Unknown algae making coral bleach

[Williamthegr88]

ok so I posted a thread about a week ago about a algae that is spreading in my tank and it was suggested it might be cotton candy algae and I should try to get a Mexican turbo snail which there are none in my area at my lfs I'm questioning if it is indeed cotton candy algae I noticed today one of my sps corals were starting to bleach where the algae was touching it I'll post a pic and see if I can get a definitive I'd on the algae it's slowly getting worse thanks for any input

 

[Annette Garcia]

This is cotton candy algae and from your picture it doesn't look the same.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I still say cotton candy algae , also known as red turf algae.
This is how I know. I took this picture six seconds ago.


Anyone else in the #reefsquad have any input or experience?

I could not an accurate or correct taxonomic name.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

This is cotton candy algae and from your picture it doesn't look the same.

Google red cotton candy algae.

 

[Sabellafella]

I still say cotton candy algae , also known as red turf algae.
This is how I know. I took this picture six seconds ago.


Anyone else in the #reefsquad have any input or experience?

I could not an accurate or correct taxonomic name.

Its a red turf algae for sure. Youll need some predators. As for bleaching your coral, could be.. some of these algaes sting and or release compounds to do damage to anything near it. Try working overtime to get it out, hopefully everything tends to fair well in the meantime.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Its a red turf algae for sure. Youll need some predators. As for bleaching your coral, could be.. some of these algaes sting and or release compounds to do damage to anything near it. Try working overtime to get it out, hopefully everything tends to fair well in the meantime.

If it doesn't have a substrate or rock to grow on, if forms large tufts.
I found this out by going back to the last store I had bought macros at. I had bought it Five months before I saw it appear in my tank. Their tank had been overrun.

So much for qt. Lol.

 

[Williamthegr88]

It would make sense that it would sting it its slightly growing on it where it's bleaching and for predators is there something other than Mexican turbo snails? I have hermits astrea snails and turbo and nothing seems to be touching the stuff. And I wonder if me using a tooth brush to remove it is dislodging it and spreading it further?

 

[jsker]

What are your phosphates and nitrates?

 

[Williamthegr88]

What are your phosphates and nitrates?

Every time I test there undetectable on the redsea teat

 

[Williamthegr88]

I'm not sure if there is a difference at my lfs allot of the times there just labeled turbo snails is this a Mexican turbo? I have this guy in another tank

 

[jsker]

Every time I test there undetectable on the redsea teat

Hummm, I would say you phosphates are around .o4 or higher. Nitrates probably 5+. The reason I am suggesting this is when I was having my cyano (red slime) problems for over a year, my phosphates red trace to .02 with Red Sea and assumed that they were a tad bit higher sine the algae was consuming nutrients. I ordered a Hanna low phosphorus checker and found that my phosphates were off the chart for a reef.

Cure, cleaning my skimmer cup daily, changing my filter socks every other day and installing a good GFO reactor. I also started running double carbon, silica buster resin with my DI resin. I tried different methods like chemeclean H2O2 and they did a good job but the algae would come back. That is my story and I am sticking with it

 

[DeniseAndy]

I had red turf something awful and a red tuxedo urchin cleared it completely. Great little invert. Nothing else of clean up crew touched it. No snail, crab or other urchin.

 

[Williamthegr88]

Hummm, I would say you phosphates are around .o4 or higher. Nitrates probably 5+. The reason I am suggesting this is when I was having my cyano (red slime) problems for over a year, my phosphates red trace to .02 with Red Sea and assumed that they were a tad bit higher sine the algae was consuming nutrients. I ordered a Hanna low phosphorus checker and found that my phosphates were off the chart for a reef.

Cure, cleaning my skimmer cup daily, changing my filter socks every other day and installing a good GFO reactor. I also started running double carbon, silica buster resin with my DI resin. I tried different methods like chemeclean H2O2 and they did a good job but the algae would come back. That is my story and I am sticking with it[/.
Lol ok so I actually own a phosphorus checker from Hanna checker but idk how to convert or what it should be cause I always see phosphate not phosphorus so I only used once I think I'll do a test tomorrow and see what happens what should it be about? And I would be kind of surprised if it was running high I'm pretty good with keeping up with maintenance

 

[Williamthegr88]

My reply went in the bubble

 

[Williamthegr88]

I had red turf something awful and a red tuxedo urchin cleared it completely. Great little invert. Nothing else of clean up crew touched it. No snail, crab or other urchin.

Thanks for the info I actually have a Halloween tuxedo urchin in another tank not sure if I want to move him tho might invest in another

 

[jsker]

here is the conversion chart and between a 6 and 9. To starve the algae out around a 3 on the checker.

 

[Williamthegr88]

So I tested I got .028 ppm phosphate

 

[Best Fish-Jake]

I'm not sure if there is a difference at my lfs allot of the times there just labeled turbo snails is this a Mexican turbo? I have this guy in another tank

Yes, that is a Mexican turbo snail

 

[Williamthegr88]

Yes, that is a Mexican turbo snail

Awesome I have that guy in another tank I'll switch him over