PDA

View Full Version : Fuzzy clear algae?


wdt2000
12/01/2009, 08:56 PM
This fuzzy stuff has really taken off along with red turf since adding GFO to my system. What am I dealing with? Coralline algae has stopped growing, bubble algae that was contained to one rock for the past few months has bleached. But this stuff is moving quick.

All parameters are in line. Mag and ALK did drop from their normal levels but still at ok levels.

Its the fuzzy stuff growing on the rock.
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu107/bayleybrown/Reef/algae1.jpg

Red Turf with some fuzzy being mowed.
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu107/bayleybrown/Reef/snail.jpg

Some area are starting to show color at the base.
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu107/bayleybrown/Reef/algae.jpg

I scraped some of the clear stuff off my back glass.
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu107/bayleybrown/Reef/Img000002.jpg

http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu107/bayleybrown/Reef/Img00012.jpg

wdt2000
12/02/2009, 03:15 PM
Can anyone tell me if it is algae?

http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu107/bayleybrown/Reef/new2.jpg

http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu107/bayleybrown/Reef/newalgae.jpg

Seems to be picking up color now.. (The brown stuff in the foreground)
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu107/bayleybrown/Reef/algaeblah.jpg

Calothrix maybe?

Frogmanx82
12/02/2009, 04:10 PM
I'm interested to hear this. I have never seen this before, but I just changed out my GFO on Monday and today I notice that same fuzzy algae on one of my rocks. Its only on one rock, but it has covered it pretty well. That last pic looks alot like what I have.

sam11909
12/02/2009, 04:13 PM
Mine started like that and now it looks like this

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv27/sam11909/IMG_9442.jpg?t=1259792007

sam11909
12/02/2009, 04:14 PM
I'm looking for an ID too.

Doobze
12/02/2009, 05:35 PM
Same here. Anybody? Anybody know how to get rid of it?

LISound
12/02/2009, 05:44 PM
I've had it for months now. I was going to start running GFO to get rid of it.
I'm running the neozeo method to get rid of it. sometimes it gets brown like that. From what I understand, it could be a bacteria bio film. My last resort was to get a seahare. they should eat it.

wdt2000
12/02/2009, 07:00 PM
Mine only started once I added GFO/GAC... It appears Mexican Turbos may eat it not sure...

Doobze
12/02/2009, 07:25 PM
Mine also started after GFO...

Keep us updated on how that NeoZeo method works and if it gets rid of it, I've been contemplating using it myself down the road.

wdt2000
12/02/2009, 08:23 PM
Well, I just picked up 6 more very hungry Mexican Turbos. They are on a rock that has this stuff growing. I should know by morning if they are eating it or not.

wdt2000
12/03/2009, 03:00 PM
No luck with the turbos. This stuff is only on the rocks and glass. It also appears to be growing on one of my corals living tissue.

sam11909
12/03/2009, 03:05 PM
I'm trying a 3 day blackout. I'll tell you if it's successful.

widmer
12/03/2009, 03:38 PM
I have what appears to be the same stuff. A 3-day blackout (and i mean pitch black) did virtually nothing for it...

Chiefsurfer
12/03/2009, 03:58 PM
sure looks like a type of hair algae to me.

wdt2000
12/03/2009, 04:57 PM
sure looks like a type of hair algae to me.

Derbesia? Can anyone confirm that it is indeed a plant and not bacteria?

Doobze
12/03/2009, 05:48 PM
I think wdt's slides prove that. You can definitely see chloroplast structures there.

sam11909
12/03/2009, 07:31 PM
It does look like some type of HA.

sam11909
12/03/2009, 07:32 PM
I have what appears to be the same stuff. A 3-day blackout (and i mean pitch black) did virtually nothing for it...

Wow, tough stuff. Is there anything that eats it?

wdt2000
12/03/2009, 07:56 PM
I think wdt's slides prove that. You can definitely see chloroplast structures there.

I was thinking along the lines of cyanobacteria which I think have chloroplast as well.

LISound
12/04/2009, 07:25 AM
well, it seemed to get worse when i added the carbon source. It may be some type of cyano. Tried scrubbing the rocks with a tooth brush and it only dislodged some of it.
not sure what the relationship is between this stuff and GFO.

What brand of GFO are you all using?

blennymower
12/04/2009, 08:24 AM
I have had this before, and got it again now. It's harmless as far as I'm concerned, and I think eventually goes away on it's own. Plus, it doesn't look that bad to me :D

wdt2000
12/04/2009, 12:08 PM
What brand of GFO are you all using?

BRS and you?

xgames
12/04/2009, 12:11 PM
I have some of that in my tank!

LISound
12/04/2009, 03:50 PM
I was using BRS HC but never had this stuff while running their GFO. not sure it's related or not.

sam11909
12/07/2009, 07:32 AM
3 day lights out did NOTHING! AAHHH! :furious:

wdt2000
12/07/2009, 10:27 AM
3 day lights out did NOTHING! AAHHH! :furious:

Did you get increased skimmate? My skimmer seems to go crazy at night

LISound
12/07/2009, 11:49 AM
Well, I've noticed that with more nutrients in the tank, it develops a longer brown hair like algae. I had some cheato die and the fuzzy stuff grew to a longer brown. Trying to knock it back again. I've yet to have a good increase in Coralline algae.

I have some left over GFO and will throw that in a reactor after my next WC this week to see if it makes a difference.

wdt2000
12/07/2009, 12:48 PM
I am going to add a small army of blue leg hermits and see if it helps. If its hair they should eat it, if its cyano they should eat it. My tang and foxface will have nothing to do with the stuff..

LISound
12/07/2009, 02:02 PM
FWIW, I've seen my chromis nip at it. I know Damsels eat algae.

sam11909
12/08/2009, 06:30 PM
Did you get increased skimmate? My skimmer seems to go crazy at night

Not really. Although, I have a seaclone and it doesn't skim that much to begin with.

I don't think the blue-legs will help. Mine don't touch it.

wdt2000
12/10/2009, 07:31 PM
Well it appears the 300 blue legs I added are cleaning up the rock. I will post some pictures when they make their way over to the rocks in the above photo.

joshOdphi
12/10/2009, 07:40 PM
i jus started getting the same "algea"....was wondering if maybe emerald crabs would do the trick? suggestions?

Doobze
12/11/2009, 01:04 AM
Here's something, I wonder if this stuff as actually an Iron fueled algae, as many of us stated that it appeared after using GFO and it's been speculated that GFO may introduce soluble iron into our systems.

Just from my own observations with it, I increased the amount of GFO I was using to get rid of it from 12tbsp to 16tbsp and it seemed like it's just gotten worse.

I have not seen my astraea or blue legged hermits eat too much of it, although a few times I think I might've caught some of my blue leggeds munching on it, not sure.

Although I might have a light CUC, 3 astraea snails, maybe 15ish or so blue leggeds, 4 - 6 nassarius snails, 1 peppermint shrimp and 1 cleaner shrimp in a 46g. Thinking about getting about 2 more astraea snails, 5 -10 more blue legs, and maybe like 25 cerith snails to see if it'll help. Does that sound like an adequate CUC for my 46g?

wdt2000
12/11/2009, 09:37 AM
It could be the iron. I was dosing Iron before I added to GFO to help macro growth in my refuges. So to me it seems like the algae would have shown up then unless the GFO release a good bit of iron causing a spike.

wdt2000
12/14/2009, 08:59 AM
No luck, This stuff is now growing on living coral in very high flow areas for some reason. Its also living on bubble algae :P
http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu107/bayleybrown/Reef/IMG_4699.jpg

piusma
12/14/2009, 11:15 AM
Had the same algae growing all over the place in my tank. It will take over your corals if you let it grow. Tried Zeovit and GFO but it only slowed down its growth. Tried blackout and it comes back right after. Finially got myself some API algae fix marine and all disappeared in about a week. Tried it if you havn't. Do a search on algae fix marine here and read up on it. Most has no ill effects but please do your research. My algae has went away but it needs a maintaince dose to keep them in check.
Steven

Frogmanx82
12/14/2009, 12:15 PM
Mine disappeared after a 3 day dark.

wdt2000
12/15/2009, 08:58 AM
Mine disappeared after a 3 day dark.

I will give it a try.

austin93
12/15/2009, 09:19 AM
I have been fighting this since I added Neozeo to the system. It is a type of cyano bacteria, I had it tested by a member on here under a microscope. I believe it has something to do with too low nutrients in some capacity. Either phosphate or nitrate is severely limited causing this issue. Has to be an answer, possible that the iron is a culprit. I hadn't thought of that. My snails all eat it and seem to be happy about it.

afernandez
12/15/2009, 01:26 PM
3 days lights out skimmer on full blast and water changes! And if u can get a clean up crew they eat alot of stuff.. dwarf crabs (red leg). And try to remove some of te stuff ur self . But make sure u do water changes (1) skimmer working properly (2) and clean up crew and i am sure u now it's not going to happen over night fight it . And a gfo is rowaphos try that in a reactor aswell

austin93
12/15/2009, 01:31 PM
3 days lights out skimmer on full blast and water changes! And if u can get a clean up crew they eat alot of stuff.. dwarf crabs (red leg). And try to remove some of te stuff ur self . But make sure u do water changes (1) skimmer working properly (2) and clean up crew and i am sure u now it's not going to happen over night fight it . And a gfo is rowaphos try that in a reactor aswell


Do you have this algae and did this solve the problem or are you just speaking in generalities?

afernandez
12/15/2009, 04:09 PM
Yup I had that problem I battled but came out on top

Akrite
12/15/2009, 05:21 PM
I got this problem 2 months ago after switching from 250watt DE HQI to PM T5's. Before the switch I had a problem with Red Slime that I never took care of and went away after the switch but then this clear fuzzy algae appeared. I think that the two are related so I'm going to try red slime remover that I bought and never used to see if it helps. My reason for not using it before is because it requires you to adjust your skimmer and I hate adjusting my skimmer once it set.

It says to repeat after 48 hours if necessary so I will update in 48 hours.

afernandez
12/15/2009, 06:23 PM
Those red slime removers quite honestly don't work those just put a "bandage" to ur problem ..it will get rid of some but if will eventually grow back did u check your p04 level? Or ur lighting periods can be 2 long.

Akrite
12/15/2009, 07:38 PM
my PO4 and nitrates are undetectable so I'm trying everything.

austin93
12/15/2009, 10:00 PM
I believe that it is being caused by nitrogen limitation. Don't do anything drastic because it is pretty harmless, just ugly. Add some more animals, fish and CUC. I have been battling this for way too long, so I do have some experience sadly not positive thou. I am going to do what I am recommending to you all so you could just wait and see what I find too. Stupid fuzz anyway.

sam11909
12/18/2009, 11:10 AM
Finally got rid of most of mine by turning the lights off for 3 days and keeping the fuge lights on. I harvested a lot of chaeto since then.

Tetra84
08/27/2012, 04:23 PM
Anyone have any further info on this type of bacteria/algae? I seem to have a bunch of it too..

VaFishFolk
10/09/2012, 08:59 AM
I am curious about an update as well, since I too have noticed this stuff growing on my rocks. I noticed it a month or so ago, pretty much on most rock surfaces. I'm running BRS GFO and chemi pure in my sump. Nitrates and PO4 are undetectable. Any updates would be appreciated and hopefully helpful!

Mike