Proctor614
Community Member
Having a GHA outbreak. Looking for feedback on my plan of attack. Too aggressive? Do more?
Waterbox 70.3 running bare bottom 1 year 9 months. Latest ICP test: Nitrate 0, Phosphate 0, Phosphorous 1.56microgram/L
CUC is: various size and style Hermit Crabs, several Trochus snails, 1 pincushion urchin
Back Story: We were heavily feeding to attempt to raise nitrates and phosphates for new and existing corals but before we went on vacation last month we dialed it back because we were going to be gone for 2 weeks. We had someone assigned to simply empty the skimmer, change the socks, and call us if there's a problem (dead fish/coral). When we left the GHA was just recently beginning to get bothersome but it wasn't something we could rightly address while we were out of town. Since middle of last month when we got back, every weekend I pluck and do a water change but it seems like its growing back faster and faster.
My plan:
Aggressively pluck and scrub the rocks in the tank
1 week blackout.
Increase the refugium light schedule (we use sea lettuce) to help combat and absorb the nutrients cast off of the dying algae.
Continue with weekly water change. (do I up the water change schedule to starve out the algae?)
I'm afraid what this would all do to our mixed lps/sps setup.
I'd love to be able to pull the rocks out and paint all the areas of GHA with peroxide for a minute or two and rinse with old tank water like it was a frag plug....but that's not reasonable or realistic with this scape.
Waterbox 70.3 running bare bottom 1 year 9 months. Latest ICP test: Nitrate 0, Phosphate 0, Phosphorous 1.56microgram/L
CUC is: various size and style Hermit Crabs, several Trochus snails, 1 pincushion urchin
Back Story: We were heavily feeding to attempt to raise nitrates and phosphates for new and existing corals but before we went on vacation last month we dialed it back because we were going to be gone for 2 weeks. We had someone assigned to simply empty the skimmer, change the socks, and call us if there's a problem (dead fish/coral). When we left the GHA was just recently beginning to get bothersome but it wasn't something we could rightly address while we were out of town. Since middle of last month when we got back, every weekend I pluck and do a water change but it seems like its growing back faster and faster.
My plan:
Aggressively pluck and scrub the rocks in the tank
1 week blackout.
Increase the refugium light schedule (we use sea lettuce) to help combat and absorb the nutrients cast off of the dying algae.
Continue with weekly water change. (do I up the water change schedule to starve out the algae?)
I'm afraid what this would all do to our mixed lps/sps setup.
I'd love to be able to pull the rocks out and paint all the areas of GHA with peroxide for a minute or two and rinse with old tank water like it was a frag plug....but that's not reasonable or realistic with this scape.
