GHA has taken over my 42g with HOB refugium, HOB skimmer, and a HOB filter with a bunch tidal in it. Nitrates are zero. So are phosphates. I added a phosban where I’m running carbon and phosguard. Yesterday I manually removed quite a bit of it. I’m leaning toward getting some more Mexican turbo snails, a hermit or 2, and maybe an emerald crab. What else can I do to try to get this in check? I’m also worried about getting Dinos with no nutrients. So far my corals look okay, but I’m worried about what happens in the future.
I need help with GHA
- Thread starter Monk005
- Start date
Doubt you’ll get dinos with gha taking things over since they will outcompete the dinos for nutrients. Turbo snails are good.. If too thick, manual removal is what I would do once or twice a week. I added emerald crabs as well in the past that were great.
I recently treated my tank with fluconazole (flux rx) and am really impressed with the results. No adverse effects on my tank and in two weeks all the GHA melted away (small amount of bryopsis I had went away too)! Didn't bother my refugium either. If anything, the macro grew faster as it sucked up the nutrients released by the dying GHA.
If you want a natural solution I've heard that sea hares will absolutely destroy all the algae in your tank. Be ready to re-home it as it will then promptly starve to death...
I've found that most inverts are a lot better at stopping GHA while it's short. Once it grows big they ignore it.
If you want a natural solution I've heard that sea hares will absolutely destroy all the algae in your tank. Be ready to re-home it as it will then promptly starve to death...
I've found that most inverts are a lot better at stopping GHA while it's short. Once it grows big they ignore it.
I also recently used fluconazole, just did the 30% water change after 3 weeks on Tuesday. I’ll also say that it worked really well for what I had going on. There are only 2 little tufts of algae remaining, and I had a few places where it was well over 2in long and flowing like hair. My tank looks the best it ever has now.
Here's an interesting video about the downside of zero nutrients too:
Basically, you need nitrogen and phosphates to feed the beneficial bacteria and having none can cause other pests
Basically, you need nitrogen and phosphates to feed the beneficial bacteria and having none can cause other pests
- Messages
- 301
- Reaction score
- 233
If your tank is less than two years old, this just happens. Flucanozole can help, I used that in the past. Basically, you want an "all of the above" approach. Key is manual removal, two times a week. Wath nutrients, and find things that will eat it. But manual removal really is key. I have had no problems with GHA for the past three years.
I never really had luck with snails/crabs. Manual removal and time, like gill said and it will all eventually go away because your ecosystem will balance out (more food for microfauna that eats it, they will multiply). If this is a mature tank, I would be worried.
