Urgent!!! Algea ID/solution needed!

[SquidHC]

I have had some algea problems in the past. Mainly bubble. I have been addressing this, and an aptasia issue for a while, and have been getting it under control. Recently, a new type of algea has appeared in my system. It is coating everything. In the last few days it has started to coat polyps even. I need help ID'ing it, and finding a way to quickly get rid of it from my system.

I am not referring to the macro, or the bubble algea. I'm concerned about the thick, dark green algea that is covering everything like a mat.

Thanks in advance!

 

[bertoni]

It might be a microbe of some sort. I am not good with pictures. Does it break up easily, and look like a gel or slime?

 

[Sk8r]

cyanobacteria comes in varieties, and the lighting of a tank can affect what color it looks to be. It looks most like cyano. Have you got a good skimmer? tuned up? Shut your tank lighting down for 3 days and run your skimmer fully tuned: if it clears up, it's cyano or its kissing cousin, whatever that may be. If it doesn't clear up markedly---it's a whole 'nother problem.

 

[SquidHC]

It's a small system and does not have a skimmer. I have a sump with a micron bag I change regularly. That, along with regular water changes is all I do. I will turn off the lights, and see what happens. I JUST changed the bulbs, so maybe that is the reason it took off.

As far as it being slimy, or breaking up... It kinda breaks up like a clump of grass out of your lawnmower would. It's tightly interwoven, almost like felt. Slimy... yeah it is that, but not like fish slimy... Just average ol' algea slimy.

 

[bertoni]

Okay, that sounds more like a macroalga. I'd work on nutrient control. A GFO reactor or better skimming are fairly common approaches, and might be a good place to start. You could stop feeding for a few days, to see what that does.

 

[RiddlerJoe]

Looks like Cyano to me. I've heard that certain things work, turn lights off for a day, run some extra carbon, etc etc

I'd been battling the Cyano as well. Mines a deep red on the white sand, I just started using some Chemi-Pure Elite in my sump and it helping tons. I also moved my pump to shoot more flow over the effected areas.

Riddler

 

[Sk8r]

Without a skimmer, test often while this is going on. You're getting good suggestions. Nutrient control definitely. I think Bertoni thinks you should hold off on the lights-out and try holding feeding. It is possible your lack of a skimmer is part of this problem. Take some tank water in a large clean cup, and pour a cup of water into that water from a height. If a lingering foam results, I would recommend a succession of several water changes, adding up to 50% of the total water volume, and maybe consider ultimately getting a hang-on skimmer like the AquaC Remora. Wait for Bertoni's opinion on the water change idea, however, in excess of 20%; he's by far a better chemist than I am. RiddlerJoe, I'm most suspicious in the same direction, but without a skimmer in the system I'm just a little worried about advising a lights-out treatment---at best, to be done cautiously in a tank with no skimmer.

 

[SquidHC]

I have delt with the red/orange/brown cyano on the sand in the past. This is nothing like that. I turned the lights off yesterday, but I guess I'll turn them back on today. I will try some GFO and holding off on feeding. I'm just worried about it growing over polyups of my zoas before it gets better.

 

[Floowid]

That looks like the beginning of Green Hair Algae to me. Your discription of "fuzzy" and kind of like felt makes me believe it is GHA. All the suggestions for fighting cyano will also help if it is GHA. One thing I would try, which with help with the bubble algae and macro as well, is to take each rock out individually and scrub the crap off them in a bucket of freshly made saltwater. Also, do big water changes for a while and get your nutrient under control.

 

[bertoni]

I'd be careful with the large changes. They can cause as many problems as they solve. You could try the lights out approach at some point, but I'd just see how the reduced feeding and perhaps the GFO reactor work.

 

[SquidHC]

That looks like the beginning of Green Hair Algae to me.

GHA tends to have long strands of algea comming off of it though, right? And even then, the turbo's usualy eat it pretty quick. NOTHING in my tank will touch this stuff. Today I removed the rock and scrubbed it off... Hope this helps a bit.

 

[bermuda reefer]

it looks like the start of green hair algea to me, dose with some algeafix marine
right away, leave the lights off for a couple of days and then start to syphon it off the rocks with a 3/8" syphon hose, dont wait!