A few Id's Please

[RYANLAWRENCE]

Hey just need a couple of things identified

The first picture is of this (Algae?) im not really sure what it is haha. it looks like coraline algae at first glance but it is filamentous like green algae except pink. It prefers to live under the sand bed (odd) it doesnt come out on the glass much as shown by the other picture. Is this stuff bad? and the other picture is another algae i presume. It is brown and tubular. Any ideas??
Thanks

 

[neilanh]

The red stuff is cyanobacteria. Bad stuff.

Not sure what the brown stuff is.

 

[RYANLAWRENCE]

what causes it, and how can i get rid of it? its only in that one spot for now

 

[dill060]

Cyanobacteria,aka red slime algae, is a photosynthetic bacteria that can be a nuisance if not delt with properly. There
Are products that get rid of it temporarily, but the solution to the problem lies in the husbandry of the tank. If you have it, that means there is a nutrient excess providing fuel for it's growth. So, most importantly check your water chemistry. Make sure nitrite is zero and nitrate is low, then be sure to check for phosphates. Be sure that you are using RODI water, and if it is your own unit be sure membranes and cartridges are replaced if needed. Cutting down light to a minimum can facilitate the removal process, along with frequent water changes with RODI water. Be sure that u are feeding an absolute minimum, more often than not i find customers with this problem are overfeeding or not cleaning the tank or leaving the light on too long. However,I've also had customers who care for their tank better than i do and still have this problem. To get rid of the initial outbreak products like chemiclean or anti-red work, but you have to eliminate the source, excess nutrients, in order to get rid of it permanently. Be patient, it takes time, but persistence will eliminate the problem.

 

[RYANLAWRENCE]

thank you very much. Nitrites 0 and nitrates are less than 20. Unfortunately i cannot afford RODI water since i dont have an income (im a student) so i suspect that is the problem. I have been using prime water conditioner to condition the water i make. RODI water would be ideal but I cannot do it. What would you recommend instead? I have a very small bio load ( I have a 40 gallon tank with 2 clownfish but will hopefully add a royal gramma soon) so i doubt overfeeding/stocking is the trouble maker. Do you think it is the water that i use?

 

[Turbosnail]

You can get RODI water at walmart for around 1.50 for five gallons, from the machine to fill drinking bottles.

 

[Alpenriff]

Amblygobius phalaena, banded gobby, will active feed on them. It is half true that Cyanos Need higher po4 or no3, the can also exit in a clean water Form. They can also adsorbate CO2 over the Water surface! Low light can cure but wont destinct them!

 

[mr_X]

no fish will eat cyanobacteria.
low light will not cure the tank of cyanobacteria. as soon as you turn the lights back on, it will reappear.
the brown things are hydroids.

 

[Alpenriff]

I can guarantee that a. Phalaena will eat them! I am breeding corals and fish for more than 10 Years and this fish is the only fish eating them. Low light wil make them go Away until you turn the lights back on!

I had lots of customers having success with this fish!

 

[mr_X]

well, good luck with the "coral breeding". btw, you wouldn't happen to have a female scolymia would you?

 

[Alpenriff]

No sorry. LPS i can just frag with my reefkeepers diamant saw. I had sexual Reproduktion only with some pocciloporidae, stylophoridae and some leather. The Others are more doing a Kind of Polyp budding. Goniporas are losing tissue that starts to grow on the sand.

Tubastreas are also well growing. They spawn twice a year.

 

[MaiNpHRaMe]

You can get RODI water at walmart for around 1.50 for five gallons, from the machine to fill drinking bottles.

if you want phosphates, another problem. Go to your local aquarium store and get real R/O water.

 

[mr_X]

if you want phosphates, another problem. Go to your local aquarium store and get real R/O water.

does walmart sell fake R.O. water?

 

[mwilliams]

if you want phosphates, another problem. Go to your local aquarium store and get real R/O water.

Well if Walmart sells fake R.O water then so do all the other stores and that would be considered fasle adverstising on those water bottles, from Ozarko, Aquafina, Culligan, Glazier, etc... I don't think those companies would risk putting that on their labels if they are not really processing their water by the RO machinces....Unless you know first hand by working at one of those watering places and know exactly how they process their water..... IMO

 

[dill060]

It's difficult to say any one thing will take care of it. Proper husbandry and clean pure water are the best bet. Run a polyfilter or purapad if you can't get RODI or even if you can. Keep light to a minimum. Feed light. Be patient. If you want to argue about trivial things people keep if to yourself. Just try to eliminate as many sources of trace nutrients however you can.Invest in a good skimmer.

 

[mwilliams]

'A few Id's Please'

Amblygobius phalaena, banded gobby, will active feed on them. It is half true that Cyanos Need higher po4 or no3, the can also exit in a clean water Form. They can also adsorbate CO2 over the Water surface! Low light can cure but wont destinct them!

Alpenriff:
Which Amblygobius phalaena, banded goby are you referring to there are several kinds of banded gobies?

 

[RYANLAWRENCE]

Thanks for the input everyone. Like i said i have a small bioload and feed every other day. So i guess it is the water. I have a skimmer and maintain near perfect water parameters. It must just be the dissolved minerals in the water i use. Is cyano really that bad though? what could it do if it spreads more

 

[RYANLAWRENCE]

????

 

[mr_X]

"
Cyanobacteria are single-celled organisms that live in fresh, brackish, and marine water. They use sunlight to make their own food. In warm, nutrient-rich environments, microscopic cyanobacteria can grow quickly, creating blooms that spread across the water’s surface and may become visible. Because of the color, texture, and location of these blooms, the common name for cyanobacteria is blue-green algae. However, cyanobacteria are related more closely to bacteria than to algae. Cyanobacteria are found worldwide, from Brazil to China, Australia to the United States. In warmer climates, these organisms can grow year-round.
Scientists have called cyanobacteria the origin of plants, and have credited cyanobacteria with providing nitrogen fertilizer for rice and beans. But blooms of cyanobacteria are not always helpful. When these blooms become harmful to the environment, animals, and humans, scientists call them cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (CyanoHABs).
Freshwater CyanoHABs can use up the oxygen and block the sunlight that other organisms need to live. They also can produce powerful toxins that affect the brain and liver of animals and humans. Because of concerns about CyanoHABs, which can grow in drinking water and recreational water, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has added cyanobacteria to its Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List. This list identifies organisms and toxins that EPA considers to be priorities for investigation."

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

As Mr.X's article mentions, cyano takes oxygen out of the water column. That's the main reason I don't like it, other than the fact that it's unsightly and spreads quick if conditions are right.