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Unread 01/27/2018, 12:37 PM   #1
jonnyu
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Algae or bacteria problem

So I setup this tank about 4 weeks ago and I continue to have a white/clear growth on my rocks, sand, and glass. What is it? Also what can do to control it ?



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Unread 01/27/2018, 05:57 PM   #2
Sk8r
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What kind of skimmer and what size tank? This is one of those 'new tank' type problems, and careful water maintenance plus efficient skimming is your best course right now. I've seen this stuff happen in a very well set up but NEW set up tank, and it just went away with time.


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Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low.

Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.
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Unread 01/27/2018, 06:19 PM   #3
Diana A
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Sk8r

What causes this in an old system? What is it?


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Unread 01/27/2018, 08:22 PM   #4
jonnyu
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Quote:
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What kind of skimmer and what size tank? This is one of those 'new tank' type problems, and careful water maintenance plus efficient skimming is your best course right now. I've seen this stuff happen in a very well set up but NEW set up tank, and it just went away with time.


I’m not running my skimmer as I was trying to build nitrates and phosphate as nitrate 1 and phosphate 0.00 with Hanna. I will turn on my skimmer if you think it will help clear it up. It’s a 330 with a vertex alpha 200 skimmer.
Tank is about 3-4 weeks running
I am middle of building bar



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Unread 01/27/2018, 08:46 PM   #5
Diana A
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Nice tank and rock scape!


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Unread 01/27/2018, 09:22 PM   #6
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Nice tank and rock scape!


Thank you. It has been a fun build.


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Unread 01/27/2018, 10:21 PM   #7
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Unread 02/14/2018, 10:31 AM   #8
makers marc
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Id like to keep this discussion going. Hopefully Sk8r and others can chime in..

My 180g upgrade is going on 2 months wet. Quick background: Used dry pukani and dry reef grade sand to start fresh.
In addition, I soaked my pukani in Lanthamum Chloride for a month (so no phosphates) and have been running 1 cup of BRS HC GFO and 1 cup of GAC since day 1. Skimmer is on 24/7 and collects a half a cup of skimmate each wk. No other dosing.

I feed relatively heavily 3x a day for my 10 small fish right now.

A month ago, the expected diatom bloom occurred. Weeks later, the diatoms converted to green algae that can be blown easily off the rocks. Now, the rocks are covered in a similar white, stringy bacteria that looks like clumps of dust.

The rest of the tank looks too clean and I only need to clean the glass weekly. Even what grows on the glass is clear/white.

So I just turned off my GFO reactor for now, as Im concluding my phosphate:nitrate ratio is unbalanced?

Any thoughts ? Just let it mature more? Is this bc po4 limited bacteria?


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75g SPS dominant (Ca= 400ppm, Mg = 1350ppm, Kh= 8.5dkh)

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Unread 02/15/2018, 10:28 AM   #9
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Looks like it may be chrysophytes..a silicate based algae. Try searching Google images and see what you think. If that is the case, you can try algaefix marine to help subdue it.


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Unread 02/16/2018, 01:33 AM   #10
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I think you should get the biggest UV sterilizer and run it 24/7. I can’t tell you the name of your algae, but it is spreading thru the water column. Have you used a turkey blaster. Is it slimy to the touch. There are many differrent color cynobacteria.



This is a good link on nuisance algae, but does not identify what you have.

https://www.reefcleaners.org/nuisance-algae-id-guide

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_algae

Very nice finished carpentry worrk. Your tank will standout with the way you designed your room


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Unread 02/16/2018, 07:04 AM   #11
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Looks like it may be chrysophytes..a silicate based algae. Try searching Google images and see what you think. If that is the case, you can try algaefix marine to help subdue it.


It really looks like this. I was told ROWA is best plan of action. I’m going to order some and see if it helps.


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Unread 02/16/2018, 07:05 AM   #12
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Unread 02/16/2018, 07:13 AM   #13
MrNurse
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It really looks like this. I was told ROWA is best plan of action. I’m going to order some and see if it helps.


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Good luck! If that doesn’t do it, I would seriously consider marine algaefix since I’ve seen it work as well.


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Unread 02/16/2018, 07:41 AM   #14
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Just a thought.. tell us about your RO/DI system. What’s the TDS of your top-off water? Old cartridges can lead to algae outbreaks.


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Unread 02/16/2018, 08:50 AM   #15
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Just a thought.. tell us about your RO/DI system. What’s the TDS of your top-off water? Old cartridges can lead to algae outbreaks.


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Well RO unit was taken down for 3 months so felt safer putting all new membranes and filters


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Unread 02/16/2018, 09:24 AM   #16
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Well RO unit was taken down for 3 months so felt safer putting all new membranes and filters


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So what does the TDS meter say today?


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Unread 02/18/2018, 02:04 PM   #17
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10 out of membrane and 0 out of DI
Tested water for silica and it was pretty close to 0.25 if not 0.00
Phosphorus rest with Hanna was 2
Which I think is .006ppm


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Unread 02/22/2018, 08:01 AM   #18
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Update. Tested silicates and they where pretty close to zero if not zero. Hard to tell. I put chemiclean and tank cleared up in about 5 days




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Unread 02/22/2018, 12:31 PM   #19
pisanoal
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Tanks started with dry rock and sand are prone to issues with odd bacterial blooms. That looked like algae, based on the hair look to it, but I strongly recommend you buy some varieties of bottled bacteria and dose them for a while. Or get some good live rock or sand to help seed the diversity.

Really cool scape by the way.


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Unread 02/25/2018, 06:28 PM   #20
makers marc
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Quote:
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Tanks started with dry rock and sand are prone to issues with odd bacterial blooms. That looked like algae, based on the hair look to it, but I strongly recommend you buy some varieties of bottled bacteria and dose them for a while. Or get some good live rock or sand to help seed the diversity.

Really cool scape by the way.
I have a similar bloom as OP. Started at the 2 month mark after diatoms disappeared.

Also started with dry pukani and sand, the former was soaked in LC for a month so its not a phosphate issue. Seeded with one bottle of Seachem stability bacteria.

Seems this type of bacteria bloom happens more nowadays based on forum observation. Its reducing as im scrubbing the pukani and changing filter socks.. i even pulled the GFO offline the last.2 weeks in case its related to a nitrate phosphate imbalance?


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Unread 02/26/2018, 08:52 AM   #21
pisanoal
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I have a similar bloom as OP. Started at the 2 month mark after diatoms disappeared.

Also started with dry pukani and sand, the former was soaked in LC for a month so its not a phosphate issue. Seeded with one bottle of Seachem stability bacteria.

Seems this type of bacteria bloom happens more nowadays based on forum observation. Its reducing as im scrubbing the pukani and changing filter socks.. i even pulled the GFO offline the last.2 weeks in case its related to a nitrate phosphate imbalance?
I agree. I also dont think I've seen a tank started with good live rock with an odd bacterial bloom. I think the common theme is more people are starting with dry rock and bottled bacteria. Thats why I made my suggestion of adding as many different types as possible/ and or seeding with good lr

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Unread 02/26/2018, 09:00 AM   #22
makers marc
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I agree. I also dont think I've seen a tank started with good live rock with an odd bacterial bloom. I think the common theme is more people are starting with dry rock and bottled bacteria. Thats why I made my suggestion of adding as many different types as possible/ and or seeding with good lr

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What specific bacteria should ppl look at adding? With all the brands/strains out there, im inclined to try and wait this out for a month or so first for fear of adding fuel to the fire.

Ive heard ppl in past yrs suggest adding microbacter 7, but its prob all anecdotal.


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75g SPS dominant (Ca= 400ppm, Mg = 1350ppm, Kh= 8.5dkh)

2xJebao wp25/Kessil Ap700/Kalk via Tunze ATO/GFO (6 tbsps every 2 wks); Carbon (6 tbsps per month)
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Unread 02/26/2018, 09:50 AM   #23
pisanoal
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What specific bacteria should ppl look at adding? With all the brands/strains out there, im inclined to try and wait this out for a month or so first for fear of adding fuel to the fire.

Ive heard ppl in past yrs suggest adding microbacter 7, but its prob all anecdotal.
I started with dr tims for my cycle. Then I added seachem stability, and prodibio biodigest. I think a few others. I also added pods, and a live sand starter "kit" from indopacific seafarms. I skimmed wet, changed filter socks daily, and added a UV sterilizer. I came out of it in about a week which is much faster then most from what ive read. It hasnt come back which I've also seen as a trend.

I tried to add as many different bacterial cultures as I could. I wouldn't recommend one specific brand as a fix, I recommend several sources of biodiversity.

I'm by no means an expert, this my personal experience mixed with my research on forum threads with people experiencing this issue and other issues with a dry base start.

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Unread 02/26/2018, 11:25 AM   #24
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Yes you will get strange bacteria booms with the bottle bacteria but I have setup 4 tanks with dry rock and found it normally cycles threw all the ugly phase quickly maybe 4 weeks. Now for different bacteria I purchased a microscope and started testing a few products out. Only thing I found that has live bacteria was turbo start. All other non refrigerated bacteria I have tried says bacteria is in dormant stage when fed they will reproduce. I used dishes and made 3.0ppm ammonia saltwater and let them feed but I didn’t see any true population growth. Most product only had about 10% of bacteria movement. Seems like 90% of the bacteria never comes back to life. When I did the same thing with turbo start you can see the population growing every 24 hours


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