Brown Algae ID?

[drummereef]

This stuff seems to be fueled by water changes and/or saltwater top-off. It's relatively short, sometimes filamentous, and might hold a bubble or two. However it doesn't look like the traditional dinoflagellates that is common in tanks I've seen. I can somewhat easily blow it off the rocks with a turkey baster or pump, but a small amount of "fuzz" will be left on the overflow or rocks even after basing.

It has persisted through undetectable NO3 and PO4, as well as with low levels of testable NO3 and PO4 (~2.5 / 0.03). It seems to also prefer higher flow areas of the tank.

I have not tried either Chemiclean or Ultra Algae X (yet)...

Any ideas?

 

[drummereef]

A couple more pics...


This is what it looks like before hitting it with a turkey baster.

This is what's left after blowing it off with a turkey baster.

 

[SushiGirl]

I had something like that for a while too, it's going away now. No idea what it is.

 

[drummereef]

I had something like that for a while too, it's going away now. No idea what it is.

Did you do anything specific to make it go away, or is it just fading on it's own? Does yours come back after water changes?

 

[SushiGirl]

Mine's fading on its own, and seemed to coincide with when we turned the white LEDs down now that I think about it. Which makes sense since algae loves light and it was all on the top surfaces, especially thick on the highest points.

 

[drummereef]

Mine's fading on its own, and seemed to coincide with when we turned the white LEDs down now that I think about it. Which makes sense since algae loves light and it was all on the top surfaces, especially thick on the highest points.

Interesting, thanks SushiGirl.


Anyone else wanna take a guess as to what this is? Brown Slime maybe??

 

[SushiGirl]

Mine seemed more like really thick diatoms or something. Here's a bad top-down pic of mine when they were at their worst.

 

[drummereef]

Definitely could be or a form of brown cyano aka "slime algae". Either way, glad it's going away for you.

 

[SushiGirl]

Mine wasn't slimy at all, but we did also have cyano at the time of that pic. Had it for a months & it disappeared one day. Nothing like new tabk algae cycles LOL. We had diatoms, cyano, this stuff, a type of macro (forget the name), hair algae, and now bubble algae. Tank is 8 months old.

 

[drummereef]

Mine wasn't slimy at all, but we did also have cyano at the time of that pic. Had it for a months & it disappeared one day. Nothing like new tabk algae cycles LOL. We had diatoms, cyano, this stuff, a type of macro (forget the name), hair algae, and now bubble algae. Tank is 8 months old.

Gotcha, sounds just like you were going through the normal new tank algae cycles. My tank, however, never went through the typical algae cycles... no diatoms, no GHA, and only recently have I ever seen red cyano. Totally weird. I struggled for a couple years trying to even get NO3 to show up on a test kit. LOL. The stuff I posted in my pics has come and gone for going on 3 years now. Gets worse whenever I do a water change, almost immediate. So frustrating. :strange:

 

[SushiGirl]

Have you tried changing salt brands? Sounds like it's feeding off of something in the salt.

 

[drummereef]

Have you tried changing salt brands? Sounds like it's feeding off of something in the salt.

Could be but I've used IO salt for year, even in my last tank, and never had this issue. I would assume if there was an issue with IO it would show up on here as a problem in a lot of tanks. I think it's Dinos, not certain, but whatever trace element in the new saltwater fuels this stuff like none other. :sad2:

 

[SushiGirl]

Some dinos are fueled by water changes, ours were. Ours were much longer & snottier than yours, though LOL. They lasted for 2 months & went away for good when we cut the light cycle in half, skipped 2 water changes & sucked out all we could every day. That was part of our new tank stuff on the 55 a couple years ago, though intead of like the issue you're having.

 

[Pederreefnerd]

Hi there,

I dont think its an algae, from here it looks more like a bacteria. Of course I can be wrong, but do u dose Carbon or any bacteria to yr system ?

Peder

 

[drummereef]

Hi there,

I dont think its an algae, from here it looks more like a bacteria. Of course I can be wrong, but do u dose Carbon or any bacteria to yr system ?

Peder

Thanks for your post Peder. I haven't carbon dosed for months (biopellets) and haven't regularly dosed bacteria. I did dose Special Blend for a couple days with ZeoZyme to see if it would help but it didn't do anything so I discontinued. I also tried a combination of Special Blend and Coral Snow but again - no visible change.

 

[Pederreefnerd]

Thanks for your post Peder. I haven't carbon dosed for months (biopellets) and haven't regularly dosed bacteria. I did dose Special Blend for a couple days with ZeoZyme to see if it would help but it didn't do anything so I discontinued. I also tried a combination of Special Blend and Coral Snow but again - no visible change.

Ok,

These can be tough to get rid off.
I used to have them when i used aminoacids to increas color on sps.
After I stopped dosing, they stayed 6 months more. What helped for me was to add more CUC

Best of luck

 

[drummereef]

Ok,

These can be tough to get rid off.
I used to have them when i used aminoacids to increas color on sps.
After I stopped dosing, they stayed 6 months more. What helped for me was to add more CUC

Best of luck

Yes, they have been a MAJOR pain to get rid of in my tank. What inverts specifically have you had luck with eating this stuff? My mexican turbo snails don't seem to like it at all, in fact they avoid eating it.

 

[Pederreefnerd]

Yes, they have been a MAJOR pain to get rid of in my tank. What inverts specifically have you had luck with eating this stuff? My mexican turbo snails don't seem to like it at all, in fact they avoid eating it.

Hi Brett

Thats strange,

I have a mix of snails - seems like most of them eat it - even my tang nip at it now and then.

I do think its some kind of bacteria, but nevet got a sure ID. In my tank they were mostly places of good watermovement and plenty of light. Still have a litle left - but not same before. Maybe decrease light for a week - seems like "sushigirl" says similar....

I also brushed them away manually - gives a good feeling, until them bastards come back.

Im truly sorry I done have a bulletproof plan for u. But stiil think its some kind leftover from yr biopellets - and they will die eventually.

If you dont want to wait them out, maybe dose bacteria from a good strain - because, they grow and multiply faster than asnything else - but its a wild shot....

Plz keep us updated

 

[drummereef]

Hi Brett

Thats strange,

I have a mix of snails - seems like most of them eat it - even my tang nip at it now and then.

I do think its some kind of bacteria, but nevet got a sure ID. In my tank they were mostly places of good watermovement and plenty of light. Still have a litle left - but not same before. Maybe decrease light for a week - seems like "sushigirl" says similar....

I also brushed them away manually - gives a good feeling, until them bastards come back.

Im truly sorry I done have a bulletproof plan for u. But stiil think its some kind leftover from yr biopellets - and they will die eventually.

If you dont want to wait them out, maybe dose bacteria from a good strain - because, they grow and multiply faster than asnything else - but its a wild shot....

Plz keep us updated

Thank you Peder. Much appreciated. I will update as I see results.