Algae ID Please

[Squishie89]

I think when I upgraded my lights to bright LEDs I started getting this brown/almost rusty colored algae. It is growing at a pretty rapid pace. The reason I think the lights are helping/causing it to grow is it does not grow in the shadows. So when then lights go out you can see all the places it is growing and NOT growing. It is not growing on the sand, which seems to be the only thing it wont grow on (it is on the rocks, empty shells, fake/resin reef, "barnacles" from cerameco). For the most part it does not seem to have much texture, some spots seem maybe a bit fuzzy, but hard to tell if that is new or not.


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This is with flash as otherwise it can be hard to point out.


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This may be a different algae, which may be "wire algae" but not sure.

 

[Reefing Madness]

Sure looks like a Diatom Bloom to me. Must be quite a difference in the lighting change.
Wire Algae, could be, hard to tell from the shot, and its to early.

 

[SeymourDuncan]

+1 diatoms. I got them when I went from t5 to led as well. It will pass granted you keep up with husbandry. Don't let any coral get smothered. A quick brushing does wonders. Things that I have seen eat diatoms: mollies.


"Live like tomorrow already happened. Yesterday is only 3 days ahead. Today will be here soon."

 

[DjGhostRider]

I've had a little of this as well; new set up and I also switched to LED's. What would be a good way to help coralline algae grow? I've been using Purple Tech for about a month now and I'm only getting green algae that my Yellow Eyed Kole Tang and snails are eating. All of the parameters in the tank look good.

 

[Squishie89]

Thanks guys! Don't worry, nothing will get smotherd on my watch.

DJ- Do you have rock with coralline in your tank? If not, get some, it can't just grow from thin air/water. And also, just give it time.

 

[DjGhostRider]

I have 40 lbs of base rock and 50 of live rock. There was a lot of die-off on the live rock but it's making a comeback...slowly but surely. Thanks for the input.

 

[SeymourDuncan]

If you don't have anything but rock and sand you can use only the actinics for the first couple weeks without turning them off ontop of dosing your purple acceleration juice of choice. I learned this from GARF. I have luck with instant ocean reef accelerator for coraline oddly.


"Live like tomorrow already happened. Yesterday is only 3 days ahead. Today will be here soon."