Friend of Foe?

Smo · Jan 7, 2017

Request a positive ID of the potential aptasia between the mushrooms. It has a vase like shape, a cottony gray color with short purple tentacles at the top which looks like a mouth. It is less than a half inch tall so far. I have had this frag for a couple of months. In a new tank that has been running for less than four months. Thanks in advance.

jsker · Jan 7, 2017

Red slime algae. check your nutrient levels.

Garrett W. · Jan 7, 2017

jsker said:
Red slime algae. check your nutrient levels.

+1 possible cyano

Smo · Jan 7, 2017

Interesting. I do have a bit of a cyanobacteria problem, verified using the H2O2 test on some samples obtained from the sand bed. I will see if I can blow this "blob" off with a turkey baster.

Nitrates are undetectable and phosphates are 0.4 ppm using Red Sea test kits. I understand that just means it is being consumed before I can test it. None of the cyano is interfering with the 20+ corals so far--just unsightly at times. I am using the ZEOvit system and treating with KZ products.

Thanks for the quick replies!

ahiggins · Jan 7, 2017

In my experience, cyano isn't spread/grown with nitrates. It has to be introduced into a system. That being said, it could possibly be eating up some nitrates but if you don't have a ton, it's not making a huge dent in your value. Clemiclean is your best friend. It works sooooo well just make sure to add air stones and change water at 48 hours.

Smo · Jan 7, 2017

ahiggins said:
In my experience, cyano isn't spread/grown with nitrates. It has to be introduced into a system. That being said, it could possibly be eating up some nitrates but if you don't have a ton, it's not making a huge dent in your value. Clemiclean is your best friend. It works sooooo well just make sure to add air stones and change water at 48 hours.

OK. Thanks!

Smo · Jan 8, 2017

Well, there may have been some strands of cyano on it that I blew off with my Julian's Thing, but still a dirty white blob that won't dislodge with a steady stream of water. It does not appear to react to it either. Some kind of sponge perhaps?

jsker · Jan 8, 2017

My story: I tried every thing for months to rid my system of the cursed red cyano/slime. I was try not to use a cyano remover, but I did in the end and my system is the best it has been in months. If you use a cyano remover as @ahiggins stated use a air stone in the DT for the reason the cyano removers deplete the oxygen

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Smo · Jan 8, 2017

Cyano is really not bad. Easily managed with some simple cleaning now and then. CUC and pods consume some of it too. Notice I am running fallow. Remaining three fish I have are in a QT being treated for Ich. I learned my lesson--from now on, anything "wet" gets quarantined!

ahiggins · Jan 8, 2017

Smo said:
Cyano is really not bad. Easily managed with some simple cleaning now and then. CUC and pods consume some of it too. Notice I am running fallow. Remaining three fish I have are in a QT being treated for Ich. I learned my lesson--from now on, anything "wet" gets quarantined!

I respectfully disagree when it comes to cyano. (Some algae isn't a bad thing)
Cyano is an introduced menace. It will grow over corals and will cover everything in your tank if not weekly, in some cases daily, blown off and taken out of the tank. Basically suffocating things.
Just get rid of it now and make sure not to reintroduce by dipping any new coral. Especially when the treatment is almost always successful and so easy to complete.