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View Full Version : Strange algae behavior


asfullax
09/06/2006, 03:42 PM
Hey all,

2 questions for anybody who wants a difficult challenge:

1. I installed 2 new tunze pumps (1 6080 and 1 6100) in my 129 in order to stimulate better water flow. I had an accident with the tank in which the salinity went from 1.026 to 1.019. I have slowly increased the salinity back to around 1.025 over the last month but I have had a weird occurrence.

Anywhere the water flow if strong to very strong, what looks like red cyano is growing. Again, it is only growing in the strong currents. I AM getting some green nuisance algae in low flow areas but I just attribute that to having another cycle due to the salinity drop and having a few snails die off.

I guess it could be cyano, BUT it is extremely difficult to get off (some of it was attached to my monti cup in which I had to break off a few spots to remove it, and it only grows in the turbulent areas.

2. I am also getting some strange algae growth in my sump that resembles snot that grows off the rocks and floats upwards. This algae has killed off most of my macro algae and grows at a very fast rate (as in up to 2 inches a day when I feed the corals) without feeding it just survives. I keep pulling this stuff out and it keeps coming back. I can confirm that it is indeed algae from a sample I put under the microscope; it is very loosely packed and basically has a membrane covering the outside of the shoots that are filled with water. The veins seem to be connected in a spider web type structure. The tank is moderate in terms of nutrients.

Anyway, here are my tank parameters as of right now:
Salinity: 1.025
Calc: 390 ppm
Alkalinity: 3.5 meg/l
Phosphate: Non-detectible
Magnesium: ~1200
Nitrate: 0
Nitrite: 0
Ammonia: 0
Top off water is RO/DI

all the corals and fish are doing very well and show no signs of stress.

Ideas?

asfullax
09/07/2006, 10:49 AM
Bump :)

grips
09/07/2006, 11:44 AM
What brand of salt do you use?

asfullax
09/07/2006, 12:05 PM
Instant ocean reef crystals. Although you do have a point, after the accident I purchased a quick "not so name brand" of salt from petsmart since it was the only place around after I ran out of salt. I have been trying to do larger water changes to get as much junk out of the system as possible (about 20% every 2 weeks)

RichConley
09/07/2006, 12:28 PM
"Anywhere the water flow if strong to very strong, what looks like red cyano is growing. Again, it is only growing in the strong currents. I AM getting some green nuisance algae in low flow areas but I just attribute that to having another cycle due to the salinity drop and having a few snails die off.

I guess it could be cyano, BUT it is extremely difficult to get off (some of it was attached to my monti cup in which I had to break off a few spots to remove it, and it only grows in the turbulent areas."


Are you sure its not red corraline? Cyano is really easy to get off. Is it maybe a red turf algae?