View Full Version : Pics with questions about algaes
Kissfan79
09/11/2008, 03:55 PM
Hey guys....
Here are some pics with some questions about algaes. Here goes:
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m52/kissfan79/DSC02357.jpg
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m52/kissfan79/DSC02358.jpg
First question....what would cause hair algae to grow like this? My phosphates have tested 0, my RO/DI water I am using has tested 0 for silicates and the light fixture is only 3 months old (trusting my LFS....when they came to install and setup...they didn't leave the box or manual for the 72" outer orbit with 3x150mh and 4x96pcs)?
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m52/kissfan79/DSC02360.jpg
Second question....what is that purple pocket lint looking stuff on my green star polyps?
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m52/kissfan79/DSC02362.jpg
Last question....what kind of algae is this white stuff on the rocks in my 24 gallon Aquapod and can I get rid of it w/o removing and scrubbing the rock.
Thanks for the long pic intensive read and, as always, any info is greatly appreciated!
Jim
footbagger311
09/11/2008, 04:34 PM
I've got the first and last kinds in your pix. I like them both but I wonder what would eat them.
defib
09/11/2008, 06:21 PM
Algee uses up alot of phosphate and nitrates so you can have it and still have a reading of 0.
wjfrank07
09/11/2008, 06:27 PM
Hair algae will really take off once it starts to collect detritus at the base of the algae. Use a powerhead and blow of the rock. Try to pull as much off as you can and do some water changes after changing the cartridges in your RO/DI unit.
Kissfan79
09/11/2008, 07:07 PM
I was planning on making tomorrow "tank day" and pulling the Koralias and cleaning them as well as plucking the hair algae off of the rocks. The cartridges in my RO/DI unit are only about 3 months old....should they still be changed any way (the DI resin cartridge hasn't even really started to change color yet)? Also....anyone identify the purple "fuzz" on the rock witht he green star polyps? Could that be normal? Also...even though I am reading 0 on my phosphates....I still use Phosguard in my sump.
Jim
Kissfan79
09/12/2008, 09:18 AM
What about the stuff in the 3rd pic....anyone know what kind of growth it is on the rocks and how to get rid of it?
Jim
cash cow
09/12/2008, 03:54 PM
GET SOME SALLY LIGHT FOOT CRABS.......THEY EAT ALGAE NON STOP......I HAVE NEVER HAD AN ALGAE PROBLEM SINCE I'VE GOTTEN ONE!! THEY ARE ONLY LIKE 11 DOLLARS
Kissfan79
09/12/2008, 07:31 PM
Cool....thanks...I'll check em out.
Jim
abulgin
09/12/2008, 08:05 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13341536#post13341536 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cash cow
GET SOME SALLY LIGHT FOOT CRABS.......THEY EAT ALGAE NON STOP......I HAVE NEVER HAD AN ALGAE PROBLEM SINCE I'VE GOTTEN ONE!! THEY ARE ONLY LIKE 11 DOLLARS
And I had 2 that never touched algae. Like everything else in this hobby, one man's treasure is another man's wasted $$.
Your number 1 could be hair algae, but it could also be "turtle weed". Either way, it's a nuisance in your tank as things stand. I've found that this algae really needs to be manually removed or you'll never get a good foothold on it. A Sea Hare is one possible option, but you'll have to feed it once it eats all your algae.
I can't really tell what the second picture is. It could be cyanobacteria, but it looks like it has some dimension to it so I'm guessing it's probably some type of purple microalgae.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/maralgae.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/greenalg.htm
Kissfan79
09/12/2008, 08:59 PM
Thanks for the reply. The stuff in pic 2 is defiantely not cyanobacteria. This stuff is just like cotton pocket lint that is purple. I plucked some off and it is fluffy and floated around in the water. Today was "clean the tank and equipment day" so I pulled all of the powerheads and cleaned them and hand plucked stuff off the rocks. I also added about 40 snails to help kick in the clean.
Jim
abulgin
09/12/2008, 09:04 PM
I don't think the last pic is an algae. I have similar growths throughout my tank.
Candi
09/12/2008, 09:04 PM
Can anyone id the last picture? I have that growing all over the one side of my 70g... where none of my other problem algae grows (introduced bryposis.. another whole thread LOL). I'd love to know what might help get rid of the white stuff, it's in an area I can't easily scrub down w/o knocking to much over.
JPMagyar
09/12/2008, 09:34 PM
The last picture may be Homotrema rubrum a type of foraminiferan interspersed with a type of sponge. I'm not a biologist and that's just an educated guess of a fellow hobbiest. Also, the pictures are typical of a younger aquarium. You could check out vol 1 pg 163 of The Modern Coral Reef Aquarium by Fossa for a similar picture and a discussion of such algaes. I bet you're already doing most of what is necessary so just keep at it ;)
But just out of curiousity . . .
How old is the set up?
What do you have for algae eaters in the tank?
What are you using for in tank flow?
Anyways, I hope you'll keep us posted.
Joe
Mykel Obvious
09/12/2008, 10:33 PM
I have the red stuff in my tank... it is commonly called "Cotton Candy Algae" (I don't have a scientific name for it)... it is rumored that "Mexican Turbo Snails" will eat it, but I haven't tried them yet...
Even though my NO3 and PO4 both test at 0, I have just about every algae listed on any nuisance algae site growing somewhere in my tank... I'm working on carbon dosing to try and get to an Ultra Low Nutrient State (ULNS) which will cause all the algae magically to die off (I might be dreaming about that :lol: )
Manually remove as much of all algae as you can, make sure you have a good CUC, take a look at your feeding habits and what feeds you use, do water changes after major sessions of manual removal and most importantly don't give up!!
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