What is this brown film I have from mysis feed?

[kwan]

My tank has cycled several weeks and I have added a couple of clowns and a yellow tang. Today I decided to feed them for the first time with mysis shrimps from these cubes, which they took without any hesitation.

However, after a few hours I notice parts of my substrate and LR have been covered by a brown coat of algae. But upon closer inspection. this brownish stuff is more like a film of protein of some sort and has transformed my tank to quite an unpleasant sight. Although it can be easily removed, but it would be more difficult on the LR as I need to brush it.

Does anyone know whether this is caused by the mysis shrimps I am using? And whether the coating is a start of a algae bloom or what? All my reading for the tank is fine, with nitrate at zero. Any thoughts?

 

[WarOrks15]

what kind of light do you have one the tank. did you just upgrade. did you have the light off during the cycle. all of these thing will give you a bloom

 

[kwan]

I have a antinic and a coral sun for light.

When I cycle I did not have the lights on. After the tank has cycled, I have been running for over three weeks with lights on with a yellow tang and then a couple of clowns added a week ago. There has not been any sign of algae growth, and I have been cautious with feeding. And then it just happened in a few hours after my first mysis feed. The thing is I am not even sure if it is algae. It is like a film of protein. Perhaps I should monitor for another day to see if it comes back, if it does then it is most likely to be algae.

 

[WarOrks15]

did you test for po4?

 

[kwan]

No, I haven't as I don't have the test kit. I'll do that tomorrow.

 

[kwan]

I have not measured my PO4 yet as I am working away from home and not able to purchase the test kit. But this brown film appears to be brown algae. And I think the growth of this has been accelerated by feeding mysis. I have tried removing it in the evening, but it grows again the next day. Does anyone know how I can remove it? Will snails or crabs or clean shrimps do it?

 

[steve-s]

You should be sure the water you use for top off and changes is free of both silicates and PO4. Brown algaes will moreso be the result of silicates than anything else. As far as the mysis goes, you should try thawing it in some RO water and then strain the shrimp discarding the water. That will help in adding additional PO4. The tang should not really be eating meats as a regular daily diet. You should try getting some nori or other herbavor food high in spurlina that can be left in as a grazing food. Over time the tang will develope health problems if only fed meats. That will aslo help in cutting the feedings down.

Fighting conch's are the best for diatoms but a mixture of snails for the "over all" care of the tank are also necessary. Cerith, nassarius, trochus and nerite are a few good ones. If the water source is free of the silicates and phosphates, your algae problem will burn itself out soon. As long as those elements are being introduced, the problem will not go away.

Cheers
Steve

 

[kwan]

Thanks for the info. I agreed with you the tang should be fed with more herbivore food than meat, which I am doing already. But how can I avoid the tang from eating the meat when I am feeding my clowns. As soon as the meat goes in the water, everyone jumps for it.

 

[steve-s]

But how can I avoid the tang from eating the meat when I am feeding my clowns. As soon as the meat goes in the water, everyone jumps for it.

As long as the Tang is getting a regular diet of "veggies", the meat is less of a concern. In some cases it can actually help with keeping the pipes clean. It just shouldn't make up the primary diet.

Cheers
Steve