What is this junk?

[sparkgin]

Started growing about 1 month ago. I spend 30 min every few days manually removing it. During the early morning hours (lights just going on) it seems to be under control; however, a few hours later and it is everywhere.

29 gal bow
T-5 SO 14w 10k and 14w actinic
T-5 HO 24w 10k and 24w actinic
live rock and sand

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5.0
pH 8.2
phosphate 0
Salinity 1.023

 

[cobra2003rg]

Bubble algae

 

[Freak1456]

Looks like cyano to me. Meaning that the phosphate reading that your getting is a false reading. Phosphates read 0 ppm when u have an outbreak cuz the cyano is using it all up. Make sure that the water u use for you PWC and top off is reading 0 ppm of phosphates and cut back on how much your feeding.

 

[ktomminello]

Hair like tentacles of a spaghetti worm maybe?

 

[Reeffanman]

Ill agree it does kind of look like cyano, but the bubbles form as it dies off. So I'm guessing there is a larger mat of it underneath dying off.
If it is cyano you are in for a long battle . It is a notorious thing to get rid of!

 

[sparkgin]

cyano.... Ok, cut back on feeding, check water before topping off and water changes... anything else? Lights?

 

[Freak1456]

What's your lighting schedule now.

 

[sparkgin]

Lights were on 12 hrs a day. LFS told me to cut to 6 hrs.

 

[Bluejeans]

I had same problem; My LFS recommended cut lighting to 6hrs daily, 10-20% H2O change every four days for four or five cycles & to use "chemclean" found at LFS. A little goes a long way. I have 14g biocube nano reef.

 

[sparkgin]

I have tested the RO that I purchase from LFS.... Phosphate is at 0.5ppm. Now what do I do?

 

[Reeffanman]

I have tested the RO that I purchase from LFS.... Phosphate is at 0.5ppm. Now what do I do?

Stop getting it from the Lfs

 

[Freak1456]

I have tested the RO that I purchase from LFS.... Phosphate is at 0.5ppm. Now what do I do?

Is that the phosphates int the LFS RO water????? If it is you should find a diff place to get the water from. Phosphates are one of the many things that can constitute as a dissolved solid. And that is what the RO/DI should be taking out. At lest it getting the water down to 1 molecule per million molecules of H2O( water). The idea behind using RO/DI water is to get pure water so that u can start at a base line, and add your salt and other trace minerals in to mimic reef water as much as possible. If your not even getting a base line. Then that is we're the problem resides.

 

[Freak1456]

If at all possible save up and invest in your own RO/DI filter and change the filters for it regularly. I got mine for about 300 usd 4years ago. Not sure how much they are now. The filters I get from my LFS it's about 9 bux for a bag of the DI resin and the RO is about 50 to 70 depending on the Gallon per day rating.

 

[Freak1456]

Gallon jugs of distilled water from the supermarket will be better then what ur getting from your LFS. Just make sure it's not mineral water or spring water. Remember pure H2O!!!!! Distilled is good. Not perfect but good

 

[mr_X]

Either cyano or diatoms. I'm getting the same thing, and It's not cyano. I think It's a diatom bloom.