I started seeing this algae pop up and it has started to really take hold on the rocks. I cycled the tank with lights off using dr tims. Everything went well then I started my light cycle and when all readings were good and 0 except 10ppm nitrates I started to add fish slowly. Finally some coral a month later. Tank is about 3 months old now. I have what looks like 2 types of algae. Both are brown in color. One looks like its a fern the other just thick grass coming off of the rocks. I was overfeeding for a while and have cut that back now. Also now running GFO and Carbon mix in a reactor.
Help in identifying Algae please!
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MombasaLionfish
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Google bryopsis.
I had a suspicion that this was Bryopsis, but wanted to make sure someone else saw what I did. It is dark brown for the most part, that's what threw me off. I will try the Flucon dose to see if I can rid the tank of it.
dansreef
Well-Known Member
Your tank is 3 months old right? I am not sure it is bryopsis. It is more likely another algae that is growing as part of the maturing of your tank... it is going through what people call the uglies stages. You will see diatoms bloom... you will start to see green algae and others start to grow. All good... they indicate that the tank is maturing. I see you have some crabs and snails. Are they eating the material?
I wouldn't start dosing Flucon at this point. I would try to siphon out along with other manual removal methods with a brush if you can and then let the tank run its course. Look for other snails to see if they can get at the material and control it. Go check out reefcleaners.com They are a great resource.
Be patient. Your tank is going through normal uglies stages.
Also Welcome to R2R!
I wouldn't start dosing Flucon at this point. I would try to siphon out along with other manual removal methods with a brush if you can and then let the tank run its course. Look for other snails to see if they can get at the material and control it. Go check out reefcleaners.com They are a great resource.
Be patient. Your tank is going through normal uglies stages.
Also Welcome to R2R!
Oldsalt
Active Member
Agreed. It's a young system. You will get lots of diatoms and other uglies but it will subside with patience. I'd be putting in a good clean up crew, syphoning out the ugliest stuff every week while changing the lost water from the syphoning then just sitting back a while. It'll get there. Welcome to the R2R club !
Awesome! Thanks guys! I have had a large diatom bloom early on and it covered my sand. I added a diamond goby later and he turned through all of the sand in the tank and that was gone. A few days later I started to notice green on the rocks then it started to turn brown. Then all on my glass. Now the back wall is covered in this brown carpet of thicker strands that branch out. The rocks are also covered as well. I started running gfo/carbon in a single brs reactor a few days ago and it does look like it is no longer spreading. Some of the bushes of the algae look like they got a bit more dense but probably to early to tell. I also started feeding the tank way less. I'll give it some time and try to pluck some of it out as well. with some water changes. I plan on doing 3 good water changes within 3 days to level out my ca, alk, and mag so I can start figuring out my 2 part dosing as well. I gotta say this so far has been an awesome hobby! Learning a lot and great community I've found here!
Awesome! Thanks guys! I have had a large diatom bloom early on and it covered my sand. I added a diamond goby later and he turned through all of the sand in the tank and that was gone. A few days later I started to notice green on the rocks then it started to turn brown. Then all on my glass. Now the back wall is covered in this brown carpet of thicker strands that branch out. The rocks are also covered as well. I started running gfo/carbon in a single brs reactor a few days ago and it does look like it is no longer spreading. Some of the bushes of the algae look like they got a bit more dense but probably to early to tell. I also started feeding the tank way less. I'll give it some time and try to pluck some of it out as well. with some water changes. I plan on doing 3 good water changes within 3 days to level out my ca, alk, and mag so I can start figuring out my 2 part dosing as well. I gotta say this so far has been an awesome hobby! Learning a lot and great community I've found here!
Looks like I may have a positive ID on the growth. It seems like this is actually Lyngbya. It is all over my back wall. Some creatures are eating it as well but it is still growing. I am manually removing as much as possible but am leaning toward Flucon treatment to rid it for good before it really becomes a problem.
Just updating this thread. It was a mixture of a few different pests. Lyngbya, bryopsis, and some algae. Good news is that the Flucon dosing worked wonders for the tank. Its been about 2 weeks now with the flucon in the tank and I'm going one more week without a water change. Started my GAC and GFO back up now as those nutrients were released and I got a few spots of cyano. The downside was I had to correct the original reason this occurred. For me it was overfeeding. In the process of feeding less I found one day my bi-color blenny named Goat had eaten some of my biggest acans and all of the alveopora. Big bummer cause I really like this fish, amazing personality. He was back at the LFS the next day. The tank is much happier for it though. My chaeto did mostly disintegrate so I have some more on order which will come in right after I get the Flucon out and some pods to restock. Also added in 2 Tiger Conches. All of the coral seem to be doing much better now as well.
MombasaLionfish
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Great.
