Brown fluffy stuff on live rocks

[al619]

Hello R2R,
I am new to this forum and I wanted to get some help identifying this fluffy stuff on my live rocks. It blows right off with a turkey baster but comes back.

Tank parameters:
SG: 1.026
PH: 8.3
Alk: 8.0 (as of this morning)
Ca: 435
Mg: 1350
No3: 25
Pho: 0.03-0.1

My tank as been up for 5 months now and corals are doing fine just trying to keep everything as stable as possible. I would really appreciate any help thank you. Sorry for the bad video. I took it it with my iPhone.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

There is not video attached, but it will help a lot. Very hard to guess otherwise.

 

[al619]

There is not video attached, but it will help a lot. Very hard to guess otherwise.

There is not video attached, but it will help a lot. Very hard to guess otherwise.

It’s not allowing me to post the video. I did as an attachment. ‍

 

[al619]

It’s not allowing me to post the video. I did as an attachment. ‍

I’ll try attaching it again.

 

[al619]

I’ll try attaching it again.

 

[al619]

No one knows what this stuff is?

 

[robdog]

No one knows what this stuff is?

Hey I think I have the same stuff. Seems to be on the undersides of rocks and lower flow areas. I turkey baste it off aswell. I assume it is some type of algae.

If theres no reply I will start researching it.

 

[brandon429]

chrysophytes

but, ID is not important. it's not like someone would me a recommendation difference based on species or genus

the point is, it could take over your tank or it might not...if the rocks are accessible you should lift them out, and on your counter use a knife, not a brush (smashes in bits of the offender into the rock crevices) and you should detail rasp it all off 100% as many times as it takes to sustain. put some peroxide on the cleaned spots, after removal, let sit cooking a few mins then rinse off in saltwater and set rocks back. don't take chances on things that can overtake your reef, it's not worth it, ID has nothing to do with controlling reef tank invasions. if this was a green algae the same steps would be used

if it was an invasive sponge, same steps. regardless of the ID you make the ? in question gone/dead/non existent. waiting for ID is just the hesitation some invasions need to take over fully.

*but my rocks aren't accessible = top excuse

either break through and do it anyway, for the decisive win, or take chances with that excuse

 

[al619]

Hey I think I have the same stuff. Seems to be on the undersides of rocks and lower flow areas. I turkey baste it off aswell. I assume it is some type of algae.

If theres no reply I will start researching it.

It looks like mulm when it detaches from the rocks. If it’s algae then why none of my cuc eat it up. Anyways, as long my corals are not bothered by it. I’m okay with it. Hopefully, someone actually has a cure to this.

 

[dwhanc00]

I have what appears to be the same thing. I have searched and searched, when I find someone with the same thing, no one seems to have an answer for it. Excuse or not, I like many cannot remove all my rock. I have scrubbed, used bacteria along with coral snow, and vinegar dosing. Nothing is working and it comes back quickly. Like others, no issues currently with my acros, nothing on top of the rocks just shaded areas. Definitely ugly though!

 

[dwhanc00]

Here are a few pictures.

 

[al619]

I have what appears to be the same thing. I have searched and searched, when I find someone with the same thing, no one seems to have an answer for it. Excuse or not, I like many cannot remove all my rock. I have scrubbed, used bacteria along with coral snow, and vinegar dosing. Nothing is working and it comes back quickly. Like others, no issues currently with my acros, nothing on top of the rocks just shaded areas. Definitely ugly though!

I have what appears to be the same thing. I have searched and searched, when I find someone with the same thing, no one seems to have an answer for it. Excuse or not, I like many cannot remove all my rock. I have scrubbed, used bacteria along with coral snow, and vinegar dosing. Nothing is working and it comes back quickly. Like others, no issues currently with my acros, nothing on top of the rocks just shaded areas. Definitely ugly though!

Glad I’m not alone in this. It’s really odd to me. It just showed up. Do you know any cuc that will eat this? I wanted to get some hermit crabs or even an emerald crab but I didn’t want to take the risk. All my corals are doing fine. I guess I’ll just turkey baste it everytime I do water changes.

 

[dwhanc00]

No I have a substantial clean up crew, nothing will touch it.

 

[Rick's Reviews]

Introduction to the Chrysophyta

 

[Rick's Reviews]

No I have a substantial clean up crew, nothing will touch it.

I'm clueless... Is it possible for you to clean via hands on ?

 

[Rick's Reviews]

No one knows what this stuff is?

Introduction to the Chrysophyta

I'm clueless... Is it possible for you to clean via hands on, add an internal filter, if it detaches easily then blast away ?

 

[dwhanc00]

I have read a lot about Chrysophyta, but it really doesn't fit what I have. Nothing is growing on top of the rock and I do not have low nutritional values. My NO3 is 60 and PO4 is .18. I am now dosing Aquaforest products in support of the probiotic method trying to lower these numbers.

 

[dwhanc00]

chrysophytes

but, ID is not important. it's not like someone would me a recommendation difference based on species or genus

the point is, it could take over your tank or it might not...if the rocks are accessible you should lift them out, and on your counter use a knife, not a brush (smashes in bits of the offender into the rock crevices) and you should detail rasp it all off 100% as many times as it takes to sustain. put some peroxide on the cleaned spots, after removal, let sit cooking a few mins then rinse off in saltwater and set rocks back. don't take chances on things that can overtake your reef, it's not worth it, ID has nothing to do with controlling reef tank invasions. if this was a green algae the same steps would be used

if it was an invasive sponge, same steps. regardless of the ID you make the ? in question gone/dead/non existent. waiting for ID is just the hesitation some invasions need to take over fully.

*but my rocks aren't accessible = top excuse

either break through and do it anyway, for the decisive win, or take chances with that excuse

I do see some characteristics, but my parameters don't match what seems to drive this algae. My PO4 is .18 and NO3 is 60. I agree controlling it is key, but not to the potential detriment to my tank and corals. The way my rock is structured, I can reach it inside, but not out. I am simply trying to match a solution with the problem and my problem, grey fluffy stuff under my rocks (not effecting corals right now), does not fit what I am reading as the cause - low nutrition in a sterile tank. I am fighting hard trying to get my nutrients down to a manageable level, hoping that might reduce this stuff. Blowing it off the rocks is not working and my nutrients are staying high even with the use of zeo, gfo and carbon along with bacteria dosing. I just wish I could someone that would be willing to talk through the scenario with me. Excuse or not, pulling all my rock out right now would most likely do more damage than good since my acros are still growing and I am not having any casualties, yet.

 

[brandon429]

You think I’d mention those steps without having work examples linkable for the outcome?

all you have to do is search out chryso invasions, which aren’t based on parameters these are obligate hitchhikers and you can see how hard they are to beat using common approaches

owners of invaded tanks aren’t equipped to evaluate cure methods, to choose among them, or they wouldn’t be in the position of being under extended invasion in the first place.

 

[dwhanc00]

You think I’d mention those steps without having work examples linkable for the outcome?

all you have to do is search out chryso invasions, which aren’t based on parameters these are obligate hitchhikers and you can see how hard they are to beat using common approaches

owners of invaded tanks aren’t equipped to evaluate cure methods, to choose among them, or they wouldn’t be in the position of being under extended invasion in the first place.

No I trust you have worked through way more than I could ever imagine with success. I have read many of your threads.

I have searched and searched, that tends to just lead to more and more confusion. When you say "invaded", I am just making sure what I currently am experience is the said invasion because mine looks more gray than other pictures I have seen. I get what you are saying, what you are describing is not caused by parameters but an invasive species, is that accurate?

I am coming to the conclusion pulling the rock might be the only solution but I want to verify it is exactly what needs to be done before pulling probably 200 lbs of rock out of the tank and probably 80 lbs of sand. All this with 30+ fish and thousands of dollars of corals...

Attaching some pictures just so I can hopefully get some confirmation.