Coraline, or start of red hair algae? Pics

[felixfish]

I have been noticing these rocks start with some green algae, then start of red. But the top rock closest to the lights look like it has turned to coraline? What do you think?

 

[felixfish]

i'm guessing the algae bloom is either from me recently cleaning out the mud I had in my refugium, or getting my brothers RO/DI unit with old filters. Uggh

 

[Dana42078]

almost looks like cyno.if u rub it and fan water at it does it come off? to red to be coraline!

 

[little_fish]

+1 Dana

 

[felixfish]

Crap.. I am keeping up with 5 gallon weekly water changes and buying RO/DI water until my new filters come in for my RO/DI unit. Should i look into getting a phosphate GFO reactor, and run carbon?

 

[Northstar24]

First, I would determine if it is in fact Cyano. If you point a powerhead at it, or squirt it with a turkey baster, does it come off the rock? If it does, its likely cyano

If it is Cyano, it comes down to three things
1) Nutrient Export (chaeto / water changes / skimming/ GFO)
2) Lighting - Old bulbs can cause cyano to grow as the spectrum of the bulbs shifts into the red area of the spectrum
3) water flow - slow or stagnant waterflow can also allow cyano to take hold

Its not uncommon for tanks to see a cyano outbreak at about the 6 month mark - its the last phase in a series of algae blooms. I wouldn't panic just yet

What are your water tests showing? How often do you feed, and what are you feeding?

 

[felixfish]

Ok it is coming up on the 5-6 month I've had the tank set up. My test I took to my LFS he said my params were ok except for my nitrates that were up, but in the ok range. However, I bought two rounds of snails and they all die, but my hermits are still moving around the tank. I also attempted to add a pulsing xenia which is completly wilted now. I just switched out my lighting that the bulbs are 6-7 mo old. I keep my lights on for 7 hours, and my HOB fuge with 2 cheato clumps on the reverse schedule. (that bulb may be need of a change)
I feed ever other day, a half a cube of frozen shrimp once a week, and flake food the others, and only enough to where they consume in a few mins.

I think the issue may have started when I borrowed my brothers old RO/DI unit. It has not been in use for a while and in need of filter change. I just ordered them, and once the algae bloom started, I have been buying 5gal from the store and re-filling them.

There are bubbles on certain rocks, and they red alage does not come off easily.

 

[little_fish]

what is "ok" what is ok to the store might not actually be ok. Also i would stop feeding the flaked food. They are full of nitrates and phosphates which just fuel algae growth.

 

[felixfish]

What would you suggest? Pellets? misis? Well I just have the test strips, and they used one as well. I need to invest in some chemical tests. What are some good all in one test kits? Or are those available? Should I just feed the frozen shimp for the time being? Thanks

 

[little_fish]

You can get the liquid test kits at petco/petsmart. I think they sell the ATI brand which is pretty good. I wouldnt trust the test strips, they are really inaccurate.

I would also pick up a variety of different frozen foods from there. They have lots of different things like and i would get a few and rotate through them.

It also sounds like your frozen shrimp are brine shrimp which have almost no nutritional value. They are ok for a treat once and a while, but not as staple.

 

[felixfish]

I've researched to rinse the flake food before adding. Would this help bring down the nitrate and phosphates?

 

[little_fish]

no, because that will just dissolve the flaked food and not take care of the nitrates and phosphates used to preserve them.