Help with ID

[CloudReefer]

Hi, need some help with identifying some stuff.

Tank is 6 weeks old with about 15# of Florida ocean rock from TBS rest is Marco reef saver. No surprise, the reef saver has most of the stuff growing on it and the ocean rock has virtually nothing on it. This is the first time I've ever used dry rock.

GHA I am pretty sure, but what are the brownish red clumps growing in it?




Dinos?


Runner picture on what I think is some Caulerpa


No idea


Dinos of some kind? I've seen my turbo eat it occasionally


Caulerpa taxifolia?


Caulerpa sp.?










Thanks!

 

[GoVols]

As far as Dinos go, thankfully, you're not dealing with Dinoflagellates.

They don't do not have good structural branching like your shots, and dinos produce their own trapped in bubbles. Most times dinos feel like snot.

Could be big amounts of GHA, but not sure.

Can you post more shots just showing us your browish clumps and what they are growing on?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi, need some help with identifying some stuff.

Tank is 6 weeks old with about 15# of Florida ocean rock from TBS rest is Marco reef saver. No surprise, the reef saver has most of the stuff growing on it and the ocean rock has virtually nothing on it. This is the first time I've ever used dry rock.

GHA I am pretty sure, but what are the brownish red clumps growing in it?




Dinos?


Runner picture on what I think is some Caulerpa


No idea


Dinos of some kind? I've seen my turbo eat it occasionally


Caulerpa taxifolia?


Caulerpa sp.?










Thanks!

Fern caulerpa and white stuff in first pics are Chrysophytes which is a nuisance algae and is labor work for removal. Take the rock out and place in large container with tank water.
Give the tank a good siphon and clean all filters and skimmer if you have one.
Scrub the rock with a firm toothbrush Or auto detail brush and 3% peroxide. Agitate to shake off particles and add cleaners such as Pitho crabs, chiton snails, ninja star snails and caribbean blue leg hermits to help with control and reduce white intensity a little and increase water flow. You likely have inadequate flow which allowed this to adhere to rock

 

[CloudReefer]

As far as Dinos go, thankfully, you're not dealing with Dinoflagellates.

They don't do not have good structural branching like your shots, and dinos produce their own trapped in bubbles. Most times dinos feel like snot.

Could be big amounts of GHA, but not sure.

Can you post more shots just showing us your browish clumps and what they are growing on?

Sure can, here. The clumps are growing in what I thought was GHA. My blenny likes to eat it that's for sure, but not the brown stuff that I've seen.

Thanks!

 

[CloudReefer]

Fern caulerpa and white stuff in first pics are Chrysophytes which is a nuisance algae and is labor work for removal. Take the rock out and place in large container with tank water.
Give the tank a good siphon and clean all filters and skimmer if you have one.
Scrub the rock with a firm toothbrush Or auto detail brush and 3% peroxide. Agitate to shake off particles and add cleaners such as Pitho crabs, chiton snails, ninja star snails and caribbean blue leg hermits to help with control and reduce white intensity a little and increase water flow. You likely have inadequate flow which allowed this to adhere to rock

Is this something that is a typical part of the uglies with dry rock? Not had this happen with my 100% ocean rock tanks. Not to this degree at any rate.

I have my gyres set to blow right over where most of this is growing. If they go much stronger an encrusting SPS I have will close up. I can probably up the flow a bit more though. I didn't add the SPS this early intentionally, it came as a nice colony on some live rock. It's spreading and doing great so far.

Is it valid for me to be less concerned about the caulerpa and other macros? I have a tang on my stocking list, it's just down near the bottom. I could move it up if there are concerns about a tank nuking infestation.

I just pulled a bunch of chaeto from my sump as it was starting to get a slime coating on some of it that looked like dinos I've seen described. My nitrate and phosphate both hit 0 when I notice the slime so best guess was dinos. Don't have a microscope as of now but will be investing in one asap. So now the algae is taking off again (expected) without the chaeto.

I don't feed much. Just a handful of snails and hermits, an emerald, a couple of peppermint shrimp and a 3" lawnmower blenny. I do dose live phyto twice a day and throw a small bit of silverside or mysis in there to feed the shrimps and crabs since there isn't much detritus.

Happy to scrub the marco rock if needed, but there is a lot of life on the ocean rock I'd be hesitant to scrub off. So hoping this is just the normal balancing of a new tank and I will be able to deal with most of it naturally.

Thank you!

 

[kevgib67]

Does what you think is gha have a fern like appearance? Google bryopsis and see if it is a match.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Is this something that is a typical part of the uglies with dry rock? Not had this happen with my 100% ocean rock tanks. Not to this degree at any rate.

I have my gyres set to blow right over where most of this is growing. If they go much stronger an encrusting SPS I have will close up. I can probably up the flow a bit more though. I didn't add the SPS this early intentionally, it came as a nice colony on some live rock. It's spreading and doing great so far.

Is it valid for me to be less concerned about the caulerpa and other macros? I have a tang on my stocking list, it's just down near the bottom. I could move it up if there are concerns about a tank nuking infestation.

I just pulled a bunch of chaeto from my sump as it was starting to get a slime coating on some of it that looked like dinos I've seen described. My nitrate and phosphate both hit 0 when I notice the slime so best guess was dinos. Don't have a microscope as of now but will be investing in one asap. So now the algae is taking off again (expected) without the chaeto.

I don't feed much. Just a handful of snails and hermits, an emerald, a couple of peppermint shrimp and a 3" lawnmower blenny. I do dose live phyto twice a day and throw a small bit of silverside or mysis in there to feed the shrimps and crabs since there isn't much detritus.

Happy to scrub the marco rock if needed, but there is a lot of life on the ocean rock I'd be hesitant to scrub off. So hoping this is just the normal balancing of a new tank and I will be able to deal with most of it naturally.

Thank you!

Not uglies but when conditions are right such as high level of light and nutrients and even lack of maintenance

 

[vetteguy53081]

Does what you think is gha have a fern like appearance? Google bryopsis and see if it is a match.

Too thick to be bryopsis.

Fern caulerpa:

 

[CloudReefer]

Not uglies but when conditions are right such as high level of light and nutrients and even lack of maintenance

Yeah I had to crank up the lights to keep the corals on my ocean rock alive. I might add the tang sooner than I had planned. That will require adjusting my entire stocking list. blergh.

 

[CloudReefer]

Too thick to be bryopsis.

Fern caulerpa:

I am referring to this as GHA. My blenny munches on it all day and I've seen the emerald grab it a bit here and there too.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I am referring to this as GHA. My blenny munches on it all day and I've seen the emerald grab it a bit here and there too.

I see dead GHA and even Derbesia which is similar and confused with bryopsis

 

[CloudReefer]

Too thick to be bryopsis.

Fern caulerpa:

This is one of the fern-like caluerpa varieties I have for sure. The other has less fine feathers for leaves. I can't think of the correct terminology right now sorry. lol Tangs will eat this yes? I have a kole tang or maybe a white tail on my stocking list.

I see dead GHA and even Derbesia which is similar and confused with bryopsis

Yeah the GHA started to die off when I added the chaeto to my refugium. They sent me like 5x more than I ordered, so I think I was over filtering and that caused a little dino growth on the chaeto itself. I think I have some isolated spots of dino on the rock as well but it's hard to tell and I couldn't get a decent picture of it.

I was actually concerned my blenny wasn't getting enough nutrition from the dying GHA, but since I pulled the chaeto out I expect it'll green back up.

 

[vetteguy53081]

This is one of the fern-like caluerpa varieties I have for sure. The other has less fine feathers for leaves. I can't think of the correct terminology right now sorry. lol Tangs will eat this yes? I have a kole tang or maybe a white tail on my stocking list.


Yeah the GHA started to die off when I added the chaeto to my refugium. They sent me like 5x more than I ordered, so I think I was over filtering and that caused a little dino growth on the chaeto itself. I think I have some isolated spots of dino on the rock as well but it's hard to tell and I couldn't get a decent picture of it.

I was actually concerned my blenny wasn't getting enough nutrition from the dying GHA, but since I pulled the chaeto out I expect it'll green back up.

If any tang, would be tomini, kole or bristletooth but rarely do they go after the dead/dying portion. That you'll have to pull by hand

 

[GoVols]

This is one of the fern-like caluerpa varieties I have for sure. The other has less fine feathers for leaves. I can't think of the correct terminology right now sorry. lol Tangs will eat this yes? I have a kole tang or maybe a white tail on my stocking list.


Yeah the GHA started to die off when I added the chaeto to my refugium. They sent me like 5x more than I ordered, so I think I was over filtering and that caused a little dino growth on the chaeto itself. I think I have some isolated spots of dino on the rock as well but it's hard to tell and I couldn't get a decent picture of it.

I was actually concerned my blenny wasn't getting enough nutrition from the dying GHA, but since I pulled the chaeto out I expect it'll green

Which brands of test kits do you use to test your phosphates and nitrates?

 

[CloudReefer]

Which brands of test kits do you use to test your phosphates and nitrates?

I have a Hanna colorimeter for phosphates and Nyos for nitrates.