snarkes
02/17/2014, 01:03 PM
Okay, so I have a 40B that I've been using as a frag tank for a the last year or so. About two months ago, I figured it would be best to just plumb it into my display (180 Gallon Reef, 135 sump).
When I went to take the tank down, so that I could raise the stand, I noticed this brown algae. The stuff looked very similar to cyanobacteria and felt the same (snotty mucus). It wasn't a bad infestation, just isolated to a small section of the sand. I scooped it out and tossed the affected sand. I also went through and vacuumed the sand bed to clean everything up.
Fast forward to today, a mucus that starts out clear and then takes on a slight brown hue as algae grows in it (assuming) is taking over the sand bed and rocks. On the rocks it is getting stringy and trapping air bubbles. This stuff ONLY occupies the frag tank. I've added flow and reduced feeding to this tank (only 3 fish). Also, increased water changes to the system and testing my params regularly. Display looks great and everything is growing fine.
Ideas on what this is? How to treat it?
Parameters:
SG: 1.025
Temp: 76-77
pH: 8.05-8.20 diurnal swing
Alk: Hanna Checker - 8.2, Fish Store Test - 9.6
Cal: Red Sea Pro test - 360, Fish Store Test - 400
Mag: Red Sea Pro test - 1200-1220, Fist Store Test - 1240-1260
Nitrates: Salifert - 0-trace, Fish Store Test - 0
Phosphates: Hanna Checker - 0.0, Fish Store Test - 0.003 (I have hair algae in places so I have no delusions the reading is correct).
Not that I expected to find them but:
Nitrites: 0
Ammonia: 0
I know my mag is low, but everything else seems to be okay at least.
When I went to take the tank down, so that I could raise the stand, I noticed this brown algae. The stuff looked very similar to cyanobacteria and felt the same (snotty mucus). It wasn't a bad infestation, just isolated to a small section of the sand. I scooped it out and tossed the affected sand. I also went through and vacuumed the sand bed to clean everything up.
Fast forward to today, a mucus that starts out clear and then takes on a slight brown hue as algae grows in it (assuming) is taking over the sand bed and rocks. On the rocks it is getting stringy and trapping air bubbles. This stuff ONLY occupies the frag tank. I've added flow and reduced feeding to this tank (only 3 fish). Also, increased water changes to the system and testing my params regularly. Display looks great and everything is growing fine.
Ideas on what this is? How to treat it?
Parameters:
SG: 1.025
Temp: 76-77
pH: 8.05-8.20 diurnal swing
Alk: Hanna Checker - 8.2, Fish Store Test - 9.6
Cal: Red Sea Pro test - 360, Fish Store Test - 400
Mag: Red Sea Pro test - 1200-1220, Fist Store Test - 1240-1260
Nitrates: Salifert - 0-trace, Fish Store Test - 0
Phosphates: Hanna Checker - 0.0, Fish Store Test - 0.003 (I have hair algae in places so I have no delusions the reading is correct).
Not that I expected to find them but:
Nitrites: 0
Ammonia: 0
I know my mag is low, but everything else seems to be okay at least.