other than the GHA. Got it. Your only mode of exporting nutrients was your cryptic refugium and the fragging and selling of corals?

Using a UV sterilizer can help but the root cause of the problem still exists- an imbalance of input and output.

 

[Reefing_addiction]

Outstanding discussion in “algae discussion” Forum.

And the more post the better. Plenty of people post threads about their experiences so as to add to the collective.

 

[Subsea]

Yeah no you are not exporting nutrients by fragging corals and selling them. In fact I would say if your doing that your reducing your export.

Corals do not consume enough nutrients to out compete macro algae.

Just like corals dont consume all the calcium - that’s where coralline algae comes in.

So what you’re saying is you did not have any other algae in the tank other than the GHA. Got it. Your only mode of exporting nutrients was your cryptic refugium and the fragging and selling of corals?

Using a UV sterilizer can help but the root cause of the problem still exists- an imbalance of input and output.

I don’t use cryptic sponges to export anything. They consume DOC & POC and produce energy
rich detritus which is food for the microbial loop.


“Corals do not consume enough nutrients to out compete macro algae.“

Really! You are on a limb with that statement. It depends on which macro algae that you are referring to.

 

[Johnd651]

Whatever you do, please post bright white light pictures, please, so we can see the results. I can't even see the gha in the picture you posted.

12/25 14:52

 

[Reefing_addiction]

I don’t use cryptic sponges to export anything. They consume DOC & POC and produce energy
rich detritus which is food for the microbial loop.


“Corals do not consume enough nutrients to out compete macro algae.“

Really! You are on a limb with that statement. It depends on which macro algae that you are referring to.

Let me rephrase for you

In our nutrient rich environments that we creat in our tanks corals cannot uptake enough nutrients to outcompete macro algae (the good and the bad). In the coral reefs of the ocean, which are, more than likely, nutrient deficient, yes corals outcompete macro algae.

Merry Christmas.

@Johnd651 sorry my friend for making a mess of your thread!

 

[Subsea]

Let me rephrase for you

In our nutrient rich environments that we creat in our tanks corals cannot uptake enough nutrients to outcompete macro algae (the good and the bad). In the coral reefs of the ocean, which are, more than likely, nutrient deficient, yes corals outcompete macro algae.

Merry Christmas.

@Johnd651 sorry my friend for making a mess of your thread!

I don’t need you to spoon feed me. Your observations are correct “within limits”.

As a marine engineer from Texas Maritime Academy, I understand Oceeneering.

As a Superintendent of municipal wastewater operations, I understand nutrient recycling and nutrient export.

And as a reef hobbiest of 55 years, I understand captive reeef ecosystems.

 

[Subsea]

Tldr, I will dose peroxide and document it.

The 15 aio seems to be having a gha problem, and from what I've read it may have to do with the Caribsea dry rock that was used.

Parameters posted below. I've tried daily scrubbing and pulling. I have astrea, florida/Dwarf ceriths, bumblebee, and nassarius. I bought the 30 gallon package from reef cleaners, so double of what's needed. I have a lawnmower blenny, that does go after it as well. No shrimp. Yes to coral. But overall it keeps coming back.

After many recommendations and reading, I decided to dose hydrogen peroxide, H2O2, just below the 1mL/10gal at 1mL for the whole 15 Gallon tank, for a 7 day course. Depending on results, I may go out to 10 days at the reduced dosage.

I will be dosing after lights out.

I will remove the chaeto right before dosing, for about 8 hours, and put it back in the morning to prevent the H2O2 from killing it as well. (Read mixed reviews on macro surviving.)

Started on 12/24/24.

Kudos to this.

How do you evaluate the experiment? Aside from visually liking less GHA that you see.

PS: As a scientist, I need data to evaluate.
Not: My tank has never looked better.

 

[Johnd651]

Day 2 12/26 20:37

 

[Johnd651]

Kudos to this.

How do you evaluate the experiment? Aside from visually liking less GHA that you see.

PS: As a scientist, I need data to evaluate.
Not: My tank has never looked better.

At this point, without changing any other variables, I am just evaluating whether the algae increases, stays the same, or decreases. The one thing I have noticed is the flow through the filter sock is decreasing, but I am not seeing any large pieces, so I am rinsing it nightly after lights out, right before adding H2O2.

I don't have pictures close up, but noticed last night that the new algae growth has actually started to turn translucent. I am also going to monitor the nitrates and phosphates weekly, since they are currently both reading 0, since I believe they are trapped in the GHA.

Back in the day, I used to do coral research in grad school, and it was nice having all the goodies like flowmeters, ICP-MS, and microscopes, to be able to collect better data, do pod counts, etc. At this point though, other then some regular water testing, I just really would like to see how my fish, coral, and algae does.

I just got back into the hobby, and kind of got screwed over by the commercialization up front, so I am taking a step back and using it to my advantage to see what does and does not truly work compared to what I used to do... and so far, it seems like what I learned 14 years ago is still better practice then all of what is available today.

 

[Johnd651]

Day 3 12/27 19:27

Noticing pieces of GHA floating around in the water column.

 

[Reefing_addiction]

Day 3 12/27 19:27

Noticing pieces of GHA floating around in the water column.

You should get in there an scrub it with your toothbrush.


And between the snails and my feeding the tangs in the other tank with fresh algae from the new tank I saw nitrates and phosphates rather quickly. But I can’t really swap more rocks so hopefully the turbo lawnmowers keep up their stellar job

 

[Johnd651]

You should get in there an scrub it with your toothbrush.


And between the snails and my feeding the tangs in the other tank with fresh algae from the new tank I saw nitrates and phosphates rather quickly. But I can’t really swap more rocks so hopefully the turbo lawnmowers keep up their stellar job

I may have gotten my hands on an electric toothbrush just for this project. :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

 

[Reefing_addiction]

I may have gotten my hands on an electric toothbrush just for this project. :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

Uuummm is it submersible

 

[Johnd651]

Uuummm is it submersible

it will be trash after this project.. not to worried if it dies

 

[Reefing_addiction]

it will be trash after this project.. not to worried if it dies

Well then what will you brush your tooth eithers with?