Algae Identification? (pictures)

[shawnriv]

Hi Everyone,

I've been having issues with algae for a while now and can't seem to crack the code. I am currently "carbon dosing" using Red Sea's NOPOX and am running GFO/Carbon. I feed frozen mysis and clams once per day (rinsing out the food prior to it entering my tank) and I change 15% of the water weekly. Also my SPS corals have not been thriving either; mainly my red Acroporas and lack of color. My current levels are as follows:

Calcium: 420
Alkalinity: 7.7
Magnesium: 1230
Nitrates: 0
Phosphates: 0.0

I use the Red Sea Salt (not Pro) and am running two Radion XR30 Pro Gen 3's. Please see the pictures. You can see this hair like algae that's brown in colors but is not in places with high flow; you can see it really well on one of my snails - actually all my snails are carrying it on their shells. Another picture is of my strawberry shortcake acropora. Absolutely

[/url]Untitled%20by%20Shawn%20Rivard,%20on%20Flickr[/IMG] no color. This is true for all of my red corals; they're all a dull dark brown/purple color.

Untitled by Shawn Rivard, on Flickr

Untitled by Shawn Rivard, on Flickr

Untitled by Shawn Rivard, on Flickr

Thank you.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

How many and what kind of snails do you have?

 

[shawnriv]

How many and what kind of snails do you have?

I have about six Trochus Snails, Conch, and a few Nassirus.

 

[Tahoe61]

Stop carbon dosing slowly, and let the N/P values drift up. The furry unknown looks like growth associated with carbon dosing. Fading and slow growth of acropora can be a sign of the negative affects of N/P values of 0 or undetectable.

 

[shawnriv]

Stop carbon dosing slowly, and let the N/P values drift up. The furry unknown looks like growth associated with carbon dosing. Fading and slow growth of acropora can be a sign of the negative affects of N/P values of 0 or undetectable.

I believe the "furry unkown" (I like the way you said that) was there prior to carbon dosing. I've only been dosing 1ml per 25 gallons (3 ml total). I thought acropora does best in tanks with low nutrients? Should I dose the tank any additives?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I would add several turbos to clean it up. Perhaps some ceriths as well. It looks like a young tank algae being fed by the add carbon source. Probably safe to manually scrub it and the snails should keep it mowed down.

 

[shawnriv]

I would add several turbos to clean it up. Perhaps some ceriths as well. It looks like a young tank algae being fed by the add carbon source. Probably safe to manually scrub it and the snails should keep it mowed down.

I've manually scrubbed it each week while doing water changes. It's frustrating because it comes right back.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I've manually scrubbed it each week while doing water changes. It's frustrating because it comes right back.

I had the same or similar in a recent experiment. (what happens if you dont add a cuc on a dry cycle)
its being fed but not mowed.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I should add, this would be phase one. if it lingers, go to the next level.

 

[shawnriv]

I should add, this would be phase one. if it lingers, go to the next level.

I'll order about four turbo from my local fish store and see what happens. What would phase two be?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I'll order about four turbo from my local fish store and see what happens. What would phase two be?

Personally Phase two for me would be to remove the rocks and use tank water with a bit of peroxide to clean them. I use an inexpensive($60) canister filter floss only to keep detritus down while I work. Then beef the snails again. That's what worked in my experiment.
Many would just recommend A product like Vibrant or algae fix as phase two. But I see that as more of a Nuclear option as there are side effect in many tanks. Snail death, nutrient issues, cyano etc.
I would rather spent the two hours cleaning than weeks of what is happening to my tank with a product. (ive none this several times with my 30g with bryopsis).

I also think its a simpler means of troubleshooting the problem. By removing the possible mistakes(carbon dosing, lack of snails, a food source etc), and only using fairly passive method to rectify the issue, its a slower more stable means to an end. Its also allows the tank to heal its self, as its quite possible this is just a unique ugly phase condition, and as the biofilter and other microfauna mature(coralline being one) it will out compete the undesirable organisms.

This is what experiment looked like before scrubbing.

Note, this was a completely dry cycle using only fiji mud and old tank water. Where the organisms came from (esp the ones not seen in either of my tanks) is up for speculation.