Green Funk on Green Sinularia?

[Krustylove]

Oh no, not again! Before I get the lecture on how you should never just open & pour DT’s into an unsuspecting tank now I am scrambling to clean up the mess of the unstoppable algae bloom that is building in my tank!!! While I think scrubbing the live rock of the cyano bacteria and diatomic brown algae is a good place to start with a water change attack-what do I do about the hairy slimy masses growing on my green sinularia short of quickly fraging a piece to place in another tank before it melts down to nothing? The pic w/the tang shows the algae bubbles and buildup forming on my live rock-help!!! P.S. I haven’t tested the water yet but the temp. is 80 degrees and the salinity is .028. I have 2 250 MH & 400 watts of VHO that go on before and after the MHs-the whole photo period is 9 hrs. I recently just set up my refugium again after tearing it down last year when the lights caught on fire…I have also pulled the skimmer off the timer I had it on and it now runs 24/7. I think I may need more flow in this tank also as I just have the main pump in the sump and a maxi jet rigged to a swid. I have taken a bottle brush and scrubbed away as much of the offending material as I could off of the sinularia but I don’t know if this is going to have any lasting effect as the tissue looks damaged underneath the brown slime growing on it.

 

[drbronx]

I wouldn't bother scrubbing your rock. If the conditions are right for the proliferation of algae, it will grow back almost literally before your eyes. Plus you may inadvertantly destroy calcerous algae which is one of the best defenses against problem algaes. The most important thing is to assure maximum nutrient export and to minimize nutrient import. On the export side, aggressive skimming with a quality skimmer is essential, major water changes with RO/DI water, testing for phosphates and if necessary, using phosphate absorbing media etc. Reinstating your refugium is also a good move. On the input side, temporarilly reduce the feeding schedule, suspend use of all organic aditives (most of which are probably uneccessary anyway) and re-examining the bioload in your tank e.g., the number, size and feeding requirements of your fish. Also insure conditions that promote calcerous algae growth by establishing proper levels of calcium, alkalinity (low alkalinity also promotes diatom blooms) and strontium (do not add this without testing).

 

[graveyardworm]

Salinity 1.028 is high you should get it down to 1.025 - 1.026. While its unlikely that this is your problem it would be better for the health of your tank. I would use a turkey baster and gently blow off the offensive stuff on you sinularia. Try to siphon it out if you can. Water changes and keep the coral clean.