Film Algae?

[jhatfield]

What's the best way to deal with this stuff? Looks like what I would call film algae but not sure. It's super short with no visible growth above the surface of the rock. Does not scrape off easily. Can't even feel it; basically looks like the rock is stained bright green. Snails (cirith, turbo and astraea) seem to be eating something but not making a visible dent. No fish in the tank at this time.

This is a 5-month-old 43 gallon Red Sea 170. I use dead rock that was acid washed and soaked. Went through a 3 week long diatom bloom a couple months ago and this stuff showed up right as that ended.

Not super concerned about this but open to ideas about possible solutions.

• Using RO/DI
• 5gal Weekly water changes
• Nitrate - 5ppm
• Phosphate - Undetectable (Hanna Low Range)
• Alk - 7.5
• Cal - 425
• Mag - 1300

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Quite often a green algae is the precursor to purple corraline algae.

 

[Lesley]

I have exactly the same
Only 5 weeks old
Green green green. Yuk
Whole take will be following this thread with interest

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I have exactly the same
Only 5 weeks old
Green green green. Yuk
Whole take will be following this thread with interest

I'm going to have to come over and personally inspect that tank.

How many snails do you have in there.

For you and the op. Once you see greens (or browns) I'd reassess the snail crew or if the tank is big enough , urchins.
You want rock scraping herbivores.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/choosing-cleanup-crew-critters.258695/#post-3063945

 

[Cory]

Looks like the start of hair algae

 

[Lesley]

I'm going to have to come over and personally inspect that tank.

How many snails do you have in there.

For you and the op. Once you see greens (or browns) I'd reassess the snail crew or if the tank is big enough , urchins.
You want rock scraping herbivores.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/choosing-cleanup-crew-critters.258695/#post-3063945

Unfortunately I have a trigger who destroys cuc
So limited as to what we can have
My old tank was uln and I sold all my cuc
So to be honest will get this to uln as well once settled
Have cut running T5's and just dim leds for now
Changing rowa frequently even though testing 0 On hanna & Salifert

Ps always welcome fellow reefers

 

[jhatfield]

A couple questions:

1. I'm not currently running GFO since PO4 is unreadable. Would it make any sense to start running GFO since the existing algae are clearly getting some nutrients to grow?
2. Current cleanup crew includes astreas, cyriths, and trochus. If this is hair algae, the current CUC is keeping it mowed down to the rock so is there another type of snail that will scour the rock? This would have to be a pretty tough snail since I can't even scrape the stuff off with my fingernail.
3. Would a 3 day blackout be effective for this type of algae?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

A couple questions:

1. I'm not currently running GFO since PO4 is unreadable. Would it make any sense to start running GFO since the existing algae are clearly getting some nutrients to grow?
2. Current cleanup crew includes astreas, cyriths, and trochus. If this is hair algae, the current CUC is keeping it mowed down to the rock so is there another type of snail that will scour the rock? This would have to be a pretty tough snail since I can't even scrape the stuff off with my fingernail.
3. Would a 3 day blackout be effective for this type of algae?

I would add a couple small turbos just to round out the cuc. but Id also wait to see if it becomes coralline. I personally believe it is.

 

[jhatfield]

I would add a couple small turbos just to round out the cuc. but Id also wait to see if it becomes coralline. I personally believe it is.

What I have pretty much matches your photos exactly. All green is on the light exposed portions of the rock, i.e. strictly on the top facing the LEDs... gray/white in the shadow areas.

Will look into getting a couple turbos.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

What I have pretty much matches your photos exactly. All green is on the light exposed portions of the rock, i.e. strictly on the top facing the LEDs... gray/white in the shadow areas.

Will look into getting a couple turbos.

Yup. I think that green will soon be replaced. Its a good sign.