Who here beat GHA? How’d you do it.

Rilo

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There are tons of threads of people in progress fighting gha but who here has beat GHA. How’d you do it.

So far I’m planning on scrubbing the algae off. Then doing a large water change and putting an urchin to help followed by a 72 hour black out period.

How did you beat gha?
 

Cory

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I beat it with diadema sea urchins. Ive tried it all nothing else worked. And if it did work, it caused other problems. For example vinegar dosing paled my corals and shrunk my softies.

Oh i should add my yellow tang grazes it all day. Hes a big help. Also i noticed when the pod poulation increased so the hair algae decreased. I think they helped eat it.
 
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road_runner

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lower your NO3 and PO4.
make sure you have accurate tester so you know whats your actual level.
if levels are high:
use good activated carbon
use PO4 remover like rowphs
add good CUC like snails and urchins
weekly water change
good husbandry and mindful feeding
skim wet during the times you trying to bring down nutrients.

that's all, if you follow these steps you will beat it.

if you need more help please post your system details (age, parameters, filtration, some pics will help)
 

ESH

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I increased my clean up crew size, for some smaller sized pin cushion urchins (smaller the better they grow quickly), manually pulled out as much as I could and scrubbed using a tooth brush. Took about a month to clear up. I’ve been good for the past month but did notice small patches starting to come back so I’ve started moving snails directly on the spots. Once it gets long the tangs don’t seem to want anything to do with it.

Good luck!
 

sfin52

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I didn't beat it. I control it with clean up crew. You will see patches in my tank. The sea hare, crabs and snails keep it in check
 

LesPoissons

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Good luck, Ive been battling mine for months. Make sure your parameters are good is the 1st thing bc each tank is different. (I have no phos and no nitrates for years and I still have GHA). But i digress- lower what you can, decrease white/red light, make sure your cuc is well sized, scrub, remove, feed less etc. After that try a refugium, algae scrubbers, fluconazole, increasing Mag, etc. None worked for me so far, but others say so. (Im at the end of my current week of 1500+ mag using Kent Tech M... 0 change).
 

road_runner

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Good luck, Ive been battling mine for months. Make sure your parameters are good is the 1st thing bc each tank is different. (I have no phos and no nitrates for years and I still have GHA). But i digress- lower what you can, decrease white/red light, make sure your cuc is well sized, scrub, remove, feed less etc. After that try a refugee, algae scrubbers, fluconazole, increasing Mag, etc. None worked for me so far, but others say so. (Im at the end of my current week of 1500+ mag using Kent Tech M... 0 change).
if what you dealing with is GHA indeed, low nutrients have to take care of it. GHA cannot survive in zero PO4/NO3 environments (not that am saying target zero values rather making a point).
double check your test kits
double check your ID and make sure its GHA not something like bryopsis..etc
 

Murica

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Make sure you have clean rodi filters and I also made a huge diy algae scrubber in my sump for around 20 bucks
 

LesPoissons

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if what you dealing with is GHA indeed, low nutrients have to take care of it. GHA cannot survive in zero PO4/NO3 environments (not that am saying target zero values rather making a point).
double check your test kits
double check your ID and make sure its GHA not something like bryopsis..etc

thanks, I dont need to hijack anyones thread. I have had 5 or 6 of my own on here. Lol Trust me, gha (it is gha) can survive and thrive in low nutrient environments. It can survive with only blue light for months. I have tried scrubbers, fluconazole, blackouts, sea slugs, urchins, tangs, rabbitfish, increased my cuc tons, refugium, Kent Tech M, increased h20 changes, manual removal, algae blennies etc. I had 0 phos and nitrates for 3 years, variety of test kits. I am now increasing nitrates and removed my gfo rector. Phos is 0-0.05. Still GHA. The next step for me is changing my lights (leds) to new hydras... waiting on $$$.
 

road_runner

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thanks, I dont need to hijack anyones thread. I have had 5 or 6 of my own on here. Lol Trust me, gha (it is gha) can survive and thrive in low nutrient environments. It can survive with only blue light for months. I have tried scrubbers, fluconazole, blackouts, sea slugs, urchins, tangs, rabbitfish, increased my cuc tons, refugium, Kent Tech M, increased h20 changes, manual removal, algae blennies etc. I had 0 phos and nitrates for 3 years, variety of test kits. I am now increasing nitrates and removed my gfo rector. Phos is 0-0.05. Still GHA. The next step for me is changing my lights (leds) to new hydras... waiting on $$$.
If you like point me to your thread. Eill see if I can add any value to you.
 

krash7172

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I haven't actually beaten it but my wife doesn't complain anymore so I'll call it a success :) I was out of the country and came home to an algae mess. Tried a diy chaeto refugium and it didn't do much. Spent the money on a nice algae scrubber, beefed up my cuc and increased maintenance. I'm down to just 1 rock with gha. It is of course a rock with some of my favorite corals so nuking it isn't an option. I prefer to only keep things in check rather than spend the energy to eradicate everything knowing that I'll see some frags I can't resist and probably reintroduce stuff!
 

AdamNC

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In my 40 breeder, 3 Emerald Crabs and dosed NeoNitro and NeoPhos. When the No3/Po4 balanced out it started to disappear with the help of the Emeralds.
 

Angrywalnut

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I always wondered about the pristine looking near algae free tanks I see here. I kept cleaning it off, changing water, added fuge, pods (I have a Manderin), and it was gone in a few months. It grows quite well in the fuge though with the Chaeto .
My tank was about 7 months old when the GHA was in full swing. By the 1 year mark it was gone. I guess the micro fauna
and things that compete with the GHA matured enough in the tank to stop it from growing there. Maybe some luck too.
I have a Tuxedo urchin, 4 hermits, yellow tang and 1 snail.
 
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Rilo

Rilo

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I've seen several mentions of urchins. I've never had one. Is there a down side?

For the short term I’m also considering urchins... until I get a sump w/fuge setup.

How are peoples experiences with them?

Only thing I can think of is they’ll climb on coral to eat the gha or bulldoze some coral by accident.
 

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