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02/20/2017, 04:46 PM | #126 |
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Well, i've got an insane GHA outbreak. My hypothesis is the problem is three-fold: 1) too much natural daylight (I need new window treatments, BAD!). 2) Went for too long without running GFO (switched from my lifereef filter cylinders to the BRS reactor and I went without carbon and GFO for a little over a month. 3) My pukani base rock I added in with my live rock from the 75 gallon tank I transferred over is leeching some serious phosphates.
I went ahead and manually removed as much of the GHA as I can by siphoning and scrubbing rocks/frags. I replaced the GFO with fresh after testing the phosphates came back at .1 but i'm sure they are bound up in the GHA. I removed any GHA from the refugium as I think some of it had come free and ended up getting shot into the display tank to continue spreading. Just going to go with a tumbling ball of chaeto and my mangroves. I cleaned any detritus out of the sump and the filter pads. I did a 30% water change and now going lights out for two days. I am getting estimates on window treatments and contemplating if I should throw a blanket over the windows in the meantime. The wife might need some convincing on this... I can't stand an ugly display. Must. Win. Battle. In the meantime I realized I have taken a special liking to shrooms and grabbed some cool discomosa and rhodactis. Should be here later this week! |
02/20/2017, 04:54 PM | #127 | |
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Quote:
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02/20/2017, 04:58 PM | #128 |
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03/01/2017, 08:01 PM | #129 |
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so did you see the lineatus today?
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03/01/2017, 08:36 PM | #130 |
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03/01/2017, 08:37 PM | #131 | |
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Quote:
Yeah, it was nice!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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"The terrible thing, the almost impossible thing, is to hand over your whole self; all your wishes and precautions; to Christ." -C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity) Current Tank Info: Currently Rebuilding |
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03/11/2017, 06:00 PM | #132 |
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I couldn't resist. Welcome home Master Scolymia
Tank is doing better. GHA is under control and should be completely eliminated from the DT in about two weeks. BTA split three times and I sold them but one hopped across to another rock and now I have to catch him before he stings my SPS. I'm thinking about changing up the middle-right side of my tanks aquascape... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
03/11/2017, 06:50 PM | #133 |
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NICE piece Blink. I like the saturated colors
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150 SC tank build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2550948 Some have bar tabs. I have a coral tab at my LFS. Life goals. |
03/20/2017, 08:35 AM | #134 |
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Well... this ongoing battle with GHA in the display is dragging on. Some manual removal, WC's, beefed up CUC, the added chaeto in the fuge, a temporary blanket over the window to block out sunlight and fresh GFO has greatly helped slow/stop any more of the GHA growth but there are areas at the base of some of my SPS that I just can't reach and it continues to bother the sticks. I'm pondering if I should jump into one dose of Fluconazole to try and completely finish the fight. A lot of what I have read indicated zero ill effects on corals and inhabitants... so this is tempting me.
During the manual removal process I re-scaped the middle and right side of the tank and I am much happier with the layout. It will provide added surface area for coral placement and growth and also more caves and homes for the fishes, win-win. I'm going to ponder my GHA woes for a bit more and let the CUC do some more work to see where things go...then possibly take next steps. |
03/20/2017, 08:40 AM | #135 |
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I have seen more and more on the use of fluconazole and honestly I would probably go that route as opposed to peroxide should I need in the future. Dont have to dip or remove anything for it to work and you basically dose once.
Now if only it worked for bubble algae....
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150 SC tank build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2550948 Some have bar tabs. I have a coral tab at my LFS. Life goals. |
03/20/2017, 01:52 PM | #136 | |
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"The terrible thing, the almost impossible thing, is to hand over your whole self; all your wishes and precautions; to Christ." -C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity) Current Tank Info: Currently Rebuilding |
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03/20/2017, 01:57 PM | #137 | |
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Quote:
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150 SC tank build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2550948 Some have bar tabs. I have a coral tab at my LFS. Life goals. |
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03/20/2017, 03:40 PM | #138 |
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I concur. I've been letting the bubble algae do its thing in the refugium with hopes the two emerald crabs I dropped in the DT would eradicate it. I manually plucked quite a bit and was careful not to pop them. I think I read somewhere that popping them helps it spread? Anyway, I'm going on three months with the crabs, got lots of bubble algae in the fuge... and I still see bubble algae in the DT- but I don't see the bubble algae increasing. Maaayyyyybe I would venture to say it's gotten better but I'm holding out just yet. Hopefully I will watch it go away with time... I ordered the flucanazole and will begin treatment in about a week. I will post progress and before/after pics
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03/20/2017, 04:30 PM | #139 |
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Bubble algae spreads by releasing spores when popped. Leaving in your fuge will continue to have them send spores to your dt and infest it. I would try to eradicate from sump
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150 SC tank build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2550948 Some have bar tabs. I have a coral tab at my LFS. Life goals. |
03/20/2017, 06:39 PM | #140 |
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Thanks Soulpatch. Looks like my to do list keeps getting bigger!
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03/23/2017, 09:52 AM | #141 | |
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Quote:
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"The terrible thing, the almost impossible thing, is to hand over your whole self; all your wishes and precautions; to Christ." -C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity) Current Tank Info: Currently Rebuilding |
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04/07/2017, 06:53 PM | #142 |
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Flucanazole and it's affect on my GHA. Top pic is day 1 of treatment. Bottom pic is day 13. So far I'm thoroughly impressed with the results. Some SPS getting mad at the higher nitrates and phosphates but I'll bring them back around. Stay tuned- Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
04/12/2017, 03:39 PM | #143 |
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Day 20 of Flucanazole treatment. 30% water change and carbon/GFO back online. So happy my tank is algae free again!
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04/12/2017, 06:18 PM | #144 |
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Looking great Blink. I really wish I had GHA or something as opposed to bubble so I could go with this or peroxide to easily treat. Bubble just doesn't respond to peroxide the same way....
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150 SC tank build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2550948 Some have bar tabs. I have a coral tab at my LFS. Life goals. |
04/14/2017, 02:13 PM | #145 |
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Does this treatment kills the chaetos on the refugiam too?
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04/15/2017, 08:15 PM | #146 |
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No. My Chaeto is unaffected
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04/26/2017, 03:50 PM | #147 |
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Well... the 21 day treatment of Fluconazole completely eradicated my green hair algae (which was quite honestly more greenish brown looking than your typical GHA). However, I did have a nice spike in nitrates and phosphates which I believe led to multiple SPS frags recessing and completely dying on me. I'll be honest, I did not test my water params multiple times through the 21 day treatment... I just tested in the beginning and in the end. Alk increase from 8.2 to 9dkh, nitrates increased from 2ppm to 12-15ppm, and phosphate from .02 increasing to .2 ... Definitely bums me out when things like the stellar stylo, strawberry shortcake, hawkins echinata, and red planet go out the window after a solid 4-6 months of growth. I did learn a lesson in all of this, and that is "achieving the right balance." Every tank is different depending on coral and fish load but I have found that I was contributing to the nutrient load and have since cut it back with reducing the light period by an hour, a slightly "wetter" skim, a slightly ramped up flow pattern and less feeding for both the fishes and coral. I found reefroids to bring out a great feeding response in my coral but twice a week was too much in my opinion and have since cut it back to one broadcast feeding a week, sometimes skipping a week. Things are looking much better overall and starting to balance back out, so all is well. I am just going to monitor my alk/ca/mg levels over the coming weeks and source a bunch of new SPS frags from some awesome local reefers in the near future. At least I can keep my jawbreakers alive! Momma JB had three babies and the addiction is real.
Happy Reefing- |
04/26/2017, 04:01 PM | #148 |
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Last edited by Blink2824; 04/26/2017 at 04:06 PM. |
04/26/2017, 04:07 PM | #149 |
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10/27/2017, 04:21 PM | #150 |
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Blink,
I don't remember reading it, but why did you go with a basement refugium/sump vs. one beneath the tank? I've been planning for a 400G tank in the forever home (yet to be built) and considered this, but after doing the math on the return pump electricity cost, I figured it was too cost prohibitive. Like the tank though. Michael |
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