Can't seem to get rid of GHA

[Xandernfs]

I've been battling GHA for a few months now and I cannot seem to get the upper hand in this battle. I've used fluconazole two times (dosed for 100g) in the past month with no luck. Should I go for another round or look into something different?

Current Parameters: Reefer 250 (3+ years old)
NO3: 4
PO4: .12
Alk: 7.9
Ca: 410
Mg. 1300

I'm also getting cyano bad too, but really want to address one thing at a time since nothing good happens when you speed things up in this hobby.

 

[UkiahTheTurtle]

How many fish do you have??

 

[ATAquariums]

Feed less and start using gfo. Switch out the gfo 1 a week. Use smaller amounts of gfo.

 

[RobertTheNurse]

What's your WC schedule like? What type of water you using? Tap? RODI? How long has the tank been running? What types of rock you used? Dry? Live? What's stocked in your tank?

And pics help too

 

[RobertTheNurse]

Oh and what's your CUC?

 

[SPR1968]

It’s probably caused by raised phosphate levels, and uses it as a food source giving a false test kit reading

I personally use rowaphos (GFO) but you need to change it regularly to start out as it becomes spent or it won’t work

A good target is very low at less than 0.03

 

[JSchwarz]

Also, are you manually removing as much as possible?

 

[JosephM]

Get a sea hare. I had a whole entire background of GHA and my sea hare (aided with a couple Mexican turbos, astrea snails, and short spine urchin) took care of it in less then a month. But as others have stated get the P03 down but don't get it to undetectable levels as then you bring the risk of Dinos.

 

[Ippyroy]

Manual removal and a diverse CUC are your best bets. You NO3 and PO4 test results will be off due to the GHA consuming them to grow. I would cut down the light schedule to no more than 3 hours a day and cut feeding down to no more than once a day.
Fluconazole for GHA requires a month long dose. You only dose once and don't do water changes. It can have adverse reactions on certain acros. Don't run carbon or your skimmer for 3 days after dosing it. You still need to manually remove as much as possible everyday.
Once the GHA is removed, you need to find the underlying cause. Are you running a fuge? Are you running a skimmer? Do you use filter socks or filter floss? How often do you replace them?

 

[MichaelReefer]

Feed less and start using gfo. Switch out the gfo 1 a week. Use smaller amounts of gfo.

 

[Xandernfs]

How many fish do you have??

6: 2 wrasses, watchman goby, 2 clowns, royal gramma

Feed less and start using gfo. Switch out the gfo 1 a week. Use smaller amounts of gfo.

I'm feeding Rods mixed with bloodworms or brine. I use PhosBan but change out every 2 weeks. May have to switch to every week.

What's your WC schedule like? What type of water you using? Tap? RODI? How long has the tank been running? What types of rock you used? Dry? Live? What's stocked in your tank?

And pics help too

It was bad and my RO was .08 PO4. I have since changed all RODI filters and doing 1-2 5 gallon changes a week. I have mostly dry rock and 1 live but haven't added any rock in a few years.

Oh and what's your CUC?

1 turbo, 10 trochus, 10 nassarius, 4 bumble bee

It’s probably caused by raised phosphate levels, and uses it as a food source giving a false test kit reading

I personally use rowaphos (GFO) but you need to change it regularly to start out as it becomes spent or it won’t work

A good target is very low at less than 0.03

Ok, I'm struggling to get it below .08.

Also, are you manually removing as much as possible?

Yes, I'm not the most graceful and keep knocking my SPS loose. :(

Get a sea hare. I had a whole entire background of GHA and my sea hare (aided with a couple Mexican turbos, astrea snails, and short spine urchin) took care of it in less then a month. But as others have stated get the P03 down but don't get it to undetectable levels as then you bring the risk of Dinos.

I have read that sea hares can nuke your tank when they die. I used to have a long spiny urchin but had to evict him back to the store since he was eating my acans.

 

[RobertTheNurse]

6: 2 wrasses, watchman goby, 2 clowns, royal gramma


I'm feeding Rods mixed with bloodworms or brine. I use PhosBan but change out every 2 weeks. May have to switch to every week.



It was bad and my RO was .08 PO4. I have since changed all RODI filters and doing 1-2 5 gallon changes a week. I have mostly dry rock and 1 live but haven't added any rock in a few years.


1 turbo, 10 trochus, 10 nassarius, 4 bumble bee



Ok, I'm struggling to get it below .08.


Yes, I'm not the most graceful and keep knocking my SPS loose. :(



I have read that sea hares can nuke your tank when they die. I used to have a long spiny urchin but had to evict him back to the store since he was eating my acans.

Get a conch. Had I known how powerful these guys are I'd never of dosed vibrant. I wouldn't recommend vibrant also. I did even less than half their recommended dose and tanked my nutrients.

Got a pic. Let's see how "bad" it is.

 

[ATAquariums]

You definitely feeding too much. Corals make most of their food from light.

 

[Mical]

I used Kent's TechM (magnesium supplement) on the advice of the owner of Neptunes' Reefs in Colorado. Bump your Mag up to 1600 or higher and keep it there for a month. GHA will dissolve.

Btw Neptunes Reef in CO has this little gem....

 

[UkiahTheTurtle]

Maybe add a Lawnmower blenny

 

[RobertTheNurse]

I'd also rather deal with GHA than cyano or dino any day

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

I’m having results by OverSkimming. i didn’t change my Skimmer setting, just overfilled to increase the skimming action. Also as to not trip my ATO, and dilute too much.

 

[PR_nano]

I would do bigger water changes now that you fix your rodi, add some gfo and increase cuc. It sounds like your issue was the bad rodi causing elevated po4 by reading the responses. Test often so you don't bottom them out.

 

[JosephM]

I have read that sea hares can nuke your tank when they die. I used to have a long spiny urchin but had to evict him back to the store since he was eating my acans.

Very common misconception. Some do but not all. I have a dolabella sea hare, many people have had them die and even ink in their tanks with no side affects. As always if it dies just get it out asap before it starts decomposing.

 

[Dkmoo]

Get a fuge/ats/algae reactor

Every strand of gha grown there is one less growing in your DT. Just make sure yiu have good enough lighting in the fuge/ats/reactor and appropriate size