Please help identify

[IslandLifeReef]

I have been noticing a algae like growth on my rock and was wondering if anyone knows what it is and how to deal with it. The rock was dry rock and the tank has been running for a little over 6 months with very few issues. Nitrates are at 0.8 and phosphates are at 0.3. Alk is 8.6 and Cal is 450 and Mag is 1330. I am dosing 1.5ml of reef energy daily for a 165 liter tank. Below is an image of the stuff. Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. The color in the picture is pretty accurate.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Wow. That's a trip. It's blue?
Can you get closer for more detail?

Honestly it looks like sponge to me

That would make sense with the amount of aminos you're feeding.

 

[IslandLifeReef]

If I change the color on the lights, this growth seems to change color as well. It seems to be translucent. Here is a closer picture. I was thinking it might be a diatom since the tank is still in its first year and just let it run its coarse since all corals and fish seem to be growing well. Any thoughts?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I would pull off a price and look at it in a shallow dish of water. I suspect it's a sponge. Def not a common Dino(cancer lol) most diatoms are not so colonial as well and and are dusty. And have a slight texture From the silicates bones

It'll feel like a sponge in you're fingers. And I'll smell like nothing. If it's an algae it'll smell like the beach.

Sponges and diatoms both like the minor silicates of a new tank btw. So silicates and aminos are perfect sponge food.

 

[S-t-r-e-t-c-h]

I would pull off a price and look at it in a shallow dish of water. I suspect it's a sponge. Def not a common Dino(cancer lol) most diatoms are not so colonial as well and and are dusty. And have a slight texture From the silicates bones

It'll feel like a sponge in you're fingers. And I'll smell like nothing. If it's an algae it'll smell like the beach.

Sponges and diatoms both like the minor silicates of a new tank btw. So silicates and aminos are perfect sponge food.

^^Good advice. Could be chrystophytes, but it definitely looks more like sponge than anything. It's hard to ID by photo with just the actinics on...

 

[IslandLifeReef]

Thank you for the advice. I will try that tomorrow. If it is sponge, is it anything to worry about?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

No it's totally a cool thing. Beats diatoms. Lol.
If you cut back on the aminos it may help slow the growth. Or you can look at getting a nice pretty display sponge. (Yes I am a bad influence)

 

[IslandLifeReef]

No it's totally a cool thing. Beats diatoms. Lol.
If you cut back on the aminos it may help slow the growth. Or you can look at getting a nice pretty display sponge. (Yes I am a bad influence)

Ok, I tried to pull off a piece and it basically disintegrated. It did feel slimy and a little spongy, but it would not stay intact. I siphoned a little out of the tank and took a picture against a white towel. It looks greenish brown, but not really algae like in texture. Any thoughts? Could this still be a sponge or something else?