What’s this???

[peterneish]

Hi all. I’m hoping for some help with a fairly new tank. It was set up before Christmas so had been running around 6 months now. A few months ago a brown algae type substance started to develop. I just don’t know what it is so I’m unsure what action to take. I’ve just treated the tank with chemi clean which made absolutely no difference at all Based on that I’m assuming it’s not cyano? Is it brown algae, diatoms, dinos? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Nitrates and phosphates are 0 despite heavier feeding. Is it possible that the brown algae is using up the nitrates and phosphates giving the 0 readings? Thanks in advance! Peter

 

[2021 reefer]

You seem to have cyano as well as that brown thing that idk what it is. I can see cyano on the rocks and a little bit on the sand. It's a slimy red brown bacteria/algae that is bad

 

[peterneish]

Thanks for that. Yes the cyano seems to have been treated by the chemi clean and is gone now. The brown sludge type algae hasn’t budged an inch tho

 

[2021 reefer]

Thanks for that. Yes the cyano seems to have been treated by the chemi clean and is gone now. The brown sludge type algae hasn’t budged an inch tho

I have no idea what it is. Lemme try to find out

 

[peterneish]

I have no idea what it is. Lemme try to find out

Thanks so much

 

[2021 reefer]

Thanks so much

I cant find anything about it... maybe ask ur lfs (local reef store)

 

[peterneish]

Will do. Thanks

 

[Zer0]

It could be chrysophytes, it looks similar to what you have.

 

[C. Eymann]

+1^^^ looks like chrysophytes to me

 

[ScottB]

+1^^^ looks like chrysophytes to me

I swapped in some dead rock to an old system and got something similar. Some refer to it as symbiodinium which is a larger catch-all. It has been hanging around for months now.

OP, can you baste it off or is it attached?

I have a thread that details a bunch of things that did NOT work to remove it. May save you some time and hassle.

Symbiodinium. Got any treatment ideas?

While it looks kinda similar to ostreopsis in the tank, it is very different under the scope. They are VERY small and completely motionless. They are easily basted or siphoned away but return the next day. They don't stick to coral flesh, but do stick to everything else. I FEEL like they are...

www.reef2reef.com

@C. Eymann do you have any thoughts about how to solve for this? It does not seem to be terribly common.