what kind of algae?

[e-cat]

i notice some brown stringy algae behind a rock this morning before i went too work, i checked it a little while ago and it spread a lot, i scrubed what i could off and just noticed some more in other places of the tnak, what kind of algae is this and what will eat it and how could i stop it?

 

[gooyferret]

It could be bubble algae?? Maybe can you get a pic? I know emerald crabs will eat mostly well at least mine do from what i can get outta that description. HTH

 

[steve-s]

Does not sound like valonia to me. Could be a form of diatom, dinoflagellate or cyano. A pic would definately help...

Cheers
Steve

 

[Porksound]

sounds like my Cyano... grows like mad, KILLS coraline algae on site! hehehe, no realy, my healthy LR is looking more and more like a boneyard each week as this cyano crap strangles my coraline.

Haven't beat it yet... post a pic, that would help...

p

 

[e-cat]

its not bubble, and it doesnt look like cyano, i think it might be dinoflagellate, ill look it up and let you know what it is. i have no pics of it.

 

[e-cat]

i think it might be brown snot algae from what iv read, but i have found any pics of it, do you know of a site with pic of brown snot algae?

 

[steve-s]

do you know of a site with pic of brown snot algae?

There are some in >>this<< post.

Cheers
Steve

 

[e-cat]

oh oh, i think iv got that
but my algae is more stringy.
this could also be why my snails all droped dead "... blooms are toxic to aquarium inhabitants. Herbivorous snails may roll over, stop eating and die. Tangs that eat the dinoflagellates may stop feeding and starve to death. Sea urchins that eat them may loose their spines and die."
so i need too leave my light off for a long period and raise my ph?
my corals wont like that light off , but i guess they might die either way. :x

 

[steve-s]

Not really sure what you should try but I would suggest the more conventional methods before doing anything drastic that may damage corals and such. It might be a fruitless effort but still worth a try.

Cheers
Steve

 

[e-cat]

im not going too do this because of corals and hermits and few snails that are left but if some one got brown snot algae in there FO tank do you think erythromycin would wipe it out, i know its better too find the cause instead of useing chemicals but my friend prefers the easy and quick cures too things and used erythromycin on his cyano out break a little while ago and wiped the cyano out in 2 days, think it would kill this stuff if some one was inclined too try? also how long should i leave my lights off for? the day noticed it in my tank i put one of my red scarlet hermits by some and he munched it all down, and didnt die, think i sould add some more red scarlets too help kill it or should i avoid adding any thing too the tank untill i beat it. what made this algae appear?

 

[e-cat]

Not really sure what you should try but I would suggest the more conventional methods before doing anything drastic that may damage corals and such. It might be a fruitless effort but still worth a try.

Cheers
Steve

what conventional methods would you suggest?

 

[steve-s]

Actually the link provided above those pics give some very good info on eliminating the problem. The lights only need be off for one day and then reduced to 4 hours daily after that. Manual removal, reduced feedings, being extremely careful of not introducing PO4 and other algae "fertilizers". I would never suggest using an anti-biotic in any marine set up aside from a QT. It will also destroy your bacterial filter at the same time , basically putting you back to square one as a newly set up tank would be.

Are there any fish aside from the lion?

Cheers
Steve

 

[e-cat]

nope just the lion, so i will leave the light off all day tomorrow and scrub all that i can of the rocks and glass and then cut the lights down too 4 hours every day, any ideas as too how long? is this stuff going too be harder too get rid of then when i had cyano bacteria?

 

[e-cat]

the links in the article that you linked made this stuff out too be quite bad, could this stuff destroy my tank, killing the corals and my fish?

 

[steve-s]

could this stuff destroy my tank, killing the corals and my fish?

If it is left to spread unchecked, then yes. It will probabley just as difficult as the cyano to deal with but as long as you are diligent, I think there is a very good chance you could beat it. I would also think in a more possitive direction, it might not be dinoflagellates at all but rather a nasty mess of hair algae with cyano mixed in. You could hope at least.

I would also suggest reading up on the ph parts of the article as they seem to be key. As far as the lion is concerned, make sure you soak the foods in some removed tank water in hopes of diluting any phosphates that may come with it and discarding the water afterwards. I think with just the one fish you will not have as much problems with the qater quality as a stocked tank with many fish.

Cheers
Steve

 

[e-cat]

yeah , i hope it someting else!!!!! i will try raiseing my ph some also, do you think that i should stop soaking his food in garlic guard?
thanks for you advice

 

[steve-s]

do you think that i should stop soaking his food in garlic guard?

Yes, in fact anything that is not absolutely essencial should be discontinued including liquid foods. The lower you can get the DOC and other free floating nutrient the better.

Cheers
Steve

 

[e-cat]

ok, ill stop with that for now also then, what about phytoplankton?

 

[steve-s]

ok, ill stop with that for now also then, what about phytoplankton?

I am unsure what affect it will have on the algae if any but discontinuing it would still be a plus as it does contribute to DOC somewhat. Unless you have any bi-valves, the worst that will happen is slower growth in your corals by not using it...

Cheers
Steve

 

[e-cat]

mabey a dumb question but what are bi-valves?