Ugh!! Help identify algae

[Wbflyer]

This white fuzzy stuff is super tough to scrap off and seems to be killing my coralline. Here are my parameters:

SG: 1.025
Temp: 79
PH: 7.8
Light: bottom 180 par (I have a meter) for 8 hours a day
PO: 16ppm (ultra low reader, Hanna checker)
Calc: 490
Nitrate: 0
Nitrite: 0
Ammonia: 0

 

[living_tribunal]

Looks like chrysophytes.

 

[Wbflyer]

Humm, ok! I'll research those!

 

[JGT]

Unless you are missing a decimal point your PO4 is through the roof.

 

[Wbflyer]

Sorry, it's 16 ppb, not ppm. converted = .016 ppm

 

[Rmckoy]

Is it possible to have higher phosphates but 0ppm nitrates ?

 

[Wbflyer]

Not sure!

 

[frank1203]

It could be you phosphate. Your phosphate is a bit high for having 0 nitrate. Check out red field ratio and that explain more about the nitrate and phosphate balance.

 

[living_tribunal]

It could be you phosphate. Your phosphate is a bit high for having 0 nitrate. Check out red field ratio and that explain more about the nitrate and phosphate balance.

.016 is very very low.

 

[living_tribunal]

Sorry, it's 16 ppb, not ppm. converted = .016 ppm

16ppb is .049ppm

 

[frank1203]

.016 is very very low.

It is... But nitrate is ZERO as well.. so technically it is not balanced if you base it to th red field ratio.

 

[living_tribunal]

It is... But nitrate is ZERO as well.. so technically it is not balanced if you base it to th red field ratio.

The red field ratio is an relatively arbitrary number tossed out and is purely hypothetical. Different reefs around the globe have different N/P ratios. It’s better to instead look at what corals need and how much they prefer of each. While corals need both N and P, they only need very minimal amounts of N and thrive under higher P conditions absent algae. Having low N and higher P is potentially preferable for coral health and growth per the science.