GHA over run!

pelfiredc · 08/13/2019, 01:27 PM

Hey guys I went away for 2.5 weeks and came home to GHA turning my tank into the Amazon. Most corals are shot and water parameters are now good with water changes but read that dosing hydrogen peroxide into tank @ 12% 1ml per 10 gallons will wipe it out and slightly stress corals but not kill them for a day or so????? Thoughts? Don't want to loose the rest of the corals! Ty for thoughts!!!

mcgyvr · 08/13/2019, 02:05 PM

Nitrate/Phosphate results?
2.5 weeks will usually not take an algae free tank to the amazon.. Usually conditions were already on the decline,etc... I'm not sure what you define as "good" so you may still have an issue to solve there..

Some recommend peroxide.. some are against it..
I will use it outside of the tank in a 50/50 mix with old tank water and scrubbing with a toothbrush on the rocks.. That works well.. but in the tank can be hit or miss..

A product like fluconazole (sold under the name Reef Flux for this industry) works very well to kill GHA. I'd recommend it vs peroxide..

fu_iceman · 08/13/2019, 03:57 PM

I put a large Mexican turbo snail in my tank after battling GHA for months. Cleared it in a week. He's still very happy grazing all day to keep it from coming back. I only have a 10 gallon nano, but I tried everything from scrubbing the rocks, black outs, weekly water changes, lawn mower blenny.... Turbo snail crushed it.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

bertoni · 08/13/2019, 06:23 PM

What water parameters were bad when you got back home?

I wouldn't dose hydrogen peroxide, personally, but it might work. It might damage fish goals or corals, or both. Fluconazole is a good suggestion, in my opinion, and you might find a snail that will eat it. Snails definitely are hit-and-miss, though.

How unhappy are the corals? If the situation is not an emergency, I'd stick with fluconazole and maybe a bit of hand-pruning. I would avoid spending a lot of time removing the algae. The goal is nutrient export, so getting all of the algae is not at all the idea.

pelfiredc · 08/14/2019, 07:50 AM

Ty guys I'll get the flux and order snails. The phos went thru the roof but I think my kit was bad and checked w meter. Have done changes....... will do more and am running GFO and carbon now. Phosban same as flux???? Most sps died ,other hammers n frogs softies all stressed but alive

bertoni · 08/14/2019, 07:48 PM

Fluconazole is an anti-fungal drug that seems to kill some algae, for reasons that aren't quite clear. PhosBan or another GFO sometimes helps with algae, but it tends to be a long-term solution.

Oldreeferman · 08/15/2019, 06:48 AM

Not enough info here, you didn't answer the Q about what the water chemistry was when you returned, you didn't mention was the tank being baby sat or auto fed, you didn't mention the lighting schedule while you were gone, i could go on & on ...........Instead of focusing only on how to treat this prob how about also focusing on what caused it, treating is a band aid and the reason for it in the first place needs to be dealt with.

gprdypoo04 · 08/18/2019, 06:59 PM

Put more crabs in my tank and that got rid of it.

08/13/2019, 01:27 PM	#1
pelfiredc Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Pelham NY Posts: 165	GHA over run! Hey guys I went away for 2.5 weeks and came home to GHA turning my tank into the Amazon. Most corals are shot and water parameters are now good with water changes but read that dosing hydrogen peroxide into tank @ 12% 1ml per 10 gallons will wipe it out and slightly stress corals but not kill them for a day or so????? Thoughts? Don't want to loose the rest of the corals! Ty for thoughts!!!

08/13/2019, 02:05 PM	#2
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	Nitrate/Phosphate results? 2.5 weeks will usually not take an algae free tank to the amazon.. Usually conditions were already on the decline,etc... I'm not sure what you define as "good" so you may still have an issue to solve there.. Some recommend peroxide.. some are against it.. I will use it outside of the tank in a 50/50 mix with old tank water and scrubbing with a toothbrush on the rocks.. That works well.. but in the tank can be hit or miss.. A product like fluconazole (sold under the name Reef Flux for this industry) works very well to kill GHA. I'd recommend it vs peroxide.. __________________ Who me?

08/13/2019, 06:23 PM	#4
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	What water parameters were bad when you got back home? I wouldn't dose hydrogen peroxide, personally, but it might work. It might damage fish goals or corals, or both. Fluconazole is a good suggestion, in my opinion, and you might find a snail that will eat it. Snails definitely are hit-and-miss, though. How unhappy are the corals? If the situation is not an emergency, I'd stick with fluconazole and maybe a bit of hand-pruning. I would avoid spending a lot of time removing the algae. The goal is nutrient export, so getting all of the algae is not at all the idea. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

08/14/2019, 07:48 PM	#6
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Fluconazole is an anti-fungal drug that seems to kill some algae, for reasons that aren't quite clear. PhosBan or another GFO sometimes helps with algae, but it tends to be a long-term solution. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

08/15/2019, 06:48 AM	#7
Oldreeferman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: NW Indiana Valparaiso Posts: 505	Not enough info here, you didn't answer the Q about what the water chemistry was when you returned, you didn't mention was the tank being baby sat or auto fed, you didn't mention the lighting schedule while you were gone, i could go on & on ...........Instead of focusing only on how to treat this prob how about also focusing on what caused it, treating is a band aid and the reason for it in the first place needs to be dealt with. __________________ Montipora Digitas, Cyphastrea, Blastos, different Leptoseris, Green Stylo, GSP, gorgonions, Ricordea mushrooms, psammocoras, Birdsnest coral, Clownfish, Watchman goby, Royal gamma. Current Tank Info: Nano Reef tank

08/13/2019, 03:57 PM	#3
fu_iceman Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: DC Posts: 44	I put a large Mexican turbo snail in my tank after battling GHA for months. Cleared it in a week. He's still very happy grazing all day to keep it from coming back. I only have a 10 gallon nano, but I tried everything from scrubbing the rocks, black outs, weekly water changes, lawn mower blenny.... Turbo snail crushed it. Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

08/14/2019, 07:50 AM	#5
pelfiredc Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Pelham NY Posts: 165	Ty guys I'll get the flux and order snails. The phos went thru the roof but I think my kit was bad and checked w meter. Have done changes....... will do more and am running GFO and carbon now. Phosban same as flux???? Most sps died ,other hammers n frogs softies all stressed but alive

08/18/2019, 06:59 PM	#8
gprdypoo04 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 389	Put more crabs in my tank and that got rid of it.