PomPom Algae Received with Questions

pepper89 · Mar 7, 2023

I got the PomPom algae from Algae Barn today and just wondering if it's normal for it to have orange tips and what looks like mold growing on it. I was about to call Algae Barn, but they were closed, so I will be asking them tomorrow. Though, just didn't feel safe adding this to my tank until I kind of knew more. I'll be honest, it could be totally normal, and I'm just freaking out, but I've never bought algae before so not really sure what to expect I guess.

The jar had leaked during shipping, but it was still really damp inside the jar. So I filled it with some fresh salt water (most of the way, but not all the way, probably 2/3s full) and am just keeping it out of light for now.

Spare time · Mar 7, 2023

You can always just trim that off

Acroconut · Mar 7, 2023

Mine had some fluorescent orange tips when it arrived and there was no water in the jar. The algae was very damp with no signs of mold. I have it growing behind some rock work in my display tank, and it grows pretty fast, but no longer has the bright orange tips. Oh...It was bought from Algae Barn too.

Tired · Mar 7, 2023

A lot of red algaes will go odd colors at the tips under stress, or that might be what new growth looks for it. Can't tell what the fuzzy stuff is in these photos, but it might be harmless. Trimming that area off (but not the tips) won't hurt.

I'd suggest moving it to a larger container with more water, so it can expand and isn't sealed in something air-tight. Definitely cover it all the way in water, being exposed at all will stress it worse.

pepper89 · Mar 7, 2023

Tired said:
A lot of red algaes will go odd colors at the tips under stress, or that might be what new growth looks for it. Can't tell what the fuzzy stuff is in these photos, but it might be harmless. Trimming that area off (but not the tips) won't hurt.

I'd suggest moving it to a larger container with more water, so it can expand and isn't sealed in something air-tight. Definitely cover it all the way in water, being exposed at all will stress it worse.

Thanks! I will def get trimming the fuzzy stuff off, it does look closer to the bottom of just a small part so shouldn't be too bad. Then can get it into a small container of 1gal for tonight to get fully covered with water for now, and get a tiny bit of light going on it for a few hours. I think my refugium will be completed tomorrow to get it actually in its real home if its not a concern though.

pepper89 · Mar 7, 2023

Acroconut said:
Mine had some fluorescent orange tips when it arrived and there was no water in the jar. The algae was very damp with no signs of mold. I have it growing behind some rock work in my display tank, and it grows pretty fast, but no longer has the bright orange tips. Oh...It was bought from Algae Barn too.

Thanks for the info! <3 I was just concerned cause there was water spilled in the box, and it didn't seem to come from my copepods or phytoplankton as they were both fully sealed. It wasn't very much, about a few table spoons, so not sure it's also not put in there purposely to keep the humidity. It's really dry here in colorado.

Cichlid Dad · Mar 7, 2023

pepper89 said:
I got the PomPom algae from Algae Barn today and just wondering if it's normal for it to have orange tips and what looks like mold growing on it. I was about to call Algae Barn, but they were closed, so I will be asking them tomorrow. Though, just didn't feel safe adding this to my tank until I kind of knew more. I'll be honest, it could be totally normal, and I'm just freaking out, but I've never bought algae before so not really sure what to expect I guess.

The jar had leaked during shipping, but it was still really damp inside the jar. So I filled it with some fresh salt water (most of the way, but not all the way, probably 2/3s full) and am just keeping it out of light for now.

I got one also Dead on arrival

pepper89 · Mar 7, 2023

Cichlid Dad said:
I got one also Dead on arrival

Yeah, I think that is what I am most nervous about. I don't really know what I'm doing so I don't want to put a bunch of dying algae without having any idea and find out in a bit that it's just feeding nuisance algae. LOL. Though now that I am comparing pictures from when I first got it to now, the orange is seeming to be darkening up just the slightest bit. So I am hoping that is a good sign.

Spare time · Mar 7, 2023

pepper89 said:
Yeah, I think that is what I am most nervous about. I don't really know what I'm doing so I don't want to put a bunch of dying algae without having any idea and find out in a bit that it's just feeding nuisance algae. LOL. Though now that I am comparing pictures from when I first got it to now, the orange is seeming to be darkening up just the slightest bit. So I am hoping that is a good sign.

It isn't dead

Cichlid Dad · Mar 7, 2023

pepper89 said:
Yeah, I think that is what I am most nervous about. I don't really know what I'm doing so I don't want to put a bunch of dying algae without having any idea and find out in a bit that it's just feeding nuisance algae. LOL. Though now that I am comparing pictures from when I first got it to now, the orange is seeming to be darkening up just the slightest bit. So I am hoping that is a good sign.

Let's hope, it wasn't worth it to try and get my money back, I'm just upset because I was trying to do a display sump, I know it's overkill but hay why not. I can't find any thing other then chaeto in my area.

pepper89 · Mar 7, 2023

Cichlid Dad said:
Let's hope, it wasn't worth it to try and get my money back, I'm just upset because I was trying to do a display sump, I know it's overkill but hay why not. I can't find any thing other then chaeto in my area.

Yeah, that is kind of what I am wanting to do as well. I sectioned off the middle 5g of a 10g sump to hopefully make a planted refugium that is it's cool in its own right. But fingers crossed. I'm not particularly good with plants and never seemed to have a green thumb. Hopefully, algae are easier. Guess you can't get a random freeze to kill it unless the heaters go down.

And yeah sadly it seems like most anyone carries is chaeto. And don't get me wrong, I'm sure it's great at what it does for the refugium. It's just not the ideal display sump algae.

pepper89 · Mar 8, 2023

Update: I have trimmed a bunch of that weird white/brown gunk, but started to find more and more of it on the inside. So figuring it had just grown really dense, and that might just be some detritus or a little death from just being densely grown. So I stopped trimming it because I didn't want to trim too much, and just going to see what happens if it is able to spread out. I have it in a sterilized clear plastic container that holds about a g of water, and just have it under my refugium light with a small airline to just keep some surface agitation. I placed it where the refugium will go when the silicone dries with the refugium light timer last night set to about 10% max intensity. It does seem to be doing better today. Can't really tell by looking at it, but it seems to be firming up slightly.

Sadly, my refugium wasn't able to get done today. I may have time to actually silicone it tonight, but there will be no way it will be fully cured by tonight to transfer it. Will be doing that tomorrow, and starting the no-fish cycle (adding bits of ammonia and fertilizer) so we will see what happens.

macrouk · Mar 8, 2023

Do you have an air stone or anything to provide a bit of flow?

pepper89 · Mar 8, 2023

macrouk said:
Do you have an air stone or anything to provide a bit of flow?

yeah, I added an airline that is pumping a decent flow (I have a valve so it's not crazy but a decent few bubbles a second) that is tucked at the bottom of the container for now. Luckily I already needed that setup for the copepod culture, so just added a T and an extra valve to give it more air than them.

MoshJosh · Mar 8, 2023

My guess is stress. If I recall, the algae may bet orange in color under intense lighting, but since it was in the darkness. . . I think it is "die back" from shipping. I would just give it good water conditions and watch it. In my somewhat limited experience, macros tend to die back a little before taking off. If it starts to go clear in parts though. . . I haven't been able to bring algae back from that really

Diastro · Mar 9, 2023

pepper89 said:
Yeah, that is kind of what I am wanting to do as well. I sectioned off the middle 5g of a 10g sump to hopefully make a planted refugium that is it's cool in its own right. But fingers crossed. I'm not particularly good with plants and never seemed to have a green thumb. Hopefully, algae are easier. Guess you can't get a random freeze to kill it unless the heaters go down.

And yeah sadly it seems like most anyone carries is chaeto. And don't get me wrong, I'm sure it's great at what it does for the refugium. It's just not the ideal display sump algae.

Highly recommend 333aqutics and pwn_medaka on ebay if you want macroalgaes other than chaeto.