Algae growing on toadstool
- Thread starter dub125
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Looks more like a bacteria than an algae. Especially with that red tone. If you can, take a small portion of the red mat. Place in a separate container with about 1/2 cup of tank water and 5ml of h202 (3% peroxide) and let sit for a few hours. If the water turns a pinkish color, it is a form of cyano. The redness, stringyness, and formation of bubbles on the rock behind it lead me to that direction. But the h202 test will confirm.
ritter6788
Coral Fraud Private Eye
They do that from time to time to shed it's skin. Algae will grow on it until that layer peels off and the coral opens up again.
How old is the tank? What size? What do you have for flow? What are your nutrient levels? It quite possibly may be, but without that simple test or microscopic inspection I'd rather not speculate a guaranteed id.
The tank is less than a month old, I just have the standard out of the box flow heads, and I don't have testscores for calcium and stuff, but my ammonia and nitrite are at 0 and nitrate is close to 0
ritter6788
Coral Fraud Private Eye
Yes, that's Cyanobacteria. It can be a few diferent colors.
Contributing factors could be low flow, high nutrients (NO3 or po4), silicates, etc. What type of water do you use for top offs and how often are water changes? Did you complete a full cycle upon startup prior to adding anything? Sorry for the 50 questions, but all part of getting to the root. I'll be in and out of this thread to help as much as I can through the day.
Was the live rock directly from an established system still wet, dry, or shipped online? If from established, it is totally possible, although not accepted by some as being a way to instantly setup a tank. I did my 29cube that way a while back. Had the rock established in a 14g and just transferred into my 29 with new live sand and had a no cycle start. If dry or shipped it's possible it had some die off that elevated nutrients causing the bloom. It's also possible it may have already had a grip on the rock pre introduction and just spread a bit. Happen to have a full tank shot available?
Did you have any of the ammonia, nitrate, or nitrite readings high when first set up before adding any livestock?
Did you have any of the ammonia, nitrate, or nitrite readings high when first set up before adding any livestock?
We can fix it, looking for the root cause at moment to prevent for future as well. Also, what type of filtration and chemical media do you run if applicable?
Great looking all in one tank. I would add a powerhead to increase flow and help get any debris into the filter. Until then, point the return up more to the top to add good surface agitation and gas exchange. A little more rock couldn't hurt with bio filtration. See how the portion of the rock where the flow is directed doesn't appear to have any growth? If do go the coral route I would upgrade lighting as well. You could realistically, since only that rock at moment, pull that rock, scrub it clean in a bucket of tank water when do a water change and gently gravel vac the top of sand as manual removal. Next would be to add some form of a nitrate/phosphate binder such as chemipur elite (basically carbon and a silicate/phosphate binder) (I use and love it). Just noticed 2 returns so could keep one pointed direction it is now, and other at surface a bit to add agitation. Bloom was ok as it was more than likely a nitrifying bacteria when added that was eating the ammonia and growing. Hope that helps a little. You can gently brush the cyano off the toadstool and siphon out with airline tubing to prevent from spreading around. If you opt to, I would do the test mentioned earlier in a separate container to confirm it is a type of cyano that can be combatted by h202 dosing. Not all cyano is created equal I am learning as "cyano" is such a broad answer to bacterial growths. If confirmed, there is a way to eradicate it with basic peroxide dosing. It should be listed in that link I added earlier. It's a good read if have some time a deeper understanding of cyano explained. But, basically it would end up being a dose of 1ml of 3% h202 (general brown bottle peroxide) per 10 gal of water every 12 hrs for about 2 weeks. Livestock and coral will be ok while dosing. I've done it before with great results. Unfortunately I currently am battling a bacterial bloom resilient to h202 so am in process of working out another solution. @twilliard is THE MAN when it comes to cyano and an extremely helpful and passionate individual on the subject so you may want to reach out to him in regards to it.
Hope this helps a bit in your Reefing adventure and here for ya to help in any way possible. Any questions don't hesitate!
Hope this helps a bit in your Reefing adventure and here for ya to help in any way possible. Any questions don't hesitate!
Beetlejuice beetlejuice beetlejuice
See. Out of the woodwork to lend a hand.
See. Out of the woodwork to lend a hand.
twilliard
Tank pests..
Thank you! I love this work and to help others.
Here is my latest. Still working with cyano!
Started with 1 drop of cells
This is a cyano a person does not want to deal with. A cure soon to come!
All it take is time and it will get out of hand faaaast.
You're welcome! Here's the current predicament I'm in @dub125 So I feel your pain!
twilliard
Tank pests..
They produce cells faster than people think because the human eye can NOT see individual chains. By the time you see it, it is too late.
