Help Needed with GHA...yet another victim

Hi,

I promise I have been reading and reading and reading all about getting rid of GHA but no matter how hard I try, it keeps coming back. Here is what I have:

Setup (since 9/09):
125g reef tank
reefmaster refugium 20g (cheato, miracle mud, sand)
Redline (PM) protein skimmer
Phosban reactor
4 power heads in the DT (Koralia6, Koralia1400, Koralia1050x2)
DigitalAquatics RKE controller to regulate Temp and monitor temp, pH, ORP.
SBGS LED fixtures

Livestock:
2 clown fish
2 bangaii cardinals
1 blue damsel
1 possum wrasse
9 hermit crabs
1 conch snail

I was a beginner and testing always showed zero results so I started to get lazy with my maintenance. I hardly ever saw problems and I just didnt know any better. About 9 months ago the battle started. First diatoms, then cyano, then GHA and then a mixture of all three. Lately I have been reading so much and have learned a lot. I have defeated the diatoms and the cyano is now limited to a medium size patch in the refugium (on the cheato). I have not been adding fish at all since I lost 4 in a matter of 2 weeks probably due to water quality (again, the water was clear and I was not as informed as I am now about the proper care). Snails do not live more than a few days at most and I have tried turbos, trocus, nasarrius.

What have I done in the last 5 months:

• Weekly testing (never a trace of anything); salinity=1.025. Temp=81.
• weekly or bi weekly 20% water changes (RO/DI since the beginning) and I test it with a TDS meter ALWAYS
• tore down tank two months ago and scrubbed all rocks; GHA returned
• manual GHA removal before most water changes (picking it off by hand)
• installed a phosban reactor with little fishies media (3 months ago)
• I finally removed the filter socks in the refugium and changed the sponge filter about two weeks ago
• THREE days ago I tore it all down again and scrubbed the rocks AND ITS BACK!!!!

I need some help as I am getting tired of losing this battle. First, I have a few questions that I cannot seem to find the answers to:

• Could the lack of maintenance on my part have led to the refugium sandbed to become a nitrate factory? should I clean it even though everyone on the reef sites says to leave it alone?
• Could the LED lights have changed frequency (very doubtful in my opinion).

I am not overfeeding my 6 small fish. I maintain the protein skimmer daily. I clean the overflow sponge week or bi-weekly in tap water but then rinse in RO. There is no sunlight hitting the tank but the room is not dark at all. What am I missing?

 

Have you done a black out in the tank?

Do you have macro in the refugium?

Also your cuc is lacking I suggest a much stronger one, reef cleaners is great, and that will help a lot!

What test kit are you using? How old? Have you had LFS test also?

 

GFO or bio pellets

 

To much to write

Hey,

I know your at a not fun spot in our hobby, YOU can get past this.
It's easy to let your guard down with taking care of our tanks and this will come back on us. Many reason's for what has happened to you to much for this one finger typer to write. I would ask you to read : The Reef Tank Owner's Manual - By John H.Tullock -Page 108....... this will help you understand how it happens and how to fix it and enjoy again!

Good Luck

 

No I have not tried a blackout. Are you taking about turing off the LED's; wouldnt that hurt the corals? I totally agree on the cuc but they keep dying when I buy them. Three weeks ago I bought 10 trocus snails, 3 emeralds, and 2 nassarius and they all died. I am embarrased to say it since it probably sounds like I am neglectful but I really am trying hard and the water looks great and corals seem happy. I have tried several test kits and recently purchased a hanna phosphate checker and it reads near zero. My LFS is baffled too and dont know what to tell me. They have been great in trying to help. I really think there is something obvious I am missing. I am going to get some pics to post.

 

Pics of GFA

Ok so remember that I scrubbed these rocks three days ago and the amount of growth is alarming. There has got to be some source of nutrients somewhere.

 

What's your Mg level at?

 

bump

 

How old are your rodi filters? I started getting some cyano and Since I'm pretty religious about routine maintenance I tested my rodi Tds. Usually zero but what I found is that for the first 10 mon running it, it was at about 10-15 Tds. I would normally add water as needed to my ato but now ive started running it for 15 min first and I've seen improvement.

 

Thank you for responding. I did replace the RO/DI filters/media about 6 months ago. When I test my TDS it reads anywhere from 8-22. When it got to 22 I scrubbed down my 32g rubermaid and it came back down to 8. I figured since my tap water was around 240 that 8 was pretty darn good. Am I wrong??