Is this normal?

[Karen]

Should these feathery growths be there?

 

[Karen]

They are growing directly from the rock the zoa is attached to. Do you think I can just try to pull them off? I am not sure how i would remove the zoa colony from the rock disk it is on.

 

[Big K]

What is it?

 

[salt_for_brains]

I apologize for my previous post--- I was looking at the wrong thing in the pic. Now that I am on my computer I can see what you are talking about.;)

That appears to be bryopsis or green hair algae. Bryopsis has that feathery look to it. It feeds off of excess phosphates and nitrates which generally means you have too much nutrients in your water.

What are your water parameters? Are you running a skimmer? Are you using RO/DI water for your water changes and top off water? What livestock do you have and how much/what are you feeding?

 

[bjohanson1234]

+1 Salt
Looks like hair algea to me too. You can pull it off. Try to reduce feedings and increase water changes to help remove the excess nutrients.

 

[Karen]

My nitrites and ammonia are at zero. Nitrates were at 10. I did a 20% water change but did not check the nitrates again before work. PH levels at 8.2 and specific gravity at 1.23. Unfortunately I got the API test kit like I used with my FOWLR tank ten years ago. I haven't had a chance to change that out yet. I am using the RO water for top offs and changes now. Started the tank a month ago with dechlorinated tap but changed that right off after reading in these forums.

Livestock

No fish as of yet. Hoping for my first this weekend (depends on nitrate levels)
The Zoa pictured above
A Xenia coral
One polyp coral (singular, not a colony)
Three cerith snails
Five Astraea snails

There is also a crab in there. I am not sure of the exact type and he is still in hiding.

I am not feeding the tank at this time.

It is a nano. 14 gals bio cube. Bio balls removed but I do have the charcoal in the filter chamber. Should I remove it or keep it in?

 

[Karen]

Salt, what were you looking at? Do you actually see hydroids? Should I be looking at something else?

I missed a question. I am not running a skimmer.

I also have some green star polyps as well as the button polyp listed in the above post.

 

[salt_for_brains]

My eyes and my phone were playing tricks on me that is why I jumped on the big screen:D

Just suck that algae out and stay on top of your water changes. I started out with a biocube and it can be difficult to keep the nutrients exported like it should be.

 

[salt_for_brains]

I added live rock rubble to the filter chamber. If you keep that filter you want to change it out or keep it clean so you don't start building nitrates because of it.

 

[Karen]

Ok. Thanks!