Winning GHA Battle, But Po4 rising quickly.

[firekc]

Have been battling GHA for months! Finally think I’m winning (for almost 2 months I kept po4 down to 0.05 with multiple WC a week, I haven’t don’t one in a week in fear of dropping no3 too much because I’m running mostly softy and LPS). But the gha is all starting to turn grey and easily breaking off to be removed manually and my lawnmower blenny is putting in overtime. Corals are all started to puff up more and look better as well. My issue now is my po4 is on the rise. It was 0.16 3 days ago I added 1.5tsbp of rowaphos to a media bag and turned my Refugium up to 16 hours on. But my po4 continues to rise now at .24 is this a result of the die off and when should I begin to worry? TIA

 

[ZzyzxRiver]

It’s a result of the die off, and also your GHA not taking up the excess anymore. I’m actually running into the exact same problem. Are you feeding too much? I reduced my feed amount and the phosphates are very gradually decreasing.

 

[exnisstech]

Well if the algae is dying, PO4 rising and coral looking good I'd say your winning and don't fret the PO4 levels. I have a tank that maxes out my tester at 0.9 PO4 and is never below 0.4 but the tank looks good so I sit back and relax.

Edit. The tank for reference.

 

[firekc]

It’s a result of the die off, and also your GHA not taking up the excess anymore. I’m actually running into the exact same problem. Are you feeding too much? I reduced my feed amount and the phosphates are very gradually decreasing.

I have an auto feeder with Vitalis pellets in it on set to the smallest setting and it only spins one time once a day and I feed 1/2 cube of mysis twice a week only have 2 clowns, lawnmower blenny, and diamond goby, as well as cuc members.

 

[firekc]

Well if the algae is dying, PO4 rising and coral looking good I'd say your winning and don't fret the PO4 levels. I have a tank that maxes out my tester at 0.9 PO4 and is never below 0.4 but the tank looks good so I sit back and relax.

Edit. The tank for reference.

Awesome tank! I think my worries are that the po4 gets high enough to bring it all back and then I’m in the same situation I was in…

 

[exnisstech]

My algae problems have always been in low nutrient tanks. I've never had high N and P drive nuisance algae.

Edit: The tank above has been running 2.5 years at PO4 0.4 - 0.9+ and NO3 20 - 40 ppm the entire time. The previous tank below ran similar levels for over 6 years. I wish I knew the exact cause of nuisance algae but IME is isn't high levels of N and P. I have a hunch live rock vs dry rock may be one factor.

 

[firekc]

My algae problems have always been in low nutrient tanks. I've never had high N and P drive nuisance algae.

Really! That’s like the opposite of everything I’ve read! But also this tank is only just over a year old

 

[exnisstech]

I added another example above. I too read the same info in regards to high levels driving nuisance algae but it's the opposite for me. I have another tank I'm fighting algae in now and my N and P run at or near zero and I dose to keep them detectable. People will say that's because the algae is sucking it up but now that I'm getting detectable levels the algae is starting to die off and lps are inflating larger. Similar to what you are experiencing.

 

[firekc]

I added another example above. I too read the same info in regards to high levels driving nuisance algae but it's the opposite for me. I have another tank I'm fighting algae in now and my N and P run at or near zero and I dose to keep them detectable. People will say that's because the algae is sucking it up but now that I'm getting detectable levels the algae is starting to die off and lps are inflating larger. Similar to what you are experiencing.

Very interesting. I know it’s all about finding balance. I know some other guys that run their tanks 20-30no3 and .2-.4 po4 but they have much larger systems I didn’t know if that was a contributing factor for mine but maybe I’m mistaken.