Can someone ID this gray/black blob?

[Gyr]

I noticed this blob of gray/black material on my green digi. It came off very easily, remained intact when I pulled it off and was kind of slimy. I was surprised that the digi was fine underneath, looked just like the rest of the frag.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=648&pictureid=21329

I have since noticed several more blobs like this on the rock work, even on the maxima's shell. They are all easy to remove, providing I can reach them.

Anyone know what they are? Is there a way to stop their spread?

Thanks in advance.

[ludnix]

It kind of looks like a sponge, can you get another picture of one of them?

[Gyr]

I'll see if I can find another one that I can get a good shot of. It'll be a few days, however. I won't be home when the tank's lights are on tomorrow.

[PaxRoma]

slimy, black blob = cyanobacteria. If they start appearing, your phosphate may need to be controlled.

[crvz]

I've seen valonia look like that, but I'm not sure of that ID in this case. More pictures might help.

[Dave VG]

Bubble algae maybe. Better pic would be nice.

[Gyr]

Thanks for your input, everyone. Check back tomorrow, I hope to have some better pictures posted.
I was able to wipe out a chronic red slime algae (cyano) problem I'd had for months by installing a BRS GFO reactor. It was a month or two after the red slime resolved when I saw this black stuff. Phosphate levels have been 0 (Slifert and Elos kits), but they were often 0 or close to it during my red lime problem.
I'll do some research on valonia, as I don't know what that is.

Thanks again

[Gyr]

Well, I did a little reading about velonia and I don't think that is what this is. In fact, a few years ago I had a mild outbreak of the green bubble algae on a piece of live rock I'd picked up with blue mushrooms on it. Those were very hard and shiny, and physically removing them stopped the problem. These blobs are the consistancy of a wet cotton ball when I pull them out of the tank. I didn't read about any other velonia that fits what I am dealing with.

Photos tomorrow (I hope).

[PaxRoma]

whatever it is that is easy to come out, that's a good thing. You can siphon them out at a regular water change schedule, then renew your GFO.

[Gdevine]

Could be anything...but from the looks of it that may be a type of sponge. Need better pics for a good id.

[noahm]

Could be anything...but from the looks of it that may be a type of sponge. Need better pics for a good id.

Looks like a type of 'chicken liver' sponge, but they don't exactly pop up overnight. Have they been slowly growing or just sort of appeared?

[ingtar_shinowa]

looks sorta like turf aglae

[Chondro 5]

I get those when my nutrients are a bit high. I'm not sure what they are either, but they are really easy to remove and they feel squishy and are filamentous when you break them apart. Never been a problem in my tank.

[Gyr]

Okay, first of all, here are some photos.

The first is a shot of the typical appearance of these things in my tank:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=648&pictureid=21392

Here is what it looks like out of the tank:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=648&pictureid=21394



The next is the biggest 'colony' in my tank. This one looks smoother/shinier that the others, but I am pretty sure it is the same stuff:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=648&pictureid=21393




I hope those photos help, they are about the best I could do with my camera/skills.

I'll see if I can figure out how to cut and paste quotes so I can respond directly to your ideas/questions.....

[Gyr]

I get those when my nutrients are a bit high. I'm not sure what they are either, but they are really easy to remove and they feel squishy and are filamentous when you break them apart. Never been a problem in my tank.

That is a good discription of what I have...squishy and filamentous. You can kind of see that in the first 2 pics above.

Looks like a type of 'chicken liver' sponge, but they don't exactly pop up overnight. Have they been slowly growing or just sort of appeared?

They have developed over a few weeks. I will do a bit of research on chicken liver sponges.

siphon them out at a regular water change schedule, then renew your GFO.

I am in the middle of a interceptor regimin for acro redbugs. Next dose will be in 2 days, when I do the big water change afterward, I'll try to siphon the blobs out. I'm a bit of a clutz with siphon tubing in the DT, fragging corals left and right...


Thanks for all your input, everyone. Any other suggestions or ideas would be appreciated.

[PaxRoma]

99.9% is cyanobacteria. Here's mine
http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj126/txttg_tran/DSC00842.jpg
siphon out during wc and run GFO.

[Gyr]

99.9% is cyanobacteria. Here's mine


Yup. I agree that it is most likely cyano.

I'm a bit disappointed that my tank still has cyano. I was very happy when i finally got rid of the red slime algae that had been in my tank for many months. The BRS GFO reactor I added really knocked it out. Stings a bit to realize I still have cyano...just a different one.

I'll keep up with the GFO and mechanical removal (siphoning during water changes, etc) and hopefully I'll eventually get rid of all of it. I am 1/3 of the way through a interceptor treatment at this time, and I have read that many people have had cyano outbreaks when they've done this treatment...so I suspect things will get worse for my tank before they get better.

[DJREEF]

In all fairness, the cyano may be resultant from the die off from the treatment. I'm thinking it should abate a few weeks thereafter.

DJ

[Dave VG]

In all fairness, the cyano may be resultant from the die off from the treatment. I'm thinking it should abate a few weeks thereafter.

DJ

DJREEF is right.

[OneReef]

I was about to say sponge, as I have some black sponges in my tank. But after your followup pics, I would say cyano. Cyano can pop up in even the best tanks in small places occasionally, just find the source and take care of that, and no big deal. :0)