I think its "a form of alge"

[rafecci]

I think it's a form of alge but Im not 100%. Appears to be "airbubbles" forming on various rocks. I didn't pop it or touch it as I'm not sure what it is and I don't want to "spread" it. If so, what type is it? Good or bad? How do I manage it/control it?

Thanks!

 

[melosu58]

My guess would be cyano. Read this

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/articles/articles/20/1/Cyanobacteria-AKA-Red-Slime-Algae-/Page1.html

 

[rafecci]

I researced Cyanobacteria and viewed many pictures and nothing resembles what I have. I'm talking about the little airbubble looking items in my pic.

 

[ThatGuy619]

the air bubbles are the gases or air trapped in the algae. the way i battled this was increased the flow of the tank.

 

[melosu58]

Cyano starts that way with air bubbles in it that are trying to escape the cyano. I`m pretty sure it`s cyano.

 

[austinsdad]

Yeah, just focus on the carpet like areas, not the bubbles. I'm sure it's cyano also.

 

[rafecci]

OK - I will believe that...LOL Well - I have two water jets, water flow filter and a UV filter. I probably leave my lights on too long (about 12-13 hours and then moon lighting at night), So I cut my lighting down (no moon light all night long) and maybe cut 2-3 hours off the day lights. How about stock? Only have 4 fish in the 46g? A few T. snail and 6 crabs. And a few soft corals and one anemie Should I stock more in the tank?

Last water check was neg for amonia and nitrites, 14 on the nitrates, pH was a bit off at 8.0 but I have started adding part A of the Cal tech. My calcium is continuely on the low side even with adding calcium weekly! (Ca+ 340) I am due for a water check today (check it every two weeks.) Oh- water changes are twice a week at about 2-3 g each time. Salinity is 1.024 and temp is around 78 degrees.

Oh - and I KNOW I need a protein skimmer (It on my christmas wish list).

 

[austinsdad]

Yep. Lights on for 9-10 hours max is my preference. What size tank is this anyway? Trying to gauge from your 2-3g water change twice weekly. What kinda salt you using by the way? That calcium ready is weird if you're changing water that often.

How often are you feeding and what are you feeding? I feed mine once daily or every other day in a very mature tank. You may be overfeeding and have too many nutrients in the tank feeding the cyano. Not having a skimmer doesn;t help either.

That nitrate reading of 14 you say can't be right. Usually measured in units of 10 I believe. Like 10, 20, 30 ppm. Ideal at 0 - 10, but OK at 20 or under IMO.

Also, next water change, siphon it from the rocks.

 

[rafecci]

It's a 46g. Water comes from Pruess Pets in Lansing MI. It's R/O water premixed salt. They do all my water testing. I take in the water and get back a water testing result sheet. They test all the basics - pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, KH, Ca+, Mag, salinity. Last water change I took off the large end to my siphon hose and was able to get a stronger more direct suction with it. (lost a bit of sand...not realizing the siphon was going to be much stronger) But it made it easier to get down into and between rocks and just not taking water from the bottom of the tank. It surely appeared I had a better water change as the waste water looked like it had more "junk" in it. (had to return one of my sand snails to the tank from the waste water....LOL)

As for the feedings - Im using frozen brine shrimp. Package says no perservatives. Im using the small desk top nano packages, one every other day. About twice a month I will feed the anemea 1/4 piece of thawed silver back (it eats it whole)

 

[rafecci]

Here is a pic of the whole system. As you can see in the lower left corner is where the hair algea is growning the most. This is also where most of the "bubbles" are appearing. You can see the one jet, where as the other just is down under rocks in the left hand corner. The alge is growning around that jet.

 

[austinsdad]

I'd rinse the frozen brine in FW. I've heard the frozen water the cube is in is chock full of phosphates. Ask Pruess to test for that also.

2-3g water change isn't making a dent in the need to replace nutrients contained in the new salt. I'd shoot for 7-10 gallons when you change. New SW replenishes the iron, calcium, strontium, etc. 2-3 gallons isn't replenishing a 46g tank sufficiently.

Lights on for 12 hours is definitely too much.

The area where the cycano is growing. Dead spot? Any water flowing in that area? Dead spots are prime for cyano attacks too.

Hair algea grows around my powerhead/jets too. I pay it no mind.

Also, try a smaller hose when siphoning. Slower flow will give you more time to target that cyano - and your snails won't get sucked up either.

How old is the tank? Nice looking. Usually folks don't add anenomes until the tank is stable and mature. Good luck with that.

 

[rafecci]

Thanks for all your help! The tank is just over 6 months old. Anemomes has only been in there maybe two months. I will change my power heads around and see if Im dealing with a dead spot. your probably right on that one. I don't think the power head on the other side reaches that corner. The cyano is growing atop and around the power head in the bottom left corner. I will double the amount of my twice week changes. Should I be adding more of a cleaning crew? I'm off to pruess so I will check the phosphates and get a small diameter hose.

 

[austinsdad]

I'm still concerned about that nitrate reading. Doesn't sound like you're overfeeding, so I'm not sure if additional clean-up crew will help. It won't hurt though IMO.

A 15-20% water change every 2 weeks will be just fine. Try other snails too. Nassarius for the sand bed, maybe 2 or 3. Astreas for the glass, 3-5. If the fall they die since they can't turn over though.

 

[rafecci]

OK - visited Pruess today and here are my readings
pH: 8.6
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5
KH: 8
Ca+: 340
Salinity: 1.024
pho: 0.03

I forgot to ask about the odd numbers for the Nitrate. She also said the new lighting I put up (with too long of hours) may be causing a "out brake" until the tank restablizes with the better light. (Was origially running a standard light with the tank) We added more clean up crew - about 10 snails (4-nassarium, 1-cronk and a few other I cant remember their names) The cronk is going to town and I can see where he has been (wow - hungry little fella)

I'm not sure why my pH jumped so high over the past two weeks, but I still can't get my calcium and KH up. I'm using Tech - CB part A and B. 10 ml after each water change. I cant remember if the pH goes up at "lights out" or down?

 

[roka64]

I agree, I had a huge outbreak with my new lighting. Your test kit might be old...
Ph will drop after lights out and come back up after lights on.
Take out the ph and clean it and any other equipment that has it on it. I have found more flow after it has taken "root" does not help much.
I fed every other day and sometimes on the 3rd day.