Anyone know what this is?

[mhayes462]

It's only on the back wall of my Biocube. Diatoms maybe? I don't know why it would only be on that wall though. And then the red stuff? I get build up on my glass every few days, but nothing major. Can anyone help out please?

 

[EriksFish315]

If you talking about the purple and green looks like coraline algae to me.

 

[mhayes462]

Yeah, the purple, but also the brown with the bubbles on it. I figured the purple/red was coralline but didn't know if it should be lumpy or clumps like that.

 

[Tegan]

If you are getting bubbles in it, it sounds like red slime alge. Do a couple water changes and it should start to die out. I've got a sea hare that will eat the stuff.

 

[Koolaid]

Looks like Brown Diatom Algae.
How old is your tank?
Do you have a lot of snails?
I'd get some turbos, these little guys are crazy what they eat.

 

[mhayes462]

The bubbles blow right off, not sure if they're from the pump or the algae producing the bubbles. My tank isnt new. Could it be from vodka dosing? That's when it seemed to start.

 

[boardsurfer]

Yeah, the purple, but also the brown with the bubbles on it. I figured the purple/red was coralline but didn't know if it should be lumpy or clumps like that.

The upper-right picture- if the circular pink base begins growing a quarter-inch tube, it could be a new filter feeder growing. But I'd say most of that looks like diatoms and/or cyano. Are you using RO/DI? Your tank is established, how old are the bulbs in your fixture? Have you been keeping up with your water changes, and any changes in feeding?

 

[mhayes462]

Yes, I use ro/di. The di has new silica buster resin in it and reads zero tds. My bulbs are about 3wks old. I do a 4 gallon water change every Wed. It seems to have happened since I started vodka dosing. Could that cause it. I had a dusting of what looked like rust on my sand bed last week. When I did my water change I cleaned the sand and that took care of it. Just on the back wall now. And a little thicker where the return nozzle blows on the wall. I feed about every 2-3 days. I just target feed the corals and let the fish get the leftovers.