Advised and assumed incorrectly

[CindyKz]

^^
Looks to be what you'd expect while your tank matures. Lucky you you've got some life that people who start with dry rock may never see.

You're going to see more in the near future. Keep up with blowing your rock off with a pump or turkey baster.
Eventually it will calm down.

+1

 

[sixty_reefer]

@sixty_reefer if in fact it is red turf how detrimental is it to my system? Also normally a pain to completely eradicate leads me to wonder what methods are employable

eventually it will smoother all the rock work, if possible as it looks a new tank id be pulling them out and treat them with peroxide or if possible just redo the full rockwork. Some people are able to keep it in check with cuc but it’s not advisable

 

[Jimmyfish1]

@sixty_reefer i started with dry cured base rock. And dry sand. And de chlorinated tap water. That was in march. I've downsized alot since. Like from 70 lbs rock and 30 lbs sand in a 55 to mabey 15 lbs rock and 7 lbs li e sand in a 29. Had about 2 dozen hermits and about a dozen snails. Hermits were fighting. And they and snails were knocking everything over. No more hermits and just a few snails now. I have a banded serpent star and 4 nessarius snails and 4 astrea and 1 throchus. Extent of my cuc. Also about once every 2 months I give a lil hiatts right now bacteria. Mainly bc I do vac sand some and disturb tank a lil to do water changes. And they're right around 9 gals each

 

[Jimmyfish1]

Wc is with distilled water too btw

 

[Lasse]

It is difficult to say what it is without examine it with a microscope. However - it is - IMO - not likely the most common forms of red Cyanobacteria mats (Oscillatoriaceae or spirulina). These are not algae that normally attach to the substrate - only when they form the mats are they attached in some way - but only with very weak bounds to the substrate. It means that you easily can blow it away. I have seen this type of algae (or bacteria) in most of my newly started aquarium and my point of view is very close to this:

It's a reef tank. You are going to have all kinds of stuff growing and out competing each other over time.
All tanks go through the 'uglies', until the dominant algae (usually coralline in a perfect world) takes over. I would not worry about nor do anything about it, unless it becomes an issue. The natural reaction is to remediate it, but the tanks ecosystem is probably way ahead of you, and whatever critter eats the newly arrived algae, that will be the critter that you notice come on the scene next (assuming you are adding frags and stuff to the tank).

Dennis

Yes. Not very thick at all. And if u look in the pics of the Cavey rock u can see where the snails have been eating it. If it helps theres a few astrea snails and a trochus

I think you already know the answer how to get rid of it. If the snails eat it - get more of them. It is very advisable to get different type of snails too. You do not like hermits - but they are normally very good as grazers of different types of algae. There is a lot of different species of hermits too. Urchins is a good alternative too, The black long spine species are those that do not move everything away - but they grow large

Some people are able to keep it in check with cuc but it’s not advisable

Why is not advisable to keep it in check the natural way?

Sincerely Lasse

 

[sixty_reefer]

It is difficult to say what it is without examine it with a microscope. However - it is - IMO - not likely the most common forms of red Cyanobacteria mats (Oscillatoriaceae or spirulina). These are not algae that normally attach to the substrate - only when they form the mats are they attached in some way - but only with very weak bounds to the substrate. It means that you easily can blow it away. I have seen this type of algae (or bacteria) in most of my newly started aquarium and my point of view is very close to this:





I think you already know the answer how to get rid of it. If the snails eat it - get more of them. It is very advisable to get different type of snails too. You do not like hermits - but they are normally very good as grazers of different types of algae. There is a lot of different species of hermits too. Urchins is a good alternative too, The black long spine species are those that do not move everything away - but they grow large



Why is not advisable to keep it in check the natural way?

Sincerely Lasse

I suspect red turf algae combined with coralline algae, Am not aware of many natural predators to this algae that successfully eradicated a tank from red turf.

 

[Jimmyfish1]

It is difficult to say what it is without examine it with a microscope. However - it is - IMO - not likely the most common forms of red Cyanobacteria mats (Oscillatoriaceae or spirulina). These are not algae that normally attach to the substrate - only when they form the mats are they attached in some way - but only with very weak bounds to the substrate. It means that you easily can blow it away. I have seen this type of algae (or bacteria) in most of my newly started aquarium and my point of view is very close to this:





I think you already know the answer how to get rid of it. If the snails eat it - get more of them. It is very advisable to get different type of snails too. You do not like hermits - but they are normally very good as grazers of different types of algae. There is a lot of different species of hermits too. Urchins is a good alternative too, The black long spine species are those that do not move everything away - but they grow large



Why is not advisable to keep it in check the natural way?

Sincerely Lasse

Thank you for your input. I've thought about upping my snail count. I just dont want alot. Hermits. They seem to be in a way a waste due to interspecies aggression and the fact they knock everything around. Very clumsy critters. The urchin I've actually discussed with a buddy. And I'm still on the fence about it. I dont wanna run out of algae and it die. The leave it be standpoint is where I've been with it for about a month. I just got concerned and posted here due to encroachment on my zoas and such. And cuc I agree is the absolute most natural and best way from what I can figure. My intentions are to avoid any chemicals and such so to speak. Again @Lasse Thank you very much.

 

[Jimmyfish1]

@sixty_reefer I may try a hand full of different cuc critters and report back intermittently with results. Either way I'll keep this thread updated. Thank you very much as well.

 

[Lasse]

I suspect red turf algae combined with coralline algae, Am not aware of many natural predators to this algae that successfully eradicated a tank from red turf.

This indicate that something will eat it

And if u look in the pics of the Cavey rock u can see where the snails have been eating it.

Sincerly Lasse