Tank Journal Archive

[Ziggy]

Ok, from the previous thread, you'll know I've been tearing my hair out with GHA. While I know its part of the cycling process and virtually inevitable, it still has been pretty dam annoying. The sand bed was a lawn and the GHA was beginning to encroach upon some of the corals too.

This gives you an idea of the worst part of it on the sandbed while the photo below shows some of the worst of it on my LR.

Phosphates tested on 6 July were 0.06. Nitrates very low and not a problem.

Ok, so the declaration of war was tabled and the GHA was given notice to evacuate or face the consequences :) Yesterday (7 July), I put some Sachem Phosguard in the weir and some in one of the baffles of the sump. I had pulled the lighting back from 11 hours to 9 and pulled a lot of the algae (including the sand it was attached to) out of the tank.

Today, I was fortunate enough to pick up a Hanna Phosphate egg and reactants from someone selling their tank so got them for a good price. I tested the tank and the GHA seems to have heard the war cry because the test result was 0.00!!!!! Woohoo!!!!!

Now, lets get real here though. I may have won the current battle, but the war isn't over yet. The rocks might continue to leach Phosphate for weeks and weeks, months or heaven knows how long yet so I'm going to have to be vigilant continuously.

I have noticed this morning though that all the corals seem just a bit more perky. I'm not sure if its my imagination but I swear for example that my button coral is much fuller and that the moody (and particularly grumpy) goni is more open than normal.

I can still see new GHA growing on the sandbed but I'm sure it's nowhere near as much or as fast as it had been. Fingers crossed that the war effort is going my way :)

 

[Lesley]

Just remember @Ziggy That. 0.00 will be a false reading. But much better one than. 0.06. I would still double that looking at the amount of algae I see :(.

 

[Ziggy]

Yep, that's why I reckon the whole I'm winning this battle, the war is still in :) going in the right direction though :)

 

[ajkdark]

GHA isn't inevitable in the cycling process, it's in your live rock.

When I seeded my tank with base rock, CaribSea. I got some cyano to start with, but no GHA at all.

I believe your phosphates and nitrates are indicating low. Because the algae is consuming them. Your readings are masked.

I wouldn't recommend Seachem's phosgard, as its aluminium based. Not bagging Seachem, as their carbon and Purigen, is second to none.

I would recommend Rowaphos or Phosban, in a reactor.

Good luck with the GHA, it's difficult to eradicate. That is why I would never use live rock again.

Cheers

 

[mcs]

Yeah i did not have any GHA till i started getting frags from other tanks then it exploded on me :(

 

[lonepoppy]

I never had any until my third tank, needed lots of new live rock and along with it I got bubble and the GHA!

I had never really liked rabbit fish however I got two and I love them now, they fixed the problem (along with a few controls) but the fish were great.

 

[Lesley]

GHA isn't inevitable in the cycling process, it's in your live rock.

When I seeded my tank with base rock, CaribSea. I got some cyano to start with, but no GHA at all.

I believe your phosphates and nitrates are indicating low. Because the algae is consuming them. Your readings are masked.

I wouldn't recommend Seachem's phosgard, as its aluminium based. Not bagging Seachem, as their carbon and Purigen, is second to none.

I would recommend Rowaphos or Phosban, in a reactor.

Good luck with the GHA, it's difficult to eradicate. That is why I would never use live rock again.

Cheers

I have used seachem phos guard for 2yrs without issue. I am 100% positive that a reputable world renowned company like Seachem would not recommend or sell any product that could no be used safely in a reef tank. I find it an amazing product that does exactly what they state , removes phosphate safely.

 

[Lesley]

Aluminum Oxide, Soluble Aluminum, and Coral Toxicity
In recent years, there has been speculation that aluminum oxide based phosphate removers like PhosGuard™ release aluminum into the water and subsequently damage corals. The evidence to support this claim was largely anecdotal.

So, through a series of controlled experiments in both freshwater and saltwater, we intended to address both the question of aluminum solubility and aluminum toxicity. The results of these experiments show that under reef conditions (pH near 8) there is no detectable soluble aluminum released from alumina. Under conditions of low pH and high dosage levels, soluble aluminum can be released from alumina; at three times the label dosage rate, we detected 0.2 mg/L aluminum at a pH of 5.3.

Additionally, aluminum oxide is not easily absorbed into the cell to cause negative reactions. Even at three times the dose of PhosGuard™, soft-bodied corals such as Sarcophyton remain unaffected.

For the full report on this study, click here.

Directions

 

[ajkdark]

I have used seachem phos guard for 2yrs without issue. I am 100% positive that a reputable world renowned company like Seachem would not recommend or sell any product that could no be used safely in a reef tank. I find it an amazing product that does exactly what they state , removes phosphate safely.

I am in no way bagging Seachem, I do use some of their products, as stated.

I am just simply stating that a Ferric Oxide Phosphate binder, might be a preferred option.

Here is a an article that may be worth a read
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/7/chemistry

Cheers

 

[Ziggy]

So far the phosguard is doing a sensational job. :)